Roller conveyor

• US 5,129,507 A
• Filed: 03/07/1991
• Issued: 07/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daifuku Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Daifuku Company Limited
• Inventors: Maeda, Toshio, Fujio, Yoshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, Robert P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GASTINEAU, CHERYL
• Application Number:
  US07/665,843
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 198/789, 198/791, 198/781, 198/861.1, 193/35 R
• US Class Current: 198/781.08
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/261 Accumulating articles

Abstract

A roller conveyor in which articles are supported by idler rollers carried by a main frame and conveyed as the idler rollers are driven into rotation. A plurality of first idler rollers are arranged in one of two side frames of the main frame. A plurality of second idler rollers capable of supporting articles in pair with the first idler rollers are arranged in the other side frame. Driving force for conveying articles is given to the first idler rollers only. The fact that first idler rollers and second idler rollers are separately arranged at opposite sides assures that the first and second idler rollers are of short and light construction.

Claims

1. A roller conveyor comprising:

a main frame having a left side frame and a right side frame,

a plurality of first idler rollers carried by one of the side frames,

a plurality of second idler rollers supported on the other of said side frames so as to form counterparts to said first idler rollers and cooperable therewith to support articles to be conveyed,

transmission means engageable with and disengageable from said first idler rollers,

means for supplying a driving force to said transmission means,

a pair of transverse members connected to the lower ends of the side frames and horizontally extending inwardly from the main frame in vertically juxtaposed positions with respect to each other, said transverse members having ends oppositely extending in overlapping relationship,

means for releasably securing one of said transverse members to the other of said transverse members for relative adjustment longitudinally of said transverse members, and

leg means for supporting said main frame associated with the lowermost one of said transverse members.

2. A roller conveyor of claim 1 in which said means for releasably securing one of said transverse members to the other of said transverse members comprises

bracket means mounted on at least one of said ends oppositely extending in overlapping relationship, said bracket means being adapted to be rendered linearly movable along said other of said transvere members, and

means for releasably securing said bracket means to said other of said transverse members in selectively varied positions therealong.

3. A roller conveyor of claim 2 in which said bracket means are mounted on both of said ends oppositely extending in overlapping relationship.

4. A roller convey of claim 3 in which said transverse members have upper surfaces and bottom surfaces provided respectively with dovetail groove means, nut elements in said dovetail groove means, and bolts extending through said bracket means and threadedly engaging said nut elements.

5. A roller conveyor of claim 1 further comprising support means mounted on at least one of said side frames, said support means having a shaft support portion comprising opposite sidewalls defining a recess, and a nut in said recess, each of said idler rollers having an axially extending roller shaft journaled in at least the inwardly disposed one of said opposite sidewalls and screwed into said nut.