Patent GB-1442140-A (GB)
Title: Conveyor system
IPC: B61B10/00
Filed: 1973-09-21
Abstract: 1442140 Conveyer systems; track apparatus FLOYD R SCHULZ ASSOCIATES Inc 21 Sept 1973 44393/73 Headings B7L and B7N A conveyer system comprises an elongate channel track 17, (17A) not shown, supported in elevated position on cross members 20 of an enclosed structure, Fig. 3, which track defines a path along which load carrying trays 24 can move on supporting rails 21 in a first zone above the rails 21, a driven chain 50, (50A) not shown, extending along the track 17 in a second zone between the tops and bottoms of the rails 21, and tray propelling trolley units each comprising a body plate 12 secured to the chain 50 in the second zone and a pusher member 39 and a sensing member 56 both pivoted to the body 12 for movement relative thereto, the pusher member 39 being biased by springs 65 to an operative position in which a part (arm and roller) 41, 46 on the member 39 projects into the first zone to be engageable with a load tray recess 76 and constrain the tray 24 to move with the chain 50, and the sensing member 56 normally being in a position shown on the right of Fig 1) in which a roller 59 and an arcuate portion thereof projects into the first zone to be engageable with a preceding halted tray (shown on the left of Fig. 1) and to be moved by such engagement to cause the pusher member 39 to move away from its operative position whereby the chain and propelling trolley can pass under the halted tray. The invention is characterized in that the sensing member is an arm or tongue 56 pivoted at 55 to the body 12 and pivotally connected to a link 61 pivoted to toggle mechanism comprising a pair of links 32 pivoted to the body 12 at 33 and pivoted to a link 36 in turn pivoted to the pusher Z-shaped member 39, which is pivoted to the body 12 at 40. The pivot 35 between the links 32, 36 carries cam rollers 34 which can move in a body recess 37. The tray engaging part of the pusher is an arm 41 having a roller 46 and pivoted at 42 to the member 39, under the urge of a spring 47. The arm 41 can only move anticlockwise relative to the member 39 from the full line position shown in Fig. 2. The body plate 12 is provided with a lateral guide roller 48 and supported on rollers 15 and is connected at 52 to the chain 50 which also nas guide rollers 53i The springs 65 urge the ports to the position shown to the right of Rig. 1 wherein the arm 41 is releasably locked in operative position by the toggle links 32, 36. As the forward port of the sensing arm 58 engages a halted tray 24 the arm is pivoted to move the parts to the position shown in the left of Fig. 1. The sensing arm and pusher member 39 can be moved to the last mentioned positions when required by the arm rollers 34 engaging fixed arm means 27 on the track. The trays 24 are supported by two side rails 21 and side-by-side tracks 17, 17A of which the track 17 is a main track and 17A is a branch track. When it is required to move a tray along a branch track 17A motorised cam ramps are operated to disconnect the chain 50 and its dogs from the trays via the cam rollers 34 and thus premit the dogs on the chain 50A to move the trays 24 around the branch track in co-operation with a ganged two-armed switch as described with reference to Figs. 6, 6A, 6B (all not shown). Similar motirised cam ramp means may be provided at a position where it is derived to return trays from the branch line back to main line as described with reference to Fig. 14 (not shown). The bottoms of the trays 24 have magnetic coding strips (82), Fig. 5 (not shown), thereon to co-operate with a magnet reader device (97), Fig. 6B (not shown), whereby the trays can be routed to desired positions in the conveyer system under control of limit switches with reference to Figs. 6, 6A, 6B and 15 (all not shown).