Reciprocating linear conveyor drive
First Claim
1. A linear drive for conveyors and like applications comprising first and second cars;
- track means supporting said cars for motion in adjacent linear paths;
power means for driving said first car through a defined stroke selectively in either direction in the associated said path;
cycloidal drive means coupling said second car to said first car for driving said second car through an associated said path at uniform velocity in an intermediate portion of said stroke and with smooth cycloidal acceleration and deceleration adjacent to opposing ends of said stroke, said cycloidal drive means comprising endless drive means mounted on said first car and means coupling said endless drive means to said second car; and
means coupling said power means to said cycloidal drive means for driving said endless drive means through a closed path which includes longitudinal reaches parallel to said linear paths at a velocity in said intermediate portion of said stroke equal to a constant times the velocity of said first car is said intermediate portion of said stroke with cycloidal acceleraton and deceleration from and to zero velocity as said first car approaches opposing ends of said stroke.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A reciprocating linear drive for conveyors and like applications including a pair of cars mounted for translation on associated tracks. A reversible motor is coupled by a drive chain to the drive car for translating the drive car selectively in either direction through a defined drive stroke. An endless chain loop on the drive car is coupled by sprockets to revolve in one complete cycle during one stroke of the drive car. The conveyor car is coupled by a drag link to the chain loop to obtain uniform velocity of the conveyor car during an intermediate portion of the stroke and terminating in smooth cycloidal acceleration and deceleration at opposing ends of the drive stroke. In one embodiment, a pickup car is carried by the conveyor car and is selectively coupled by rack and pinion assemblies to the drive car for imparting continued motion of the drive car to the pickup car at ends of the stroke when the conveyor car is stationary.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A linear drive for conveyors and like applications comprising first and second cars;
- track means supporting said cars for motion in adjacent linear paths;
power means for driving said first car through a defined stroke selectively in either direction in the associated said path;
cycloidal drive means coupling said second car to said first car for driving said second car through an associated said path at uniform velocity in an intermediate portion of said stroke and with smooth cycloidal acceleration and deceleration adjacent to opposing ends of said stroke, said cycloidal drive means comprising endless drive means mounted on said first car and means coupling said endless drive means to said second car; and
means coupling said power means to said cycloidal drive means for driving said endless drive means through a closed path which includes longitudinal reaches parallel to said linear paths at a velocity in said intermediate portion of said stroke equal to a constant times the velocity of said first car is said intermediate portion of said stroke with cycloidal acceleraton and deceleration from and to zero velocity as said first car approaches opposing ends of said stroke. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- track means supporting said cars for motion in adjacent linear paths;
- 16. A linear drive for conveyors and like applications comprising separate drive and conveyor cars supported on associated tracks for motion in adjacent parallel paths, reversible power means for driving said drive car through a defined stroke selectively in opposite directions in the associated said path, a pair of sprockets carried by said drive car for rotation about longitudinally spaced axes, an endless chain looped around said sprockets so as to form upper and lower chain reaches between said sprockets parallel to said paths, means coupling one of said sprockets to said power means for rotating said sprockets and said endless chain at a velocity proportional to velocity of said drive car, and a drag link coupled between said conveyor car and said chain loop at a point on said chain loop so as to be disposed in one of said chain reaches when said drive car is at one end of said stroke.
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19. A linear drive for a conveyor or the like comprising
first and second cars and track means for guiding said cars in reciprocating, generally parallel paths, means for reciprocating said first car through a predetermined stroke, drive means on said first car rotated in response to movement thereof in said path, a sprocket on said first car driven by said drive means for rotation about a first axis perpendicular to said path of travel, a second sprocket journalled on said first car for rotation about a second axis parallel to and spaced from said first axis in the direction of said path, an endless chain trained around said sprockets and a link having one end connected with a section of said chain and its other end connected with said second car whereby said second car is reciprocated through its stroke in response to reciprocation of the first car, said chain-link connection being arranged such that it traverses the arcuate peripheries of the two sprockets as the second car approaches or advances from the opposite ends of its stroke whereby to impart smooth acceleration and deceleration to the second car at opposite ends of its stroke and a velocity proportional to the velocity of the first car at the intermediate portion of its stroke.
Specification