Patent GB-1047462-A (GB)
IPC: B65G47/26
Abstract: 1,047,462. Endless conveyers; roller conveyers. RAPIDS-STANDARD CO. Inc. May 7, 1963 [June 20, 1962], No. 17982/63. Heading B8A. In a conveyer having an article conveying track and an endless driven propelling member for moving articles along the track there is provided power take-off means engaging and continuously driven by the propelling member. In the conveyer shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, articles (not shown) are supported on rollers 4 and driven by an endless belt 6 normally lifted into engagement with the underside of the articles by rollers 10, mounted on a hanger 11 pivoted about an axle 3, and engaged with the belt 6 by a spring 12. The lower run of the belt 6 is pressed into contact with a power take-off wheel 24 by a pair of rollers 22 under the action of springs 23. A clutch unit 30 normally allows the wheel 24 to free wheel. Sensing wheels 43 on a hanger 42 pivoted about an axle 3 are normally held proud of the conveying surface under the action of a wrap spring 46 and a connecting rod 41. When an article depresses the sensing wheels 43 the rod 41 moves a regulator plate 37 from the normal position (Fig. 4) to the position shown in Fig. 5, this allows the power take-off wheel to drive through the clutch 30 and rotate a cam 34 through 180 degrees whereupon the clutch 30 disengages the drive again. The cam 34 moves a lever 50 attached to the hanger 11 and rests in a detent 51 pivoting the supporting wheels 10 about the axle 3 out of driving contact with the belt 6 so-that an article following the one on the sensing wheels 43 is stopped. When the leading article clears the sensing wheels 43 the wrap spring 46 returns the regulator plate 37 to the normal position (as shown in Fig. 4) and again raises the sensing wheels. The cam 34 makes another 180 degrees turn and the supporting wheels 10 lift the belt 6 into driving contact with articles on the conveyer. Figs. 12, 13 show the device applied to rollers 80 driven by an endless belt 6 normally supported in driving contact with the rollers 80 by supporting wheels 10. As shown in Figs. 7, 8, no clutch 30 may be required. The cam 34 may be continuously driven by the power take-off wheel 24, a stop member 12 holding the hanger 11 with the supporting wheels in the lower position (Fig. 8) as long as the sensing wheels are depressed. Omission of the stop member 12 produces an intermittent or pulsating conveyer as shown in Fig. 9 where the cam 34 is replaced by two opposed arms 35a, 35b to produce two pulses per rotation. The power made available by the power take-off unit may be applied to various operations at different stations along the conveyer. Figs. 14, 15 show a gate 210 at a station 203 for controlling movement along the conveyer. Figs. 14, 16 show a sweep-off unit 211 for shifting articles off the conveyer. Figs. 14 17 show an ejector unit 212 for pushing articles off the conveyer. The power take-off units may be actuated by a solenoid 234 controlling the regulator plate 37 (not shown). The solenoid is connected to a control panel 236 which may be manually operated or automatic pre-set to generate a signal upon the occurrence of one or more predetermined conditions which may be reading pre-set signals on an article (or its carrier on the conveyer). Other applications mentioned are rotation of articles to orient them, labelling of articles, sealing of cartons, numbering articles, loading cartons, inverting articles or erecting cartons received in folded condition.