Patent ID: 9670001
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: B65G

Claim:
1. An automated handling line guide rail assembly comprising a segmented guide rail, an actuator member and a cam mechanism, wherein: the segmented guide rail comprises segments that together define the perimeter of a path that a container will follow when conveyed along part of an automated handling line, the perimeter being generally arcuate about a central axis and positioned at a radius from the central axis; the actuator member is rotatable about the central axis and is arranged to extend at a substantially constant radius from the central axis; the cam mechanism links the segments to the actuator member such that rotation of the actuator member about the central axis causes substantially radial movement of the segments relative to the central axis thereby allowing the segments to define the perimeter at a plurality of different radii from substantially the same central axis; the segments are positioned and have a width such that adjacent segments overlap each other with overlapping portions that move circumferentially relative to each other when the segments move radially such that the extent of overlap of adjacent segments varies with the radial position of the segments; wherein the automated handling line guide rail assembly further comprises a guide member, wherein the segments are positioned to rest on the guide member with at least a portion of each segment received by a correspondingly sized and shaped channel provided in the guide member, the edges of each segment and its associated channel being aligned and extending substantially radially with respect to the central axis thereby constraining movement of each segment to be radial; and wherein the actuator member is positioned above the segments thereby sandwiching part of each segment between the actuator member and the guide member, and either (a) each segment is provided with a diagonal slot and the actuator member is provided with posts that extend into the diagonal slots of the segments, or (b) each segment is provided with a post and the actuator member is provided with diagonal slots that are positioned to receive the posts of the segments, such that rotation of the actuator member about the central axis drives the posts along the diagonal slots thereby causing radial movement of the segments within the channels.