TILT TYPE CONVEYORS

• US 3,669,245 A
• Filed: 01/13/1970
• Issued: 06/13/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George J. Einfeldt, Robert D. Wooten, Warren D. Neal
• Original Assignee: George J. Einfeldt, Robert D. Wooten, Warren D. Neal
• Inventors: Neal, Warren D., Wooten, Robert D., Einfeldt, George J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wegbreit, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lane, H. S.
• Application Number:
  US05/002,638
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 198/154,155,158
• US Class Current: 198/370.04
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/962 tilting about an axis substantially parallel to the conveying direction

Abstract

A closed loop conveyor provides a simple arrangement of tracks on which roll a plurality of cargo carrying devices which are connected to each other by means of a drive chain adjacent one of the tracks and which chain is driven by a sprocket wheel. The chain is of a type having horizontally and vertically pivotal links so that flexibility is provided whereby the tracks can have horizontal bends and vertical slope, the cargo carrying devices thus being enabled to follow a track system which may extend circuitously on the floor of a warehouse and then rise to another floor and ultimately return to the first-mentioned floor. The system is provided with at least one loading station and a plurality of discharge stations at predetermined places along the track circuit. Each cargo carrying device has a normally level load carrying member which can be tilted at any selected station so that cargo can slide gravitationally into a chute or other conveyor means at the selected station, on either side of the track. The drive chain is retained in such a manner that it maintains all of the cargo carrying devices, such units properly disposed on the tracks without any need for additional guide members or specially shaped tracks. The invention is susceptible to use in systems having load carrying members which are trays of sufficient area to support a large cargo load, for example, a postal sack, or where the load carrying members can be relatively narrow slats such that a plurality of slats support an elongated loading. For example, the U.S. Pat. to Atanasoff et al. No. 3,233,720, issued Feb. 8, 1966, and owned by the assignee of the present application, shows a basic arrangement of a plurality of relatively narrow slats wherein several slats can carry a large elongated load, such slats being sequentially tilted at any selected station for discharge.

Claims

1. A conveyor system comprising extended track means and plurality of cargo carrying devices movably supported thereon;

a chain connecting said cargo carrying devices;

said chain being flexible in a horizontal plane and drive means for actuating said chain; and

chain retaining means for confining and guiding said chain whereby said chain maintains said cargo carrying devices on said track means;

wherein said track means comprises a pair of spaced channel members and said chain retaining means comprises a channel member carried by one of said track members, said chain having a plurality of rollers disposed in said chain retaining channel member whereby said rollers are laterally confined by flanges of said latter channel member;

said cargo carrying devices each comprising a load carrying member and a carriage, pivotal support means whereby said loading carrying member is tiltably carried by respective carriages so as to be tilted reversibly in a plane transverse of the plane of movement of said cargo carrying devices;

a tilt control mechanism incorporated in said track means and comprising a first pair of cams (225) having a common origin and divergent spacing therebetween diverging in the direction of movement of said cargo carrying devices and further comprising an additional pair of cams (232) having portions spaced inwardly and parallel to respective cams in said first pair of cams to effect a pair of divergent channels in correspondingly divergent directions;

guide follower means carried by said cargo carrying devices receivable in either divergent channel and connected to respective load carrying members to effect tilt thereof when said guide follower means is received in one of said channels;

including a pair of switch levers for effecting diverting of said guide follower means selectively to either divergent channel.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein each cam of said first pair of cams has a guide member pivotally mounted at a downstream end thereof and effecting an elongation of the respective divergent channel;

wherein said guide members can be engaged by and pivoted out of the path of the guide follower means of load carrying members which have been previously tilted.

3. A conveyor system comprising extended track means and plurality of cargo carrying devices movably supported thereon;

a chain connecting said cargo carrying devices;

said chain being flexible in a horizontal plane and drive means for actuating said chain; and

chain retaining means for confining and guiding said chain whereby said chain maintains said cargo carrying devices on said track means;

said cargo carrying devices each comprising a load carrying member and a carriage, pivotal support means whereby said load carrying member is tiltably carried by respective carriages so as to be tilted reversibly in a plane transverse of the plane of movement of said cargo carrying devices;

a tilt control mechanism incorporated in said track means and comprising a pair of cams (225) having divergent spacing therebetween, said cams diverging in the direction of movement of said cargo carrying devices;

said tilt control mechanism further comprising an additional pair of cams (232) having portions spaced inwardly and parallel to respective cams in said first pair of cams to effect channels in correspondingly divergent directions; and

guide follower means carried by said cargo carrying devices receivable in said channels and connected to respective load carrying members to effect tilt thereof when said guide follower means is received in one of said channels, including a pair of switch levers to effect diverting of said guide follower means selectively to either divergent channel;

said switch levers being spacedly mounted and having respective opposed edges substantially parallel and normally forming a guide channel intermediate said pairs of cam members, means pivotally actuating said levers;

actuating means for pivotally actuating said levers;

each lever effecting an extension of a side of a respective divergent channel when it is actuated to thereby effect diverting;

wherein said switch levers effect a path througH the spacing therebetween when not actuated so as to guide said guide follower means through said tilt control mechanism without effecting tilting, and wherein either lever, when actuated, guides said follower means to a respective divergent channel to effect tilting.

4. A system as set forth in claim 3, and respective spring bias means for normally maintaining said switch levers in position to effect said spacing therebetween, said actuating means for said levers being selectively operable for either lever pivotally.

5. A conveyor system comprising extended track means and plurality of cargo carrying devices movably supported thereon;

a chain connecting said cargo carrying devices;

said chain being flexible in a horizontal plane and drive means for actuating said chain; and

chain retaining means for confining and guiding said chain whereby said chain maintains said cargo carrying devices on said track means;

said cargo carrying devices each comprising a carriage having a load carrying member and said load carrying members being tiltably carried by respective carriages so as to be tilted reversibly in a plane transverse of the plane of movement of said cargo carrying devices;

a tilt control mechanism and a guide track leading thereto;

said tilt control mechanism comprising a pair of cams (225) having divergent spacing therebetween, said cams diverging in the direction of movement of said cargo carrying devices, and said tilt control mechanism further comprising an additional pair of cams (232) having portions spaced inwardly and parallel to respective cams of said first pair of cams to form divergent channels;

respective load carrying members having guide follower means (132) receivable by said guide track (35) for guidance to said divergent channels whereby to effect tilting in a respective rotative direction when said guide follower means is received in one of said divergent channels, including a pair of switch levers (238R, 238L) for effecting diverting of said guide follower means selectively from said guide track into either channel;

each cam of said first pair of cams (225) having a pivotally mounted extension end (470) thereof effecting an elongation of the respective divergent channel;

the said pivotally mounted extension ends being engageable by unguided guide follower means entering said tilt control mechanism so as to be swung out of the path of said guide follower means, thus permitting said guide follower means to move unimpeded exteriorly of either divergent channel.

6. A system as set forth in claim 5, said guide track being disposed in alignment with the spacing between said switch levers when said switch levers are not actuated;

and cam members disposed on opposite sides of said guide track to be engaged by any guide follower means to effect full tilting of the respective load carrying members in the event that any such guide follower means is approaching said tilt control mechanism askew of said guide track, in order to insure clearance of any such guide follower means in respect to said tilt control mechanism to move without interference therepast.

7. A conveyor system comprising extended track means and plurality of cargo carrying devices movably supported thereon;

a chain connecting said cargo carrying devices;

said chain being flexible in a horizontal plane and drive means for actuating said chain; and

chain retaining means for confining and guiding said chain whereby said chain maintains said cargo carrying devices on said track means;

wherein each said cargo carrying device comprises a carriage having a load carrying member with a support post pivotally carried by the respective carriage, said load carrying members and said support posts having a center of gravity disposed in a vertical plane with the pivotal axis thereof when said load carrying member is in level position and said center of gravity being disposed above said pivotal axis, whereby when said load carrying member is in tilted position it remains in tilted posItion by virtue of the displaced center of gravity;

said track means including a tilt control mechanism and having a guide track extending to said tilt control mechanism upstream thereof and a continuation of said guide track extending from said tilt control mechanism downstream thereof;

said tilt control mechanism comprising a plurality of members effecting divergent channels diverging directionally downstream;

switch control means intermediate said divergent channels comprising levers having a spacing therebetween aligned with said guide tracks and effecting a central channel in conjunction therewith and relative to the divergency of said divergent channels;

said support posts having respective guide follower means movable from said upstream guide track through said central channel to the downstream guide track and maintaining said posts vertical so that respective load carrying members are maintained level when respective cargo carrying devices move past said tilt control mechanism;

means for actuating either of said switch levers to guide a guide follower means into a diverging channel for effecting tilt of a respective load carrying member;

cam means (212) upstream of said switch levers disposed adjacent said upstream guide track to tiltably divert any guide follower means misaligned in approaching said tilt control mechanism so as to permit passage thereof without interference with said tilt control mechanism.

8. A conveyor system comprising extended track means and plurality of cargo carrying devices movably supported thereon;

a chain connecting said cargo carrying devices;

said chain being flexible in a horizontal plane and drive means for actuating said chain; and

chain retaining means for confining and guiding said chain whereby said chain maintains said cargo carrying devices on said track means;

wherein each said cargo carrying device comprises a carriage having a load carrying member with a support post pivotally carried by the respective carriage, said load carrying members and said support posts having a center of gravity disposed in a vertical plane with the pivotal axis thereof when said load carrying member is in level position and said center of gravity being disposed above said pivotal axis, whereby when said load carrying member is in tilted position it remains in tilted position by virtue of the displaced center of gravity;

said track means comprising a leveling mechanism upstream of said drive means for leveling load carrying members arriving at said leveling mechanism in tilted condition;

said leveling mechanism comprising a pair of fixed converging cam members and said support posts having guide follower means engageable with either of said cam members dependent upon respective direction of tilt of said support posts, whereby said cam members effecting swinging of support posts to substantially vertical condition to level respective load carrying members;

guide track means extending from the convergent ends of said cam members to said drive means to receive said guide follower means as they leave said convergent ends with the respective posts substantially vertical; and

a pivotal cam plate intermediate said fixed convergent cam members and pivotally mounted upstream of the convergency thereof and having a tongue extending downstream and through the convergency thereof;

said pivotal cam plate being disposed to be engaged by guide follower means for pivotal movement in either direction;

stop means engageable by said tongue to predetermine the limits of movement of said cam plate upon engagement by guide follower means;

said cam plate having edges effecting channels in conjunction with respective fixed convergent cam members whereby any guide follower means engaging said pivotal cam plate effects pivotal movement to form a channel so as to be guided thereby in the transition through said leveling mechanism to said drive means.

9. A system as set forth in claim 8, including cam means upstream of said leveling mechanism for tilting all load cArrying members arriving thereat in level condition prior to entering said level mechanism.

10. A system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said cam means comprises an offset channel leading angularly away from the path of movement of said cargo carrying devices on said track means;

said system comprising a guide track upstream of said cam means and extending thereto for guiding any guide follower means into said latter channel;

whereby any load carrying member arriving in level condition is tilted prior to entry into said leveling mechanism.

11. In a system as set forth in claim 10, including a pivotal cam element effecting an extension of a side of said channel and engageable by any guide follower means of which the load carrying member is tilted in a direction to effect an engagement on the outside of said channel;

whereby said extension serves for further tilting guidance of load carrying members arriving in level condition and wherein said extension is pivotally actuated out of path of guide follower means when engaged thereby outside said channel.

12. A conveyor system comprising extended track means and plurality of cargo carrying devices movably supported thereon;

a chain connecting said cargo carrying devices;

said chain being flexible in a horizontal plane and drive means for actuating said chain; and

chain retaining means for confining and guiding said chain whereby said chain maintains said cargo carrying devices on said track means;

each said cargo carrying device comprising a load carrying member wherein all of said load carrying members are closely spaced with respect to each other;

said drive means comprising a sprocket wheel around which said chain passes;

each said load carrying member having a guide follower means;

a guide track coacting with said guide follower means to normally maintain respective load carrying members in level condition, said guide track passing arcuately around said sprocket wheel in an arcuate path and being sloped so as to retain its relative orientation with respect to guide follower means when said load carrying members are tilted in passing around said sprocket wheel, said guide track being formed to move said guide follower means radially inwardly at the upstream end of said sprocket wheel for effecting positively controlled tilt of respective load carrying members in order to provide spacing between the inner radial corners thereof to avoid interference in passing around said sprocket wheel.

13. A conveyor system comprising extended track means and plurality of cargo carrying devices movably supported thereon;

a chain connecting said cargo carrying devices;

said chain being flexible in a horizontal plane and drive means for actuating said chain; and

chain retaining means for confining and guiding said chain whereby said chain maintains said cargo carrying devices on said track means;

including load carrying members comprising a plurality of relatively narrow, closely spaced slats carried by respective cargo carrying devices;

said drive means comprising a sprocket wheel; and

means for tilting said slats to effect spacing between the ends thereof to avoid interference in passing around said sprocket wheel.

14. A conveyor system comprising extended track means and plurality of cargo carrying devices movably supported thereon;

a chain connecting said cargo carrying devices;

said chain being flexible in a horizontal plane and drive means for actuating said chain; and

chain retaining means for confining and guiding said chain whereby said chain maintains said cargo carrying devices on said track means;

said cargo carrying devices having load carrying members and means whereby said members are tiltably mounted so as to be tilted in a plane transverse to the plane of movement for discharging cargo;

said drive means comprising a substantially horizontally disposed drive wheel encompassed by said chain;

levelling means for ensuring levelling of said load carrying members prior to movement around said wheel with said chAin; and

tilt means upstream of said latter means for ensuring tilt of all load carrying members prior to movement to said levelling means.