Rail conveyor and rail switches therefore

• US 4,920,891 A
• Filed: 07/15/1988
• Issued: 05/01/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HK Systems Incorporated (KION GROUP AG)
• Original Assignee: Litton Industrial Automation Systems, Inc. (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Loomer, Weston R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAPE, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US07/219,981
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 104/96, 104/102, 104/130, 246/416, 246/417, 246/418, 246/378, 246/380, 246/392, 246/429, 238/219, 238/230
• US Class Current: 104/102
• CPC Class Codes: B61B 5/02 with two or more rails
• CPC Class Codes: E01B 25/26 Switches; Crossings

Abstract

Diversion-type switches and cross-type switches are provided for inclusion in suspended rail conveyor arrangements to form a rail conveyor system. Each of the switches includes at least one shiftable rail section movable between a first position of cooperation with spaced rails of one conveyor pathway and a second position of cooperation with spaced rails of another conveyor pathway. Rail alignment and load transmitting elements, in the configuration of coating fingers and seats, are disposed at the respective ends of the shiftable rail section and fixed rail section and coact therewith so that load forces acting on the shiftable rail section act to align the shiftable rail section with the spaced rails of the respective conveyor pathways and so that load forces applied to the shiftable rail section are transmitted directly to the fixed rail section. Operating apparatus, including cams and cam followers are provided to move the shiftable rail section to separate the rail alignment and load transmitting elements to shift the shiftable rail section and to bring together the rail alignment and load transmitting elements.

Claims

1. A rail switch, for use in a rail arrangement including at least a first rail pathway and a second rail pathway which merge into and form a common rail pathway for at least a portion of the rail arrangement, the rail switch to be disposed at a predetermined location where the first rail pathway and the second rail pathway merge into the common rail pathway and at which the rails within each of the pathways are separated from each other and thus render each of the pathways discontinuous, the rail switch to function to interconnect either the common rail pathway into the first rail pathway by moving a first shiftable rail section between and into a positon of coaction with the separated rails of the first rail pathway to thus render the first rail pathway continuous or the common rail pathway into the second rail pathway by moving a second shiftable rail section between and into a position of coaction with the separated rails thereof to thus render the second rail pathway continuous, the rail switch comprising:

(a) rail switch support means for disposing the rail switch at a predetermined location;

(b) at least two shiftable rail sections carried by said rail switch support means for simultaneous movement with respect thereto between either a first position wherein a first one of said shiftable rail sections is positioned to establish the first rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway and a second position wherein a second one of said shiftable rail sections is positioned to establish the second rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway;

(c) operating means carried by said rail switch support means for shifting said shiftable rail sections simultaneously between said first position and said second position; and

(d) rail cooperating means to be disposed for coaction with said shiftable rail sections and the separated rails of the rail pathways which the shiftable rail sections are to coact with;

(e) each of said rail cooperating means to include body means of predetermined external configuration carried either by said shiftable rail section or the rail of the rail arrangement with which said shiftable rail section will coact, and, seat means of a configuration corresponding to at least a portion of said predetermined external configuration of said body means, and carried by either said shiftable rail section or the rail of the rail arrangement with which said shiftable rail section will coact, whichever of same is not carrying said body means;

(f) said body means and said seat means being disposed for coaction one with the other when either said first one or said second one of said shiftable rail sections are respectively positioned to establish either said first rail pathway or such second rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway and when so disposed coacting with each other due to said respective configurations such that load forces applied to the shiftable rail section will effect an alignment of said shiftable rail section with the separated rails of the rail pathway which the shiftable rail section is to coact with to render the pathway continuous, and will transfer loads applied to said shiftable rail section directly to the separated rails of the rail pathway which the shiftable rail section is to coact with and any support structure therefor.

2. The rail switch of claim 1, wherein:

(a) each of said shiftable rail sections are of respective predetermined lengths and linear configurations and have upper and lower surfaces respectively terminating at first and second ends which are to be disposed respectively in close proximity to cooperating ends of the separated rails with which the respective shiftable rail section is to coact and those rails also have upper and lower surfaces; and

(b) said rail cooperating means are disposed between one of said ends of each of said shiftable rail sections and a cooperating end of the respective separated rails.

3. The rail switch of claim 2, wherein a rail cooperating means is disposed at least between each of said ends of each of said shiftable rail sections and each of said cooperating ends of the respective separated rails.

4. The reail switch of claim 3, wherein said body means of said rail cooperating means are each in the from of a finger-like object one end of which is secured to either a shiftable rail section or the rail with which said shiftable rail section coacts so that at least a predetermined portion of said finger extends outwardly therefrom towards the other of said shiftable rail section or the rail with which said shiftable rail section coacts whichever is not carrying said body means and said seat means are each of a size and configuration to receive said predetermined finger portion and are carried by the other of said shiftable rail section or the rail with which said shiftable rail section coacts whichever is not carrying said body means.

5. The rail switch of claim 4, wherein each said finger-like object includes a flat surface and a body section having ends, sides and a top rising from said flat surface with an inward taper along said and ends from said flat surface towards said top and said seat means are formed with sides and at least one end with tapers of a size and configuration to cooperate with those of said finger-like object.

6. The rail switch of claim 5, wherein each of said ends of said finger-like objects are in the configuration of frustums of semi-cones and said sides are elongated between said ends and terminate in said top which is relatively flat and disposed in a plane parallel to a plane in which said flat surface is disposed in.

7. The rail switch of claim 2, wherein said body means of said rail cooperating means are carried by said respective shiftable rail sections at each of said ends thereof and said seat means of sid rail cooperating means are carried by each of the separated rails at the ends thereof.

8. The rail switch of claim 7, wherein each of said body means of said rail cooperation means is in the form of a finger-like object one end of which is secured to its respective shiftable rail section so that at least a predetermined portion of said finger extends outwardly therefrom towards the rail with which said shiftable rail section coacts and said seat means is of a size, and configuration to receive said predetermined finger portion and is carried by the rail with which said shiftable rail section coacts.

9. The rail switch of claim 1, wherein a plurality of fixed rail sections are fixedly carried by said rail switch support means with each of said fixed rail sections including a first end disposed for coaction with a predetermined end of a shiftable rail section and a second end disposed for coaction with an end of a separated rail of a pathway and wherein said first end of each of said fixed rails is disposed for coaction with said rail cooperating means instead of the separated end of the rail pathway.

10. The rail switch of claim 1, wherein one of said shiftable rails has a curvilinear configuration and directs its pathway in a curvilinear manner with respect to said other of said shiftable rail sections and said other of said shiftable rail sections has a rectilinear configuration.

11. The rail switch of claim 1, wherein said operating means includes a fluid operated cylinder and a cylinder rod movable with respect thereto.

12. The rail switch of claim 11, wherein said fluid operated cylinder is air operated.

13. A rail switch, for use ina rail arrangement including at least a first rail pathway and a second rail pathway which merge into and form a common rail pathway for at least a portion of the rail arrangement, the rail switch to be disposed at a predetermined location where the first rail pathway and the second rail pathway merge into the common rail pathway and at which the rails within each of the pathways are separated from each other and thus render each of the pathways discontinuous, the rail switch to function to interconnect either the common rail pathway into the first rail pathway by moving a first shiftable rail section between and into a position of coaction with the separated rails of the first rail pathway to thus render the first rail pathway continuous or the common rail pathway into the second rail pathway by moving a second shiftable rail section between and into a position of coaction with the separated rails thereof to thus render the second rail pathway continuous, the rail switch comprising:

(a) rail switch support means for disposing the rail switch at a predetermined location;

(b) at least two shiftable rail sections carried by said rail switch support means for simultaneous movement with respect thereto between either a first position wherein a first one of said shiftable rail sections is positioned to establish the first rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway and a second position wherein a second one of said shiftable rail sections is positioned to establish the second rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway;

(c) operating means carried by said rail switch support means for shifting said shiftable rail sections simultaneously between said first position and said second position; and

(d) rail cooperating means to be disposed for coaction with said shiftable rail sections and the separated rails of the rail pathways which the shifting rail sections are to coact with;

(e) each of said rail cooperating means to include body means of predetermined external configuration carried either by said shiftable rail section or the rail of the rail arrangment with which said shiftable rail section will coact, and, seat means of a configuration corresponding to at least a portion of said predetermined external configuration of said body means, and carried by either said shiftable rail section or the rail of the rail arrangement with which said shiftable rail section will coact, whichever of same is not carrying said body means;

(f) said body means and said seat means being disposed for coaction one with the other when either said first one or said second one of said shiftable rail sections are respectively positioned to establish either said first rail pathway or such second rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway and when so disposed coacting with each other due to said respective configurations such that load forces applied to the shiftable rail section will effect an alignment of said shiftable rail section with the separated rails of the rail pathway which the shiftable rail section is to coact with to render the pathway continuous, and will transfer loads applied to said shiftable rail section directly to the separated rails of the rail pathway which the shiftable rail section is to coact with and any support structure therefor;

(g) each of said shiftable rail sections being of respective predetermined lengths and linear configurations and have upper and lower surfaces respectively terminating at first and second ends which are to be disposed respectively in close proximity to cooperating ends of the separated rails with which the respective shiftable rail section is to coact and those rails also have upper and lower surfaces;

(h) a rail cooperating means being disposed at least between each of said ends of each of said shiftable rail sections and each of said cooperating ends of the respective rails;

(i) said body means of said rail cooperating means being carried by said respective shiftable rail sections at each of said ends thereof and said seat means of said rail cooperating means being carried by each of the separated rails at the ends therof;

(j) each of said body means of said rail cooperation means being in the form of a finger-like object one end of which is secured to its respective shiftable rail section so that at least a predetermined portion of said finger extends outwardly therefrom towards the rail with which said shiftable rail section coacts and said seat means being of a size, and configuration to receive said predetermined finger portion and is carried by the rail with which said shiftable rail section coacts;

(k) each said finger-like object including a flat surface and a body having ends, sides and a top section rising from said flat surface with an inward taper along said sides and ends, from said flat surface towards said top and said seat means being formed with sides and at least one end with tapers of a size and configuration to cooperate with those of said finger-like object.

14. The rail switch of claim 13, wherein each of said ends of said finger-like objects are in the configuration of frustums of semi-cones and said sides are elongated between said ends and terminate in said top which is relatively flat and disposed in a plane parallel to a plane in which said flat surface is disposed in.

15. A rail switch, for use in a rail arrangement including at least a first rail pathway and a second rail pathway which merge into and form a common rail pathway for at least a portion of the rail arrangement, the rail switch to be disposed at a predetermined location where the first rail pathway and the second rail pathway merge into the common rail pathway and at which the rails within each of the pathways are separated from each other and thus render each of the pathways discontinuous, the rail switch to function to interconnect either the common rail pathway into the first rail pathway by moving a first shiftable rail section between and into a position of coaction with the separated rails of the first rail pathway to thus render the first rail pathway continuous or the common rail pathway into the second rail pathway by moving a second shiftable rail section between and into a position of coaction with the separated rails thereof to thus render the second rail pathway continuous, the rail switch comprising:

(a) rail switch support means for disposing the rail switch at a predetermined location;

(b) at least two shiftable rail sections carried by said rail switch support means for simultaneous movement with respect thereto between either a first position wherein a first one of said shiftable rail sections is positioned to establish the first rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway and a second position wherein a second one of said shiftable rail sections is positioned to establish the second rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway;

(c) operating means carried by said rail switch support means for shifting said shiftable rail sections simultaneously between said first position and said second position; and

(d) rail cooperating means to be disposed for coaction with said shiftable rail sections and the separated rails of the rail pathways which the shiftable rail sections are to coact with;

(e) each of said rail cooperating means to include body means of predetermined external configuration carried either by said shiftable rail section or the rail of the rail arrangement with which said shiftable rail section will coact, and, seat means of a configuration corresponding to at least a portion of said predetermined external configuration of said body means, and carried by either said shiftable rail section or the rail of the rail arrangement with which said shiftable rail section will coact, whichever of same is not carrying said body means;

(f) said body means and said seat means being disposed for coaction one with the other when either said first one or said second one of said shiftable rail sections are respectively positioned to establish either said first rail pathway or such second rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway and when so disposed coacting with each other due to said respective configurations such that load forces applied to the shiftable rail section will effect an alignment of said shiftable rail section with the separated rails of the rail pathway which the shiftable rail section is to coact with the render the pathway continuous, and will transfer loads applied to said shiftable rail section directly to the separated rails of the rail pathway which the shiftable rail section is to coact with and any support structure therefor;

(g) each of said shiftable rail sections being of respective predetermined lengths and linear configurations and have upper and lower surfaces respectively terminating at first and second ends which are to be diposed respectively in close proximity to cooperating ends of the separated rails with which the respective shiftable rail section si to coact and those rails also have upper and lower surfaces;

(h) a rail cooperating means being disposed at least between each of said ends of each of said shiftable rail sections proximate the respective upper and lower surfaces thereof and each of said cooperating ends of the respective separated rails proximate the upper and lower surfaces thereof.

16. The rail switch of claim 15, wherein each of said body means of said rail cooperating means is in the form of a finger-like object one end of which is secured to either a respective shiftable rail section or the rail with which said shiftable rail section coacts so that at least a predetermined portion of said finger extends outwardly therefrom towards the other of said shiftable rail section or the rail with which said shiftable rail section coacts whichever is not carrying said body means and said seat means are each of a size, and configuration to receive said predetermined finger portion and are carried by the other of said respective shiftable rail section or the rail with which said shiftable rail section coacts whichever is not carrying said body means.

17. The rail switch of claim 16, wherein each of said finger-like objects includes a flat surface and a body section having ends, sides and a top rising from said flat surface with an inward taper along said sides and ends from said flat surface towards said top and each of said seat means are formed with sides and at least one end with tapers of a size and configuration to cooperate with those of said finger-like objects.

18. The rail switch of claim 17, wherein each of said ends of said finger-like objects are in the configuration of frustums of semi-cones and said sides are elongated between said ends and terminate in said top which is relatively flat and disposed in a plane parallel to a plane in which said flat surface is disposed in.

19. A rail switch, for use in a rail arrangement including at least a first rail pathway and a second rail pathway which merge into and form a common rail pathway for at least a portion of the rail arrangement, the rail switch to be disposed at a predetermined location where the first rail pathway and the second rail pathway merge into the common rail pathway and at which the rails within each of the pathways are separated from each other and thus render each of the pathways discontinuous, the rail switch to function to interconnect either the common rail pathway into the first rail pathway by moving a first shiftable rail section between and into a position of coaction with the separated rails of the first rail pathway to thus render the first rail pathway continuous or the common rail pathway into the second rail pathway by moving a second shiftable rail section between and into a position of coaction with the separated rails thereof to thus render the second rail pathway continuous, the rail switch comprising:

(a) rail switch support means for disposing the rail switch at a predetermined location;

(b) at least two shiftable rail sections carried by said rail switch support means for simultaneous movement with respect thereto between either a first position wherein a first one of said shiftable rail sections is positioned to establish the first rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway and a second position wherein a second one of said shiftable rail sections is positioned to establish the second rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway;

(c) operating means carried by said rail switch support means for shifting said shiftable rail sections simultaneously between said first position and said second position; and

(d) rail cooperating means to be disposed for coactioin with said shiftable rail sections and the separated rails of the rail pathways which the shiftable rail sections are to coact with;

(e) each of said rail cooperating means to include body means of predetermined external configuration carried either by said shiftable rail section or the rail of the rail arrangement with which said shiftable rail section will coact, and, seat means of a configuration corresponding to at least a portion of said predetermined external configuration of said body means, and carried by either said shiftable rail section or the rail of the rail arrangement with which said shiftable rail section will coact, whichever of same is not carrying said body means;

(f) said body means and said seat means being disposed for coaction one with the other when either said first one or said second one of said shiftable rail sections are respectively positioned to establish either said first rail pathway or such second rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway and when so disposed coacting with each other due to said respective configurations such that load forces applied to the shiftable rail section will effect an alignment of said shiftable rail section with the separated rails of the rail pathway which the shiftable rail section is to coact with to render the pathway continuous, and will transfer loads applied to said shiftable rail section directly to the separated rails of the rail pathway which the shiftable rail section is to coact with and any support structure therefor;

(g) each of said shiftable rail sections being of respective predetermined lengths and linear configurations and have upper and lower surfaces respectively terminating at first and second ends which are to be disposed respectively in close proximity to cooperating ends of the separated rails with which the respective shiftable rail section is to coact and those rails also have upper and lower surfaces;

(h) a rail cooperating means being disposed at least between each of said ends of each of said shiftable rail sections and each of said cooperating ends of the respective separated rails;

(i) said body means of said rail cooperating means being carried by said shiftable rail sections at each of said ends thereof at said upper surface thereof and said seat means of said rail cooperating means cooperating therewith are carried by each of the respective separated rails at the upper surfaces at the ends thereof, and other seat meanss of said rail cooperating means are carried by said shiftable rail sections at each of said ends thereof at said lower surfaces thereof and other body means of said rail cooperating means cooperating therewith are carried by each of the respective separated rails at the lower surfaces at the ends thereof.

20. The rail switch of clam 19, wherein each of said body means of each of said rail cooperating means is in the form of a finger-like object one end of which is secured to either a respective one of said shiftable rail sections or the separated rail with which said shiftable rail section cooperates with whichever is carrying said body means so that at least a predetermined portion of said finger extends outwardly therefrom towards and for cooperation with a respective seat means and said seat means are each of a size, configuration to receive said predetermined finger portion.

21. The rail switch of claim 20, wherein each of said finger-like objects includes a flat surface and a body section having ends, sides and a top section rising from said flat surface with an inward taper along said sides and ends from said flat surface towards said top and said seat means are formed with sides and at least one end with tapers of a size and configuration to cooperate with those of said finger like object.

22. The rail switch of claim 21, wherein each of said ends of said finger-like objects are in the configuration of frustums of semi-cones and said sides are elongaged between said ends and terminate in said top which is relatively flat and disposed in a plane parallel to a plane in which said flat surface is disposed in.

23. A rail switch, for use in a rail arrangement including at least a first rail pathway and a second rail pathway which merge into and form a common rail pathway for at least a portion of the rail arrangement, the rail switch to be disposed at a predetermined location where the first rail pathway and the second rail pathway merge into the common rail pathway and at which the rails within each of the pathways are separated from each other and thus render each of the pathways discontinuous, the rail switch to function to interconnect either the common rail pathway into the first rail pathway by moving a first shiftable rail section between and into a position of coaction with the separated rails of the first rail pathway to thus render the first rail pathway continuous or the common rail pathway into the second rail pathway by moving a second shiftable rail section between and into a position of coaction with the separated rails thereof to thus render the second rail pathway continuous, the rail switch comprising:

(a) rail switch support means for disposing the rail switch at a predetermined location;

(b) at least two shiftable rail sections carried by said rail switch support means for simultaneous movement with respect thereto between either a first position wherein a first one of said shiftable rail sections is positioned to establish the first rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway and a second position wherein a second one of said shiftable rail sections is positioned to establish the second rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway;

(c) operating means carried by said rail switch support means for shifting said shiftable rail sections simultaneously between said first position and said second position; and

(d) rail cooperating means to be disposed for coaction with said shiftable rail sections and the separated rails of the rail pathways which the shiftable rail sections are to coact with;

(e) each of said rail cooperating means to include body means of predetermined external configuration carried either by said shiftable rail section or the rail of the rail arrangement with which said shiftable rail section will coact, and, seat means of a configuration corresponding to at least a portion of said predetermined external configuration of said body means, and carried by either said shiftable rail section or the rail of the rail arrangement with which said shiftable rail section will coact, whichever fo same is not carrying said body means;

(f) said body means and said seat means being disposed for coaction one with the other when either said first one or said second one of said shiftable rail sections are respectively positioned to establish either said first rail pathway or such second rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway and when so disposed coacting with each other due to said respective configurations such that load forces applied to the shiftable rail section will effect an alignment of said shiftable rail section with the separated rails of the rail pathway which the shiftable rail section is to coact with to render the pathway continuous, and will transfer loads applied to said shiftable rail section directly to the separated rails of the rail pathway which the shiftable rail section is to coact with and any support structure therefor;

(g) said operating means includes cam means, operative during said shifting of said shiftable rail sections, to move said shiftable rail sections in a first predetermined direction and for a predetermined distance to move said body means and said seat means so that they are not disposed for coaction with each other, to shift said shiftable rail sections in a second predetermined direction between said first position and said second position, and to move said shiftable rail sections in a third predetermined direction to move said body means and said seat means back into said disposition with each other.

24. The rail switch of claim 23 wherein said cam means includes cam rail means carried by said rail switch support means and cam follower means carried by a carriage means which also carries said two shiftable rail sections.

25. The rail switch of claim 24, wherein said cam rail means includes a first cam rail arrangement fixedly carried by said rail switch support means and a second cam rail arrangement fixedly carried by said rail switch support means and spaced from said first cam rail arrangment, and cam follower means carried by said carriage means and spanning and coacting with both said first and said second cam rail arrangements to effect the movement of said shiftable rail sections in said first, said second and said third predetermined directions.

26. The rail switch of claim 25, wherein each of said cam rail arrangements includes a pair of cam rails spaced from each other in a longitudinal manner with each cam rail including a cam surface defined by curved corners at their respective upper ends and a straight surface therebetween, and wherein each of said cam follower means includes spaced pairs of cam rollers disposed for coaction with each of said cam rails.