CONVEYING DEVICE

Abstract: Conveying device provided with a frame, with drivable convey­ ing means supported by the frame, and with a turn off mechanism with at least a number of wheels (1) rotatable about axes of rotation, which are located at least substantially behind one another when seen in a direction trans­ verse to the conveying direction of the conveying means, whilst the wheels (1) can pivot about adjusting shafts (4) between an inactive position and operative position in which the axes of rotation of the wheels (1) include an angle de­ viating from 90° with the conveying derection of the means, whereby a wheel (1) is adjustable parallel to its adjusting shaft (4), whereby the wheel (1) or the frame is provided with a cam shaped means (7) and the wheel or the frame with a guide face (9) which is crossed by the adjusting shaft at an angle deviating from 90°, all this in such a manner that on rotation of the wheel (1) about the adjusting shaft (4) from the inactive position the cam shaped means and the guide face move relative to each other and thus effect a displacement of the wheel relative to the adjusting shaft.

Description: The invention relates to a conveying device provided with a frame, with drivable conveying means supported by the frame, and with a turn off mechanism with at least a number of wheels rotatable about axes of rotation, which are located at least substantially behind one another when seen in a direction transverse to the conveying direction of the conveying means, whilst the wheels can pivot about adjusting axes between an inactive position and a operative position in which the axes of rotation of the wheels include an angle deviating from 90° with the conveying direction of the conveying means. Such a conveying device is known from the Dutch patent 174,930 (figs 1-4). When using such a conveying device objects moved by means of the conveying means of the conveying device will keep on moving in the conveying direction determined by the conveying means when the wheels of the turn off mechanism are in an inactive position, whilst said objects will be moved at an angle relative to the above-mentioned conveying direction when the wheels of the turn off mechanism are in the operative position, as a result of which the objects in question can be delivered from the conveying device to an other conveying device, a discharge duct or the like. With the known device the wheels of the turn off mechanism assume a permanent vertical position relative to the conveying means, whereby said wheels slightly protrude from the conveying means at all times, also when the wheels are in an inactive position and the wheels will also get into contact with the objects moved by the conveying means, therefore, when they are in the inactive position and said objects will be lifted a little by the wheels to fall back on the conveying means again then. It will be apparent that such an unnecessary contact between objects moved and wheels of the turn off mechanism is disadvantageous. On the other hand it is known, from said Dutch patent 174,930 (figs 5 and 6) to make the wheels of the turn off mechanism vertically adjustable, so that the wheels in the inactive position can be withdrawn to a position in which they will not come into contact with the objects moved by the conveying means. The position of the axes of rotation of the wheels is not adjustable thereby, however. In practice, however, it is often desirable for the position of the axes of rotation of the wheels to be adjustable in order to be able to influence the direction in which the objects are moved, in the active operative of the wheels, relative to the conveying means. According to the invention now a wheel is adjustable parallel to its adjusting shaft, whereby the wheel or the frame is provided with a cam shaped means and the frame or the wheel with a guide face which is crossed by the adjusting shaft at an angle deviating from 90°, all this in such a manner that on rotating the wheel about the adjusting shaft from the inactive position the cam shaped means and the guide face move relative to each other and thus effect a displacement of the wheel parallel to the adjusting shaft. By using the construction according to the invention it can be effected that on adjusting the wheel from the inactive position to the active operative an adjustment of the axis of rotation and a vertical adjustment are simultaneously effected, so that in the inactive position the wheel will not get into contact with an object moved by the conveying means, whilst on putting the wheel into its operative position it is not only put at the desired height relative to the conveying means, but can also be arranged at a desired angle with its axis of rotation. With the conveying device according to the above-mentioned Dutch patent 174,930 the conveying means are formed by rolls which can be rotated about their axes of rotation extending perpendicularly to the intended direction of displacement of the objects. The conveying means may also be formed by other means, however, within the spirit and scope of the present invention. So Dutch patent 169,852 discloses a convey­ ing device whereby the conveying means is formed by an endless belt. Also with this known conveying device there is provided a turn off mechanism provided with wheels whose axes of rotation assume a fixed position relative to the conveying direction of the conveying means, whilst the wheel may be vertically adjustable. A further embodiment of such a device is described in US patent specification 4,328,889. Hereby the conveying means are formed by a pair of belt conveyors being in line, whilst the turn off mechanism is arranged between the ends of the belt conveyors located near each other. It will be apparent that such a conveying device may be con­ structed in several manners, but as the further construction of the conveying device is not part of the invention only an explanation of the construction of the turn off mechanism will be given in the following description of a few embodiments of the construction according to the invention. Fig 1 diagrammatically illustrates the arrangement of a single wheel which is vertically adjustable whilst the axis of rotation of the wheel is adjusted simultaneously. Fig 2 diagrammatically illustrates the arrangement of a number of wheels, arranged side by side, for a turn off mechanism according to the invention. Fig 3 diagrammatically illustrates a second embodiment for the arrangement of a number of wheels for a turn off mechanism according to the invention. As is illustrated in fig 1 a wheel or roller 1 is journalled rotatably about an axis of rotation 2 in the legs of a U-shaped bow 3 extending parallel to each other. The bow 3 is fixed to the upper end of a adjusting shaft 4 which is accommodated rotatably about its centre line in a bearing bush 5. At a short distance under the bow journals 6, extending perpend­ icularly to the adjusting shaft 4, are fixed to said shaft, ball bearings 7 being provided on said journals. The freely rotatable outer rings of said ball bearings 7 forming cam shaped means co-operate with the end surface of the bearing bush 5 bounding the end of said bearing bush. As appears from fig 1 two recesses, located diametrically opposite each other, are thereby provid­ ed in said end of the bearing bush, each forming a more or less V-shaped guide face 8 for the cam shaped means 7 co-operating with said guide faces 8, whereby the centre line of the adjusting shaft 4 crosses the parts of the guide face extending obliquely upwardly from the lowest point of the guide face at an angle deviating from 90°. The upper ends of the guide faces 8 are mutually connected by further guide faces 9 which extend perpendicularly to the centre line of the adjusting shaft. It will be apparent that if the adjusting shaft 4 is rotated about its centre line from the position illustrated in fig 1 into the one or the other direction by means of adjusting means not shown, as indicated by means of the double arrow A, the cam shaped means 7 will be moved over the guide faces 8, so that the adjusting shaft is not only rotated about its centre line, but is also moved upwards in vertical direction until the cam shaped means 7 rest on the further guide faces 9. In a usual turn off mechanism a number of rolls or wheels will be arranged side by side, as diagrammatically illustrated in fig 2. The rolls 1 can thereby be driven by means of the belt 10, e.g. in one of the manners described in the above-mentioned publications. In the embodiment illustrated in fig 2 shafts 11, co-operating direct with the guide faces 8, are connected to the adjusting shafts 4 instead of the journals 6, the ends 12 of said shafts 11 being deflected perpendicularly downwardly. The deflected ends 12 associated to wheels or rolls 1 arranged in a row are rotatably accommodated in corresponding holes which are provided in a connecting rod 13 connecting said deflected ends 12. It will be apparent that by adjusting the connecting rod 13 in its longitudinal direction by means of adjusting means not shown the rolls or wheels 1 can be put from their inactive position illustrated in fig 2, in which position the axes of rotation of the rolls will extend at least substantially perpendicularly to the direction of displacement of the objects displaced by means of conveying means not shown, into a position in which said axes of rotation of the rolls or wheels 1 include an angle deviating from 90° with said direction of displacement, whilst the wheels or rolls 1 are also pressed upwards in order to protrude from the conveying means in question and to be able to make contact with the objects. It will be apparent that by regulating the stroke of the connecting rod 13 also the angle which the axes of rotation of the wheels or rolls 1 include with the conveying device can thereby be regulated. With the construction illustrated in fig 2 there is furthermore provided, for every roll or wheel 1, a cam shaped means,here formed by the shaft 11, and a guide face co-operating therewith. Fig 3 illustrates an embodiment whereby only the outermost wheels or rolls of a number of wheels or rolls arranged in a line are provided on adjusting shafts. The deflected ends 12 of the shafts 11 connected to said adjusting shafts 4 are mutually connected again by means of a connecting rod. To the sides of the adjusting shafts 4 facing away from the shafts 11 there are connected shafts 15 forming cam shaped means, located in line with the shafts 11, the ends 16 of said shafts 15, deflected perpendicularly downwardly, being mutually connected by a connecting rod 17 extending parallel to the connecting rod 14. Although it does not appear from fig 3 guide faces 8 are also provided in the upper ends of the relevant bearing bushes 5 for the two cam shaped means or shafts 15. As furthermore appears from fig 3 the ends of a number of connecting rods 18 are pivotally coupled, by means of pivot pins 19 extending parallel to the deflected ends 12 and 16, to the two connect­ ing rods 14 and 17 extending parallel to each other. To each of the connecting rods there is again fixed a bow 3 supporting a roll 1. It will be apparent that also with this embodiment an adjustment of the axes of rotation of the wheels and also a simultaneous recipro­ cating movement of all wheels or rolls will take place by moving the connecting rod 14 or the connecting rod 17 in their longitudinal directions. Of course variations and/or additions to the embodiments des­ cribed hereinabove and illustrated in the figures will be possible within the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus the adjusting shafts 5 are adjustable in two directions from the inactive position of the rolls or wheels 1 with the embodiments illustrated. It will also be conceivable, however, to make the con­ struction such that the wheels or rolls are only adjustable in one direction. An advantage of the invention is thereby that when using the same parts the angle at which the axes of rotation of the rolls 1 can be adjusted can be regulated easily. This is important e.g. when the turn off mechanism, when seen in the conveying direction, comprises several rows of guide rolls whereby the axes of rotation of the rolls of a row located more upstream in general must be pivoted at a smaller angle from the inactive position than the axes of rotation of a row located more upstream. Furthermore the centre lines of the adjusting shafts 5 intersect the axes of rotation of the rolls 1 located thereabove in the embodiments illustrated, but also an embodiment whereby the centre lines of the adjusting shafts 5 cross the axes of rotation of the rolls 1 will be possible. It will also be possible for the guide faces to be connected cam shaped means to be connected to the frame.

Claims: 1. Conveying device provided with a frame, with drivable convey­ ing means supported by the frame, and with a turn off mechanism with at least a number of wheels rotatable about axes of rotation, which are located at least substantially behing one another when seen in a direction transverse to the conveying direction of the conveying means, whilst the wheels can pivot about adjusting shafts between an inactive position and operative position in which the axes of rotation of the wheels include an angle deviating from 90° with the conveying direction of the conveying means, characterized in that a wheel is adjustable parallel to its adjusting shaft, whereby the wheel or the frame is provided with a cam shaped means and the wheel or the frame with a guide face which is crossed by the adjusting shaft at an angle deviating from 90°, all this in such a manner that on rotation of the wheel about the adjusting shaft from the inactive position the cam shaped means and the guide face move relative to each other and thus effect a displace­ ment of the wheel relative to the adjusting shaft. 2. Conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that a wheel is rotatable from its inactive position in two opposite direct­ ions by means of the adjusting shaft. 3. Conveying device according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that an adjusting shaft is journalled in a bearing bush, whose upper end is provided with at least one guide face which co-operates with a cam shaped means fixed to the adjusting shaft. 4. Conveying device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotatable wheels arranged in a row are mutually connected by means of a connecting rod, such that they can be jointly adjusted from the inactive position into an operative position and vice versa. 5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, charac­ terized in that for each of the rotatable wheels arranged in a row there is provided a cam shaped means and a guide face. 6. Conveying device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wheels arranged in a row are supported by carriers which are pivotally coupled by means of a pair of connecting rods, such that the carriers and the connecting rods form a parallello­ gram mechanism, whilst the carriers of a pair of wheels located near the ends of the parallellogram mechanism form the cam shaped means.

Inventors: VAN DEN GOOR, JAKOBUS MARIE
Applicants: RAPISTAN VAN DER LANDE B.V.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B65G13
IPC codes: B65G13, B65G47