Abstract:
Conveyor for moving and positioning objects along a conveyor path, the conveyor including:
       a conveyor rail extending through a predefined conveying path;   at least one carriage having a rotatable article support; and   a turning block associated with the rotatable article support, to allow rotatable movement of the article support relative to the at least one carriage,   wherein the conveyor further includes an aligning station for rotating the article support into a predetermined position,   wherein the turning block has first disk with a first perimeter contour and a second disk with a second perimeter contour, and   wherein the alignment station has means for engaging the second disk for rotatingly aligning the article support into the predetermined position.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/655,945 filed on Oct. 19, 2012, which is a continuation of PCT/NL2011/050268, filed Apr. 19, 2011, designating the United States, which PCT application claims priority to Netherlands patent applications NL/2006075 filed on Jan. 26, 2011 and NL/2004573 filed on Apr. 19, 2010. The above U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/655,945 is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/011,056 filed on Jan. 21, 2011, which claims priority to Netherlands patent application NL/2004573 filed on Apr. 19, 2010. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates to a conveyor having rotatable suspension hangers. In particular the invention is relevant to such rotatable suspension hangers as used in processing lines for slaughtered animals, to suspend the animal carcasses by their legs for movement past subsequent processing stations. 
     SUMMARY 
     Such suspension hooks are in common use on poultry and fowl processing lines. One suitable example is described in EP 0786208, which discloses a shackle for suspending poultry by their legs for movement by a conveyor track of a poultry processing line along individual processing stations. Thereby a trolley assembly is supported and guided along a conveyor track and moved there along by a transport chain. The poultry suspension hooks are rotatably mounted to the trolley and an associated turning gear is adapted to cooperate with means along the track to rotate the poultry suspension hooks in predetermined rotary positions. At the location of individual processing stations the turning gear is usually retained between opposite parallel side guides to inhibit any rotation when the suspended poultry carcass is processed at an individual processing station. In between the processing stations these parallel side guides may be interrupted. The side guides are also interrupted where the turning gear is engaged by means to effect its rotation. To this end the turning gear, which is a substantially square body, has slots extending inwardly from its corners. These slots are engageable by a turning pin positioned along the conveyor path. A yieldable indexing arrangement between the trolley and the turning gear ensures that the rotary position is retained when moving further along the track. This is of particular importance at locations where the lateral side guides are interrupted. Usually the yieldable indexing means—such a spring biased ball and socket assembly with opposite cavities and recesses for holding and receiving the ball and spring between the relatively rotatable parts—are effective to keep the turning blocks in their rotated positions between treatment stations. However given the open arrangement of, in particular, poultry processing lines, a risk cannot be excluded that accidental external obstructions in the path of the conveyor may unintentionally alter the rotational position of a turning block in-between treatment stations. Should this occur and remain undetected a wrongly positioned suspension hanger may cause damage to a treatment stations, or at least result in a treated product that is defective. 
     Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to propose turning block alignment for an overhead conveyor. In a more general sense it is an object of the invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art. It is also an object of the present invention to provide alternative structures which are less cumbersome in assembly and operation and which moreover can be made relatively inexpensively. Alternatively it is an object of the invention to at least provide the public with a useful choice. 
     To this end the invention provides for a conveyor as defined in one or more of the appended claims. The conveyor according to the invention thus includes a turning block alignment device that may be arranged upstream of a treatment station and thereby protect this treatment station for possible damage or malfunction due to a wrongly positioned suspension hanger. 
     The invention also provides a conveyor for moving and positioning objects along a conveyor path, the conveyor comprise: a conveyor rail extending along the conveying path; at least one carriage movable along the conveyor rail; an article support rotatably mounted with respect to the carriage; a turning block associated with the article support, rotation of the turning block causing corresponding rotation of the article support; an aligning station in the path of the turning block for rotating the turning block and article support to a predetermined orientation; the turning block having a first disk with a first perimeter contour and a second disk with a second perimeter contour, and the aligning station including features for selectively engaging at least the second disk as the turning block moves through the aligning station to rotate the article support into the predetermined orientation. 
     Conveyors according to the invention are in particular suitable for moving animal carcasses in spaced sequential relationship along a processing path, when the conveyor comprises at least: an elongated rail extending along the processing path; a plurality of carriages mounted for movement along the rail; a drive member for moving the plurality of carriages along processing path; each carriage including a turning block rotatable between indexed positions with respect to the processing path; a shackle depending from and rotatable with each turning block, each shackle being configured to hold an animal carcass suspended therefrom; an aligning station disposed along the processing path in substantial alignment with the turning blocks of carriages moving along the processing path; and features associated with the aligning station for selectively engaging the turning blocks of carriages moving through the aligning station in such a way that the turning blocks and shackles emerge from the aligning station in a single predetermined orientation regardless of their orientations when entering the aligning station. The invention also provides for a method of orienting a poultry shackle depending from a conveyor carriage to a predetermined orientation as the poultry shackle moves along a processing path, the method comprising the steps of: (i) moving the conveyor carriage through an aligning station located along the processing path; (ii) if the poultry shackle is in the predetermined orientation upon entering the aligning station, allowing the poultry shackle to pass through the aligning station unaffected to emerge from the aligning station in the predetermined orientation; and (iii) if the poultry shackle is not in the predetermined orientation upon entering the aligning station, rotating the poultry shackle between a predetermined number of indexed orientations within the aligning station until the poultry shackle is oriented in and emerges from the aligning station in the predetermined orientation. 
     In one advantageous arrangement a conveyor assembly is provided for conveying articles along processing stations including a conveyor in accordance with the invention in combination at least one carriage and associated article support that includes a pair of trolleys for engagement by the conveyor and supporting a carriage block; a shackle configured to support an article, and rotatable with respect to the carriage block; a turning block associated with the shackle, rotation of the turning block with respect to the carriage block causing corresponding rotation of the shackle relative to the carriage block; and yieldable indexing means operatively arranged between the carriage block and the turning block to define at least a first and a second incremental rotational position for the shackle, in which the yieldable indexing means are biased into engagement by magnetic forces. 
     Accordingly a conveyor is disclosed for moving and positioning objects along a conveyor path. The conveyor includes a conveyor rail extending along the conveyor path and at least one carriage having a rotatable article support mounted for movement along the conveyor rail. A turning block associated with the rotatable article support facilitates rotatable movement of the article support when the turning block is rotated. The conveyor further includes an aligning station for rotating the article support into a predetermined position when the turning block passes through the aligning station as the article support moves through the aligning station. The turning may be formed with a first disk with a first perimeter contour and a second disk with a second perimeter contour. The alignment station has projections in the form of pins for engaging the second disk as needed for rotating the turning block and article support between indexed orientations until the article support is oriented in a predetermined desired orientation. The article support may be a poultry shackle for suspending poultry carcasses and moving them along the conveyor path. 
     Further advantageous aspects of the invention will become clear from the appended claims and from the following description of preferred embodiments. 
     All of the patent applications listed above in the Reference to Related Applications section are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. Presented herein are the method claims originally filed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/011,056 and subsequently withdrawn from that application pursuant to a restriction requirement. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a partial perspective view of a conveyor according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a rotatable article support and turning block as used in the conveyor of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a first embodiment of a turning block for use in the rotatable article support of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIGS. 4A-4C  are schematic views showing the various options provided by the aligning station; 
         FIGS. 5A-5B  are schematic views showing the turning station options for left hand and right hand rotations; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective illustration of a rotatable article support; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross section of the exploded perspective illustration of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a side elevation in ghost view of the article support of  FIGS. 6 and 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a rear elevation in ghost view of the article support of  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  8 ; 
         FIG. 10  shows a first arrangement of turning pins in relation to a first output position for the article support; 
         FIG. 11  shows a second arrangement of turning pins in relation to a second output position of the article support; 
         FIG. 12  shows a third arrangement of turning pins in relation to a third output position for the article support; and 
         FIG. 13  shows a fourth arrangement of turning pins in relation to a fourth output position for the article support. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring first to  FIG. 1  there is shown a conveyor rail  1  that here takes the form of a pipe or rod. Guided for movement along the rail  1  are pairs of trolleys  3  carrying individual carriages  5 . The trolleys  3  are interconnected by a chain  7 , which pulls the trolleys  3  and carriages  5  along the rail  1 . Positioned along a conveying path defined by the rail  1  is a combined aligning and turning station  9 . The aligning and turning station  9  may be provided with rows of openings  11  in two levels, one above the other. The openings  11  may each optionally receive a respective first, second, third or fourth turning pin  13 ,  15 ,  17 ,  19 , for a purpose explained herein below. 
       FIG. 2  shows the rotatable article support of the carriage  5  in an exploded arrangement.A suspension shackle  21  is non-rotatably connected to turning block  22 . A retention pin  23  is inserted through both the shackle  21  and the turning block  22  to obtain the non-rotatable connection. A carriage block  24  rotatably receives the turning block  22  by means of a bolt  26  and various washers  25 ,  27  and  28 . The bolt  26  thereby engages bushing  30  that affixes to the turning block  22 . The carriage block  24  is suspended from the trolleys (only shown in  FIG. 1 ) by trolley brackets  29 . Each trolley bracket  29  is secured in a slot in the carriage block  24  and affixed by a respective securing pin  32 . The turning block  22  can be retained in indexed positions with respect to the carriage block  24  by indexing means in the form of magnets  31  or equivalent indexing means, such as a ball and spring. 
     In  FIG. 3  a possible embodiment of the turning block  22  is shown in an exploded arrangement. The turning block  22  is seen to comprise an upper level disk  41  and a lower level disk  43 . The upper level disk  41  has a generally square perimeter, interrupted by four diagonally extending slots  45  opening into the corners of the square perimeter and extending inwardly there from. The lower level disk  43  is similarly shaped to the upper level disk  41 , but is substantially shorter on one of its sides and thereby effectively only has two diagonally extending slots  47 . The upper and lower level disks  41 ,  43  each have a respective central bore  49 ,  51 . 
     In  FIGS. 4A-4C  it is schematically shown that the lower level disk  43 , irrespective of the rotative position in which it meets the first, second and third turning pins  13 ,  15 ,  17  in the direction of conveyance  53 , will end up in the predetermined position. As can be seen in either one of the  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B and  4 C the position of the lower level disk  43  after passing the first, second and third turning pins  13 ,  15 ,  17  is exactly the same. This may be used to correct the rotative positions of the article supports (carriages  5  in  FIG. 1  and the shackle  21  of  FIG. 2 ) before these are conveyed towards a treatment station that may be positioned along the path of conveyance or the conveyor. 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  are schematic representations, similar to  FIG. 4 , but showing the upper level disk  41  being rotated through 90 degree increments. This rotation in increments of 90 degrees can be in a left hand rotational direction by fourth turning pin  19  or alternatively in a right hand rotational direction by a fourth turning pin  19 A that extends from an opposite side of the conveying path, as shown in  FIG. 5B . 
     In  FIG. 6  an exploded arrangement is shown of a rotatable article support assembly  101 . The article support assembly  101  is provided with a shackle  103 , which in this example is a so called weighing shackle for the suspension of animal carcasses, such as fowl or poultry carcasses. The shackle  103  is rotatably suspended from a carriage block or base block  105 . The base block  105  is arranged for movement along an overhead conveyor rail or track (not shown, but conventional). Such conveyor rails or tracks are common in industrial apparatuses for carrying out a succession of processing steps. Commonly such conveying tracks are laid out in a continuous loop that defines a path of conveyance along a plurality of processing stations. Such systems are well known in the meat processing industry, but are also used in other disciplines of industry and manufacture. In this regard the base block  105  forms a trolley or carriage that is linked to similar base blocks of adjacent article support assemblies by trolley brackets  107  and chains, or the like. The trolley brackets  107  are attached to the carriage block or base block  105  by means of bolts  109  and nuts  111 . Extending upwardly from shackle  103  is a shaft  113  to which an abutment flange  115  is attached by means of a first transverse pin  117 . The shaft  113  extends upwardly through a central bore in the base block  105 , which central bore is enlarged at the upper end of the base block  105  to form a cavity  119 . The cavity  119 , as best seen in  FIG. 7 , has three bores  121  (only one being visible in  FIG. 7 ) for each receiving a lower magnet  123 . The cavity  119  has a groove  125  for non-rotatably receiving an indexing plunger  127  which has its perimeter adapted to the contour of cavity  119  to inhibit relative rotation but to allow axial movement of the plunger  127 . 
     Not visible in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , but visible in the ghost views of  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the indexing plunger  127  has bores opening into its bottom surface for receiving upper magnets  129 . In this example the lower magnets  123  are positioned with their north poles on top and the upper magnets  129  are positioned with their north poles facing down. In such an orientation, the lower and upper magnets  123 ,  129  will repulse one another, so that the indexing plunger  127  carries a number of radial indexing formations  131 , which cooperate with complementary indexing formation on a lower face of a turning gear, or turning block  133 . In this example, the indexing formations  131  provide rotational positions that are 90° apart. The turning block  133  is mounted to the shaft  113  by means of a second transverse pin  135 . Spacing between transverse bore in the shaft  113  for receiving the first and second transverse pins  117 ,  135  is such that the base block  105  is snugly and rotatably received between the abutment flange  115  and the turning block  133 . Thereby also the indexing plunger  127  is held within the cavity  119  of the base block  105  against the repulsive forces of the confronting lower and upper magnets  123 ,  129 . The magnets  123 ,  129  are preferably identical and sintered rare earth magnets. Such sintered rare earth magnets may contain neodymium or be ceramic magnets of ferrous material. Another suitable magnet material may be samarium cobalt. The polarity of the lower and upper magnets  123 ,  129  should be properly directed to obtain the repulsive force necessary to bias the indexing formation  131  in engagement with the turning block  133 . This can be with the north poles of confronting magnets facing one another, but may also be achieved by having the south poles facing one another. The important aspect is that equal poles of confronting magnets are facing one another. The turning block  133  further has diagonal slots  137  extending diagonally inwardly from each corner of the substantially square contour of the turning block  133 . 
     In  FIGS. 8 and 9  a side and a rear elevation of the assembled article support assembly  101  are illustrated as ghost views. Thereby internal parts like the magnets  123 ,  129 , the indexing plunger  127  and the indexing formations  131  are visible as if the base block  105  and the turning block  133  were of transparent material. Also best visible in  FIGS. 8 and 9  is that the turning block  133  has an upper cut-out  139  along one edge extending between adjacent slots  137 , as well as a lower cut-out  141  along another edge that is perpendicular to the one edge. 
     The purpose of the upper and lower cut-outs will now be described in reference to  FIGS. 10 to 13 . In  FIGS. 10 to 13  several output positions are shown for the article support assembly  101 , after having passed a particular aligning, or turning station  143 A,  143 B,  143 C,  143 D in a direction of conveyance indicated by arrow  145 . The representation of  FIGS. 10 to 13  is essentially schematic, and structure that is not directly relevant to a correct understanding of the disclosure is omitted for clarity. Also the article support assembly  101  is shown in a simplified form with the turning block  133  separated in two levels of disks  133 A,  133 B to better visualize the upper and lower cut-outs  139 ,  141 . Each of the turning stations  143 A- 143 D has opposed left and right hand guiding walls  147 ,  149 . Each right hand guiding wall  149  has a series of openings  151  in a upper and a lower row, each consisting of three openings  151 . Each opening  151  is adapted to selectively receive a turning pin  153 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , three turning pins  153  are successively arranged in the upper row of openings  151  of the left hand guiding wall  147 . Irrespective of the rotational position of the article support assembly  101  when it enters the turning station  143 A, the three successive turning pins  153  in the upper row will always be sufficient to engage as many of the diagonal slots  137  as is necessary to bring the upper cut-out  139  (in level  133 A of the turning block) in a position facing the left hand guide rail  147 , once it has passed all three turning pins  153 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , three turning pins  153  are now mounted in the upper row of three opening  151  of the right hand guiding wall  149 . This has the effect that article supported assembly  101  will now leave the turning station  143 B with the upper cut-out  139  facing the right hand guiding wall  149 . This results in a different position of the shackle  103  than that achieved with the turning station  143 A of  FIG. 10 . 
     In  FIG. 12  again a different arrangement of turning station  143 C is shown. In this variation the three successive turning pins  153  are positioned in the lower row of opening  151  of the left hand guiding wall  147 . The pins  153  now engage the diagonal slots  137  at the lower portion  133 B of the turning block. Upon passage of the article support assembly  101  through the turning station  143 C in the direction  145  of conveyance, the lower cut-out  141  will emerge from the turning station  143 C, facing the left hand guide wall  147 . 
     In a further variation according to  FIG. 13 , the turning station  143 D has the successive turning pins  153  installed on the lower row of openings  151  in the right hand guide wall  149 . This results in the lower cut-out  141  of the lower portion  133 B of the turning block to emerge from the turning station  143 D facing the right hand side wall  149 . While one level of turning pins  153  that are 180° apart, using a second level for positioning the turning pins and a second cut-out at 90° from the first cut-out, enables positioning of the article support assembly  101  at predetermined position at 90°. 
     Accordingly an article support assembly  101  is disclosed that is adapted for movement by a conveyor along a path of conveyance. The article support assembly  101  includes a carriage block or base block  105  of a carriage for engagement by the conveyor and a shackle  103  configured to support an article, and rotatable with respect to the base block. A turning block  133  is associated with the shackle  103 , and rotation of the turning block with respect to the base block  105  causes corresponding rotation of the shackle relative to the carriage block or base block. Yieldable indexing means  123 ,  127 ,  129 ,  131  are operatively arranged between the base block  105  and the turning block  133  to define at least a first and a second incremental rotational position for the shackle  103 . The yieldable indexing means  123 ,  127 ,  129 ,  131  of the article support assembly  101  are biased into engagement by magnetic repelling forces. A conveyor system for conveying articles along processing stations is adapted to include the article support assembly  101  and comprises a turning station  143 A,  143 B,  143 C,  143 D for giving a predetermined rotational position to the shackle  3  with respect to the base block  105 . 
     While it has been described in the above example that the indexing plunger  127  and the turning block providing the yieldable indexing means are biased into engagement by magnetic repelling forces, it is alternatively also possible to obtain this bias by attracting magnetic forces. This effect can be obtained by positioning lower magnet in the indexing plunger  127 , and accommodating upper magnets in suitable bores in the turning block  133 , but with the confronting lower and upper magnets then positioned to have their opposite poles facing one another. 
     It is thus believed that the operation and construction of the present invention will be apparent from the foregoing description and drawings appended thereto. It will be clear to the skilled person that the invention is not limited to any embodiment herein described and that modifications are possible which should be considered within the scope of the appended claims. Also kinematic inversions are considered inherently disclosed and to be within the scope of the invention. In the claims, any reference signs shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The term ‘comprising’ and ‘including’ when used in this description or the appended claims should not be construed in an exclusive or exhaustive sense but rather in an inclusive sense. Thus the expression ‘comprising’ as used herein does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps in addition to those listed in any claim. Furthermore, the words ‘a’ and ‘an’ shall not be construed as limited to ‘only one’, but instead are used to mean ‘at least one’, and do not exclude a plurality. Features that are not specifically or explicitly described or claimed may be additionally included in the structure of the invention within its scope. Expressions such as: “means for . . . ” should be read as: “component configured for . . . ” or “member constructed to . . . ” and should be construed to include equivalents for the structures disclosed. The use of expressions like: “critical”, “preferred”, “especially preferred” etc. is not intended to limit the invention. Additions, deletions, and modifications within the purview of the skilled person may generally be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as is determined by the claims.