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Sortation equipment

  • US 5,018,928 A
  • Filed: 10/31/1989
  • Issued: 05/28/1991
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1988
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. Sortation equipment for use in continuous track sortation systems, the equipment comprising:

  • a train adapted to run on a continuous track for moving loads from a master station to one or more slave stations, the train having a locomotive and one or more cars coupled to be driven along the track by the locomotive, each of the cars including a tray tiltable from a load supporting generally horizontal position to a tilted position where the tray is inclined downwardly towards a slave station which is to receive the load off the tray, a discharge mechanism movable from a neutral to an intermediate position and then to an engagement position and including tray support means holding the tray horizontal with the discharge mechanism in the neutral and intermediate positions, and means on the train operable to move the discharge mechanism between the neutral and intermediate positions and the discharge mechanism being movable between the intermediate and engagement positions by contact with fixed means on the track at the slave station to drive the discharge mechanism as the train passes said fixed means whereby, as the discharge mechanism moves towards the engagement position, the tray is tilted to unload and then moved back to horizontal as the discharge mechanism returns to the intermediate position to again support the tray in the horizontal position;

    whereby when the discharge mechanism is in said neutral position, the discharge mechanism is prevented from engaging said fixed means.

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