Patent GB-1033281-A (GB)
Title: Means for feeding articles to conveyor and elevator systems
Inventor: SKINNER NORMAN PHILIP
IPC: B65G17/12
Filed: 1964-03-24
Abstract: 1,033,281. Endless conveyers. BAGSHAWE & CO. Ltd. March 9, 1965 [March 24, 1964], No. 12336/64. Heading B8A. Feeding apparatus for conveyer or elevating systems of the type in which goods-supporting platforms are spaced along and bridged across a pair or more of flexible parallel endless chains comprises an entry conveyer or feeder unit C adjacent the main conveyer system A with platforms F which, when horizontal, Fig. 1 (not shown), carry articles E vertically downwards, but with horizontal movement at top and bottom. The platforms F can flex to follow the conveyer path but are stiff against gravity when descending. When moving upwards the platforms F assume a vertical attitude. The feeder unit C is preceded by an accumulator conveyer G. The feeder unit C, preceded by the accumulator conveyer in two parts G 1 , G 2  will successively transfer articles E 1 , E 2 , E 3  to the platforms F. The article E 1  having obscured the light beam of a photo-cell unit 5 is at rest since the obscuration switches off the drive to the feeder unit C. A platform F just arriving at the loading position operates a limit switch 10 through a projection 11 and restarts the feeder unit C, which runs at the same speed as the conveyer A to transfer the article E 1  to the platform F. Provision is made through a control system (not shown) that if the main conveyer A is stopped while transfer is taking place the feeder unit C is also stopped, but both restart together except when the transfer has been completed as indicated by a second limit switch 12. The part G 1  of the accumulator conveyer is started when the article E 1  has cleared the photo-cell unit 5 and, as the feeder unit C continues to run until the further article, E 2  in this case, obscures the photo-cell unit 5 the article E 2  is brought into the loading position. The part G 1  of the accumulator conveyer continues to run after the light beam of a photo-cell unit 7 ceases to be obscured by the article G 2 : it stops only when both photo-cell units 5, 7 are simultaneously obscured. The operation of the feeder unit C ensures a gap between adjacent articles E 1 , E 2 . The accumulator conveyer may have as many parts G 1 , G 2  &c. as are necessary to absorb the variation in the rate of feed of the articles E 1 , E 2 , E 3  &c. Figs. 2, 7 (not shown) illustrate a second embodiment wherein the main conveyer A carries articles E vertically upwards. The feeder unit C is preceded by a conveyer D which operates at the same time as the feeder unit C but at a slower rate. The conveyer D is preceded by a gravity roller conveyer B which allows articles E to " queue up " when necessary at the entry to the conveyer D. A photo-cell unit 16 stops feeder unit C and conveyer D when an article E 1  obscures the light beam, a limit switch 17 initiating the transfer as previously described. Figs. 3, 10 (not shown) illustrate a third embodiment wherein the feeder unit C is a driven roller conveyer preceded by a driven roller conveyer D and an accumulator driven roller conveyer G, both of which operate at similar speeds, slower than that of the feeder unit C which is the same as that of the main conveyer A which is arranged to give an inclined movement of loaded platforms F. The presence of an article E 1  at the transfer position is detected by a limit switch 24 actuated by a roller 23, while the arrival of a platform F is indicated by a limit switch 25. Rollers 20, 22 of the conveyer D and the accumulator conveyer G, respectively, have outer sleeves which can rotate independently of the driven spindles, there being sufficient friction so that an unrestrained article E can be moved without slip. A part J of the accumulator conveyer G has positively driven rollers 21, whose surface speed is the same as that of the conveyer D (when in the non-slip condition). All the systems may be run in reverse to discharge articles.