Apparatus and method to fully automatically open crates for agricultural products

Abstract

Method and apparatus for opening pairs of opposed reclined walls of a plurality of crates, comprises carrying a first stack to a first working station, raising opposed walls of the upper crate by rotation with respect to the bottom plane, raising the other two front walls by rotation, blocking at least one of the side walls to an adjacent side wall, horizontally transferring the open crate into a position where it is lowered onto an adjacent second stack opened crates.

1 . Method to fully automatically open the side and reclined walls of a plurality of crates preferably for agricultural products, provided with a bottom plane and with two pairs of opposed walls, each of them hinged on said bottom plane, which are arranged in the same and ordered way, and vertically laid one on the other so as to form a respective first stack, wherein it comprises the following operations:
 a) carrying said first stack into an loading station   b) vertically raising two opposed walls of the upper crate by respective rotation with respect to said bottom plane,   c) vertically rising of the other two opposed walls of the upper crate by respective rotation with respect to said bottom plane,   d) blocking of at least one of said side walls to an adjacent side wall,   e) horizontally transferring said open crate into a position outside the vertical projection of said first stack.   
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein, after said operation in a), and before said operation in b), said first stack is lifted to a level such as the crate in the upper position and with the reclined side walls, reaches a pre-determined level into a first working station. 
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 2 , wherein, after said lifting to said level, said upper crate is blocked with respect to said first working station by means acting laterally onto said bottom plane of said upper crate. 
     
     
         4 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein, after said operation in e), the upper open crate is lowered until a support level of the respective bottom plane on a second stack of opened crates. 
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein said operation in b) is carried out by using devices which:
 do push against the side edges of said walls,   and then do drag into rotation said walls according to rotation axes basically coincident with the rotation axes of said walls.   
     
     
         6 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein said operation in c) is implemented by using devices able of engaging, as an hook, on the outer rims of said other two walls, and that successively drag into rotation said respective walls on rotation axes parallel and preferably coincident to the respective rotation axes of the hinges of said other two walls. 
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein said blocking operation in d) and said operation in e) are carried out by using means able of:
 being initially lowered until it is introduced into an opened crate,   being acted so as to increase one horizontal size and to contact the side edges of two opposed walls, and to engage by pushing said two edges to corresponding edges of the other two walls,   to keep on engaged by pushing said crate and to be horizontally transferred, possibly after a lifting motion, so as to automatically transfer said crate.   
     
     
         8 . Apparatus for the opening of two pairs of opposed walls of a crate placed on a first stack of closed crates, wherein it comprises:
 lifting means of said first stack to an opening station,   first opening means of a first pair of opposed walls,   second opening means of a second pair of opposed walls,   third reciprocal blocking means between at least two adjacent walls   
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said first opening means do comprise:
 actuators and respective extractable means able of pushing against the side edges of the first pair of opposed walls,   rotation means of each of said walls, comprising a first type lever, and able of rotating said extractable means around respective axes substantially aligned to the hinge axes of respective said opposed walls.   
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said second opening means do comprise:
 hooking means able of being inserted below respective rims of said second pair of opposed walls,   rotating actuators able of turning said hooking means around respective axes which are basically aligned to the hinge axes of the respective said walls.   
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said third blocking means do comprise a centre operation body bearing, on two opposite sides, two respective horizontal arms which support respective operating boxes. each of which is provided with respective extractable means which is able of selectively move outwards and inwards of the respective operating box, each extractable means being able of moving on mainly parallel but opposed directions, when referred to the two opposed operating boxes. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said third means are able:
 to engage to the inner sides of the walls of an opened crate, and then to push them outwards,   and successively to horizontally move said crate, and then to disengage from it.   
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein a lowering frame is arranged, which is able to engage to said crate after the relevant dis-engagement from said third means, and to lower it to a predetermined level, alternately:
 on a previously opened crate placed on a stack of opened crates,   or on sliding means apt of moving away the stacks of successive opened crates.   
     
     
         14 . Apparatus for the opening of two pairs of opposed walls of a crate placed on a first stack of closed crates, wherein it comprises:
 lifting means of said first stack to an opening station,   first opening means of a first pair of opposed walls,   second opening means of a second pair of opposed walls,   third reciprocal blocking means between at least two adjacent walls   provided with a control and command means able of storing and of sending in an ordered sequence the instructions/signals able of carrying out the methods according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said second opening means do comprise:
 hooking means able of being inserted below respective rims of said second pair of opposed walls,   rotating actuators able of turning said hooking means around respective axes which are basically aligned to the hinge axes of the respective said walls.