GB1471769A - Regulating the movement of articles along a path - Google Patents

Abstract

1471769 Regulating speed of articles in an endless conveyer system METAL BOX Ltd 3 April 1975 [10 April 1974] 15802/74 Heading B8 Articles 9 passing from conveyer belts 26 to a pusher conveyer 11, have their speeds adjusted while on the belts 26 so that they arrive in synchronism with the pushers 18 of the conveyer 11. As shown, there are two auxiliary conveyers 29 and 32 supplementing the belts 26. The conveyer 29 runs at a faster speed than that of the belts 26 and conveyers 11 and 32. The conveyer 32 carries rollers 37 arranged at a spacing which is slightly greater than the length of each article 9. Thus in operation, when each article 9 is received on the belts 26, 26, it is squeezed between the belt 45 of the conveyer 29, and a roller 37 of the conveyer 32 (unless it happens to fit immediately in the space between two adjacent rollers 37). Due to the faster speed of the belt 45 and the free running of the roller 37, the article is accelerated into the space, between the roller 37 which was engaged and the next roller 37 downstream. Prior to being fed on to the belts 26, 26, the article is conveyed by a decelerating conveyer 20, and an accelerating conveyer 22. A conveyer 15 extends from a packaging machine (not shown), and the conveyer 11 feeds to a closing and sealing machine (not shown). In modifications, the conveyer 22 may be omitted, or may be replaced by decelerating surfaces; the conveyor 22 may be omitted; a backing rail 44 for the rollers 37 may be omitted; the belts 26 may be replaced by a dead plate; the conveyers 32 and 29 may be disposed respectively, beneath and above the articles 9; the conveyer 29 may be replaced by a dead plate, or by a conveyer which moves more slowly than, instead of faster than, the belts 26; the pitch of the rollers 37 may be smaller than the pitch of the dogs 18; the belt 32 may be driven at a slower speed than that of the conveyer 11; some or all of the sprockets 19, 21, 30, 31, 33 or 34, may be laterally movable against limiting stops, under the bias of resilient means; and the rollers 37 may be replaced by projecting ears having an antifriction surface.