GB1597229A - Conveyor system - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO CONVEYOR SYSTEM (71) We, ACCO INDUSTRIES INC., (formerly American Chain & Cable Com- pany, Inc., a corporation organised under the laws of the State of New York, of 929, Connecticut Avenue, Bridgeport, Connecticut 06602, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to conveyor systems and particularly to tray type conveyor systems.

According to the present invention, there is provided a conveyor system comprising track means, a plurality of cargo carrying devices movably supported thereon, a chain connecting said cargo carrying devices, chain retaining means for confining and guiding said chain whereby said chain maintains said cargo carrying devices on said track means, each said cargo carrying device comprising a pair of load carrying members pivoted about a longitudinal axis thereon, each said load carrying member having a guide follower means, a guide track coacting with said guide follower means to normally maintain respective load carrying members in level condition, and pivoted portions of said guide track for guiding said guide follower means and thereby tilting said load carrying members, said guide track being formed to move said guide follower means radially inwardly at the upstream end of said track means for effecting positively controlled tilt of respective load carrying members in order to provide spacing between the inner radial corners thereof to avoid interference in passing around said track means.

Also according to the present invention, there is provided a conveyor system comprising a track, a plurality of carriages movably supported thereon, a chain connecting said carriages, chain retaining means for confining and guiding said chain whereby said chain maintains said carriages on said track, each carriage having a pair of trays pivoted about a longitudinal axis on said carriage, a guide track, each said tray having a guide portion engaging said guide track, and pivoted guide track for engaging said guide portions for selectively tilting said trays.

By way of example, an embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a fragmentary part sectional side elevational view of a portion of a system embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line II - II in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line III - III in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view, taken along the line IV - IV in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V - V in Figure 4.

Referring to Figures 1 and 3, the overall system comprises a track 10 comprising spaced channels 11, suitably supported on structural framework 12 and forming a complete conveyor loop, the configuration of which is a matter of choice depending on specific installation and desired location of loading platforms and discharge stations.

Rollable on the channels are a plurality of carriages 13, each of which has a pair of trays 14, 15 pivoted thereon about a longitudinal axis, which are maintained in level position by means of certain components to be described co-acting with a guide track 17 which extends intermediate the channels 11.

All of the carriages 13 are articulated by means of a drive chain 18 which makes a complete loop suitably guided so as to follow the configuration of the channels 11.

Each carriage 13 is secured to the drive chain 18 and the drive chain 18 is, in turn, driven by a large sprocket wheel, not shown.

The directional arrows in Figure 1 show the direction of movement of the trays in their circuit about the loop. They pass a loading platform (not shown) which may be of manual or automatic type and subsequently move past a discharge station. Prior to each discharge station is a tilt control mechanism 20, whereby any tray can be tilted in either direction (Figure 3) so that cargo thereon can slide in the respective direction onto a suitable conveyor or other receiving means, e.g. a chute 21 at any discharge station.

It will be appreciated that tray loading and discharge at selected stations and conveyor carry-off thereat can be in accordance with any programmed system, in accordance with known prior art and which system does not form any part of this invention.

Suitable guides and wear surfaces are provided for the chain 18, for example, a channel 22 around which the chain rolls in traversing any bend in the system.

Normally, channel 22 retains and confines the chain 18 for movement in a predetermined path, and the chain effects retention of cargo carrying devices having transversely tiltable load carrying trays.

Referring to Figure 2 and 3, each tray 14, 15 will be seen to have fore and aft flanges, respectively, with a spacing therebetween such that the tray is sufficiently long in the direction of travel and sufficiently wide transversely thereto to carry a cargo unit.

For example, a packing carton or a mail sack which may be of the order of a couple of hundred pounds in weight or more.

Each tray 14, 15 is fixed on a support post 23 which serves as a column for supporting the tray and its load. Post 23 has a section 24 with bearing collar 25 integral therewith from which depends a tilt-control arm 26 integral with the collar. Each collar 25 is pivotally carried on a pin 27 having its ends supported in a bracket comprising flanges 28 suitably secured as by a welded construction to tray support carriages 13. Arm 26 can rock on pin 27 in a transverse vertical plane when actuated in a manner to be described by engagement of a guide roller 29 carried at the lower end of arm 26. Roller 29 normally rides in the guide track 17 to maintain the post 23 vertical and the tray level. Roller 29 normally rides in the guide track 17 to maintain the post 23 vertical and the tray level.Rocking of the post and thus tilting of the tray can be effected by switch levers and cam mechanism indicated by the reference numeral 20 in Figure 2 and Figure 4. Where a tray is moved through a curved portion of the track means the guide track may be formed to move said guide follower means radially inwardly for effecting positively controlled tilt of respective load carrying members in order to provide spacing between the inner radial corners thereof to avoid interference in passing around said track means.

Still referring to Figure 3, each carriage 13 has rollers 30, there being four such rollers in order to provide rolling support for the carriage 13 and thus for the post 23 and trays 14, 15 of the respective carriage 13. The rollers 30 roll on horizontal flanges of respective track members 11 (Figure 5).

It will be appreciated that the conveyor construction is thus not limited to movement of the trays in a horizontal plane but that, in fact, the track construction can be fabricated to move trays on upward and downward slopes, for example, from floorto-floor in a storage warehouse.

Referring to Figure 3, the phantom line positions of the trays 14, 15 show the transversely tilted positions to left and right of the path of movement for cargo discharge. The carriage 13 has rubber-cushion bumper buttons 31 which are carried by inclined flanges 32 on carriage 13. When a tray is tilted, the tray engages one or more buttons 31 to act as a cushioning stop in either direction of tilting. The centre of gravity of the tray or any load carrying member including its integral components being above the pivotal axis and, accordingly,the tray remains in either tilted conditions.

Referring to Figure 2 the tilt control mechanism 20 is illustrated which comprises a tiltable portion 33 of guide track 17, which is controlled by an electric motor 34 such as a solenoid. When motor 34 is actuated in one direction or the other, the pivoted portion 33 guides roller 29 to one side or the other to tilt the trays. The length of the portion 33 is less than the separation between successive rollers 29 and the motor 34 is able to move the portion 33 at such a speed that the portion 33 can be restored to its "in-line" position after deflecting one roller 29 before the next succeeding roller 29 reaches it. It is thus possible to tilt any tray whilst the conveyor is in motion without requiring the conveyor to be stopped.

The tilted trays are subsequently returned to upright position by fixed cam portions 37 which engage roller 29 on each tilted tray.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A conveyor system comprising track means, a plurality of cargo carrying devices movably supported thereon, a chain con necting said cargo carrying devices chain retaining means for confining and guiding said chain whereby said chain maintains said cargo carrying devices on said track means each said cargo carrying device comprising a pair of load carrying members pivoted about a longitudinal axis thereon, each said load

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. driven by a large sprocket wheel, not shown. The directional arrows in Figure 1 show the direction of movement of the trays in their circuit about the loop. They pass a loading platform (not shown) which may be of manual or automatic type and subsequently move past a discharge station. Prior to each discharge station is a tilt control mechanism 20, whereby any tray can be tilted in either direction (Figure 3) so that cargo thereon can slide in the respective direction onto a suitable conveyor or other receiving means, e.g. a chute 21 at any discharge station. It will be appreciated that tray loading and discharge at selected stations and conveyor carry-off thereat can be in accordance with any programmed system, in accordance with known prior art and which system does not form any part of this invention. Suitable guides and wear surfaces are provided for the chain 18, for example, a channel 22 around which the chain rolls in traversing any bend in the system. Normally, channel 22 retains and confines the chain 18 for movement in a predetermined path, and the chain effects retention of cargo carrying devices having transversely tiltable load carrying trays. Referring to Figure 2 and 3, each tray 14, 15 will be seen to have fore and aft flanges, respectively, with a spacing therebetween such that the tray is sufficiently long in the direction of travel and sufficiently wide transversely thereto to carry a cargo unit. For example, a packing carton or a mail sack which may be of the order of a couple of hundred pounds in weight or more. Each tray 14, 15 is fixed on a support post 23 which serves as a column for supporting the tray and its load. Post 23 has a section 24 with bearing collar 25 integral therewith from which depends a tilt-control arm 26 integral with the collar. Each collar 25 is pivotally carried on a pin 27 having its ends supported in a bracket comprising flanges 28 suitably secured as by a welded construction to tray support carriages 13. Arm 26 can rock on pin 27 in a transverse vertical plane when actuated in a manner to be described by engagement of a guide roller 29 carried at the lower end of arm 26. Roller 29 normally rides in the guide track 17 to maintain the post 23 vertical and the tray level. Roller 29 normally rides in the guide track 17 to maintain the post 23 vertical and the tray level.Rocking of the post and thus tilting of the tray can be effected by switch levers and cam mechanism indicated by the reference numeral 20 in Figure 2 and Figure 4. Where a tray is moved through a curved portion of the track means the guide track may be formed to move said guide follower means radially inwardly for effecting positively controlled tilt of respective load carrying members in order to provide spacing between the inner radial corners thereof to avoid interference in passing around said track means. Still referring to Figure 3, each carriage 13 has rollers 30, there being four such rollers in order to provide rolling support for the carriage 13 and thus for the post 23 and trays 14, 15 of the respective carriage 13. The rollers 30 roll on horizontal flanges of respective track members 11 (Figure 5). It will be appreciated that the conveyor construction is thus not limited to movement of the trays in a horizontal plane but that, in fact, the track construction can be fabricated to move trays on upward and downward slopes, for example, from floorto-floor in a storage warehouse. Referring to Figure 3, the phantom line positions of the trays 14, 15 show the transversely tilted positions to left and right of the path of movement for cargo discharge. The carriage 13 has rubber-cushion bumper buttons 31 which are carried by inclined flanges 32 on carriage 13. When a tray is tilted, the tray engages one or more buttons 31 to act as a cushioning stop in either direction of tilting. The centre of gravity of the tray or any load carrying member including its integral components being above the pivotal axis and, accordingly,the tray remains in either tilted conditions. Referring to Figure 2 the tilt control mechanism 20 is illustrated which comprises a tiltable portion 33 of guide track 17, which is controlled by an electric motor 34 such as a solenoid. When motor 34 is actuated in one direction or the other, the pivoted portion 33 guides roller 29 to one side or the other to tilt the trays. The length of the portion 33 is less than the separation between successive rollers 29 and the motor 34 is able to move the portion 33 at such a speed that the portion 33 can be restored to its "in-line" position after deflecting one roller 29 before the next succeeding roller 29 reaches it. It is thus possible to tilt any tray whilst the conveyor is in motion without requiring the conveyor to be stopped. The tilted trays are subsequently returned to upright position by fixed cam portions 37 which engage roller 29 on each tilted tray. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A conveyor system comprising track means, a plurality of cargo carrying devices movably supported thereon, a chain con necting said cargo carrying devices chain retaining means for confining and guiding said chain whereby said chain maintains said cargo carrying devices on said track means each said cargo carrying device comprising a pair of load carrying members pivoted about a longitudinal axis thereon, each said load

carrying member having a guide follower means, a guide track coacting with said guide folloer means to normally maintain respective load carrying members in level condition and pivoted portions of said guide track for guiding said guide follower means and thereby tilting said load carrying members, said guide track being formed to move said guide follower means radially inwardly at the upstream end of said track means for effecting positively controlled tilt of respective load carrying members in order to provide spacing between the inner radial corners thereof to avoid interference in passing around said track means.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein~ said load carrying members comprise trays and said load carrying device comprises a carriage.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 including a bracket on each said carriage pivoting each said tray thereon.

4. A conveyor system comprising a track, a plurality of carriages movably supported thereon, a chain connecting said carriages, chain retaining means for confining and guiding said chain whereby said chain maintains said carriages on said track, each carriage having a pair of trays pivoted about a longitudinal axis on said carriage, a guide track, each said tray having a guide portion engaging said guide track, and pivoted guide track portions for engaging said guide portions for selectively tilting said trays.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 including a bracket on each said carriage pivoting each said tray thereon.

6. A combination as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the guide track includes two parallel walls and the pivoted portion includes two parallel parts of the walls that can swing as a unit.

7. A combination as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6 in which the length of the pivoted portions is less than the separation between any two successive guide follower means, and means is provided whereby the pivoted portions may be moved to and from their deflected positions in a time less than that required for one guide follower means to reach the upstream end of the pivoted portions after the immediately preceding guide follower means has reached the upstream end of the pivoted portions.

8. A conveyor system substantially as described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.