Patent GB-819271-A (GB)
Title: Assembly for transferring articles from a feeder conveyor to one or two receiving conveyors
IPC: B65G49/06
Filed: 1956-09-28
Abstract: 819,271. Conveyers. PITTSBURGH PLATE GLASS CO. Sept. 28, 1956 [Oct. 10, 1955], No. 29664/5(i. Class 78 (1). Articles, e.g. curved glass windscreen assemblies, are transferred alternately from a feed conveyer C to each of two receiving conveyers A and B by a transfer conveyer comprising two side-by-side portions 14, 15 mounted together on a carriage 17 arranged for reciprocation transverse to the conveying direction. The drive to conveyer portions 14, 15, conveyer C and the means for reciprocating the carriage are controlled by switches contacted by the articles and by further switches controlled by the movement of the carriage, whereby when an article is received from conveyer C on one conveyer portion, e.g. portion 14, the drive to portions 14 and 15 is discontinued and the carriage moved to its other position as a result of which the drive to portions 14 and 15 is resumed to discharge the article on it to conveyer A. On receipt by the other portion 15, which is now opposite conveyer C, of a further article the carriage is returned to its first position to discharge this article to conveyer B, and so on. Each of the conveyers A, B and C, and each of the conveyer portions 14 and 15 consists of a driven rollerway, the portions 14 and 15 being driven together from a motor 62 on the carriage, and separate motors (not shown) also being provided for the conveyers A, B and C. The rollers of conveyer portions 14 and 15 consist of shafts 75 on each of which are mounted a series of rubber wheels 140, 149. The shafts 75 of the two conveyer portions are interconnected by coupling sleeves 79 and are further interconnected for driving in unison by sprockets 82 on the various shafts engaging a sprocket chain 104. The rollers of the conveyers A, B and C similarly comprise sets of shafts driven in unison and carrying rubber wheels 174, 175 and 190 respectively. Separate switch-actuating levers 120 and 150 are provided on conveyer portions 14 and 15 for engagement with an article being fed, and control switches LS-A1, LS-B1 respectively. Switchactuating levers 166 and 167 are similarly provided on conveyers A and B for engagement with an article being fed, and control switches LS-A3, LS-B3 respectively. Switches LS-A2 and LS-B2 are also provided in the framework 11 supporting carriage 17 for actuation by the carriage at its two extremes of movement. A fluid-pressure cylinder 30 on the framework 11 has its piston-rod 64 connected to the underside of the carriage by a connection 65, 66 allowing limited vertical movement of the end of the piston-rod. An electromagnetically controlled reversing valve 208 supplies fluid alternatively to one or the other end of cylinder 30, and at the same time directs the fluid from the opposite end of the cylinder 30 to the appropriate one of two cam-controlled restrictor valves 198, 200 which are actuated by the carriage at the respective ends of its movement to cause reduced flow of fluid from the cylinder and hence slow up the final movement of the carriage towards its end positions. The valve 208 includes a shut-off position and is actuated for left and right directions of movement of the carriage by respective solenoids (not shown). One of these solenoids is arranged in a circuit including normally closed contacts of switch LS-A2 and normally open contacts of switch LS-A1, while the other is arranged in a similar circuit including normally closed contacts of switch LS-B2 and normally open contacts of switch LS-B1. As a result, in the position shown, Fig. 3, operation of switch LS-A1 by an article delivered to portion 14 from conveyer C moves the carriage from right to left, switch LS-B1 being ineffective, whilst in the other position of the carriage an article passing from conveyer C on to the portion 15 and operating switch LS-B1 will cause the carriage to move from left to right. In addition, a further circuit which controls the motor 62, and also controls the motor of conveyer C through a delay switch, includes normally open contacts of switch LS-B2 and normally open contacts of switch LS-B1 arranged in parallel and also normally open contacts of switch LS-A2 and normally closed contacts of switch LS-A1 connected in parallel. As a result, an article closing switch LS-A1 in the right-hand position of the carriage, or closing switch LS-B1 in the left-hand position of the carriage, causes the drives to portions 14 and 15 and conveyer C to be discontinued. Upon arrival of the carriage at its other position the drive to portions 14 and 15 is resumed immediately, owing to closure of the appropriate switch LS-A2 or LS-B2, whilst conveyer C is restarted after a delay sufficient for the article to be received by conveyer A or B. This delay may be sufficient to allow for the carriage being returned so that transfer to only one of the conveyers A or B is desired. In this case, an appropriate switch is closed in the circuit of one of the solenoids controlling valve 208 whereby the normally open contacts of switch LS-A1 or LS-B1 respectively are bypassed by normally open contacts of switch LS-B3 or LS-A3 respectively. As a result it can be arranged that the closure of switch LS-A3 by an article on conveyer A returns the carriage to receive a further article for delivery to conveyer A, whereby all the articles pass from conveyer C to conveyer A, or alternatively it can be arranged that all the articles pass to conveyer B. As a safety precaution the circuit includes further switches which automatically put it out of operation should the drives to conveyers A and B be discontinued.