Abstract:
A system for remote adjusting of guide rail positions along a conveyor. The guide rails are adjusted to allow the conveyor to accommodate product packages of various shapes and sizes. A moveable guide rail assembly is positioned along a conveyor and is in mechanical connection with the piston rod of an actuator cylinder. A guide rail control device is fluidly connected with the actuator cylinder and it translates a mechanical input to a fluidic output that is communicated with the piston of the actuator cylinder to thereby move the guide rail assembly into a new adjustment position. The system can provide simultaneous adjustment of numerous guard rail segments from a remote guide rail control device while providing accurate non-drift infinitely-adjustable positioning.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention pertains generally to industrial conveyor systems, and more particularly to an adjustable guide rail system for use with industrial conveyor systems. 
     2. Description of the Background Art 
     Conveyors are used in numerous industrial plants for moving product packages from one processing station to the next. For example, a conveyor system may be used to move a liquid container through a packaging line where it is cleaned, filled, capped, labeled, coded, weighed, and packed. To make efficient use of expensive investments in machinery and resources, industrial plants generally run batches of different products. Because these products may be of different sizes and shapes, the guide rails of the conveyor system often needs to be adjusted between product batches. 
     Currently, guide rail adjustment is a time consuming process. On conveyor lines where manually adjustable brackets are used, each bracket along the conveyor line must be individually adjusted for a new batch of items being moved. In general, adjusting one of these manually adjustable brackets involves loosening a locking device, moving the guide rail to the desired position, and tightening the locking device. This adjustment process is repeated for every guide rail support on each side of the conveyor along its length. When working with multi-lane conveyors, it is often difficult for plant personnel to access the manually adjustable bracket for inner lane guide rails. Manufacturers have looked for various solutions to overcome the time wasted on these adjustments; however a simple, economical, and low-complexity solution that allows for rail adjustment across a range of package sizes has been elusive. Manufacturers have therefore largely retained the use of manual guide rails. 
     As can be seen therefore, the development of an inexpensive, fully adjustable, guide rail would reduce the setup time required between product batches within many industrial plants in which products are moved along a conveyor system. The adjustable guide rail in accordance with the present invention satisfies that need, as well as others, and overcomes deficiencies in previously known guide rail adjustment methods. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is an adjustable guide rail system which provides a simple and inexpensive means of simultaneously and remotely adjusting the position of numerous guide rails. By way of example, and not of limitation, the guide rail system of the present invention comprises a multiple cylinder hydraulic control device coupled with a set of guide rail actuators. The hydraulic control device has a crank handle that, when turned, moves the plungers on a series of pistons to simultaneously displace fluid which is communicated to induce movement within a series of actuators coupled to the guide rail sections which thereby move to a new position. 
     An object of the invention is to provide a low cost device for adjusting the position of a conveyor guide rail. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustment device which retains its position without additional locking devices. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustment device in which a series of guide rails are controlled from a single location. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustment device wherein the guide rail may be adjusted to intermediate positions between a minimum and maximum setting. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide accurate guide rail positioning. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide for a self-contained adjustable guide rail system. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustment device that is reliable and easy to maintain. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a guide rail adjustment system that can be adapted for use in multi-lane conveyors. 
     Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following portions of the specification, wherein the detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing preferred embodiments of the invention without placing limitations thereon. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings which are for illustrative purposes only: 
     FIG. 1 is an end view of an adjustable guide rail actuator system according to the present invention positioned in relation to guide rails and a conveyor which are shown in partial cross-section. 
     FIG. 2 is an end view of the guide rail actuator system of FIG. 1 showing the guide rails adjusted for a smaller sized package. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the guide rail actuator system of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of an open-frame guide rail control assembly according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is an end view of the guide rail control assembly of FIG. 4, shown from actuation cylinder side. 
     FIG. 6 is an end view of the guide rail control assembly of FIG. 4, shown from the crank handle side. 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing hose connections between the control assembly of FIG. 4, a gas source, and the pair of guide rail actuators shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a guide rail adjustment system according to the invention wherein eight actuator positions are shown connected to a guide rail control assembly. 
     FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an alternative embodiment of the adjustable guide rail system of FIG. 7 using a master/slave cylinder coupling instead of a gas source. 
     FIG. 10 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the guide rail system of the present invention which uses directly coupled actuators. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring more specifically to the drawings for illustrative purposes, the present invention is embodied in the apparatus generally shown in FIG.  1  through FIG.  10 . It will be appreciated that the apparatus may vary as to configuration and as to details of the parts without departing from the basic concepts as disclosed herein. 
     FIG. 1 shows the actuators of an embodiment of an adjustable guide rail system  10  according to the invention guiding a product bottle  12  (shown in phantom). The product bottle  12  has sides  14  and a top  16 , and is shown resting on top of a moving conveyor system  18 . Also shown is a right side guide rail assembly  20  comprising a top rail  22   a  and a bottom rail  22   b , as well as a similar left side guide rail assembly  24  comprising a top rail  26   a  and a bottom rail  26   b . Mounted in a fixed relationship to the conveyor is an actuator sleeve  28  through a guide extension rod  30  slidably extends. A lever  32  is pivotally connected to one end of the guide extension rod  30  by means of a clevis  34 . The lever  32  is also pivotally connected by a clevis  36  to a lever support  38 . The lever  32  rotates in response to movements of the piston rod  42  of an actuator  44  attached to the opposing end of the lever  32  by a clevis  40 . The actuator is preferably a hydraulic actuator cylinder attached to a support bracket  46  with a clevis  48 . The actuator is controlled by means of fluid communication with an upper actuator input  50  and a lower actuator input  52 . 
     FIG. 2 shows the guide rail for the conveyor adjusted for a product package  54  (shown in phantom) which is smaller than the package  12  shown in FIG.  1 . The right  20  and left  24  guide assemblies are extended to guide the package  54  along the conveyor. The right side guide extension rod  30  is shown nearly fully extended as a result of lever  32  being moved by actuator cylinder  44  which is retracted. A side view of the adjustable guide rail system guiding a large container package  12  along the conveyer is shown in FIG.  3 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, an embodiment of guide rail control device  70  according to the invention is shown. The control device  70  exemplified in this figure has an open frame housing which comprises a first plate  72 , a second plate  74  and an interposing set of four corners  76   a-d  which define the edges of the housing. A first bushing  78  on the first plate  72  and a second bushing  80  on the second plate  74  retain a crankshaft  82  onto which are connected a crank lever arm  84  and a crank handle  86 . The crankshaft  82  has a threaded portion  88 , preferably using acme-type threads, upon which a control plate  90  is threadably disposed. The control plate  90  is shown herein as a plate with a welded nut. It can be seen that rotation of the crank lever arm  84  by means of the handle  86  forces the control plate  90  to move along the threaded crankshaft portion  88  in a direction that depends on the direction of crank rotation. A piston rod  92  with a threaded end  94  is threadably engaged with the control plate  90 . Movements of the control plate  90  force the extension or retraction of piston rod  92 . Piston rod  92  slides within control cylinder  96 , and a fluid connection port  98  on control cylinder  96  provides fluidic communication with an actuator, such as the actuator cylinder  44  shown in FIG.  1 . For the sake of clarity, a single control cylinder is depicted in FIG. 4, whereas typically a plurality of such control cylinders would be attached to the guide rail control device  70 . The control device  70  additionally comprises a limit setting arm  100  upon which are annularly disposed collars forming a wide limit stop  102  and a narrow limit stop  104 . The limit stops  102 ,  104  can be locked, preferably by set-screws, onto the limit setting arm in positions to prevent the control device from being set overly wide or narrow for the specific conveyor in use. A rear view of the control cylinder side of the control device  70  is shown in FIG.  5 . Additional cylinder mounting holes  106   b-h  indicate positions on this particular control device where additional control cylinders can be attached. FIG. 6 shows a front view of the crank handle side of the control device  70 . 
     FIG. 7 shows fluidic connections between the guide rail actuators  10 , the control device  70 , and a pressurized gas source  110 . The guide rails  20 ,  24  in FIG. 7 are shown in a fully open (wide) position. Pressurized gas from a source  110  is supplied via a hose  112  which splits off at a “T”-fitting  114  to a first gas hose  116  and second gas hose  118  to supply a biasing pressure to the actuation cylinders  44  and  120 . Counter-clockwise rotation of crank handle  86  and crankshaft  82  moves the control plate  90  away from the maximum width stop  102  while forcing retraction of piston rod  92  into control cylinder  96 . As the piston rod  92  moves the cylinder&#39;s internal piston, fluid is displaced from the cylinder chamber through first pressure hose  122  into the upper port  50  of the first actuator cylinder  44  which causes piston rod  42  of the actuator  44  to retract in response. Movement of piston rod  42  is translated by lever  32  to move guide extension rod  30  and the attached guide rail  20  toward the center of the conveyor  18 , the movement being mirrored by guide rail  24  driven by actuator  120 . Continued counter-clockwise rotation of the handle  86  causes continued movement of the guide rails  20 , 24  toward one another. A second control cylinder  124  in FIG. 7 is coupled to the same control plate  90  to provide simultaneous control of the second actuation cylinder  120  through a second pressure hose  126 . Although a single pair of control cylinders  96 , 124  are shown in FIG. 7, it should be recognized that this system can accommodate a large number of control cylinders. 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram shown an example of a typical installation  130  of the adjustable guide rails on a conveyor line. A conveyor  132  is shown in which a total of eight guide rail adjusters  134   a-h  are used. Guide rail control device  70  contains a series of control cylinders as described above (not shown) from which a series of hoses  136  are routed to each guide rail actuator  134   a-h . A bias force to each actuator is supplied via a common gas pressure hose  138  from the gas pressure source  110 . It can seen from this diagram that it is possible to quickly change the guide rail position for an entire assembly line with a few turns of the handle on the guide rail control device. 
     The embodiment described by FIG.  1  through FIG. 8 is preferably used with a 30-40 psi air system as the source of gas pressure biasing and a food grade hydraulic oil used for driving the pistons. Tests performed on the system produce rail positioning repeatability of +/−0.020 inches which exceeds accuracy requirements for the industry, since production systems considered to require highly accurate guide rail positioning typically operate with adjustment tolerances of +/−0.0625 inches. 
     It should be recognized that the present invention exemplified by the described embodiment provides a means for simultaneously adjusting a series of guide rails from a remote position. The ability to remotely adjust a guide rail provides for more rapid setup of a conveyor while it eliminates the need to gain physical access to adjustment brackets of inner lanes of a conveyor. Simultaneous adjustment of a series of guide rails along a single lane conveyor was previously described in regards to FIG.  8 . An example of operator adjustment of the guide rails on a conveyor are as follows: 
     1. CHECK LINE—Operator checks conveyor line for obstructions. 
     2. TURN HANDLE—Operator turns handle counter-clockwise=narrower; 
     clockwise=wider. 
     3. SET POSITION—Operator adjusts until indicator reaches desired position. 
     The described use of a combination gas/fluid control and actuation means is the preferred method of implementing the invention; however other methods, which may provide varying levels of success, can alternatively be employed. For example, the gas pressure biasing force can be replaced with a mechanical biasing means, such as springs, which operate against the force of the actuation piston being moved by fluidic pressure from a control cylinder. 
     Another embodiment of the adjustable guide rail system  150  is shown in FIG. 9 where a master/slave cylinder coupling is used instead of a separate pressurized gas source. This embodiment of a guide rail control device  152  has a control cylinder  154  whose piston  156  and rod  158  provide fluidic communication with two ports  160 , 162 . A first port  160  of control cylinder  154  is connected to the second port  164  of a first actuation cylinder  166  by hose  168 , while the second port  162  of control cylinder  154  is similarly coupled to the first port  170  of the first actuation cylinder  166 , by hose  172 . The piston rod  174  and piston  176  of the first actuation cylinder  166  has been substantially retracted as the control plate  178  has been advanced by counter-clockwise rotation of the crank  180 . Counter-clockwise crank rotation forces retraction of the piston rod  158  with piston  156  deeper into the cylinder, thereby forcing fluid through port  160  into the upper port  164  of the first actuation cylinder while drawing fluid from the lower port  170  of the actuation cylinder  166  which is drawn into port  162  of the control cylinder. Movement of the crank handle in the clockwise direction causes a corresponding reversal of the fluid directions, therefore moving the piston  176  of the actuation cylinder  166  in the opposite direction. 
     FIG. 10 shows an embodiment  190  of the invention which employs directly mounted actuators oriented horizontally rather than vertically as previously described. Vertical supports  192 ,  194  are provided along the sides of the conveyor to which are mounted actuation cylinders  196 , 198 . The piston rod of these cylinders  202 ,  204 , is directly connected to the guide rail assemblies  204 ,  206 . These hydraulic actuation cylinders are connected to the guide rail control device and respond to fluid communication from the control device in the same manner as the previously described actuation cylinders. 
     As can be seen, the adjustable guide rail system of the present invention provides a simple system for adjusting the guide rails of a conveyor. It will be appreciated that the invention can be implemented in a variety of ways without departing from the inventive principles. For example, the mechanics of the actuating mechanisms can be varied to use rotating arms, instead of slidable rods, while various forms of hydraulic actuators and control elements may be substituted. The coupling mechanisms between the actuator cylinder and the guide rail assembly may additionally be configured to provide differential guide rail movements, or reversing movements, in response to control device adjustments. These non-linear movements may be desired along a conveyor to adjust side to side product positioning in response to batch setting changes. 
     It should also be recognized, that although the preferable manual input to the guide rail control device is described, a variety of motor drive units could be coupled to the guide rail control device to replace or augment the use of the manual input. 
     Accordingly, it will be seen that this invention can be implemented in a variety of ways to position conveyor guard rails and related mechanisms. Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus the scope of this invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.