Patent ID: 6193050
Filing Date: 2001-02-27
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
A conveyor system for transporting goods from upstream equipment to downstream equipment and for temporarily storing goods when the operation of the downstream equipment is temporarily interrupted, the conveyor system comprising:a conveyor tray having a substantially horizontal tray floor for supporting the goods thereon and tray sides on opposing sides of the floor;a drive mechanism cyclically acting on the conveyor tray for moving goods along the tray floor;an accumulator ramp for temporarily storing goods, the accumulator ramp having a ramp floor with a lower end mating with the tray floor and an upper end normally vertically spaced above the lower end, such that goods moving along the conveyor tray may either be pushed up the accumulator ramp or allowed to pass to downstream equipment unimpeded, the accumulator ramp being secured to the conveyor tray to cyclically move with the conveyor tray in response to the drive mechanism; andthe accumulator ramp having ramp sides on opposing sides of the ramp floor for temporarily accumulating goods on the ramp floor.