Patent ID: 8286783

Claim:
A pallet conveying apparatus, comprising: one, two or more pallets onto which a work can be loaded; a first pallet rail and a second pallet rail onto which the pallet can be movably loaded; a first pallet feeding mechanism and a second pallet feeding mechanism that convey the pallet along the first pallet rail and the second pallet rail; and a pallet transfer mechanism that causes the pallet loaded on the first pallet rail or the second pallet rail to be transferred to the second pallet rail or the first pallet rail, wherein the first pallet feeding mechanism has an endless first belt that is capable of engaging with the pallet that is loaded on the first pallet rail, and circulates along the first pallet rail, the second pallet feeding mechanism has an endless second belt that is capable of engaging with the pallet that is loaded on the second pallet rail, and circulates along the second pallet rail; and the pallet transfer mechanism having a first movable portion that forms one part of the first pallet rail and that can be made continuous with the second pallet rail by moving away from another part of the first pallet rail, and a second movable portion that forms one part of the second pallet rail and that can be made continuous with the first pallet rail by moving away from another part of the second pallet rail; wherein: the first and second belts are toothed belts having recesses/projections extending in a width direction and alternately continuous in a longitudinal direction, counter-recesses/projections capable of engaging with the recesses/projections are formed in the pallet, the pallet is conveyed along the first or second pallet rail by circulating the belt, with the counter-recesses/projections being engaged with the recesses/projections; and the pallet disengages from the first or second belt when the first or second movable portion of the first or second pallet rail, on which the pallet is loaded, moves away from another part.