CARRIER AND DISCHARGING SYSTEM FOR HANGERS

Abstract: The invention relates to a carrier and unloading system for hangers which are intended to be transported hanging in a hanger hook (4) in a first conveyor (1) and transferred to a second running conveyor. The system is characterized in that the carrier (3) on which the hanger hook (4) is intended to hang in the first conveyor (1) consists of a preferably circular disc (9, 10) which is eccentrically and swingably suspended in a plane parallel to the conveyor band (chain) (2) and which on its upper side is provided with an arc-shaped groove (11) for the hanger hook (4), wherein an unloading wedge (6) is arranged close to the track (1) which when the carrier (3) passes this the carrier (3) will swing up so that the hanger (4) falls out from the groove (11).

Description: TITLE : CARRIER AND DISCHARGING SYSTEM FOR HANGERS TECHNICAL FIELD: The present invention relates to a carrier and an unloading system for clothes hangers which are intended to be transported hanging in the hanger hook in a first running conveyor and be transferred to a second running conveyor. Such conveyors are commonly used in, for example, laundries where the garments are hung up on clothes hangers at a hanging station and thereafter are moved up to a main conveyor to which the clothes hangers with the garments are transferred for further transport and treatment. It is usual that the garments are hung up in a hanging station with adapted height for a human being and thereafter transported up to a higher level for further transport. PRIOR ART: A hanging station of the above kind is described in, for example, the European patent 0566553. This hanging station which can be regulated in height according to the height of the operator comprises an endless chain having a number of carriers on which the clothes hangers are hung up automatically. These carriers are made in the form of a pin which is mounted in the conveyor chain and which has a head or flange on the free end. The hangers are usually fed automatically into the hanging station where they are hung up one by one on separate carriers, whereupon the garments are hung up on the empty hangers at a certain level. After the hanging of the garments on the hangers the conveyor, which has been stopped at the hanging station, is again started and moves the hanger with the garment usually upwards to a main conveyor. To ensure that the hanger is transferred to the new conveyor, some transferring mechanism, for example in the form of a wedge, has been arranged which forces the hanger hook over the free end of the pin where the head or the flange is located wherefrom the hanger falls down on a new transport track. THE TECHNICAL PROBLEM: The carriers according to the prior art in the above- described system are rigidly anchored on the conveyor chain and the hanger hooks must, as mentioned above, be forced over the flange or the head to be removed. This means that both the hangers and especially the supporting carrier are subjected to very heavy wear. This is especially the case with the flange or the head on the pin-shaped carrier. This may lead to this flange or head decreasing so much that they do not safely prevent the hanger hook from unintentionally sliding over this hindrance and falling down. It is therefore necessary to repair or exchange these carriers from time to time. THE SOLUTION: In order to solve the above problem, a carrier and unload- ing system for clothes hangers has been brought about in accordance with the present invention, which system is intended to be transported hanging in the hanger hook in a first running conveyor and to be transferred to a second running conveyor, which system is characterized in that the carrier on which the hanger hook is intended to hang in the first conveyor consists of a preferably circular disc which is eccentrically and swingably suspended in the conveyor in a plane parallel with the conveyor band (chain) and which on its upper side is provided with an arc-shaped groove for the hanger hook, whereby an unloading wedge is arranged close to the track which, when the carrier passes it, swings the carrier up so that the hanger falls out of the groove. According to the invention, it is suitable that the carrier disc consists of two joined discs of different size wherein the greater is swingably suspended in the transport band (chain) and the smaller one is provided with the groove for the hanger hook. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES: The invention will in the following be described more in detail with reference to the enclosed drawings in which Fig. 1 shows a conveyor with carriers and an imagined hanger hook from the side, where Fig. 2 shows a section through the conveyor in the direction of movement behind a carrier, and where Fig. 3 shows a carrier viewed from the side without hanger hook and a small piece of the conveyor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION: Fig. 1 shows an upward feeding rail 1, which could equally be a horizontal or downwardly sloping rail, in which a conveyor chain 2 is arranged. For sake of simplicity, this conveyor chain 2 is only shown partly. Instead of a chain 2 a band or the like may be arranged. Neither does the track 1 need to be constructed in the way shown. On the chain 2 carriers 3 are suspended. Two of these carriers are shown in the drawing and the lower one in the drawing, as is shown with dotted lines, has been provided with a hanger hook. The carriers 3 are in this case disc shaped and circular. They may however have some other form, for example oval, but a circular disc-shaped design is preferred. The carrier 3 is swingably suspended on a shaft 5 which is eccentrically arranged which means that the carrier 3 hangs downwardly from it. The other carrier 3 which is shown in the figure has reached a higher level on the rail 1 where it meets an unloading wedge 6. This unloading wedge 6, which has an oblique upper surface 7 against which the carrier 3 will slide, forces the carrier 3 to an upwardly swung position, as shown in the Figure. The hanger hook 4 will then come out of its groove and fall downwardly onto another unloading arrangement 8 which is the first step on the second running conveyor. The unloading arrangement 8 and the second conveyor are of a conventional kind and will therefore not be described in more detail here. Fig. 2 shows a section through the track 1 with mounted carriers 3. As appears from this Figure the carrier 3 is composed of two discs 9 and 10 which are rigidly screwed together. The arc-formed groove 11 for the hanger hook 4 is, as appears from the Figure, arranged on the upper side of the disc 10. When this disc is turned up, the hanger hook 4 will slide out from its groove and over to the smooth surface of the disc 10 and will fall down from it. The smooth part of the surface of the disc 10 may be made somewhat sloping so that the hanger hook 4 falls off more easily. Neither is it necessary that the disc 10 consist of an actual disc. Instead, it can be somewhat thicker and have a conical narrowing shape outwardly in the form of some kind of a stud. The most practical is however not to have any protruding element on the carrier 3. In Fig. 3 a list 12 is also shown which lies near the carrier 3. This list is preferably made of plastics having low friction since the carrier shall slide against it and be supported by the list. Fig. 3 shows the same arrangement as the one in Fig. 2 but seen from the side. The reference numerals which are present in fig. 3 refer to the same elements as the ones in Fig. 2. Through the present invention a carrier and unloading system, which is simple, economically advantageous and above all safely operable due not being subjected to any substantial wear, has been brought about. The invention is not limited to the above embodiment but can be varied in different ways within the scope of the claims.

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. Carrier and unloading system for hangers which are intended to be transported hanging in a hanger hook (4) in a first running conveyor (1) and transferred to a second running conveyor, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the carrier (3) on which the hanger hook (4) is intended to hang in the first conveyor (1) consists of a preferably circular disc (9, 10) which is eccentrically and swingably suspended in a plane parallel to a conveyor and which on its top side is provided with an arc-shaped groove (11) for the hanger hook (4), wherein an unloading wedge (6) is arranged close to the track (1) which when the carrier (3) passes this the carrier (3) will swing upwardly so that the hanger (4) falls out from the groove (11). 2. Carrier and unloading system according to the claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the carrier disc (3) consists of two joined discs (9, 10) of different size wherein the larger (9) is swingably suspended in the conveyor band (chain) (2) and the smaller one (10) is provided with the groove (11) for the hanger hook (4).

Inventors: JACOBSON CARL MAGNUS, JACOBSON, CARL, MAGNUS
Applicants: JACOBSON CARL MAGNUS, METRIC INTERCONVEYOR AB, AB METRIC INTERCONVEYOR, JACOBSON, CARL, MAGNUS
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B65G23
IPC codes: B65G17, B65G47