Method and device for separating carriages in an overhead conveyor system and for accumulating such carriages in a buffer store

Abstract: In a method for separating successive carriages (4, 5) which are included in an overhead conveyor system and which via rollers are suspended on a shaft (2) which is rotated and thus propels the carriages along the track, a trailing carriage (5) is raised away from the shaft (2) and thus stopped, whereas a leading carriage (4) continues to be propelled with its rollers in continuous rolling contact with the shaft (2). The trailing carriage (5) which thus is temporarily stopped is then lowered onto the shaft (2) again and becomes propelled anew. A separating device (1) included in such an overhead conveyor system comprises a first means (11) for tempo­ rarily raising the trailing carriage (5), and a second means for effecting said raising. An assembly for accumulating suspended carriages in a buffer store comprises a plurality of such separating de­ vices which are arranged in direct succession and mecha­ nically connected in series.

Description: The present invention is directed to separation of carriages included in an overhead conveyor system and suspended on a track-forming shaft which is rotated and thus propels said carriages along the track. More precisely, the invention relates to a method and a device of the type stated in the preamble of appended claims 1 and 4, respectively. The invention also relates to an assembly for accumulating in a buffer store such carriages in an overhead conveyor system. Conveyor systems with suspended carriages are well-known, and one example is the system disclosed in WO-A-88/04641. Especially Fig. 2 in this publication illustrates how the carriages are suspended on the rotatable conveying shaft via inclined rollers which thus are in frictional and rolling contact with the shaft. A problem in such overhead conveyor systems is that the carriages easily come too close together, which jeopardises the function of the system and makes it difficult to divert carriages to branch tracks etc. It also happens that the carriages collide and, if it comes to the worst, get caught on each other. Attempts at coping with this problem have previously been made by dividing the rotary propelling shaft into a plurality of successive sections driven by separate motors. The junction formed between two sections of the assembled propelling shaft, i.e. the point at which two opposite ends of two neighbouring shaft sections meet, may be said to constitute a separating device which functions in the following manner. First, it is established by means of electric switches that two successive carriages are too close to one another and therefore should be separated. When the leading one of these two carriages passes said junction, the rear shaft section with respect to the junction stops, whereby the trailing carriage is stopped. However, the front shaft section with respect to the junction continues rotating and propels the leading carriage, and as a result the spacing between the carriages increases. The leading carriage then passes a further electric switch which starts the trailing shaft section such that the rear carriage becomes driven again. This prior art solution suffers from a number of obvious drawbacks since the propelling shaft must consist of several sections some of which are stopped temporarily and therefore must be driven separately and be controlled by a number of electric switches. The prior art method of separating carriages therefore is most complicated and costly owing to the extensive electric and drive equipment. Moreover, the entire conveyor system as such is difficult to control. There is thus a need for a simple, inexpensive, reliable and substantially mechanically operating separating device. Another problem which is closely associated with said separation is accumulation of carriages in a buffer store in the overhead conveyor system. A known solution to this problem is to divert the carriages from a main track to a branch track or buffer track consisting of a rotary shaft of the type described above. The carriages thus are supplied onto the buffer track from behind, switches sensing the passing carriages and stopping or starting the rotary shaft, as required. When a carriage should be fed out from the front end of the buffer track, which frequently is but half-filled, an entire "train" of carriages must thus be propelled along the buffer track until the leading carriage can be fed out. Additional switches sense and control the feeding-out operation. It will be appreciated that this type of accumulation in a buffer store is most impractical and also time-consuming. When trying to overcome the above-mentioned buffer problem, it has been suggested, as discussed by way of introduction, to divide the buffer track into separate shaft sections for separating purposes. This solution of course suffers from the drawback that it requires a plurality of separate electric and motor drives as well as a large number of electric switches, which makes the entire system expensive and causes controlling problems. The prior art technique also includes a very simple type of buffer device consisting of an inclined, fixed and thus non-driven track on which the carriages are suspended in succession and fed out one by one. This device suffers from several drawbacks, only two of which should however be mentioned here. First, a high pressure is exerted upon the leading carriage when a long "train" is suspended on the buffer track. Therefore powerful brake means are required along the track. Secondly, the buffer track must be relatively steeply inclined to function adequately, for which reason it takes up much space in the vertical direction. It may thus be established that at present there is no satisfactory solution to the problem with accumulation of carriages in overhead conveyor systems. In view of the above description of prior art and the problems connected therewith, the objects of the present invention, while obviating the above-mentioned drawbacks, are to provide: a rational method for separating successive carriages in an overhead conveyor system, without necessitating stopping of the propelling shaft, a rational method for accumulating the carriages in a buffer store, a device included in such an overhead conveyor system and adapted to separate carriages which follow too closely upon each other, without necessitating stopping of the rotary propelling shaft, while using only a small number of electric and drive units, and an assembly for accumulating carriages in a buffer store by means of a plurality of successively positioned separating devices. According to the present invention, these objects are achieved by a method of the type mentioned by way of introduction, which besides has the features stated in the characterising clause of appended claim 1. The objects are also achieved by means of a device of the type defined by way of introduction and characterised by that stated in the characterising clause of appended claim 4. Moreover, the objects are achieved by means of an assembly according to appended claim 8. Preferred embodiments of the invention are stated in the appended subclaims. The invention will now be described in more detail by means of some embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figs 1 and 2 are side views of a separating device designed according to the invention and shown in two different operating positions, Figs 3 and 4 illustrate a front separating device in an accumulating assembly designed according to the invention, in two different operating positions, and Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the entire accumulating assembly as seen obliquely from in front. Figs 1 and 2, to which reference is first made, illustrate a separating device according to the invention, generally designated 1. The device 1 is included in an overhead conveyor system of which a portion is shown in Figs 1 and 2 and which in known manner comprises a rotatable propelling shaft 2 which is supported by and in a U-beam 3 by means of mounts (not shown). The U-beam 3 is partly broken away, thereby better illustrating how two carriages 4, 5 are suspended on the shaft 2 via inclined rollers 6 which are best seen in Fig. 5. The rollers 6 are in known manner in frictional and rolling contact with the shaft 2 which by its rotation propels the carriages 4, 5 along the track in a direction of propulsion indicated by an arrow A. Further the carriages 4, 5 each have at least one overlying support wheel 7 and 8, respectively, adapted to roll freely on a non-driven track, the axles 9, 10 of said wheels extending at right angles to the shaft 2 and being positioned at a given distance from the upper side of the shaft 2. The actual separating device 1 comprises two main components, viz. a first means in the form of a lower rail 11 having an upwardly directed rolling track 12 on which the support wheels 8, 9 can roll with the carriages 4, 5 suspended, and a second means in the form of an upper rail 13 having a downwardly directed rolling track 14 on which the support wheels 7, 8 can roll from underneath. The front part of the upper rail 13, as seen in the direction of propulsion A, is designed in such a manner that the distance between the downwardly directed rolling track 14 thereof and the upper side of the shaft 2 decreases in the forward direction. On considering the leading carriage 4 in the device 1 (Fig. 1), it appears that the distance between the downwardly directed rolling track 14 of the upper rail 13 and the upper side of the shaft 2 is greater than the sum of the radius of the support wheel 7 and the distance between the axle 9 of the support wheel 7 and the upper side of the shaft 2. However, in the front part of the upper rail 13 (Fig. 2) the distance between the rolling track 14 and the upper side of the shaft 2 is smaller than the distance between the axle 9 of the support wheel 7 and the upper side of the shaft 2. The reason for this will be apparent from the following. The two rails 11, 13 and the shaft 2 are substantially located in a common vertical plane. Moreover, the lower rail 11 is hingedly mounted on a holder 15 which is attached to the U-beam 3, while the upper rail 13 is hingedly mounted on a further holder 16 which is also attached to the U-beam 3. The two rails 11, 13 are further interconnected by means of a stirrup 17 which will be described in greater detail below. The separating device 1 functions in the following manner. The two carriages 4, 5 which should be separated, are moved into the device 1 in the direction of the arrow A by the rolling contact of the rollers 6 with the rotary shaft 2. Inside the device 1, the support wheels 7, 8 of the carriages 4, 5 are positioned directly above or in light rolling contact with the rolling track 12 of the lower rail 11. As the leading carriage 4 is advanced further, its support wheels 7 are caused to come into rolling contact from underneath with the rolling track 14 of the upper rail 13 and begin to raise this rail away from the shaft 2 (see Fig. 2). The leading carriage 4 continues being advanced through the device 1 and raises the rail 13 further, because the front part thereof is bent towards the shaft 2. Since the upper rail 13 is connected with the lower rail 11 by means of the stirrup 17, also the front end of the lower rail 11 will be raised. This means that the support wheels 8 of the trailing carriage 5 are caused to roll on the rolling track 12 of the lower rail 11, which thus is inclined upwards. Owing to this raising of the lower rail 11, the rollers 6 of the trailing carriage 5 are moved out of rolling contact with the rotary shaft 2 and therefore are stopped temporarily, suspended on the lower rail 11, as shown in Fig. 2. The trailing carriage 5 thus is stopped or braked and can also roll slightly backwards, while the leading carriage 4 continues being propelled by the shaft 2, thereby increasing the spacing between the two carriages 4, 5. Thus, the separation is effected in that the trailing carriage 5 is moved out of its rolling contact with the shaft 2, whereas the leading carriage 4 is advanced through the device 1 at a substantially constant speed and with its rollers 6 in continuous rolling contact with the shaft 2. When the leading carriage 4 has passed the device 1, the upper rail 13 and, consequently, also the lower rail 11 are, automatically and by their own weight, lowered back to the starting position, such that the rollers 6 of the trailing carriage 5 are again in rolling contact with the shaft 2 and the carriage becomes advanced through the device 1. Below the lower rail 11, an angular member 18 is mounted on the U-beam 3, a guide pin 19 extending upwardly from said angular member for engagement into a hole (not shown) in the rail 11. It will be appreciated that a number of successive carriages can be separated in that the procedure is repeated while the rotary shaft 2 is continuously driven and thus need not be stopped. Figs 3 and 4, to which reference is now made, illustrate a similar separating device generally designated 20. This device 20 preferably is included in an accumulating assembly which will be described below. In this case the upper rail 13′ is raised by an operating means which here is in the shape of a compressed-air piston-and-cylinder assembly 21. Fig. 3 shows the upper rail 13′ in a raised, inclined position, also the lower rail 11′ being raised and inclined. A carriage which in this case is represented by the above-mentioned leading carriage 4 is kept raised from the rotary shaft 2 and thus is suspended on the lower rail 11′ by its support wheel 7. The support wheel 7 is clamped between the lower rail 11′ and an upper rail in a posteriorly situated separating device. When the carriage 4 thus stopped should be propelled, the piston-and-cylinder assembly 21 is activated and pulls down the upper rail 13′, such that the rollers 6 of the carriage 4 are caused to come into rolling contact with the shaft 2 and the carriage becomes propelled (see Fig. 4). Subsequently, the carriage 4 passes a transducer 23 mounted on the U-beam 3, which activates the piston-and-cylinder 21 which again raises the upper rail 13′. The device 20 is prepared to temporarily stop the next carriage which rolls onto the lower rail 11′. The separating devices 1 and 20 described above are advantageously used in accumulation of suspended carriages in a buffer store, as shown in Fig. 5 in which the components already described have been provided with the same reference numerals. Fig. 5 also illustrates a motor 31 for driving the rotary shaft 2. In the foremost end of such an accumulating assembly 30 (see Fig. 5), there is a separating device 20 which is of the type illustrated in Figs 3 and 4 and which thus is controlled by the piston-and-cylinder assembly 21 and the transducer 23. Behind this foremost separating device 20, there are positioned a number of separating devices 10 which in every essential respect conform with the separating device 1 illustrated in Figs 1 and 2. The devices 10 are mechanically connected in series and controlled by the foremost device 20. When a leading carriage 32 should be fed out from the accumulating assembly 30, the piston-and-cylinder assembly 21 (see Figs 3 and 4) is activated and pulls down the upper rail 13′ and, consequently, the lower rail 11′, so that the carriage 32 becomes propelled. When the carriage 32 is propelled along the lower rail 11′, the upper rail of the posteriorly situated separating device 10 and thus also the lower rail connected therewith are lowered, whereby a succeeding carriage 33 is propelled to the position that was earlier taken by the carriage 32. A carriage 34 following further behind will take the position that the carriage 33 had earlier taken etc. Such a rearward "chain reaction" in the assembly 30 is interrupted in that the fed-out carriage 32 passes the transducer 23 (see Figs 3 and 4) which activates the piston-and-cylinder assembly 21 which raises the upper rail 13′ of the foremost separating device 20. In this manner, a most efficient accumulation is obtained, in which the carriages can be fed out one at a time, while the propelling shaft 2 is continuously rotated. As a result, the previously discussed drawbacks of the prior art accumulating assemblies are eliminated. In the assembly 30 according to the invention, the buffer track need not be divided into separately driven sections, but the shaft 2 is driven continuously by a single motor 31. Only a small number of control and operating means are required. Finally it should be pointed out that the separating devices and the accumulating assembly can, for example, be timed in different manners according to the function and application of the conveyor system. The desired spacing between the carriages can e.g. be varied by using upper rails of different length in the separating devices which thus retain the carriages for a certain period proportionally to the desired spacing.

Claims: A method for separating successive carriages (4, 5) which are included in an overhead conveyor system and which via rollers (6) are suspended on a track-forming shaft (2) which is rotated and thus propels the carriages along the track, each carriage having at least one over-lying support wheel (7, 8) adapted to roll freely on a non-driven track and spaced from the propelling shaft, characterised in that two successive carriages which should be separated are advanced through a separating device (1) which is arranged substantially in a vertical plane coinciding with that of said propelling shaft (2) and in which the leading carriage (4), as seen in the direction of propulsion (A), is driven at a substantially constant speed, its rollers being in continuous rolling contact with said propelling shaft, while the support wheels (8) of the trailing carriage (5), as seen in the direction of propulsion, are rolled onto a rail (11) positioned at a distance from and above said propelling shaft (2), the front end of said rail (11), as seen in the direction of propulsion, being raised so that said rail is inclined in said vertical plane, whereby the trailing carriage (5) is raised away from said propelling shaft and is stopped temporarily, and that said rail (11), after a certain time or after the leading carriage (4) has passed said separating device (1), is lowered again so that the rollers (6) of said trailing carriage (5) are lowered onto said propelling shaft and the trailing carriage becomes propelled anew. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein use is made of a further rail (13) which is positioned substantially in said vertical plane and at a distance above the first-mentioned rail (11) and connected thereto, the support wheels (7) of said leading carriage (4) being caused from below to roll on and to raise from below the further rail (13) which consequently raises the first-mentioned rail (11), such that said trailing carriage (5) is stopped temporarily. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of separating devices are arranged in direct succession and mechanically connected in series after each other, thereby permitting accumulation of carriages in a buffer store, one carriage at a time being fed out from a foremost separating device, while the remaining carriages are advanced gradually to the anteriorly situated separating device. A device included in an overhead conveyor system and adapted to separate at least two successive carriages (4, 5) which are suspended on a rotatable track-forming shaft (2) and which are each provided with rollers (6) which, as the carriage is propelled along the track, are in frictional and rolling contact with the propelling shaft (2), each carriage besides having at least one ever-lying support wheel (7, 8) adapted to roll freely on a non-driven track and spaced from said propelling shaft, the device comprising a first means (11) positioned at a distance from and above said propelling shaft and adapted to temporarily raise a trailing carriage (5), as seen in the direction of propulsion (A), by means of the support wheels (8) thereof, whereby said rollers (6) of the carriage (5) leave the propelling shaft (2), characterised by a second means (13) which is connected to said first means (11) and by which said first means (11) is movable between a first position in which it does not interfere with a passing carriage, and a second position in which the carriage is urged away from the driving contact with the propelling shaft (2). The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first means comprises a first or lower rail (11) extending substantially in parallel with said propelling shaft (2) and having an upwardly directed rolling track (12) for said support wheels (7, 8), and wherein said second means comprises a second or upper rail (13) which is positioned at a distance from and above said first rail (11) and which has a rolling track (14) directed downwards to said first rail (11) and intended for said support wheels (7, 8), the two rails (11, 13) and said propelling shaft (12) being positioned substantially in a common vertical plane, and the two rails (11, 13) being hingedly mounted and interconnected in such a manner that their front ends, as seen in the direction of propulsion (A), are substantially simultaneously raisable away from said propelling shaft (2) for inclining said rails (11, 13) with respect to the shaft (2) in said vertical plane. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said raising operation is effected in that the support wheels (7) of said leading carriage (4) roll on the downwardly directed rolling track (14) of said upper rail (13) with the rollers (6) in continuous rolling contact with said propelling shaft (2), whereas the support wheels (8) of the trailing carriage (5) roll on the upwardly directed rolling track (12) of said lower rail (11) with the rollers (6) out of contact with said propelling shaft (2), thereby permitting separation of the two carriages (4, 5). The device as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein said upper rail (13), or a front part thereof, is designed in such a manner that the distance between the downwardly directed rolling track (14) thereof and said propelling shaft (2) decreases in the direction of propulsion (A). An assembly for accumulating in a buffer store a plurality of suspended carriages (32-34) included in an overhead conveyor system, characterised in that said assembly (30) comprises a plurality of separating devices (10, 20) according to any one of claims 4-7. The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein said separating devices (10, 20) are arranged in direct succession and mechanically connected in series so that one carriage at a time is feedable out from said assembly (30), while the remaining carriages in the assembly are gradually movable to the anteriorly situated seperating device. The assembly as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the foremost separating device (20), as seen in the direction of propulsion (A), comprises an operating means (21) for performing said raising operation of the first means (11'). The assembly as claimed in claim 10, including a transducer (23) which, as seen in the direction of propulsion (A), is positioned in front of the foremost separating device (20) and is adapted to activate said operating means (21), as the carriages are propelled past said transducer.

Inventors: HOLMBERG GOERAN INGVAR, LUNDGREN JAN-ERIK, PERSSON BENGT ANDERS WALLE, HOLMBERG, GOERAN INGVAR, LUNDGREN, JAN-ERIK, PERSSON, BENGT ANDERS WALLE, Holmberg, Göran Ingvar
Applicants: OCS OVERHEAD CONVEYOR SYSTEM A, OCS OVERHEAD CONVEYOR SYSTEM AKTIEBOLAG
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B65G35
IPC codes: B65G35, B65G47