Patent ID: 6209712
Filing Date: 2001-04-03
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
A conveying apparatus for use in a shelf channel of rack storage facilities, said conveying apparatus comprising:circulating conveying means for conveying and storing goods, said conveying means being an endless loop formed partially by a roller chain and partially by a tape, said roller chain including a plurality of chain links, adjacent chain links being interconnected by an axes of a roller, said plurality of interconnected chain links including two end links, said end links being interconnected by said tape;a rail extending linearly and supporting a portion of said endless loop, said rail having a loading/unloading end where the goods are loaded onto said conveying means and unloaded from said conveying means;said rail including a first and a second deflection member, said first deflection member being located in a region of said loading/unloading end and said second deflection member being located in a region remote from said loading/unloading end;said first deflection member being a stationary and non-rotating deflection member and including a substantially round front face and a top side having a recess, said first deflection member being adopted to cooperate with adjacent rollers of a respective chain link such that during unloading of the goods said chain link is lowered immediately prior to deflection operation;said recess of said first deflection member having a length that is shorter than a distance between axes of adjacent rollers, a horizontal distance between an end of said recess nearest to said loading/unloading end and said front face of said first deflection member being shorter than the distance between axes of adjacent rollers.