ACCUMULATING TABLE

• US 3,623,596 A
• Filed: 02/05/1970
• Issued: 11/30/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Francis J. Garvey
• Original Assignee: Francis J. Garvey
• Inventors: Garvey, Francis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Aegerter, Richard E.
• Application Number:
  US05/008,854
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 198/209,211,30,103,104,105,107,25 272/46
• US Class Current: 198/347.2
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 35/04 with buffer storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/5136 using rotary conveyors

Abstract

In a rotary accumulating table, a relatively thin and flexible metallic disk is rotated on a vertical axis and at its point of tangency to a supply conveyor peripherally spaced rollers bear respectively on the upper and under surfaces of the disk to flex its margin into accurate coplanar level with the conveyor surface. The disk is supported by a set of other rollers which are peripherally spaced around the disk margin and are mounted on radially directed brackets which are interchangeable in different lengths to permit ready substitution of disks of different diametric sizes.

Claims

1. In a conveyor and rotary accumulating table system, the improvement comprising a supporting frame for the table, a circular metallic disk that is relatively flexible, means supporting said disk on said frame for rotation about a vertical axis in tangential relation to the conveyor, abutment elements bearing vertically on opposite side surfaces of the peripheral margin of the disk in one direction at the point of tangency and in the opposite direction at two points peripherally spaced a short distance from said point, and means adjustably fixing the elevation of the center of the disk in the frame so that the disk is preloaded and the peripheral margin is flexed as it passes said point of tangency, thereby maintaining the margin pressed against the abutment element at said point and insuring coplanar level of said margin and conveyor.

2. A rotary accumulating table as claimed in claim 1 in which the abutment elements are rollers, comprising one roller on which the undersurface of the margin of the disk bears down at the point of tangency with the conveyor and two rollers bearing down on the upper surfaces of the disk at points peripherally spaced a short distance on opposite sides of said point.

3. A rotary accumulating table as claimed in claim 1 in which the disk is driven in rotation by a drive roller frictionally engaging the undersurface, of the disk in the peripheral margIn thereof.

4. A rotary accumulating table as claimed in claim 1 in which the last-named means is a post rotatably secured to the disk in the rotational axis thereof and depending from the disk in vertically fixed relation thereto, in combination with means mounting the post for vertical adjustment in the frame, whereby adjustment of the post is operative to deform the disk into shallow dished shape with the peripheral margin adjustably pressed onto an abutment element at the point of tangency with the conveyor.

5. A rotary accumulating table as claimed in claim 4 in which the abutment elements are rollers, including one roller on which the undersurface of the margin of the disk bears down at the point of tangency with the conveyor and two rollers bearing down on the upper surface of the disk at points peripherally spaced from said point, and said means fixing the elevation of the center of the disk in the frame is a post rotatably secured to the disk in the rotational axis thereof and depending from the disk in vertically fixed relation thereto, in combination with means mounting the post for vertical adjustment in the frame, whereby adjustment of the post is operative to deform the disk into shallow dished shape with the peripheral margin adjustably pressed onto a roller at the point of tangency with the conveyor.

6. A rotary accumulating table comprising a supporting frame, a plurality of rotatable rollers of uniform diameter mounted in said frame on peripherally spaced coplanar horizontal axes radiating from a common center, a relatively flexible disk having its peripheral margin supported on said rollers, drive means for rotating said disk about said center, and abutment elements bearing vertically on opposite surfaces of the peripheral margin of the disk in one direction at a point at which the disk is adapted to be located tangent to a conveyor and in the opposite direction at two points peripherally spaced a short distance from said point.

7. A rotary accumulating table comprising a supporting frame, a plurality of rotatable rollers of uniform diameter mounted in said frame on peripherally spaced coplanar horizontal axes radiating from a common center, a relatively flexible disk having its peripheral margin supported on said rollers, one of said rollers supporting the undersurface of the disk and being located at a point at which the disk is adapted to be positioned tangent to a conveyor, means for deforming the central area of the disk down with said undersurface adjustably pressed down onto said one roller, and drive means for rotating the disk about said center.

8. A rotary accumulating table as claimed in claim 7, including two additional rollers peripherally spaced a short distance on opposite sides of said point, each bearing down on the upper surface of the peripheral margin of the disk.

9. A rotary accumulating table as claimed in claim 8, in which said one roller and said two additional rollers are radially adjustable for positioning at selected different distances from the axis of rotation of the disk, whereby disks of different diametric size may be interchangeably mounted on the supporting rollers with setting of said three rollers corresponding to the individual disk size.