Patent GB-971896-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to conveying or conveying and storage installations
Inventor: CULLEY WILFRED HAROLD
IPC: B65G1/06
Filed: 1960-05-02
Abstract: 971,896. Conveyer installations. GASCOIGNES (KEE-KLAMPS) Ltd. May 1, 1961 [May 2, 1960], No. 15398/60. Heading B7L. A conveyer installation in which goods-supporting platforms A, Figs. 1, 2, are mechanically moved along a trackway G by an endless strand or chain C, includes a coupling mechanism, e.g. a hooked plate A1 on each platform for temporary engagement with the strand or chain to move the platform from one end of the trackway to the other and an impact member in the form of a bar A2 mounted for longitudinal sliding movement relative to the platform and biased in the direction of movement thereof, the hooked plate A1 being connected to the bar A2 in such a manner that a rearward movement imparted to the bar A2 by an obstruction causes the hooked plate A1 to pivot and to disengage from the chain C. The endless chain C, Figs. 2, 3, is driven round sprockets (not shown) and has pegs C1 fixed to it. The pegs C1 engage with the hooked plate A1 and thus move the platform A along the trackway G. When the protruding front end a4 of the bar A2 encounters a stop or a stationary platform the bar is moved against the action of a spring A3 to move a pin a2 in a slot a3 in the hooked plate A1 to the position shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the hooked plate is moved in an arc about a fixed pin a1 to disengage it from the peg C1. If the platform is moved in the opposite direction to the chain C, then the pegs C1 will cause the plate A1 to pivot about the pin a2, the pin al sliding in a slot a6. This enables the platform to be " free-wheeled " along the trackway. The chain C may be replaced by a cable having blocks clamped to it to engage the hooked plates A1, or by the chain D shown in Fig. 9, which has flexible strands D1 with rigid ties D2, or by a single strand (Fig. 11, not shown), with projections driven by a bifurcated rotating arm, or by a rigid ladderlike reciprocating pusher driven by a crank (Fig. 12, not shown). Twin hooked plates A1, one on each side of the bar A2, may be provided with common pins a1, a2 to straddle the chain in cases where this is possible. If the chain is placed in the centre of the trackway, then the platforms A may be driven in either direction. The chain sprockets are arranged so that the drive begins and ceases before the ends of the trackway, and stops G1 are provided at these ends. To prevent the hooked plates A1 from connecting with the drive chain before the platform is correctly positioned on the trackway, arcuate guard plates are provided on the chain sprockets and these are actuated by hinged plates (Fig. 5, not shown), which may be depressed by the forks of a fork lift truck, and which move the guard plates to cause the hooked plates A1 to " free-wheel " over them, the plates A1 engaging with the chain when the guard plates have been returned to their rest positions. If it is necessary to space the first and second platforms from each other on the trackway, a braking device shown in Fig. 7 may be provided. A platform A, on reaching the end of the trackway, depresses a pivoted lever H1, raising a stop H3 into the path of the bar A2 of the next platform. As the first platform is removed the stop H3 drops back to the position shown in Fig. 7, and this drop may be retarded by the provision of an air dash-pot H4. On production assembly lines manually or automatically operated stops M1 may be provided and the platform may be supported on legs fitted with ball casters M2 to enable the platform to be moved along an alternative track, not shown, at an angle to the trackway shown, and to enable the platform to be removed by a fork lift truck.