Patent GB-769955-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to "tote" box transfer apparatus
IPC: B65G47/82
Filed: 1955-04-21
Abstract: 769,955. Conveyers. PFAFF AKT.-GES., G. M. April 21, 1955 [May 3, 1954], No. 11486/55. Class 78 (1). Boxes 7 in which workpieces are carried past a series of operations at positions along a conveyer belt 3, are transferred to a second belt 4 for conveyance in. the opposite direction past further operatives by a pair of arms 12, 13 mounted on shafts 9, 10, which are rotated in opposite directions by a motor 16 to push the box over a bridge plate 8, and are automatically reversed after 90 degrees of rotation of each arm to. return to starting position. The motor 16 is energized by an approaching box striking operating lever 29 of a switch 28. Just before reaching lever 29 the box depresses a wedge-shaped abutment 42 on one arm of a lever 40 pivoted to a bracket on base-plate 11, whereby a catch 44 on the other arm of lever 40 is raised into obstructing position to stop a following box. Upon energization, motor 16 drives a screwed spindle 17 to traverse a nut 19 carrying a cross-head 20 and thereby rotate arms 25, 26 on the shafts 9, 10 through rollers 21, 22 on the crosshead engaging slots 23, 24 in the arms 25, 26, so that the arms 12, 13 swing out across the belt 3 and push the box on to belt 4. The initial movement of arm 26 releases operating lever 38 of switch 34, which holds closed the motor circuit. Towards the end of the movement of arms 12, 13, a pin 27 on the nut 19 engages a roller 48 on the end of a lever arm 45 secured to and depending from the lever 40 at its pivot, this positively disengaging the catch 44 which was held in obstructing position by the pressure of the following box, and allowing the following box to travel up to the lever 29. Switch 28, however, is not effective, since a series switch 30 is opened by the box being transferred, which depresses the head 31 of its operating lever 32. At the end of the 90 degree rotation of the arms, arm 25 engages operating lever 37 of a reversing switch 33, reversing motor 16 which returns the parts to their original positions, in which arm 26 re-engages the operating lever 38 of switch 34 to switch off the motor and cancel the reversing circuit. Switch 28 remains ineffective until the transferred box has been moved by belt 4 clear of the head 31, whereupon switch 30 is re-closed and a further transfer cycle can take place. In a modification, Fig. 4, a motor 51 including reduction gearing is used, the output shaft of which rotates through one revolution a double arm crank, one arm (not shown) of which is connected by a link 53 to a plate 54 mounted on shaft 9, while the other arm is adapted to engage a cut-out switch 61 at the end of each revolution. Plate 54 is connected by a link 55 to a crank 56 mounted on shaft 10. The shafts 9, 10 and arms 12, 13 are thereby reciprocated once through 90 degrees each time the switch 28 is operated, switch 30 rendering switch 28 ineffective during transfer of a box as previously. The roller 48 is engaged during the out-swinging of the arms 12, 13 by abutment 57 on crank 56. In a further modification (not shown), the plate 54, link 55 and crank 56 are replaced by a pair of intergeared toothed segments.