Extensible drive shaft
First Claim
1. An extensible drive shaft assembly for use in connection with a driverless vehicle conveyor system wherein such vehicles ride on rails and have a drive wheel in contact with a drive shaft, the drive shaft assembly comprising a pair of rails, first and second telescoping drive shafts parallel to said rails, said first and second drive shafts being coaxially aligned and disposed end-to-end, motor means coupled to the first shaft for extending it in an axial direction, another motor means connected to the second shaft for rotating the second shaft about its longitudinal axis, means coupling said shafts so that said second shaft rotates said first shaft in all positions of the first shaft, and a frictional engageable end portion on a free end of said first shaft.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The drive shaft assembly comprises first and second telescoping shafts supported above ground level. A motor is coupled to the first shaft for extending it in an axial direction. Another motor is connected to the second shaft for rotating the second shaft about its longitudinal axis. These shafts are connected by a coupling so that the second shaft rotates the first shaft in all positions of the first shaft. The first shaft terminates at a free end in a frictional engageable end portion.
12 Citations
12 Claims
- 1. An extensible drive shaft assembly for use in connection with a driverless vehicle conveyor system wherein such vehicles ride on rails and have a drive wheel in contact with a drive shaft, the drive shaft assembly comprising a pair of rails, first and second telescoping drive shafts parallel to said rails, said first and second drive shafts being coaxially aligned and disposed end-to-end, motor means coupled to the first shaft for extending it in an axial direction, another motor means connected to the second shaft for rotating the second shaft about its longitudinal axis, means coupling said shafts so that said second shaft rotates said first shaft in all positions of the first shaft, and a frictional engageable end portion on a free end of said first shaft.
- 6. A drive shaft assembly comprising a first plate means supported for reciprocation, a second plate means which is stationary, said plate means being at approximately the same elevation, a first drive shaft supported by said first plate means and projecting therebeyond, a second drive shaft supported by said second plate means, said shafts being coaxial and telescoped so that the periphery of the first and second shafts have substantial continuity, a coupling means interconnecting said shafts for transmitting rotation from one shaft to the other, a first motor means connected to said second shaft for rotating said second shaft about its longitudinal axis, a second motor means connected to said first plate means for reciprocating said first plate means in a direction parallel to the axis of said shafts, and a friction transmitting member secured to a free end of said first shaft.
- 10. An extensible drive shaft assembly for transferring driverless vehicles in a conveyor system between stationary and non-stationary track wherein said vehicles ride on rails and have a drive wheel in contact with a drive shaft, said drive shaft assembly associated with said stationary track, said drive shaft assembly comprising a pair of rails, first and second telescoping drive shafts parallel to said rails, motor means coupled to the first shaft for extending it in an axial direction, another motor means connected to the second shaft for rotating the second shaft about its longitudinal axis, means coupling said shafts so that said second shaft rotates said first shaft in all positions of the first shaft, and a frictional engageable end portion on a free end of said first shaft.
Specification