Abstract:
The invention relates to a system for transporting coat hangers employing a conveyor screw capable of being driven about its longitudinal axis by a driving system. The conveyor screw is adapted to convey, in a direction of transport, hook coat hangers to be transported. The driving system is coupled to the front end of the conveyor screw, as regarded in the direction of transport.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to a system for transporting coat hangers. 
   2. The Prior Art 
   The prior art includes coat hanger transportation systems for hook coat hangers, comprising a screw conveyor driven rotatably about its longitudinal axis. Spirals of the screw conveyor interact with the hook arches of the coat hangers to be transported so that the coat hangers are moved in the direction of transport as the screw turns. A driving device for the screw conveyor is usually located at the rear end of the screw, outside the travel space of the coat hangers and the goods hanging thereon. The delivery of the coat hangers to the screw conveyor is usually accomplished with chutes that deliver the coat hangers to the transport rail in the rear region of the screw conveyor. In plan view, the chutes enclose a non-zero angle with the longitudinal axis of the screw, so that the coat hangers experience a change of direction when they are delivered onto the screw conveyor. 
   Such a coat hanger transportation system suffers from the drawback that the transfer from the chute onto the screw conveyor does not always function smoothly because of the required change of direction of the coat hangers and the goods hanging thereon. As a result, undesirable tailbacks and breakdowns occur. 
   It is an object of the invention to provide a system for transporting coat hangers with improved transfer reliability. It is a further object of the invention to provide a system for transporting coat hangers which is capable of conveying a large variety of hangers. Another object of the system of the invention is to make it possible to deliver the conveyed hangers in such a way that they are in line with the longitudinal axis of the screw conveyor as viewed from above. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the invention, this object is achieved by a coat hanger transportation system wherein a driving system is connected to the front end of the conveyor screw as seen in the direction of transport. 
   The invention will be explained below in greater detail by way of example with reference to the drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the coat hanger transportation system of the invention, with a view of the driving side; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the coat hanger transportation system of the invention of  FIG. 1 , with a view of the driving side; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the coat hanger transportation device of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , with a view of the side opposite the driving side; 
       FIG. 4  shows diagrammatically various superimposed coat hangers for explanation of the term “envelope horizon”; 
       FIG. 5  shows diagrammatically a detail representation of the coat hanger transportation system of the invention as viewed in the direction of transport; 
       FIG. 6  is a view of the free end of the screw conveyor of the coat hanger transportation system in the region of the transfer chute of an ahead station; 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded view of components of the coat hanger transportation system of the invention; and 
       FIG. 8  is a view of a drive transmission unit of the coat hanger transportation system of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   A coat hanger transportation system of the invention  1  ( FIGS. 1 to 3 ) comprises a screw conveyor  2  that is mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis  3  in both directions as indicated by the double-headed arrow  4 . Screw conveyor  2  is, for example, designed as a conveying screw or as a tailback screw and possesses screw spirals (not shown) which interact with the hook arches of the coat hangers in such a manner that the coat hangers can be moved in the direction of transport  5  as the screw conveyor  2  rotates about its longitudinal axis  3 . Screw conveyor  2  is mounted for rotation within a suitable bearing rail  6 , which is attached to a system frame by means of appropriate securing means (not shown). As seen in the direction of transport  5 , screw conveyor  2  has a front end  7  and a free rear end  8  (see  FIG. 6 ). 
   As seen in the direction of transport  5 , a slide pole  9  (of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ), which is immovably mounted on a cheek frame  10 , follows directly on the front end  7  of screw conveyor  2 . Slide pole  9  has a longitudinal axis  11  which encloses an angle α with longitudinal axis  3  of screw conveyor  2  as viewed from the side ( FIG. 2 ). In plan view, the longitudinal axes  3  and  11  are in line so that they lie in a common vertical plane. The slide pole  9  delivers the hook hangers, e.g., coat hangers, to a singler  12  disposed downstream of the coat hanger transportation system. Such a singler is described in German Patent Application 10 2004 029448.8. 
   Slide pole  9  has a free end  13  to the rear, as regarded in the direction of transport  5 , which free end  13  is disposed directly adjacent front end  7  of screw conveyor  2 . 
   Slide pole  9  has a top surface  14 , which is delimited by upper longitudinal edges  15  and  16 . Upper longitudinal edges  15 ,  16  are provided with a chamfer  17  in the transition region leading to screw conveyor  2 , so that the transfer of the coat hangers from screw conveyor  2  to slide pole  9  is as smooth and continuous as possible. Slide pole  9  has a window-like opening  19  in the region of one lateral surface  18 , spaced at a short distance from free end  13  in the direction of transport  5 , which opening  19  extends across part of lateral surface  18  and part of a bottom surface  20  of slide pole  9 . Between opening  19  and the free end  13  of slide pole  9 , the slide pole has a longitudinal bore  21 , which has longitudinal axis  11  as its centerline. Longitudinal bore  21  opens into window-like opening  19  and is designed as a bearing seat  22  in the subregion between open end  13  and window-like opening  19 , eg to serve as a force fit for antifriction bearings (see  FIG. 10 ). 
   Bearing seating  22  serves as a rotational mount for a drive shaft  23  (see  FIG. 7 ) and is equipped with antifriction bearings  24  for this purpose. Shaft  23  has a first universal joint system  25  and a second universal joint system  26  at each of its free ends. The first universal joint system  25  is positioned in the window-like opening  19  with its free joint end  27  and thus forms an extension of slide pole  9 . The second universal joint system  26  is connected to an adapter pole  28 , which is mounted within screw conveyor  2  and non-rotatably linked thereto. Thus it is possible to transmit a driving rotary movement to screw conveyor  2  via the first universal joint system  25 , shaft  23 , the second universal joint system  26 , and adapter pole  28 . 
   Thus, according to the invention, screw conveyor  2  can be rotated at its front end, as seen in the direction of transport  5 . The first universal joint system  25 , shaft  23 , the second universal joint system  26 , and adapter pole  28  form a drive transmission unit  30  which is connected to a flexible shaft  31  (see  FIG. 8 ) in the region of the free joint end  27  of the universal joint system  25  (see  FIG. 2 ). 
   Flexible shaft  31  extends through a curved rigid sleeve  32  and is mounted for rotation therein. The first end  33  of the flexible shaft  31  is connected to the free end  27  of universal joint system  25  during assembly. The second free end  34  of flexible shaft  31  is connected to a driving motor  35 . 
   Thus, with a coat hanger transportation system of to the invention, screw conveyor  2  can be driven at its front end, as seen in the direction of transport  5 , by means of drive line  30 ,  31  which is curved relative to longitudinal axis  3  of screw conveyor  2  and/or angled relative to longitudinal axis  11  of slide pole  9  and is formed by drive transmission unit  30  and flexible shaft  31 . 
   The course of the curved and/or angled drive line of screw conveyor  2  is selected such that unhindered passage is assured in the direction of transport  5  for all of the hook coat hangers that have to be transported, with their various hook arch geometries and various hanger geometries. 
   To this end, the free end of drive transmission unit  30 , i.e. the free end  27  of the first universal joint system  25 , as regarded in the direction of transport  5  through the coat hanger transportation system of the invention, is initially aligned laterally downwardly toward that side to which the openings formed by the hook arches of the conveyed coat hangers point (see  FIG. 5 ). 
   The course of the entire drive line except for slide pole  9  is conveniently selected such that none of the components of the drive line lies within an envelope horizon  50  (see  FIG. 4 ) of all of the coat hangers  51  to be transported. The envelope horizon  50  is an imaginary envelope surface encompassing all of the coat hangers that might have to be transported and thus represents a dummy for the maximum construction space required, along the path of transportation  5 , for the coat hangers to be transported. The envelope horizon  50  also advantageously allows for those different positions of individual coat hangers as are caused, for example, by the items suspended on the coat hangers swinging about longitudinal axis  3  and/or longitudinal axis  11 . In addition, the space that is needed because of rotation or swiveling of the coat hangers about, say, a vertical axis of the coat hangers is advantageously also allowed for within the envelope horizon  50 . Any collision of any coat hanger with the drive line of the coat hanger transportation system of the invention is reliably prevented when the course of the drive line is safely outside the envelope horizon  50  in every operational situation. 
   It is of particular advantage with the coat hanger transportation system  1  of the invention that the delivery of hook coat hangers can take place from an ahead station in a transportation facility, for example downwardly from a higher position by means of a chute  60  (see  FIG. 6 ) in a particularly reliable and, as regards construction effort, simple manner, in alignment with longitudinal axis  3  of screw conveyor  2 , as viewed from above. Thus, a high degree of reliability in operation and low occurrence of down time when operating the coat hanger transportation system of the invention are ensured.