CONVEYOR SYSTEM

• US 3,858,626 A
• Filed: 11/07/1973
• Issued: 01/07/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James E. Ribordy
• Original Assignee: James E. Ribordy
• Inventors: Ribordy, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Lloyd L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reese, Randolph A.
• Application Number:
  US05/413,568
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 104/165,166,249,252,99 74/25,190 198/19
• US Class Current: 104/166
• CPC Class Codes: B61B 13/125 the propulsion device being a rotating shaft or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 35/063 the traction element being a rotating bar or tube

Abstract

The conveyor system propels pallets by frictional contact between a rotating drive shaft and a drive wheel carried by the pallet. The drive wheel is pivotally mounted for movement between a drive position oblique to the drive shaft axis and a stop position with the wheel axis parallel to the drive shaft axis. Stops are selectively positioned to engage an arm connected to the drive wheel and move it to the stop position. The arm is provided with three vertical positions; a lower position where it passes the stop, an intermediate position where it engages the stop, and an upper position where it is released from the stop. Each pallet is provided with a rearwardly facing stop to engage the arm and prevent collision between the pallets.

Claims

1. In a conveyor system including pallets mounted for movement along a definite pathway by frictional contact between a rotating drive shaft arranged parallel to the pathway and at least one drive wheel carried by the pallet, the drive wheel being pivotally mounted on the pallet for movement between a drive position oblique to the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft and a stop position parallel to said axis, and means for resiliently urging the drive wheel toward the drive position;

the improvement comprising;

an arm extending laterally of said pathway and operatively connected to the drive wheel for moving the drive wheel from the drive position to the stop position;

means mounting at least a portion of the arm for vertical movement between a first normal position and at least one other position vertically spaced therefrom;

a stop mounted adjacent the pathway for engagement by the arm when in its first position to stop the pallet; and

the stop being shaped so that it is not engaged by the arm when the arm is in said other position.

2. A conveyor system as set forth in claim 1 including a pallet mounted stop for engaging the arm of a successive pallet in all positions of the arm to stop the successive pallet when the preceding pallet is stopped.

3. A conveyor system as set forth in claim 2 in which the drive position is at an angle of approximately 35* from the stop position;

and in which the means for resiliently urging the drive wheel toward the drive position is a spring which is operative in all positions of the arm.

4. A conveyor system as set forth in claim 2 including a roller at the outer end of the arm for engaging said stop.

5. A conveyor system as set forth in claim 4 including a cam face mounted adjacent the drive shaft to engage the roller when the arm is in normal position and deflect the arm and hence the drive wheel to a position intermediate its drive position and its stop position, whereby the movement of the pallets is retarded but not stopped.

6. A conveyor system as set forth in claim 1 in which the means mounting at least a portion of the arm for vertical movement provides a third position vertically spaced from said other two positions;

and the stop being shaped so that it is not engaged by the arm when in said third position.

7. A conveyor system as set forth in claim 6 including means for holding the arm in said third position so that the pallet passes the stop.

8. A conveyor system as set forth in claim 7 wherein the normal position is intermediate the other two positions, and the third position is below the normal position.

9. A conveyor system as set forth in claim 7 including a pallet mounted stop for engaging the arm of a successive pallet in at least the normal and third positions of the arm to stop the successive pallet when the preceding pallet is stopped.

10. A conveyor system as set forth in claim 1 in which the pathway is defined by two parallel tracks;

each track having an upper surface and an inner surface facing the opposite track; and

the pallet having a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted thereon for engaging the upper and inner surfaces of the tracks.

11. A conveyor system as set forth in claim 10 including a second rotating shaft laterally spaced from the other shaft and a second pair of parallel tracks parallel to the second shaft;

two arcuate tracks interconnecting the pairs of parallel tracks to further define said pathway; and

means associated with the arcuate tracks for conveying the pallets from the first pair of tracks, across the arcuate tracks, to the second pair of tracks.

12. In a conveyor system including:

a frame, a drive shaft rotatably mounted on the frame, means for rotating the drive shaft, a plurality of supports mounted for movement parallel to the drive shaft, each support having a drive wheel frictionally engaged with the drive shaft, and the drive wheel being pivotally mounted for movement between a drive position oblique to the axis of the drive shaft and a stop position in which the wheel axis is parallel to the drive shaft axis, the improvement comprising;

an arm extending laterally of the drive shaft and operatively connected to the drive wheel for moving the drive wheel from the drive position to the stop position;

stop means supported on the frame spaced from the drive shaft and located for engagement by the arm to stop the pallet;

means for effecting relative movement between the arm and stop means to disengage the arm;

means for returning the drive wheel to the drive position upon such disengagement; and

means mounting at least a portion of the arm for vertical movement between a first normal position where it can engage the stop and another position where it does not engage the stop.

13. The combination of claim 12 including means for releasably holding the arm in said other position.

14. The combination of claim 13 in which said other position is below the normal position, the means mounting at least a portion of the arm for vertical movement provides a release position vertically spaced above the normal position, and the stop being shaped so that it is engaged only when the arm is in said normal position.

15. The combination of claim 14 including a second rotating drive shaft laterally spaced from and generally parallel to said drive shaft;

the drive shafts each having ends; and

means at the ends of the drive shafts for conveying the supports from the end of one drive shaft to a position in which the drive wheel of the support is engaged with the other drive shaft;

thereby providing a closed loop conveyor system.

16. The combination of claim 12 including means on each support for engaging the arm of a successive support in various positions thereof to stop the successive support when the preceding support is stopped.

17. A conveyor sysTem comprising, in combination, a frame;

first and second drive shafts rotatably mounted on the frame in spaced relation to each other;

means for rotating the drive shafts;

a first pair of tracks mounted parallel to the first drive shaft;

a second pair of tracks mounted parallel to the second drive shaft;

a pair of arcuate tracks interconnecting the first and second pairs of tracks;

a plurality of vehicles movably supported on the tracks;

a drive wheel on each vehicle;

means mounting the drive wheel for engagement with the drive shafts and at a position oblique to the axis of the drive shafts to drive the vehicle as the drive shafts are rotated;

a transfer mechanism associated with the arcuate tracks for transferring the vehicle from the first pair of tracks to the second pair of tracks; and

means associated with the transfer mechanism for rendering it inoperative when there is insufficient room on the second pair of tracks for another vehicle.

18. A closed loop conveyor system comprising:

a frame;

a first drive shaft rotatably mounted on the frame;

a second drive shaft rotatably mounted on the frame laterally spaced from and generally parallel to the first drive shaft;

means for rotating the drive shafts;

a first pair of tracks mounted parallel to the first drive shaft;

a second pair of tracks mounted parallel to the second drive shaft;

said first and second pairs of tracks each having ends;

a pair of arcuate tracks at the ends of and interconnecting the first and second pairs of tracks;

thereby providing a closed loop;

a plurality of vehicles movably supported on the tracks;

a drive wheel on each vehicle;

means mounting each drive wheel for engagement with the drive shafts and at a drive position oblique to the axis of the drive shafts to drive the vehicle as the drive shafts are rotated;

a transfer mechanism associated with each pair of arcuate tracks for transferring the vehicle from the first pair of tracks to the second pair of tracks; and

means associated with the transfer mechanism for rendering it inoperative when there is insufficient room for another vehicle.

19. The combination of claim 18 in which each drive wheel is mounted for movement between the drive position and a stop position in which the wheel is not driven by the drive shaft;

an arm operatively connected to each drive wheel and extending outwardly therefrom for moving the drive wheel from the drive position to the stop position when the arm is contacted; and

a vehicle-mounted stop for contacting the arm of a successive vehicle to stop the vehicle when the preceding vehicle is stopped.

20. The combination of claim 18 in which each drive wheel is mounted for movement between the drive position and a stop position in which the wheel is not driven by the drive shaft;

an arm extending laterally of the drive shaft toward the inside of the said closed loop, and operatively connected to the drive wheel for moving the drive wheel from the drive position to the stop position;

stop means supported on the frame at the inside of said closed loop and located for engagement by the arm to stop the vehicle; and

means for effecting relative movement between the arm and the stop means to disengage the arm.