Patent ID: 9561910
Date: 2017-02-07
CPC Classifications: B65G

Claim:
1. An assembly line, comprising: a first pallet elevator; a second pallet elevator; an upper track configured to transport a plurality of pallets between the first pallet elevator and the second pallet elevator, the plurality of pallets including a first set of pallets and a second set of pallets; a lower track disposed below the upper track, the lower track configured to transport the plurality of pallets between the second pallet elevator and the first pallet elevator; a lower track drive system disposed between the first pallet elevator and the second pallet elevator, the lower track drive system configured to engage the first set of the pallets; an upper track drive system configured to engage at least one pallet of the second set of pallets and to drive a remainder of the second set of the pallets via the at least one pallet; and wherein the first pallet elevator is configured to transport the plurality of pallets between the lower track and the upper track, the second pallet elevator is configured to transport the plurality of pallets between the upper track to the lower track, and the lower track drive system is independent of the upper track drive system wherein each pallet of the plurality of pallets includes a plurality of flanges comprising a front flange, a middle flange, and a rear flange; the lower track drive system includes a drive chain extending from the first pallet elevator to the second pallet elevator; the lower track drive system includes a plurality of drive dogs fixed to the drive chain and configured to engage the front flange and the rear flange of each pallet; and the plurality of drive dogs of the lower track drive system includes a first set of drive dogs, the first set of drive dogs including a fixed dog and a deflecting dog.