Patent GB-1093291-A (GB)
Title: Conveyor system and means
Inventor: GRAY CORNELIUS
IPC: B65G17/20
Filed: 1966-01-17
Abstract: 1,093,291. Endless conveyers. GRAY DEVELOPMENT CO. Jan. 17, 1966 No. 2143/66. Heading B8A. [Also in Division B7] General Arrangement.-Laundry Bags B are conveyed by trollies T from a source of soiled linen (not shown) on a basement level 1 to an upper level 2 or 3 for washing, ironing, etc., by travelling on a rail (130) (Fig 2, not shown) from which each trolley T is transferred to a hook 60 carried by endless chains 25, 26. The trolley T is discharged on to a conveyer rail 171 on the level 2 if a cam 170 is placed in an operative position by electro-pneumatic mechanism selectively operated by a switch 276. If the switch 276 is set in an alternative position a fixed cam 191 results in delivery of the trolley to a conveyer rail 190 on the level 3. The rail 171 circulates in a closed circuit 171, (245) (Fig. 27, not shown) via a reception station (not shown) at which the bag B is detached, and the empty trolley T is delivered back to a hook 80 on the chains 25, 26. The trolley T is then conveyed to a selected level and discharged to an associated conveyer-rail circuit (similar to the circuit 171 (245)), thereby to receive a fresh bag B for delivering to a selected level 1-3 via a hook 60 on the endless chains 25, 26. Take-up of loaded trollies at level 1. A trolley T arriving with a bag B on a rail (130) at the level 1 is permitted to pass pawls (143), (142) (Fig. 3, not shown) of an escapement mechanism following the satisfactory transfer of a preceding load on to a respective hook 60. A spring- loaded trip lever (156) connected to the pawls (142), (143), is adapted to be engaged by a roller (71) carried by one arm (67) Figs. 18-21, (not shown) of a bell crank (65) rigid with the hook 60. The latter is pivotally mounted on a respective one of a number of carrier rods 50 carried by the endless chains 25, 26. A roller (70) carried by the other arm of the bell crank (65) is guided by a linear cam (163) to tilt the hook 60 at the correct moment to receive the trolley T when it has been allowed to pass the escapement pawls (142), (143). The bag B is permitted to clear the rail (130) in its upward movement by a displaceable rail section (133) which is lifted by the bag and falls back afterwards by gravity. The section (133) carries a pawl (141) which prevents backward movement of a trolley T in the transfer position. The hook 60 is moved, during its upward movement to a normal carrying position by action on the roller (70) of a straight section 164 of the cam 163, and a further section 167 of the latter at the level 2 causes the hook 60 to be moved into a trolley discharging attitude. Discharge of loaded trolley at level 2. Discharge on to the rail 171 if selected by operation of the switch 276 may be boosted by a lever (184) (Fig. 10, not shown) engaging the trolley. The lever (184) may be moved from an inoperative position (Fig. 2, not shown) to an operative position (Fig. 10, not shown) by energisation of a cylinder (175). The boosting movement of the lever (184) is derived from the engagement of a roller (183) carried by the lever (184), by a surface on the upwardly moving hook assembly 60. In passing along rail 171 the trolley T operates micro-switch 289 thereby activating a time switch 282. Operation of a second microswitch 286 by the trolley T stops the action of the time switch and the trolley T passes to its reception station. Should an accumulation of trolleys build up the micro-switch 286 will not be operated before the time switch time elapses. This will result in the opening by the time switch of a main supply lead 281 thus releasing hold relays 302 and 279 to stop operation of the conveyer drive motor 279. Discharge of loaded trolleys at level 3. Any trolleys present on hooks arriving at level 3 will be discharged by the action of the fixed cam 191 acting on the roller (71) of the respective hook 60. The discharge is boosted by the action of a lever (197) (Fig. 5, not shown). Discharge of unloaded trolleys T at level 1. Each carrier rod 50 carries in addition to a hook assembly 60 (Fig. 12, not shown) at the middle of the rod 50, a hook assembly 80 for unloaded trolleys, at the end of the rod 50, adjacent the chain 25. There is an associated discharge rail track (225) (Fig. 7, not shown) and delivery rail tracks (245) and (222) for the transfer of the unloaded trolleys at the respective levels 1, 2 and 3. As each hook (80) approaches the track (225) it is turned into a discharge attitude by the action of a linear cam section (213). Discharge is boosted by the action of an arm (236). Take-up of unloaded trolleys at levels 2 and 3. Feed of the trolleys is controlled by pawls (252); (252a). which may be set by closure of a micro-switch (295) in the circuit of a solenoid valve (297), by the passage of a preceding hook 80. Alternatively the pawls (252), (252a), may be set by the engagement of a lever (260) (Fig. 25 not shown) by a roller (95) carried at the extremity of the hook 80. Conveyer Framework.-The rollers of each chain 25, 26 are guided by guides (27), (28); (29), (30); (31), (32); and (33), (34). (Figs. 2 and 7, not shown). These guides are carried by cross members (35), (36), carried by hollow rectangular cross-section frame members 6, 7. (Figs. 1, 14, not shown).