Patent ID: 7178661
Filing Date: 2007-02-20
Classification: B61B,B65G

Abstract:
1. An overhead powered conveyor system for carrying a load along a conveying path, comprising: at least one cylindrical drive shaft extending along the conveying path and being mounted for rotation about a shaft axis; at least one carriage adapted to support a load; a plurality of driven wheels mounted for rotation about a corresponding plurality of driven wheel axes on said carriage, with said driven wheel axes being non-parallel to said drive shaft axis and each other; said driven wheels engaging said drive shaft from beneath said drive shaft at positions spaced from each other about a periphery of said drive shaft so that rotation of said drive shaft about said shaft axis will power said carriage along the conveying path in a direction dependent upon direction of rotation of said drive shaft to define a helical loci of engagement about the periphery of said drive shaft; and said drive shaft including an axially extruded outer periphery having a plurality of ridges around the outer periphery for at least a substantial portion of the axial length of said drive shaft.