IP Library Granted Patent US 12,583,094
Granted Patent B2
US 12,583,094 · App. 18/360,328 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Contactless locking of ratchet columns

Inventor: Eckhard Laible (Leinfelden-Schlechtenmühle, DE)
Assignee: MTS MASCHINENBAU GMBH
B25H3/04H01F7/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,583,094
App. No.
18/360,328
Granted
Mar 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

In an automatically operable rack for storing workpieces in ratchet columns with side walls ( 1.1, 1.2 ), between which movable ratchets ( 5 ) are arranged which serve to hold the workpieces, wherein the ratchets ( 5 ) can be brought from a rest position into a working position in which they hold the workpiece, and a locking/unlocking unit is assigned to the last ratchet ( 5.2 ), the locking being affected by a rotary movement of the last ratchet ( 5.2 ) into its working position, the rotary movement of the last ratchet ( 5.2 ) entrains a bolt ( 9 ) which is received by a recess ( 12, 49 ) when the working position is reached.

Claims (33)

1 . Rack for storing workpieces in ratchet columns with side walls ( 1 . 1 , 1 . 2 ), between which movable ratchets ( 5 ) are arranged which serve to hold the workpieces, wherein the ratchets ( 5 ) can be brought from a rest position into a working position in which they hold the workpiece, and a locking/unlocking unit is assigned to the last ratchet ( 5 . 2 ), wherein the locking is affected by a rotary movement of the last ratchet ( 5 . 2 ) into its working position,

characterized in that

the rotary movement of the last ratchet ( 5 . 2 ) entrains a bolt ( 9 ) which is received by a recess ( 12 , 49 ) when the working position is reached,

the bolt ( 9 ) is overlapped by a recess ( 49 ) of a latch ( 37 ) when reaching the working position, and

the latch ( 37 ) rotates about an axis of rotation ( 38 ) against the force of a force accumulator ( 39 ), and

the force accumulator ( 39 ) is connected to the latch ( 37 ) at one end of the axis of rotation ( 38 ), while the latch ( 37 ) has a connection to a lever strip ( 43 ) at the other end of the axis of rotation ( 38 ).

2 . Rack according to claim 1 , characterized in that the bolt ( 9 ) moves into a recess ( 12 ) when the working position is reached.

3 . Rack according to claim 1 , characterized in that the recess ( 49 ) is between the connection and the axis of rotation ( 38 ).

4 . Rack according to claim 1 , characterized in that the connection comprises a bolt ( 44 ) guided in an elongated hole ( 45 ) in the lever strip ( 43 ).

5 . Rack according to claim 1 , characterized in that the lever strip ( 43 ) is connected to a toggle lever ( 47 ) via a swivel joint ( 46 ).

6 . Rack according to claim 5 , characterized in that the toggle lever ( 47 ) is fixedly and rotatably situated on a rack part ( 34 ).

7 . Rack according to claim 5 , characterized in that the swivel joint ( 46 ) pivots from a position above an axis of rotation ( 48 ) of the toggle lever to a position below the axis of rotation ( 48 ) of the toggle lever during its rotation about the axis of rotation ( 48 ) of the toggle lever ( 47 ).

8 . Rack according to claim 7 , characterized in that the connection of the latch ( 37 ) presses on the swivel joint ( 46 ) both above the axis of rotation ( 48 ) of the toggle lever and below said axis of rotation ( 48 ) of the toggle lever.

9 . Rack according to claim 5 , characterized in that the toggle lever ( 47 ) has an extension with a nose ( 50 ) relative to the axis of rotation ( 48 ) of the toggle lever and on the other side of the swivel joint ( 46 ).

10 . Rack according to claim 9 , characterized in that the nose ( 50 ) engages over the bolt ( 9 ) in the locking position.

11 . Rack according to claim 5 , further comprising a slider ( 51 ) that rotates the swivel joint ( 46 ) about the axis of rotation ( 48 ) of the toggle lever.

12 . Rack according to claim 1 , characterized in that the locking and unlocking unit with the latch ( 37 ), the lever strip ( 43 ) and the toggle lever ( 47 ) as well as the slider ( 51 ) are situated on a rack part ( 34 ), which is separately attached from the outside to the side wall ( 1 . 2 ).

13 . Rack according to claim 1 , characterized in that the bolt ( 9 ) is situated inside the two sidewalls ( 1 . 1 , 1 . 2 ).

14 . Rack according to claim 1 , further comprising a hold-down ratchet ( 7 ) which the performs a locking and/or unlocking function of the upper ratchet ( 5 . 2 ).

15 . Rack for storing workpieces in ratchet columns with side walls ( 1 . 1 , 1 . 2 ), between which movable ratchets ( 5 ) are arranged which serve to hold the workpieces, wherein the ratchets ( 5 ) can be brought from a rest position into a working position in which they hold the workpiece, and a locking/unlocking unit is assigned to the last ratchet ( 5 . 2 ), wherein the locking is affected by a rotary movement of the last ratchet ( 5 . 2 ) into its working position,

characterized in that

the rotary movement of the last ratchet ( 5 . 2 ) entrains a bolt ( 9 ) which is received by a recess ( 12 , 49 ) when the working position is reached, and characterized in that the bolt ( 9 ) is guided in a slotted link ( 11 ) in at least one of the sidewalls ( 1 . 1 ), which is adjoined by the recess ( 12 ) extending approximately vertical to the slotted link ( 11 ) for receiving the bolt ( 9 ), and wherein the recess ( 12 ) is a bag-shaped recess ( 12 ).

16 . Rack according to claim 15 , characterized in that the bolt ( 9 ) can be pushed into the recess ( 12 ) by a force accumulator.

17 . Rack according to claim 15 , characterized in that the bolt ( 9 ) can be pushed out of the recess ( 12 ) by the unlocking unit.

18 . Rack according to claim 17 , characterized in that the unlocking unit is a slider ( 19 ) movable along the sidewalls ( 1 . 1 , 1 . 2 ).

19 . Rack according to claim 18 , characterized in that the slider ( 19 ) is movable between the two sidewalls ( 1 . 1 , 1 . 2 ).

20 . Rack according to claim 17 , characterized in that the unlocking unit has a shoulder ( 30 ) which abuts against the bolt ( 9 ).

21 . Rack according to claim 17 , characterized in that, during unlocking, the unlocking unit is under the pull of a force accumulator ( 25 ) which is connected, on the one hand, to the unlocking unit and, on the other hand, to the rack in a stationary manner.

22 . Rack according to claim 17 , characterized in that the unlocking unit is assigned a latch ( 28 ) for fixing the unlocking unit.

23 . Rack according to claim 22 , characterized in that this latch ( 28 ) can be actuated by the upper ratchet ( 5 . 2 ).

24 . Rack for storing workpieces in ratchet columns with side walls ( 1 . 1 , 1 . 2 ), between which movable ratchets ( 5 ) are arranged which serve to hold the workpieces, wherein the ratchets ( 5 ) can be brought from a rest position into a working position in which they hold the workpiece, and a locking/unlocking unit is assigned to the last ratchet ( 5 . 2 ), wherein the locking is affected by a rotary movement of the last ratchet ( 5 . 2 ) into its working position, characterized in that

the rotary movement of the last ratchet ( 5 . 2 ) entrains a bolt ( 9 ) which is received by a recess ( 12 , 49 ) when the working position is reached, and characterized in that the unlocking unit is magnetically operable.

25 . Rack according to claim 24 , characterized in that the unlocking unit is assigned a magnet which cooperates with a magnet of the same polarity on an unlocking device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2023
From: LAIBLE, ECKHARD
To: MTS MASCHINENBAU GMBH
Reel/Frame 064758/0906 →
Priority Claims (2)
DE 10 2022 118 994.5 · Jul 28, 2022 · national
DE 10 2023 103 967.9 · Feb 17, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240033896A1 · Feb 1, 2024
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