Patent ID: 6332405
Filing Date: 2001-12-25
Classification: E01B

Abstract:
A diverter for a suspended conveying apparatus, in which conveyable-article carriers provided with running rollers are guided such that they can be moved on running profiles of running rails, the diverter comprising a diverter tongue configured as a movable running rail and, at one end is connected to a connection end of a first running-rail section via an articulated arrangement so as to be pivotable between two diverter positions such that an end of the diverter tongue remote from the articulated arrangement connectable to either one of a free end of a second running-rail section or to a free end of a third running-rail section, wherein the articulated arrangement has a running-profile bridging element that connects a running profile of the first running-rail section at the connection end thereof to a running profile of the diverter tongue at the one end thereof, which is adjacent to the first running-rail section, the bridging element being mounted to be pivotable about a first pivot axis at the connection end of the first running-rail section and pivotable about a second pivot axis, which is substantially parallel to the first pivot axis at the adjacent end of the diverter tongue, wherein in a transition region between the running profile of the first running-rail section and the bridging element as seen in plan view in each case one running-roller guide surface of the first running-rail section and one running-roller guide surface of the bridging element run one beside the other in a conveying direction for respectively supporting a running roller of a conveyable-article carrier, and/or wherein in a transition region between the bridging element and the running profile of the diverter tongue as seen in plan view in each case a running-roller guide surface of the bridging element and a running-roller guide surface of the diverter tongue run beside each other in the conveying direction, respectively, to support a running roller of a conveyable-article carrier, wherein the first running-rail section, the bridging element and the diverter tongue each have two running-roller guide surfaces which are arranged symmetrically in relation to a center plane of the relevant element and run obliquely in relation to one another in the conveying direction with the distance between them becoming smaller from bottom to top, wherein, at its connection end, the first running-rail section has a cutout which narrows the running-roller guide surfaces of the first running-rail section from the top, and wherein the bridging element is received in said cutout by way of its end which is directed toward the first running-rail section, with the result that, in the transition region between the first running-rail section and bridging element, the running-roller guide surfaces of the bridging element are located in side view above and in plan view laterally within the running-roller guide surfaces of the first running-rail section, wherein furthermore, at the end adjacent to the first running-rail section, the diverter tongue has a cutout which narrows the running-roller guide surfaces of the diverter tongue from the top, and wherein the bridging element is received in the cutout by way of the end which is directed toward the diverter tongue, with the result that, in the transition region between the bridging element and diverter tongue, the running-roller guide surfaces of the bridging element are located in side view above and in plan view laterally within the running-roller guide surfaces of the diverter tongue.