Patent GB-665616-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in conveyors
IPC: B65G17/12
Filed: 1948-11-22
Abstract: 665,616. Endless conveyers. CONVEYOR CAFETERIAS, Ltd., and LEWIS, T. M. Nov. 11, 1949. [Nov. 22, 1948] No. 30310/48. Class 78 (i). A conveyer consists of an endless loadcarrying member supported on the conveying run upon a plurality of rollers, the spindles of which are linked together to form an endless carrier, this carrier in turn being supported by a track: In one form the endless carrying member consists of platforms 4 hinged together by means of pivoted links 4a, while the rollers 3 are connected by links 1 and run on a rigid track 2. Alternatively, the load carrying member may be a continuous flexible belt. Preferably separate platforms 10, Fig. 5, are pivotally mounted on a roller chain 9 passing over a sprocket 14 at one end. Where the platforms are required to be elevated rollers on them engage suitable guides 11 and 13 while on the return run upon reaching the horizontal a further guide is used. However, on the upper horizontal portion the linked rollers 3 and track 2 are used. Since the linked rollers 3 and chain 9 both pass around sprockets either may be driven. Preferably chain 9 is driven as shown by a motor 15. A modification, Fig. 8, shows a carrier having rollers in horizontal and vertical planes, rollers 16a supporting one end of a platform 23a on a track 29 while rollers 17a, 18a provide lateral guiding. Horizontal and vertical rollers are placed alternately along the carrier. Instead of links, the carrier may consist of a close wound helical spring 60, Fig. 16, on which are alternately threaded spindles 56 and .57 for pairs of horizontal and vertical rollers 58, 59. Fig. 11 shows platforms 46 attached to an endless chain 45 driven by a sprocket wheel 48, the platform being supported by two carriers having alternate horizontal and vertical rollers. In Fig. 14, where it is desired to pass platforms over a vertical drive sprocket, the platforms 53 are secured centrally to the chain 54 at each side, this chain passing over the sprocket 52 in the normal way, whilst the roller carrier 50, with alternate horizontal and vertical rollers, is guided away from the undersides of the platforms and outside the sprocket by suitably shaping its track 51. Fig. 6 shows in place of a rigid track supporting cables 19, 20, 21 held in a V-form by clips 22 at intervals along the track..A grooved roller 16 rests on the thickest cable 19 to support the weight of a platform 23, while lateral guiding is effected by the rollers 17 and 18. To reduce friction the pairs of rollers 17 and 18 are staggered so that roller 17 alternately engages the cable 20 and the cable 21. This staggering may also be used in previously described embodiments. In Fig. 9, buckets 39 are pivotally mounted between a pair of cables 40. The buckets are provided with outwardly projecting flanges along their top edges so that on the load-carrying run each flange rests on a roller carrier 30 supported by a cable 34 which is passed over a pulley 35 and tensioned by a weight indicated at 36. The buckets are shaped as a triangle so that one of the sloping sides is in a direction in which it is desired to elevate the buckets. The driving cables 40 are passed around a sprocket 43 while a pair of roller carriers 32 located within the carriers 30 are supported on a cable 37 tensioned by a weight 38 and positioned so that the sloping sides of the buckets rest on them. A cable 51 supports the idle runs of the carriers 30 and 32.