Patent GB-888115-A (GB)
Title: Conveyor systems
IPC: B65G47/48
Filed: 1958-07-22
Abstract: 888,115. Endless conveyers for delivering articles at desired positions. FREEMAN (ENGINEERS) Ltd., A., and FREEMAN, A. Oct. 16, 1959 [July 22, 1958; Feb. 10, 1959], Nos. 23505/58 and 4603/59. Class 78 (1). In a conveyer system for delivering articles at desired positions of the type wherein the articles are carried by carriers (not shown) which are attached to a support 5 depending from an endless chain 1 and on which there is provided a sleeve 18 carrying a number of selector elements 15 which are adjustable to determine the destination of the carrier, there is provided at each of a number of discharge loca. tions a reader mechanism which comprises sets of complementary feeler blades 24 so arranged on opposite sides of the path of the supports that when a support with correctly set selector elements passes the reader mechanism none of the blades are contacted but when the selector elements are incorrectly set at least one blade is contacted and caused to withdraw a trip to prevent discharge. The sleeve 18 is of circular cross-section and the selector elements are loops of wire arranged in grooves in the sleeve 18, each element having a pair of fingers 17 projecting at an angle of 120 degrees to one another such that when one finger is projecting at right-angles to the direction of movement of the chain 1 the other is retracted by being inclined to this direction of movement. Each set of blades 24 is cut from a plate which is replaceably attached to a sleeve 26 rotatable on a vertical shaft 27. A semi.circular plate 40 is eccentrically mounted on the upper end of each sleeve 26 for engage. ment with a disc 41 on each passing support 5 so that the blades 24 are returned to operative position at right-angles to the path of move. ment of the chain 1, i.e. if they have been dis. placed by the selector elements of a previous support 5. Each article carrier has a hook 8 engaged over an abutment 7 on the lower end of a bar 20 the upper end 19 of which is mounted on the lower end of support 5 for limited vertical movement and is secured to the sleeve 18. A spring 22 is arranged between the end 19 and the lowest extremity of the support 5 such that when bar 20 is unloaded the selector elements occupy upper positions (as at the left.hand side of Fig. 2) in which they are out of line with the blades 24 and when the bar is loaded the selector elements are in line with the blades 24. In the latter case when a support with correctly-set selector elements passes the blades 24 are untouched and the hook is removed from the abutment 8 by a trip-plate 38. When a support with incorrectly set selector elements passes at least one blade 24 is contacted causing rotation of one or other sleeve 26 which causes a pin 29 on the sleeve to move a blade 30 which operates a respective micro-switch 33. The two micro-switches 33 are connected in parallel, the arrangement being that operation of either causes energization of a solenoid 34 which withdraws the trip-plate 38 from operative position. When bar 20 is unloaded the selector elements are brought into line with a zeroizing set of blades 42 and a following set of blades 44 which imparts a new setting to the selector elements. Specifications 723,421, 733,419, 779,126 and 873,426 are referred to.