Patent ID: 7337894
Filing Date: 2008-03-04
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
1. An overhead conveyor system, comprising: a plurality of carriages for suspending loads; a high temperature environment; an overhead powered conveyor for transporting said carriages serially along at least one conveying path into, through and out of said high temperature environment; said overhead powered conveyor having first and second rotary drive shafts with spaced apart distal ends and extending along said conveying path; each of said rotary drive shafts being mounted for rotation about respective shaft axes parallel to respective portions of the conveying path; said carriages each having a driven wheel having an axis of rotation nonparallel and non-perpendicular to said shaft axis, and said driven wheel being adapted to engage said drive shafts with sufficient traction to as to form a helical loci of engagement about the periphery of said drive shafts during rotation of said drive shafts about said shaft axis to power said carriages along the conveying path in a direction of the conveying path dependent upon a direction of rotation of said drive shafts; a chain drive overhead conveyer extending through said high temperature environment along the conveying path and being adapted to drive said carriages through the high temperature environment between said spaced apart distal ends of said rotary drive shafts; at least one undriven support wheel on each of said carriages; and a support surface extending throughout the conveying path adapted to support the undriven support wheels and thereby at least partially support a loaded corresponding carriage.