Patent ID: 7107752

Claim:
A system for moving and diverting trains of articles in a plant for conveying said articles to devices for processing or storing the articles, said plant including: one or more devices ( 1 ) for processing or storing the articles, having each one an inlet head for the articles ( 2 ), through which the trains ( 5 ) of articles are introduced, said trains of articles being formed by a plurality of articles ( 7 ) conveyed by sliding support means ( 6 ); at least one main conveying line ( 3 ), which extends near the inlet heads ( 2 ) of all the devices ( 1 ), and which is aimed at feeding said devices with trains ( 5 ) of articles ( 7 ), or at removing said trains from said devices; a series of terminal conveying or dwelling sections ( 10 ), arranged in regions corresponding to said devices ( 1 ); a series of union sections ( 15 ) to connect each terminal conveying or dwelling section ( 10 ) with the main conveying line ( 3 ) in a region corresponding to respective conjunction areas ( 11 ); switch means ( 20 , 21 , 22 ) situated in each of the union sections ( 15 ) to deviate the trains ( 5 ) of articles from the main conveying line ( 3 ) to the union section ( 15 ) and to the terminal sections ( 10 ); main driving means ( 30 ) for moving the trains of articles along said main conveying line ( 3 ), situated at predetermined distances along the main conveying line; terminal driving means ( 31 ) for moving the trains ( 5 ) of articles along said terminal conveying or dwelling sections ( 10 ); power means ( 25 , 26 , 27 ) for operating the switch means ( 20 , 21 , 22 ) to convey the trains of articles from the main conveying line ( 3 ) to the terminal section ( 10 ) selected each time, by means of a corresponding union section ( 15 ); said system being characterized in that: sliding and guiding means ( 40 , 41 ) extend close to said devices ( 1 ), in a region corresponding to their inlet heads ( 2 ); at least one carriage ( 32 ) slides along said sliding and guiding means ( 40 , 41 ), moving with respect to said devices ( 1 ), said carriage being then stopped at a selected terminal section ( 10 ); terminal driving means ( 31 ) for driving the trains of articles along the terminal sections ( 10 ) are mounted only on said carriage ( 32 ).