Combination roller conveyor and cross-conveyor system

The combination of a roller conveyor and a cross-conveyor system having elevatable and depressable wagon structure for picking up structural beams from a storage table and carrying the beams to and depositing them on the conveyor, is improved by upright wagon flange structure for hooking, separating and orienting stored beams prior to pickup. In conjunction with extension of a portion of the cross conveyor structure an additional distance into or through the conveyor, the flange provides for positive alignment of beams against a guide at the conveyor prior to set-down on the conveyor.

This invention relates generally to material handling and specifically to 
roller conveyors and the like having cross-conveyors of the general type 
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,078 granted Nov. 4, 1975, to the present 
inventor. 
Principal objects of this invention are to provide flanges improving 
elevatable and depressable cross-conveyor wagon structure to permit 
positive separation and preliminary alignment of beams stored in parallel 
juxtaposition, and to permit beams carried to a conveyor on the 
cross-conveyor to be aligned positively against a conveyor guide prior to 
being deposited on the conveyor, thus reducing wear caused by sliding 
rough beams across the rollers of the conveyor. 
A further object is to provide by means of flanged cross-conveyor wagon 
structure the capability in through-type cross-conveyors storing and 
loading at both ends for wagons to continue in one direction, separating 
and preliminarily aligning a beam on a storage table, picking up and 
transporting the beam to the conveyor, and positively aligning the beam 
against the conveyor guide, reducing the number of wagon reversals 
required. 
And still a further object of the invention is to provide conveyor wagon 
beds with end-flanges for improving retention of beams and reducing 
accidents, damage and noise. 
In brief summary given for purposes of cursive description only and not as 
limitation, the invention includes conveyor wagon structure elevatable and 
depressable relative to specially related conveyor and storage means for 
loading, conveying and unloading beams and the like, in combination with 
upright flange structure on the wagon for hooking, moving and aligning 
structural beams and the like, both when the structural beams are on and 
are off the wagon.

OLD ART, FIGS. 1a and 1b 
FIG. 1a shows a roller conveyor 16 for conveying structural beams B 
longitudinally (arrow) to a saw S for cutting to length. A guide 18 along 
one side of the roller conveyor provides a reference for aligning the 
beams for proper clamping in vise V at the saw, for precise length 
measuring beyond the saw, and for precise cut-off at the saw. Similar 
alignment requirements apply regardless of whether the operation to be 
performed is sawing, punching, drilling, milling, or the like. 
The beams, as delivered for cross-conveying, by overhead crane C or other 
suitable means, rest in storage generally parallel with the roller 
conveyor on a storage table 20 extending perpendicular from the side of 
the roller conveyor as part of cross-conveyor system 22. 
Cross-conveyor systems such as that shown preferably include two or more 
synchronized elevatable rails or tracks 24 having on them respective 
wagons 26 aligned and synchronized for coordinate travel across the 
respective rails. In a sense the plural tracks and wagons may thus be 
considered as acting as one track and wagon. 
In operation, the cross-conveyor system sequentially picks up beams from 
the storage table on the wagon 26, which conveys them to the roller 
conveyor, deposits them on the rollers and returns for another beam, all 
under operator direction. 
A second cross-conveyor system 22' similar to the first may be provided on 
the discharge side of the saw for off-loading the cut sections of beams 
from the roller conveyor continuation 16'. Length measuring is preferably 
provided by a system L, located along the side of the roller conveyor 
continuation, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,462 for LENGTH MEASURER 
FOR ELONGATE MATERIALS granted Oct. 15, 1974, to the present inventor. 
FIG. 1b, a detail adopted from 1b--1b, FIG. 1, shows the old art method of 
forcing a beam B picked up on the beds of wagons 26 to align with the 
guide 18, if found to be misaligned with the roller conveyor 16 when set 
down on it. After the wagons set the beam down on the rollers of the 
conveyor they then, under further direction of the operator, retract 
(arrow) toward the storage area until clear of the beam, rise until the 
forward edges of the wagons position for laterally pushing the beam, 
reverse direction and advance against the beam, forcing the beam to slide 
across the rollers until fully against the guide. The wagons then descend 
and retract to a position beneath the next beam on the storage table, and 
repeat the cycle of beam transport. 
THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THIS INVENTION 
FIG. 2a shows in plan view a system 200 similar to the old-art system just 
described, but improved by provision of an upright flange 228 on the end 
of wagon 226 closer to the beam storage area 230. 
In addition, as a coacting feature the cross-conveyor system 222 as 
constructed extends through the roller conveyor at least a distance 
permitting the wagons 226 to advance to a position at which the narrowest 
beam B or other elongate member being handled can be forcibly clamped 
between the flange 228 and the guide 218 to align the beam. For narrow 
members such as rods this may require near co-alignment of the flange 228 
and guide. This feature can permit a single flange of an "H" beam to be 
held. Such may be desirable when holding very lightweight beams across the 
entire beam width might cause distortion during fabrication operations. 
Preferably a second flange 232 is provided on the opposite end of the wagon 
also. This prevents beams from sliding off regardless of the direction in 
which the wagons accelerate. With on-edge "H" beams, if desirable to align 
the beams in storage, as in closing gaps in a parallel series of beams, or 
if beams must otherwise be slid after setting down, the leading edge 
flange can be employed for this with least time required for wagon 
transit. 
FIG. 2b, 2c and 2d, adapted from 2b--2b, FIG. 2, diagram successive stages 
of alignment of a beam B carried on a wagon 226 against guide 218 of the 
roller conveyor. The wagons advance in raised, or beam-transporting, 
position, on cross-conveyor rail 234 through roller conveyor 214 which the 
cross-conveyor system more or less interrupts until flanges 228 on the 
respective wagons force the length of beam B against guide 218. The wagons 
then lower in synchronism, depositing the beam on the rollers without 
necessity of sliding the beam on the rollers to align the beam. 
When clear of the beam the wagon can continue without reversal to the 
second beam storage area (shown at 230', FIG. 2a) for pickup of a beam to 
be deposited on the rollers in turn, or, if desired, can return to the 
first beam storage area for the same purpose. 
If the second beam storage area is used, the wagon elevation system must 
provide for additional lift of a few inches amplitude to clear the plane 
of the tops of the wagons over the guide. In lifting beams from the second 
beam-storage area over the rail and aligning them against the guide, wagon 
travel reversal will be necessary, but again alignment advantageously 
precedes set-down of the beam onto the rollers. 
FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c show a further advantage of the flanged wagon feature. 
The upright-face flanges 228, 232, protrude about one-half inch above the 
plane of the wagon beds 226'. 
With the wagon bed surface below the level of the beam storage table 230 
and the wagon flanges 228, 232, protruding above the beam storage table 
level, a beam B can be aligned in the storage area prior to pickup. In 
this position of wagon-elevation, the operator causes the wagons to 
advance until the wagon flanges force the beam into square orientation, 
then causes the wagons to pick up the beam, transport it and deposit it on 
the conveyor. Using this method, the beams can be set down in close 
alignment on a roller way regardless of whether the roller way has a 
guide. 
FIG. 4 illustrates a further advantage of the flange construction. Wagons 
so equipped can hook the flange 228 of the wagon behind the near flange of 
a beam B stored in contact with other beams and drag the selected beam 
away from the other beams, making beam-separation for pickup easy and 
positive. 
Preferably the flanges of the wagons extend full width so that they tend to 
square-up behind lengths of beam too short to reach between wagons. In 
addition, they are preferably welded throughout, to withstand best the 
hooking and clamping loads, in contrast with extending-and-retracting 
mechanisms found in some types of material handling devices which might be 
considered for this application. 
As noted, the through cross-conveyor arrangements provides the advantage of 
loading from both sides of the roller conveyor. This Figure also 
illustrates a feature of the invention making feasible use of the 
through-cross-conveyor relation as opposed to the old-art arrangement in 
which the cross-conveyor does not pass completely through the roller 
conveyor to a second storage location, shown in the first Figure. 
In the preferred embodiment the tops of the rollers lie in the plane of the 
storage table 230. Dimension "d" measured from the top of the 
cross-conveyor rail or track 234 to the top of the wagon bed is made 
greater than in the first Figure; the dimension is at least equal to the 
height of guide rail above the top of the storage table and rollers. This 
effectively lowers the operating height of the wagon rail 230 an amount 
preventing it from lifting beams in storage on the storage table when the 
longer stroke necessary to raise the wagons above the guard rail is used. 
For safety, uniformity, ease and economy, all wagons in a system are made 
to have this feature when one through cross-conveyor is used, regardless 
of whether the remainder of the cross conveyors may end at the roller 
conveyor. 
This invention is not to be construed as limited to the particular forms 
disclosed herein, since these are to be regarded as illustrative rather 
than restrictive. It is, therefore, to be understood that the invention 
may be practiced within the scope of the claims otherwise than as 
specifically described.