Abstract:
In collating packaging equipment and the like, a novel flight that comprises a flight body including at least one spring loaded arm that engages the conveyor drive chain to allow rapid and simplified interchangeability of flight arrangements, i.e. pitch or pocket size, without the need for disassembly and re-assembly of the entire flight drive mechanism.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to packaging and similar equipment and more particularly to an interchangeable flight that allows quick adjustment of the pocket size in, for example, a collating transport system. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Collating packaging system often comprise a pair of moving chain drives having flights therebetween. The pockets, pocket size or “pitch” of the system are defined by flights that are conventionally welded or bolted to the chains on opposing sides of the drive system. In conventional such systems, changing the pocket size or pitch is a rather significant undertaking as it requires changing the entire chain drive system to which the flights are attached. This is typically accomplished by the removal of the currently installed chains and flights and installation of a new chain pair containing flights attached at intervals that define the desired new pocket size. Such changeover from one pocket size is tedious, time consuming and labor intensive and consequently expensive. 
   It would therefore be highly desirable to have a collating system that included flights that were easily changed without the need to remove the entire chain drive system to accomplish the installation of pockets of a different size or the need for tools. 
   OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a collating packaging system that allows for rapid and easy changeover of pocket size without the need to replace the entire chain drive system. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved flight structure for installation on conventional drive chains that allows for quick and easy changes in pocket size on collating equipment of the type referred to herein. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the present invention there is provided a novel flight that comprises a flight body including at least one spring loaded arm that engages the conveyor drive chain to allow rapid and simplified interchangeability of flight arrangements without the need for disassembly. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a partially phantom side view of the flight of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an side view showing the method of engagement of the flight of the present invention with the links in a pair of drive chains. 
       FIG. 3  is a side view showing the flight of the present invention engaged with the links of a pair of drive chains. 
       FIG. 4  is a partially phantom end view of the flight of the present invention engaged with one of a pair of drive chains. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the flight of the present invention along the line  5 — 5  of FIG.  4 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   As described in the Background of the Invention, in, for example, the packaging industry, many unit handling conveyors (collating conveyors) comprise a pair of parallel drive chains having attached thereto between the drive chains flights that define the pitch or pocket size between flights. The changing of flights to accommodate different pocket sizes depending upon the size and shape of the units of material being handled in the equipment is a relatively long and complicated effort due to the flights being welded or otherwise attached to the drive chains in such a way that removing the flight is cumbersome. The changeover from one pocket size to another involves the removal of one drive chain pair and its replacement with an entirely different drive chain pair that incorporates flights spaced at the proper interval to accommodate the product being handled within the individual pockets. The novel flight apparatus of the present invention simplifies this changeover process significantly. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the improved and simplified material handling apparatus of the present invention relies upon the use of a novel flight  10  to accomplish the improvements described herein. As depicted in  FIG. 1 , flight  10  of the present invention comprises a flight body  12  having extremities  14  and  16 . Within at least one of said extremities  14  or  16  is a chamber  18  within which is located a spring  20  mounted about a shaft  22  and retained about shaft  22  by retainer (such as a washer)  24 . Shaft  22  is fixed to arm  26  through any suitable fastening means such as bolt  28 . At the end of arm  26  opposing that attached to shaft  22  is a chain engagement pin  30  also suitably fastened to arm  26 , as, for example, with a head  32 . In the embodiment of the present invention depicted in  FIG. 1  at opposing end  16  of flight  10  is a second arm  34  suitably fastened to flight body  12 , for example using bolts  36 , at its first extremity  38  proximate flight body  12  and includes a second chain engagement pin  40  similar, if not identical, to chain engagement pin  30  fastened to arm  34  similarly to engagement pin  30 &#39;s engagement with arm  26 . Spring  20  is retained within chamber  18  through its engagement with wall  42  that is formed by end plate  44  that is retained by bolts  45  in extremity  14  of flight body  12 . According to the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 , a guide shaft  43  is provided to assure proper alignment of chain engagement pin  30  with aperture  48 B in chain link  46 B shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Guide shaft  43  also prevents any rotation of arm  26  about extremity  14  of flight body  12 . 
     FIG. 5  depicts a cross-sectional view of extremity  14  of flight body  12  and provides a more detailed view of chamber  18 , spring  20 , end plate  44 , arm  26  and chain engagement pin  30 , while  FIG. 4  shows more clearly, through a partially phantom end view, the engagement of drive chain pin  30  with a drive chain link  46 . 
   Referring now specifically to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the mechanism for engagement/disengagement of flight  10  with drive chain links  46 A and  46 B is shown most clearly. As shown in  FIG. 2 , to engage flight  10  with drive chain links  46 A and  46 B, chain engagement pin  30 A is inserted into an aperture  48 A in drive chain link  46 A. Arm  26  is then pulled to the left in  FIG. 2  against the restraining force supplied by spring  20  previously described. This action moves arm  26  and attached chain link pin  30 B outward and away from flight body  12 . As will be obvious to the skilled artisan, during the assembly/disassembly operation drive chain links  46 A and  46 B remaining installed on the conveyor equipment remain at a fixed distance apart. Chain drive pin  30 B is then aligned with aperture  48 B in drive chain link  46 B and allowed to enter aperture  48 B through the action of spring  20  pulling arm  26  and drive chain pin  30 B in the direction shown by arrow  50 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , in the fully engaged position, chain drive pin  30 B has entered aperture  48 B and flight body  12  is firmly attached to drive chain links  46 A and  46 B through this engagement of the operative parts. 
   While flight  10  has been depicted and described as having a single spring  20  assembly for drawing chain drive pin  30 B into drive chain link  46 B, it will be readily apparent to the skilled artisan that flight  10  could readily be equipped with a pair of oppositely facing springs  20 , one of which causes chain drive pin  30 B to enter chain drive link  46 B while the second causes chain drive pin  30 A to enter an oppositely located chain link  46 A. In such a modification, arm  34  could be angled as depicted in, for example,  FIG. 2  or straighter as arm  26  is depicted in this same Figure. 
   Flight  12  also preferably incorporates apertures  52  for the attachment of appropriate profiles, i.e. extensions, for the handling of, for example, oversized (too tall) units within pockets between chain links  46 A and  46 B and an adjacent pair of flights  12 . 
   There has thus been described a novel flight that allows for the rapid and simplified changing of pitch or pocket size without the need for the complete disassembly and re-assembly of the flight drive chain/flight mechanism. Such a novel flight provides for the simplified and expeditious rearrangement of flights within a conveyor system to accommodate the handling of units of differing size in pockets appropriate to the unit being handled. 
   As will be apparent to the skilled artisan, a number of variations and modifications can be made to the structure described above without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. All such modifications and variations are clearly contemplated as being within the scope of the appended claims.