VARIABLE SPEED CONVEYOR

• US 3,707,923 A
• Filed: 08/19/1971
• Issued: 01/02/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gerald L. Woodling
• Original Assignee: Gerald L. Woodling
• Inventors: Woodling, Gerald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoffman, Drayton E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Keen, D. W.
• Application Number:
  US05/173,090
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 104/18,25,134,135,137 198/76,110,183
• US Class Current: 104/137
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/31 by varying the relative speeds of the conveyors forming the series
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 21/12 of variable speed type

Abstract

A conveying system for accelerating or decelerating passenger and load carrying platforms in which the platforms engage cylindrical surfaces of a series of rollers linked together and pulled along inclined rails. The rollers also have substantially conical faces which engage the rails at areas of different diameters causing the speed of revolution of the rollers to vary and thereby changing the speed of the platforms.

Claims

1. A transportation system comprising a load carrying platform movable along a predetermined path, a driving roller, a rail extending along said predetermined path, means for moving said roller along said path and in engagement with said rail for rotating said roller, said load carrying platform being in engagement with and propelled by said roller and said roller having a surface with a diameter varying axially thereof for engagement of said roller with said rail at different axial positions along said roller to vary the speed of rotation of said roller whereby the speed at which said platform is propelled is varied.

2. A transportation system according to claim 1 wherein said rail extends along said predetermined path at an inclination to the longitudinal line of direction of said path for progressive engagement of said rail with different axial positions along said roller as it is moved along said path.

3. A transportation system according to claim 2 wherein the vertical position of said rail is varied to compensate for the change in diameter of the portion of said roller in engagement with said rail wHereby the level or grade of said platform will be maintained substantially constant as it moves along said path.

4. A transportation system according to claim 3 wherein said surface of said roller is tapered from a larger diameter to a smaller diameter with said platform being engageable by said surface at a position having a larger diameter and said rail being engageable with said surface at areas having different diameters to vary the speed of rotation of said roller and thereby vary the speed of the platform.

5. A transportation system according to claim 4 wherein said driving roller is linked to adjacent driving rollers for movement along said path whereby the diameters of the surfaces of said rollers engaging said rail vary therealong for driving said platform at different speeds at different positions along said path.

6. A transportation system according to claim 5 wherein said rollers are linked together by an endless member extending around and in engagement with a drive member for moving the rollers in the same direction as said platform.

7. A transportation system according to claim 6 wherein said endless member is a chain extending around and in engagement with a driving sprocket.

8. A transportation system according to claim 6 wherein each said driving roller is one of a pair of rollers spaced apart transversely of said predetermined path and each said rail is one of a pair of rails extending longitudinally of said path with one of said pair of rollers engaging one of said pair of rails and the other of said pair of rollers engaging the other of said pair of rails.

9. A transportation system according to claim 8 wherein the rollers of said pair taper towards each other and the rails of said pair of rails are positioned along said path in a diverging relationship to provide deceleration of the platforms.

10. A transportation system according to claim 8 wherein the surfaces of said pair of rollers taper towards each other and the rails of each of said pair are positioned along the path to converge and provide acceleration of said platform.

11. A transportation system according to claim 6 wherein said rollers are mounted on transverse shafts carried by said endless member and connected by links between the shafts for transferring the pulling forces and maintaining the shafts in spaced-apart positions.

12. A transportation system according to claim 5 wherein the portion of said roller in contact with said rail is connected to the portion of said surface in contact with said platform through a clutch member whereby relative rotation of said portion in contact with said rail and said portion in contact with said platform is accommodated.

13. A transportation system according to claim 5 wherein said rollers rotate about substantially vertical axes and move along the side of said path.

14. A transportation system according to claim 13 wherein said rollers engage one side edge of said platform for propelling the platform at a variable speed.

15. A transportation system according to claim 14 wherein said platform has supporting rollers contained in tracks extending longitudinally of said path.

16. A transportation system according to claim 14 wherein resilient means are connected to said platform for urging the side edge of said platform into engagement with said driving rollers.