Inertial conveyor system

• US 5,178,258 A
• Filed: 01/30/1991
• Issued: 01/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acraloc Corporation Anderson TN, Smalley Manufacturing Company Incorporated KNOX TN
• Original Assignee: Acraloc Corporation Anderson TN, Smalley Manufacturing Company Incorporated KNOX TN
• Inventors: Gundlach, Joseph C., Smalley, Alfred E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, Robert P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bidwell, James R.
• Application Number:
  US07/648,530
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 198/750, 198/752, 198/753, 198/766
• US Class Current: 198/750.8
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 27/30 by means of an oppositely-moving mass, e.g. a second conveyor

Abstract

An inertial-type conveyor system for the moving of articles from one position to another, the system having minimal detrimental vibrations. During a forward stroke of a tray of the system, the tray moves at a first acceleration whereby the frictional contact between the articles and the tray moves the articles in the same direction as the tray. Then during a return stroke, of an equal distance, the tray moves at a second acceleration generally greater than the first acceleration such that the articles continue to move by inertia on the tray while the tray is moving backward. In the preferred embodiment, the system is provided with a counterweight system having a counterweight element that moves in an opposite direction to the direction of motion of the tray to offset the reaction force produced by the moving tray. Elimination of undesirable vibrations is achieved through the use of the counterweight system and by having the tray system and the counterweight system to be substantially the same mass and have centers of mass that move along substantially the same line of action. In the preferred embodiment, the simultaneous movement of the tray system and counterweight system is achieved by cam followers in contact with cam surfaces of selected contours on a single rotatable cam member.

Claims

1. An inertial-type conveyor system for the moving of articles therewith, said conveyor system having reduced detrimental vibration, said conveyor system comprising:

a frame member;

a conveyor tray means, including a tray member, adapted for longitudinal movement relative to said frame member and mounted on said frame member, said tray member for support and movement of said articles, said conveyor tray means for moving said tray member in a forward longitudinal stroke of a first selected distance at a first acceleration for a first selected time period whereby said articles move in a forward direction with said tray member, and for moving said tray member in an opposite return longitudinal stroke of said first selected distance during a selected second time period at a second acceleration in an opposite direction greater than said first acceleration whereby said articles continue to move in said forward direction on said tray member by inertia while said tray member moves in said opposite direction;

counterweight means associated with said frame member for offsetting reaction force and rotational force produced by movement of said conveyor tray means during said forward and return strokes of said tray member, said counterweight means including a counterweight element, said counterweight means adapted for longitudinal movement during movement of said tray member in a second distance an in a direction opposite to said forward stroke of said tray member during said first selected time period, and in said second distance and in a direction opposite to said return stroke of said tray member during said second selected time period;

means for longitudinally moving said conveyor tray means and said counterweight means in opposite directions relative to said frame member; and

wherein said conveyor tray means and said counterweight means have equal centers of mass that move along a common line of action during movement of said conveyor tray means and said counterweight means thereby offsetting said reaction force and rotational force of said conveyor tray means.

2. The conveyor system of claim 1 wherein said tray member has opposite side edges, and said counterweight element includes counterweights of substantially equal mass disposed adjacent each of said opposite side edges of said tray member.

3. The conveyor system of claim 1 wherein said means for moving said conveyor tray means in opposite directions comprises:

a rotatable cam member for said conveyor tray means, said cam member for said conveyor tray means provided with a cam surface of a selected configuration according to said first and second time periods and said first selected distance;

cam follower means in contact with said cam surface of said cam member for said conveyor tray means, said cam follower means attached to said tray member whereby movement of said cam follower means by said cam surface results in said forward and return strokes of said tray member; and

drive means for continuously rotating said cam member for said conveyor tray means in a selected direction.

4. The conveyor system of claim 3 wherein said drive means is adapted for rotation in both directions whereby said forward and return strokes of said tray member are reversible.

5. The conveyor system of claim 1 wherein said means for longitudinally moving said counterweight means in opposite directions comprises:

a rotatable cam member for said counterweight means, said cam member for said counterweight means provided with a cam surface of a selected configuration according to said first and second time periods and said second distance;

cam follower means in contact with said cam surface of said cam member for said counterweight means, said cam follower means attached to said counterweight element whereby movement of said cam follower means by said cam surface results in said longitudinal movement of said counterweight means relative to said frame means; and

drive means for continuously rotating said cam member for said counterweight means in a selected direction.

6. The conveyor system of claim 5 wherein said cam member for said counterweight means is a common cam member with said cam member for said conveyor tray means, said common cam member provided with said cam surface for moving said conveyor tray means and with said cam surface for moving said counterweight means, and wherein said drive means for continuously rotating said cam member for said counterweight means is said drive means for continuously rotating said cam member for said conveyor tray means.

7. The conveyor system of claim 3 wherein said forward stroke of said tray member has a time duration substantially longer than said return stroke.

8. The conveyor system of claim 7 wherein said forward stroke of said tray member occurs during about 220°

to about 280°

of rotation of said cam member for said conveyor tray means, with said return stroke occurring during the remainder of a revolution of said cam member for said conveyor tray means.

9. An inertial-type conveyor system for the moving of articles therewith, said conveyor system having reduced detrimental vibration, said conveyor system comprising:

a frame member;

a conveyor tray means, including a tray member and cam follower means attached to said tray member, adapted for longitudinal movement relative to said frame member and mounted on said frame member, said tray member for support and movement of said articles, said conveyor tray means for moving said tray member in a forward longitudinal stroke of a first selected distance at a first acceleration for a first selected time period whereby said articles move in a forward direction with said tray member, and for moving said tray member in an opposite return longitudinal stroke of said first selected distance during a selected second time period at a second acceleration in an opposite direction greater than said first acceleration whereby said articles continue to move in said forward direction on said tray member by inertia while said tray member moves in said opposite direction; and

counterweight means associated with said frame member for offsetting reaction forces produced by movement of said tray member during said forward and return strokes, said counterweight means including a counterweight element and cam follower means attached to said counterweight element, said counterweight means adapted for longitudinal movement during movement of said tray member in a second distance and in a direction opposite to said forward stroke of said tray member during said first selected time period, and in said second distance and in a direction opposite to said return stroke of said tray member during said second selected time period;

means for longitudinally moving said conveyor tray means including a cam member having a first cam surface in contact with said cam follower means of said conveyor tray means and means for continuously rotating said cam member in a selected direction; and

means for longitudinally moving said counterweight means in a direction opposite said moving of said conveyor tray means including said cam member having a second cam surface in contact with said cam follower means of said counterweight means;

said conveyor tray means and said counterweight means having equal centers of mass that move along a common line of action during movement of said conveyor tray means and said counterweight means whereby said conveyor system has reduced detrimental vibration.

10. The conveyor system of claim 9 wherein said means for rotating said cam member is adapted for rotation in both directions whereby said forward and return strokes of said tray member are reversible.

11. The conveyor system of claim 9 wherein said first cam surface on said cam member is a pair of equally spaced-apart first surfaces and said cam follower means of said conveyor tray means is a pair of cam followers, each of said cam followers in contact with one of said first surfaces, said pair of cam followers attached to said tray member with a reciprocatable member adapted to move in a direction parallel to said tray member.

12. The conveyor system of claim 9 wherein said second cam surface on said cam member is a pair of equally spaced-apart second surfaces and said cam follower means of said counterweight means is a second pair of cam followers, each of said cam followers being in contact with one of said second surfaces, said second pair of cam followers attached to said counterweight element with a second reciprocatable member adapted to move in a direction parallel to said tray member.

13. The conveyor system of claim 9 wherein said tray member has opposite side edges, and said counterweight element includes counterweights of substantially equal mass disposed adjacent each of said opposite side edges of said tray member, each of said counterweight adapted for position adjustment to achieve said center of mass that moves along a common line of action as said center of mass of said conveyor tray means.

14. The conveyor system of claim 9 wherein said forward stroke of said tray member occurs during about 220°

to about 280°

of rotation of said cam member, with said return stroke occurring during a remainder of a revolution of said cam member.

15. An inertial-type conveyor system for the moving of articles therewith, said conveyor system having reduced detrimental vibration, said conveyor system comprising:

a frame member;

a conveyor tray means, including a tray member and a first pair of cam follower means attached to said tray member, adapted for longitudinal movement relative to said frame member and mounted on said frame member, said tray member for support and movement of said articles, said conveyor tray means for moving said tray member in a forward longitudinal stroke of a first selected distance at a first acceleration for a first selected time period whereby said articles move in a forward direction with said tray member, and for moving said tray member in an opposite return longitudinal stroke of said first selected distance during a selected second time period at a second acceleration in an opposite direction greater than said first acceleration whereby said articles continue to move in said forward direction on said tray member by inertia while said tray member moves in said opposite direction; and

counterweight means associated with said frame member for offsetting reaction forces produced by movement of said tray member during said forward and return strokes, said counterweight means including a counterweight element and a second pair of cam follower means attached to said counterweight element, said counterweight means adapted for longitudinal movement during movement of said tray member in a second distance and in a direction opposite to said forward stroke of said tray member during said first selected time period, and in said second distance and in a direction opposite to said return stroke of said tray member during said second selected time period;

a cam member having a first pair of equally spaced-apart cam surface in contact with said first pair of cam follower means of said conveyor tray means and second pair of equally spaced-apart cam surfaces in contact with said second pair of cam followers of said counterweight means; and

means for continuously rotating said cam member in a selected direction to move said first and second pairs of cam followers and thereby longitudinally move said conveyor tray means and said counterweight means in opposite directions;

said conveyor tray means and said counterweight means having equal centers of mass that move along a common line of action during movement of said conveyor tray means and said counterweight means whereby said conveyor system has reduced detrimental vibration.

16. The conveyor system of claim 15 wherein said tray member has opposite side edges, and said counterweight element includes counterweights of substantially equal mass disposed adjacent each of said opposite side edges of said tray member.

17. The conveyor system of claim 15 wherein said forward stroke of said tray member occurs during about 220°

to about 280°

of rotation of said cam member, with said return stroke occurring during a remainder of a revolution of said cam member.

18. The conveyor system of claim 15 wherein said means for rotating said cam member is adapted for rotation in both directions whereby said forward and return strokes of said tray member are reversible.

19. The conveyor system of claim 15 wherein said forward stroke of said tray member occurs during about 225°

of rotation of said cam member, and said return stroke occurs during about 135°

of rotation.