Apparatus for controlling the flow of articles
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling the flow of articles, comprising:
- a first conveyor driven in a first direction to convey articles thereon in said first direction, and a second conveyor driven in a second direction opposite to said first direction to convey articles thereon in said second direction;
said first and second conveyors extending side-by-side and parallel with a space defined therebetween;
a movable transport member disposed generally across and movable along said space, said transport member having a singular drive wheel drivingly engaged simultaneously on its circumference by said first and second conveyors so that said drive wheel continuously rotates as either of said first and second conveyors move and said transport member travels along said space if a relative speed difference exists between said first and second conveyors;
an article transfer member carried by said transport member and operably disposed relative to said conveyors to contact and transfer articles from said first conveyor to said second conveyor along a transfer path; and
wherein said article transfer member further comprises an endless drive belt disposed along said transfer path so as to contact and move articles therealong, said drive belt running in an endless path between said drive wheel and said article transfer member and drivingly engaged by a belt drive wheel mounted on and driven by said drive wheel.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for controlling the flow of articles between a first conveyor driven in a first direction and a second conveyor driven in a second direction includes a movable transport member disposed across and movable along a space between the conveyors. The transport member includes a drive member drivingly engaged simultaneously by the first and second conveyors so as to rotate if either of the conveyors is moving and to travel linearly along the space between the conveyors if a relative speed difference exists between the conveyors. The transport member includes an article transfer device or member disposed so as to contact and transfer articles from the first conveyor to the second conveyor along a transfer path. The article transfer member includes an endless drive belt disposed along the transfer path so as to contact and move the articles therealong. The drive belt runs in an endless path between the drive member and the article transfer member and is drivingly engaged by a belt drive wheel that is driven by the drive member.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling the flow of articles, comprising:
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a first conveyor driven in a first direction to convey articles thereon in said first direction, and a second conveyor driven in a second direction opposite to said first direction to convey articles thereon in said second direction;
said first and second conveyors extending side-by-side and parallel with a space defined therebetween;
a movable transport member disposed generally across and movable along said space, said transport member having a singular drive wheel drivingly engaged simultaneously on its circumference by said first and second conveyors so that said drive wheel continuously rotates as either of said first and second conveyors move and said transport member travels along said space if a relative speed difference exists between said first and second conveyors;
an article transfer member carried by said transport member and operably disposed relative to said conveyors to contact and transfer articles from said first conveyor to said second conveyor along a transfer path; and
wherein said article transfer member further comprises an endless drive belt disposed along said transfer path so as to contact and move articles therealong, said drive belt running in an endless path between said drive wheel and said article transfer member and drivingly engaged by a belt drive wheel mounted on and driven by said drive wheel.
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2. An apparatus for controlling the flow of articles, comprising:
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a first conveyor driven in a first direction to convey articles thereon in said first direction, and a second conveyor driven in a second direction opposite to said first direction to convey articles thereon in said second direction;
said first and second conveyors extending side-by-side and parallel with a space defined therebetween;
a movable transport member disposed generally across and movable along said space, said transport member having a drive member drivingly engaged simultaneously by said first and second conveyors so that said drive member continuously rotates as either of said first and second conveyors move and said transport member travels along said space if a relative speed difference exists between said first and second conveyors;
an article transfer member carried by said transport member and operably disposed relative to said conveyors to contact and transfer articles from said first conveyor to said second conveyor along a transfer path;
wherein said article transfer member further comprises an endless drive belt disposed along said transfer path so as to contact and move articles therealong, said drive belt running in an endless path between said drive member and said article transfer member and drivingly engaged by a belt drive wheel driven by said drive member; and
wherein said article transfer member further is mounted on a rear support plate and said drive member is mounted on a front support plate, said front and rear support plates pivotally mounted relative to each other at a common pivot point. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for controlling the flow of articles, comprising:
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a first conveyor driven in a first direction to convey articles thereon in said first direction, and a second conveyor driven in a second direction opposite to said first direction to convey articles thereon in said second direction;
said first and second conveyors extending side-by-side and parallel with a space defined therebetween;
a movable transport member disposed generally across and movable along said space, said transport member having a drive member carried by a front support and drivingly engaged simultaneously by said first and second conveyors so that said drive member continuously rotates as either of said first and second conveyors move and said transport member travels along said space if a relative speed difference exists between said first and second conveyors;
said transport member further comprising an article transfer member carried by a rear support and operably disposed relative to said conveyors to contact and transfer articles from said first conveyor to said second conveyor along a transfer path;
said front and rear supports pivotally mounted relative to each other at a common pivot point and geared together at a first gear ratio; and
said article transfer member further comprising a dead plate extending generally perpendicular between said conveyors along said transfer path, said dead plate carried by a dead plate support that is also pivotally mounted at said common pivot point and geared to one of said front and rear supports at a second gear ratio selected such that said dead plate remains substantially perpendicular to said conveyors as said article transfer member and drive member move along curves defined by said conveyors. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for controlling the flow of articles, comprising:
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a first conveyor driven in a first direction to convey articles thereon in said first direction, and a second conveyor driven in a second direction opposite to said first direction to convey articles thereon in said second direction;
said first and second conveyors extending side-by-side and parallel with a space defined therebetween;
a movable transport member disposed generally across and movable along said space, said transport member having a drive member drivingly engaged simultaneously by said first and second conveyors so that said drive member continuously rotates as either of said first and second conveyors move and said transport member travels along said space if a relative speed difference exists between said first and second conveyors;
an article transfer member carried by said transport member and operably disposed transversely to said conveyors to contact and transfer articles from said first conveyor to said second conveyor along a transfer path;
an endless drive belt disposed along said transfer path so as to contact and move articles therealong, said drive belt running in an endless path between said drive member and said article transfer member and drivingly engaged by a belt drive wheel driven by said drive member;
a rigid guide member carried by said article transfer member, said drive belt supported by and movable along said guide member, said guide member, carried by a pivotally mounted guide member support having oppositely extending guide arms movable in guide ways in said first and second conveyors;
a belt tensioning device carried by said drive member around which said drive belt runs; and
a linkage member interconnected between said belt tensioning device and said guide member such that pivotal movement of said guide member as said transport member moves along curves defined by said conveyors is imparted to said belt tensioning device to change belt position so that a relatively constant article conveying speed of said drive belt is maintained through said curves. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification