Patent GB-942438-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to trolleys for conveyor installations
Inventor: REIBEL SIDNEY
IPC: B61B10/02
Filed: 1962-05-02
Abstract: 942,438. Overhead conveyers. JERVIS B. WEBB CO. May 2, 1962, No. 16779/62. Heading B7L. A conveyer installation is of the type wherein carriers 20, each equipped with a driving dog 22, are propelled along a supporting track by driving engagement with a pusher member 14 of a drive line e.g. a chain 13, the driving dog being mounted on the body of a carrier for movement between driving and non-driving positions. Means for moving the driving dog of a following carrier to non-driving position and holding it therein when the following carrier overtakes a preceding carrier comprise an actuating device connected to the dog 22 and including a member 52 secured to the following carrier and projecting forwardly therefrom in the direction of travel 15, an operating member 58 secured to the preceding carrier and projecting rearwardly therefrom for engagement by the member 52, and a fixed contact element 66 projecting forwardly of the following carrier in vertically spaced relation with the member 52. The operating member 58 is arranged to engage both the element 66 and the member 52 and move the latter away from the element 66 so that the driving dog will be moved to and held in its non-driving position. Each carrier 20 is constructed of two spaced parallel plates 24 secured together by transverse members 28 and plates 30, which plates carry axle pins 31 for guide rollers 26 fitted in recesses 25 in the plates 24. A bumper assembly 32 is secured to the lower ends of the plates 24 and comprises transverse bumper plates 36, 37. Each carrier runs on four wheels 38, mounted on stub axles on the plates 24, along the supporting track which is formed of two facing channel section members 16, 18. A track 11 is spaced above the members 16, 18 and supports trolleys 12 carrying the drive chain 13. Each driving dog 22 is fitted with rollers which engage with slotted guideways 48 in the plates 24. An arm 50 is integrally formed with the driving dog 22 and is pivotally connected to the actuating member 52 mounted on a pivot pin 53 between the plates 24. The member 52 carries a counterweight 56 to urge the dog 22 to its driving position and a roller contact element 54 is provided to engage with the operating member 58 of the preceding carrier. Each operating member 58 is pivotally mounted on a pin 63 and engages between the element 54 and the contact element 66 in the form of a roller on the bumper assembly 32. In operation, as a pusher member 14 engages a carrier, it pivots a counterweighted hold-back dog 68 and engages the driving dog 22. When the leading carrier engages a stop, which may be in the form of the member 58, or may engage the dog 22 directly, the actuating member 52 of the following carrier will engage with the member 58 of the stopped carrier to raise the element 54 and thus lower the dog 22 to its non-driving position (see carrier 20a, Fig. 1). The following carrier will then be held stationary until the first stopped carrier is allowed to move. An alternative form of actuating means is shown in Fig. 6 and comprises a lever 78, with a counterweight 88 pivotally mounted on a pin 79, and connected through an adjustable link 80 to the driving dog 74 which is mounted on a pin 73 and is fitted with a counterweight 76 abutting against a stop 77.