Single file conveyor system
First Claim
1. A conveyor for providing a single file from a mass of articles, comprising:
- a conveyor surface for conveying articles along a conveyor path;
means for engaging articles in the mass and for transporting a single file of them off of said conveyor surface, at least a portion of said engaging means mounted along a single file path at an angle to the conveyor path; and
a guide rail mounted along said conveyor surface, said first guide rail comprisinga first portion for shifting articles from near a first edge of said conveyor surface toward a second edge of said conveyor surface to create an accumulation of articles for transport by said engaging means, said first portion extending across said conveyor surface at an angle to the conveyor path,a second portion, located downstream from said first portion, for filling gaps in the single file of articles transported off of the conveyor surface by said engaging means, said second portion extending across said conveyor surface at an angle substantially perpendicular to the single file path,a third portion, located between said first and second portions, for relieving some of a back pressure on the articles created by the article accumulation, said third portion extending across the conveyor surface from said first portion toward the first edge, anda fourth portion, located between said first and third portions, for spacing said first portion a distance upstream from said third portion.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A conveyor is provided for producing a single file from a mass of articles comprising a conveyor surface, an article engager for engaging articles in the mass and transporting a single file of them off of the conveyor surface, and a guide rail mounted along the conveyor surface, the guide rail including a shifting portion for creating an accumulation of articles, a gap filling portion for filling gaps in the single file of articles, and a pressure relieving portion for relieving some of a back pressure on articles. The conveyor preferably also includes a fourth guide rail portion for spacing the first portion upstream from the third portion, or an oscillator for jostling articles, or a roller for rotating articles.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A conveyor for providing a single file from a mass of articles, comprising:
-
a conveyor surface for conveying articles along a conveyor path; means for engaging articles in the mass and for transporting a single file of them off of said conveyor surface, at least a portion of said engaging means mounted along a single file path at an angle to the conveyor path; and a guide rail mounted along said conveyor surface, said first guide rail comprising a first portion for shifting articles from near a first edge of said conveyor surface toward a second edge of said conveyor surface to create an accumulation of articles for transport by said engaging means, said first portion extending across said conveyor surface at an angle to the conveyor path, a second portion, located downstream from said first portion, for filling gaps in the single file of articles transported off of the conveyor surface by said engaging means, said second portion extending across said conveyor surface at an angle substantially perpendicular to the single file path, a third portion, located between said first and second portions, for relieving some of a back pressure on the articles created by the article accumulation, said third portion extending across the conveyor surface from said first portion toward the first edge, and a fourth portion, located between said first and third portions, for spacing said first portion a distance upstream from said third portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 20)
-
-
8. A conveyor for providing a single file from a mass of articles, comprising:
-
a conveyor surface for conveying articles along a conveyor path; means for engaging articles in the mass and for transporting a single file of them off of said conveyor surface, at least a portion of said engaging means mounted along a single file path at an angle to the conveyor path; and a guide rail mounted along said conveyor surface, said first guide rail comprising a first portion for shifting articles from near a first edge of said conveyor surface toward a second edge of said conveyor surface to create an accumulation of articles for transport by said engaging means, said first portion extending across said conveyor surface at an angle to the conveyor path, a second portion, located downstream from said first portion, for filling gaps in the single file of articles transported off of the conveyor surface by said engaging means, said second portion extending across said conveyor surface at an angle substantially perpendicular to the single file path, a third portion, located between said first and second portions, for relieving some of a back pressure on the articles created by the article accumulation, said third portion extending across the conveyor surface from said first portion toward the first edge, and means, mounted adjacent said third portion, for jostling articles between said third portion and said article engaging means to aid in preventing jams. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A conveyor for providing a single file from a mass of articles, comprising:
-
a conveyor surface for conveying articles along a conveyor path; means for engaging articles in the mass and for transporting a single file of them off of said conveyor surface, at least a portion of said engaging means mounted along a single file path at an angle to the conveyor path; and a guide rail mounted along said conveyor surface, said first guide rail comprising a first portion for shifting articles from near a first edge of said conveyor surface toward a second edge of said conveyor surface to create an accumulation of articles for transport by said engaging means, said first portion extending across said conveyor surface at an angle to the conveyor path, a second portion, located downstream from said first portion, for filling gaps in the single file of articles transported off of the conveyor surface by said engaging means, said second portion extending across said conveyor surface at an angle substantially perpendicular to the single file path, a third portion, located between said first and second portions, for relieving some of a back pressure on the articles created by the article accumulation, said third portion extending across the conveyor surface from said first portion toward the first edge, and means, mounted adjacent said second portion, for rotating articles and for aiding to fill gaps in the single file. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A conveyor for providing a single file from a mass of articles, comprising:
-
a conveyor surface for conveying articles along a conveyor path; means for engaging articles in the mass and for transporting a single file of them off of said conveyor surface, at least a portion of said engaging means mounted along a single file path at an angle to the conveyor path; and a guide rail mounted along said conveyor surface, said first guide rail comprising a first portion for shifting articles from near a first edge of said conveyor surface toward a second edge of said conveyor surface to create an accumulation of articles for transport by said engaging means, said first portion extending across said conveyor surface at an angle to the conveyor path, a second portion, located downstream from said first portion, for filling gaps in the single file of articles transported off of the conveyor surface by said engaging means, said second portion extending across said conveyor surface at an angle substantially perpendicular to the single file path, a third portion, located between said first and second portions, for relieving some of a back pressure on the articles created by the article accumulation, said third portion extending across the conveyor surface from said first portion toward the first edge, a fourth portion, located between said first and third portions, for spacing said first portion a distance upstream from said third portion, means, mounted adjacent said third portion, for jostling articles between said third portion and said article engaging means to aid in preventing jams, and means, mounted adjacent said second portion, for rotating articles and for aiding to fill gaps in the single file. - View Dependent Claims (19, 21, 22, 23)
-
Specification