Rail system for carrier equipment

Abstract: Connection of rails (11, 11, 15, 15) or manufacturing of yoke members can be facilitated and necessity of a special bending device can be eliminated by configuring end yoke members (21) and intermediate yoke members (20) to have the same planar plate form. Welding lines can be shortened and the rails (11, 15) can be connected speedily by welding predetermined locations of the yoke members (20, 21) to predetermined surfaces of the rails (11 and 15). By interposing intermediate members (24) filling welding margins (L) at a stage to couple the end yoke members (21) with each other by way of coupling implements (26), coupling forces are directed to act on the intermediate members (24) and not to act between end surfaces (11b, 11b) of the rails or between end yoke members which are liable to be deformed.

Description: Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rail system for a suspended type carrier equipment, for example, a carrier equipment used for carrying car bodies along a definite route on a ceiling in an automobile assembly shop. Background of the Invention A rail system of this kind conventionally has a structure for connecting rail ends, for example, as that proposed by Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 53-115586. Speaking concretely, this structure consists of a rail for power line which is composed of an I-shaped member and, a pair of right and left rails for free line which are composed of C-shaped members having openings opposed to each other: these rails being bound with intermediate coupling yokes at required intervals and connected at ends thereof with connecting yokes. The connecting yoke has, inside both lower ends thereof, integral portions which are bent so as to extend or protrude perpendicularly therefrom. In a condition where rear surfaces of the rails for free line are kept in contact with an inside surfaces of the protruding portions, they are welded by utilizing edges of the protruding portions, whereby the connecting yoke is connected to the rails for free line with an outside surface of the connecting yoke flush with end surfaces of the rails for free line. Further, the rail for power line is similarly connected to the connecting yoke by utilizing a reinforcing rib plate or a similar member. In a longitudinal direction of the rails, the ends of the rails are connected by activating connecting members consisting of bolts and nuts through communicating run-through slots while keeping the outside surfaces of two connecting yokes in contact with each other. However, the conventional structure for connecting the rails ends requires two kinds of yokes: the connecting yoke having the protruding portions and an intermediate binding yoke having no protruding portions, whereby the yokes, the connecting yokes in particular, require tedious manufacturing procedures and a special device for bending the protruding portions. Further, the welding utilizing the edges of the protruding portions includes a step for welding along a long weld line in the longitudinal direction, thereby requiring a long time. Furthermore, at the stage to connect the rails in the longitudinal direction while keeping the outside surfaces thereof in contact with each other, the rails can hardly be connected with desired precision since both the connecting yokes have been deformed due to strain produced by welding. Though the rails are subjected to stress releasing, it requires rather a long time. A rail system according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from prior use. Disclosure of the Invention It is object of the present invention to provide a rail system for carrier equipment which is configured so that intermediate and end yoke members can be shaped in the same form having no bent portions, and welded firmly in a small number of directions and along short weld lines, and rails can be connected with high precision by utilizing the end yoke members with substantially no stress releasing. For accomplishing the object described above, the present invention as defined in claim 1 provides a rail system for carrier equipment which has a structure for connecting rails by way of the yoke members. Each yoke member is composed of a flat plate in which slots for joining elements are formed, the yoke members are fixed to rail ends at locations where welding margins are left within end surfaces of the rails by welding the yoke members utilizing the welding margins, and yoke members for a pair of rails having end surfaces opposed to each other are coupled by way of joining elements passing through slots for coupling the elements. The rail system according to the present invention having the configuration described above makes it possible to configure the yoke members for connecting ends of a plurality of rails in a shape which is the same as that of yoke members for binding intermediate portions of the rails, or in a planar plate-like shape which is not bent and has slots formed at predetermined locations for passing joining elements, thereby facilitating to manufacture the yoke members. The rails can be coupled by way of the yoke members before they are connected. Speaking more concretely, the rails can be coupled easily, speedily and firmly by welding predetermined locations of the intermediate and end yoke members to predetermined surfaces of the rails in a small number of directions and along short weld lines. At this stage, the end yoke members can be fixed by welding at locations where welding margins are left within end surfaces of the rails. At a stage to couple a divided rail system thus formed to another divided rail system, i.e., at a stage to couple an end yoke member to another end yoke member with the joining elements in a condition where end surfaces of the rails are opposed to each other (in contact with each other), the end yokes can be coupled by way of the joining elements passing through the slots formed therefor with intermediate members interposed at predetermined locations between outside surfaces of the end yoke members. Since the intermediate members which fill the welding margins are interposed between the outside end surfaces of the end yoke members, coupling forces of the joining elements act on the intermediate member or do not act on the end surfaces of the rails and the end yoke members which are liable to be deformed, thereby making it possible to easily, speedily and precisely connect the rails by way of the end yoke members and the joining elements with substantially no stress releasing. According to the present invention a first rail is composed of an I-shaped member disposed at a higher location and second rails are composed of a pair of C-shaped members which are disposed at lower locations and have openings opposed to each other, The invention permits lower edges of upper middle plate portions of intermediate and end yoke members being welded to a top surface of the first rail and allows their lower inside edges of side plate portions to be welded to outside surfaces of the second rails, thereby making it possible to connect the rails easily and speedily, and provide a suspended type carrier equipment having rails connected with high precision. In addition, the present invention is characterized in that second rails are composed of a pair of C-shaped members which are disposed at lower locations and have openings opposed to each other, and that yoke members have inwardly protruding portions which are brought into contact with top surfaces of second rails. The additional protruding portions allow the intermediate and end yoke members to be brought into contact with the second rails in two directions and for longer distances, thereby coupling the intermediate and end yoke members with the second rails with higher strength. Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a rail system for carrier equipment in a condition where main members are not coupled; FIG. 2 is a partially cut side view illustrating the rail system for carrier equipment shown in FIG. 1 in a condition where the main members are coupled; FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional front view illustrating the rail system for carrier equipment shown in FIG. 1 in a condition where the main members are coupled; FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating the rail system for carrier equipment shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a rail system for carrier equipment in a condition where main members are not coupled; FIG. 6 is a partially cut side view illustrating the rail system for carrier equipment shown in FIG. 5 in a condition where the main members are coupled; FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating another rail system for carrier equipment in a condition where main members are not coupled; FIG. 8 is a partially cut side view illustrating the rail system for carrier equipment shown in FIG. 7 in a condition where the main members are coupled; FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a further rail system for carrier equipment in a condition where main members are not coupled; FIG. 10 is a partially cut side view illustrating the rail system for carrier equipment shown in FIG. 9 in a condition where the main members are coupled; FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating yet another rail system for carrier equipment where main members are not coupled; FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the rail system for carrier equipment according to the present invention in a condition where main members are not coupled; FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional front view illustrating the rail system for carrier equipment shown in FIG. 12 in a condition where the main members are coupled. Embodiments Now, description will be made of embodiments of the present invention wherein the rail system is adopted for a suspended carrier equipment for carrying articles along a definite route laid along a ceiling. The suspended carrier equipment comprises a rail unit 10, a carrier unit 30 which is supported and guided by the rail unit 10, and others. The rail unit 10 comprises a first rail 11 which is composed of an I-shaped member and disposed at a higher location, a pair of second right and left rails 15 which are composed of C-shaped members and disposed at lower locations with their openings opposed to each other, gate-shaped intermediate yoke members 20 which are disposed at predetermined locations in a longitudinal direction of the rails for binding the rails 11 and 15, end yoke members 21, and others. The yoke members 20 and 21 are gate-shaped planar plates having a pair of right and left (a singularity or a plurality of) slots 22 for joining elements which are formed in the middle of an upper plate portion thereof, and a pair of upper and lower (a singularity or a plurality of) slots 23 for lower joining elements which are formed in lower locations of both side plate portions. A lower edge of the middle of the upper plate portion of the intermediate yoke member 20 is welded, on both side surfaces thereof 12, to a top surface 11a of the first rail 11, and inside edge of the lower locations of both the side plate portions are welded, on both side surfaces thereof 16, to an outer surfaces 15a of the second rails 15, thereby binding the rails 11 and 15 with one another. The end yoke member 21 is welded to the first rail 11 and the second rails 15 similarly to the intermediate yoke member 20 described above. At this welding stage, the end yoke member 21 has been fixed to end surfaces 11b and 15b of the rails 11 and 15, at locations where welding margins L are left within the end surfaces 11b and 15b, by double welding 13A, 13B, 17A and 17B (or single welding 13A and 17A) utilizing the welding margin L. Further, cylindrical washers (an example of intermediate members) 24 which are thick enough to fill the welding margin L described above have fixed by welding (tack welding or regular welding) 25 to an outside end surface of the end yoke member 21 in a condition where holes of the washers are communicated with the slots 22 and 23 for joining elements. In a condition where end surfaces 11 band 15b of the rails 11 and 15 are opposed (or brought into contact) in the longitudinal direction of the rails, end yoke members 21 are coupled by way of joining elements 26 passing through the slots 22, 22, 23, 23. The joining elements 26 consists, for example, of bolts 27, nuts 28 and washers 29, and nuts 28 are screwed and tightened after the bolts 27 pass through the slots 22, 23 for joining elements, the washers 24, 24 and the slots 22, 23 for joining elements. The rail unit 10 is comprised of the members 11 through 29 described above. The intermediate yoke member 20 is coupled, for example, by way of a bracket 5 suspended from a ceiling structure (not shown) and joining elements 6 consisting of nuts and bolts passing through the slots for joining element. In the rail unit 10 so comprised as described above, the second rail 15 supports and guides a moving body (described later), and the first rail 11 supports and guides the driving body (described later) using a chain for imparting a moving force to the moving body. A trolley system 31, an example of the moving body, is comprised of a front trolley 32, a free trolley 33, a rear trolley 34, a coupling lever 35 which couples the front trolley 32 with the free trolley 33, a coupling frame 37 for coupling trunnion pins 36 studded on the free trolley 33, the rear trolley 34 and so on. Disposed on each of the trolleys 32, 33 and 34 are guide wheels 38 which are supported and guided by the second rails 15 while fitted therebetween, and swing preventive wheels 39 which are supported and guided by second rails 15 while located between the lower plate portions thereof. A motion receiver 40 is disposed on the front trolley 32 so as to be freely movable vertically relative to a body for transmitting motion (described later) from the driving body, an operating lever 42 which can vertically swing around a lateral shaft 41 extends from the front trolley, and a rear end of operating lever 42 is coupled with a lower end of the motion receiver 40 by way of a pin. Accordingly, the operating lever 42 and the motion receiver 40 are interlocked so that the motion receiver 40 goes down when a front end of the operating lever 42 swings upward. Disposed at a location behind the motion receiver 40 on the top of the front trolley 32 is an overrun preventive body (hold dog) 43 which prevents the motion receiver 40 from running over frontward while the motion receiver 40 is engaged with the motion transmitting body. This overrun preventive body 43 is so structured as to freely swing forward and backward around a pin and its top end is urged by a weight so as to be located within a moving path of the motion transmitting body. In addition, a cam tail 44 which vertically swings the operation lever 42 extends rearward from the rear troller 34. A support unit 45 for carried articles is attached to the trolley system 31. The support unit 45 comprises C necks 46 attached to lower ends of both the trunnion pins 36, arms 47 which are attached to lower ends of the C necks 46 and extend downward, and support members 48 disposed horizontally at lower ends of the arms 47. A reference symbol W represents a carried article. A driving body 50 which is supported and guided by the first rail 11 for imparting a moving force to the trolley system 31 comprises a link chain 51, a trolley member 52 disposed at a predetermined location in a longitudinal direction of the link chain 51, a motion transmitting body 56 which hangs from the link chain in the vicinity of the trolley member 52 and freely engageable with the motion receiver 40, and others. The trolley member 52 comprises a pair of right and left troller bodies 53 disposed on a center link of the link chain 51, rollers 55 which are disposed on ends (tops) of the trolley bodies 53 freely rotatably around lateral shafts 54, and so on. The rollers 55 are supported and guided by a top surface of the lower plate portion of the upper rail 11. The link chain 51 is interlocked with a driving member (such as a motor not shown). The intermediate yoke members 20 and the end yoke members 21 which bind the first rail 11 and the second rails 15 are formed as gate-shaped planar plates having the same form and slots for coupling implements 22 and 23 formed at predetermined locations. Before assembling the rail unit 10, the first rail 11 and the second rails 15 are bound by way of the intermediate yoke members 20 and the end yoke members 21. Speaking concretely, the rails 11 and 15 are bound by double welding 12 the lower edge in the middle of the upper plate portion of each intermediate yoke member 20 to the top surface 11a of the first rail 11 and double welding 16 the inside edges at the lower portions of both the side plate portions to the outside surfaces 15a of the second rails 15. The rails 11 and 15 are coupled by fixing the end yoke members 21 to the rail ends at the locations where the welding margins L are left within the end surfaces 11b and 15b of the rails 11 and 15, with double weldings 13A and 13B, and by fixing the lower inside edges of both the side plate portions to outside surfaces 15a of the second rails 15 with double weldings 17A and 17B, both the weldings 13A and 13B, and 17A and 17B utilizing the welding margins L. A divided rail system thus comprised is coupled with the brackets 5 suspended from a ceiling structure by way of joining elements 6 passing through the slots 22 for upper joining element formed in the intermediate yoke members 20, thereby being suspended from the ceiling structure. To the rail system thus suspended, other divided rail systems are connected and suspended. The washers 24 are fixed by welding (for example, tack welding) 25 at the predetermined locations on the outside surfaces of the end yoke members 21 immediately before the rails are connected or while the rails 11 and 15 are bound by the double weldings 13A, 13B, 17A and 17B. For connecting the rails utilizing the end yoke members 21, the end yoke members 21 are connected to each other by way of the joining elements 26 passing through the slots 22, 22, 23 and 23 for joining elements in a condition where the end surfaces 11b and 15b are opposed to each other (in contact with each other). This connection can be performed by passing the bolts 27 through the slots 22, 23 for joining elements, the washers 24, 24 and slots 22, 23 for joining elements, fitting the washers 29 over the protruding ends of the bolts, and screwing and tightening the nuts 28. Since the cylindrical washers 24 which are thick enough to fill the welding, margins L are fixed to the outside end surfaces of the end yoke members 21 as described above, tightening forces of the joining elements 26 act between the washers 24 brought into contact or do not act between the end surfaces 11b, 15b and 11b, 15b of the rails 11 and 15 which are brought into contact or between the end surfaces of the end yoke members 21 which are liable to be deformed, whereby the rails can be easily, speedily and precisely by way of the end yoke members 21 and the joining elements 26. At an operation time after completing the assembly of the rail system 10 and incorporation of the carrier equipment 30, a motion transmitting body 56 is engaged with the motion receiving body 40, whereby the trolley system 31 moves along the definite route while receiving moving force from a riving body 50. At this stage, the front end of the operating lever 42 swings downward. Should the trolley system 31 runs over during the movement, the overrun preventive body 43 is brought into contact with the rear surface of the motion transmitting body 56, thereby preventing the trolley system 31 from running over. At the operation time described above, the guide wheels 38 of the trolley system 31 are sandwiched, supported and guided by the second rails 15, and the swing preventive wheels 39 are located and guided between the lower plate portions of the second rails 15, whereby the carrier equipment moved stably along the definite route without being swung remarkably. Further, the driving body 50 is moved smooth while the rollers 55 are supported and guided by the first rail 11. The intermediate members for filling welding margins L are composed of cylindrical spacers 60 which are disposed between end yoke members 21 and 21, and thick enough to fill the welding margins on both sides (L + L). For connecting end yoke members 21 and 21 by joining elements 26, the spacers 60 are interposed in free conditions between the end yoke members 21 and 21, and bolts 27 are passed through slots 22, 23 for joining elements, spacers 60 and slots for joining elements 22 and 23. Since spacers 60 which are thick enough to fill both the welding margins L (L + L) on outside end surfaces of the end yoke members 21 at a stage to screw and tighten nuts 28 over protruding ends of the bolts 27, tightening forces of the joining elements 26 act locally on the end yoke members 21 by way of the spacers 60. A plurality of slots 22, 22, 23 and 23 for joining element are formed in end yoke members 21 and 21, and a plurality of intermediate members are composed of spacers 60 which are thick enough to fill welding margin L on both sides (L + L) and welded (tack welded or regularly welded) distributedly on the end yoke members opposed to each other. The spacers 60 are distributed for pairs of slots 22, 22 and 23, 23 for joining elements. For connecting the end yoke members 21, 21 with joining elements 26, the spacers 60 are disposed between the end yoke members 21 and 21 in conditions where the spacers are tack welded to either of the end yoke member 21, and bolts 27 are passed through the slots 22, 23 for joining elements, the spacers 60 and the slots 22, 23 for joining elements. Since the spacers 60 having thickness (L + L) enough for filling both the welding margins L on an outside end surface of the end yoke member 21 at a stage to screw and tighten nuts 28 over protruding ends of the bolts 27, tightening forces of the joining elements act locally on the end yoke member 21 by way of the spacers 60. A plurality of slots 22, 22, 23 and 23 for joining elements are formed in end yoke members 21, 21, and a plurality of intermediate members are composed of spacers 60 which have thickness enough for filling welding margins L on both sides and are welded (tack welding or regular welding) to either of the end yoke members opposed to each other. For connecting the end yoke members 21, 21, the spacers 60 are interposed between the end yoke members 21 and 21 in a condition where the spacers 60 are tack welded collectively to either of the end yoke members 21, and bolts 27 are passed through the slots 22, 23 for joining elements, the spacers 60, and slots 22, 23 for joining element. Since the spacers 60 having the thickness enough for filling the welding margins L on both the sides are disposed on an outside end surface of the end yoke member 21 at a stage to screw and tighten nuts 28 over protruding ends of the bolts 27, tightening force of joining elements 26 act locally on the end yoke member 21 by way of the spacers 60. A plurality of slots 22, 22, 23 and 23 for joining elements are formed in end yoke members 21, 21, and a plurality of intermediate members are composed of plate-like spacers 61 which have thickness (L + L) enough for filling welding margins L on both sides, and are distributed for the slots 22, 22, 23 and 23 located on one side of a center line between the end yoke members 21, 21, and welded (tack welding or regularly welded) around the slots. Formed in the plate-like spacers 61 are communicating holes 62, 62, 63 and 63 at locations corresponding to the slots 22, 22, 23 and 23 for joining element. For connecting the end yoke members with joining elements 26, front and rear ends of rails are ignorable since the plate-like spacers 61 are disposed between the end yoke members 21, 21 in the condition where they are distributed and tack welded to one side of the center line between the end yoke members 21, 21. At this connection stage, bolts 27 are passed through the slots 22, 23 for joining element, the communicating holes 62, 62, 63, 63 formed in the plate-like spacers 61, and the slots 22, 23 for joining element. Since the plate-like spacers 61 having the thickness (L + L) sufficient for filling both the welding margins L are disposed on an outside end surface of the end yoke member 21 at a stage to screw and tighten nuts 28 over protruding ends of the bolts 27, tightening forces of the joining elements act locally on the end yoke member 21 by way of the plate-like spacers 61. Now, description will be made of an embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13. In this embodiment, end yoke members 21, 21 have portions 21a, 21a which are formed integrally therewith, inwardly protruded from lower portions of the end yoke members 21, 21 to be in contact with top surfaces 15c of second rails 15 and coupled with the second rails 15 by weldings 17A, 17B. Intermediate yoke members 20 have the similar shape and coupled with the second rails 15. The inclusion of protruding portions 21a, 21a enhances the strength of the intermediate and end yoke members 20, 21, 21 for binding the second rails 15 since the second rails 15 are in contact with the intermediate and end yoke members 20, 21, 21 in two directions and for a longer distance or weld lines. Though a suspended carrier equipment 1 is described as the carrier equipment, the suspended carrier equipment 1 may be of a floor type carrier equipment which moves a truck. Though the rail system 10 is of a type wherein a first rail 11 composed of an I-shaped member is combined with the second rails 15 composed of C-shaped members in the embodiment described above, various combinations of rails may be adopted, for example, the first rail may consist of a pair of right and left rails composed of C-shaped members having openings opposed to each other. Though the washer 24 and the spacer 60 are used for each of the slot 22 and 23 for joining element in the embodiment described above, a washer or a spacer may be used commonly for a pair of right and left slots 22 and 23 for coupling implement. Though the joining element 26 is of a type consisting of a bolt and nut in the embodiment described above, the joining element may of a rivet type or a bolt-self-locking nut type.

Claims: Rail system (10) for carrier equipment configured to couple rails (11, 15) by way of inverted U-shaped yoke members (21), said rails consist of a first rail (11) which supports and guides a driving body (50) using a chain for supplying a moving force to a moving body (31), and second rails (15) which support and guide said moving body (31), said second rails (15) are composed of a pair of C-shaped members which are disposed at lower locations and have openings opposed to each other, said yoke members (21) couple said rails and are composed of planar plates in which slots (22, 23) are formed for joining elements (26), said yoke members are fixed to rail ends (11b, 15b) at locations where welding margins (L) are left at the end surfaces of the rails, by welding a portion of the welding margins (L), and wherein a pair of yoke members (21) having end surfaces (11b, 15b) of rails (11, 15) opposed to each other are coupled by way of said joining elements (26) passing through said slots (22, 23) for coupling the elements with intermediate members interposed for filling the space between coupled yoke members, and said space corresponding to the length of said welding margins (L) by which the end surfaces (11b, 15b) of the rails (11,15) protrude from the mutually facing faces of the yoke members, characterized in that said yoke members (21) have portions (21a) which protrude inward so as to be in contact with top surfaces (15c) of said second rails (15). Rail system for carrier equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of slots for the joining elements are formed in said yoke members (21), and a plurality of intermediate members are thick enough to fill welding margins (L) on both sides and welded distributedly to said yoke members. Rail system for carrier equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of slots for joining elements are formed in said yoke members (21), and a plurality of intermediate members are thick enough to fill welding margins (L) on both sides and welded to either of said yoke members. Rail system for carrier equipment according to one of the claims 1- 3, characterized in that the portions (21a) of the yoke members(21) are welded to the top surfaces of the second rails (15).

Inventors: MATSUMOTO AKITOSHI, NAKAMURA JIRO, MATSUMOTO, AKITOSHI, NAKAMURA, JIRO, Matsumoto, Akitoshi, Daifuku Co., Ltd., Nakamura, Jiro, c/o Daifuku Co., Ltd.
Applicants: DAIFUKU KK, DAIFUKU CO., LTD.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: E01B25
IPC codes: E01B25