Conveying system

• US 6,270,076 B1
• Filed: 01/13/1999
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ferag AG (WRH Walter Reist Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Ferag AG (WRH Walter Reist Holding AG)
• Inventors: Reist, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Bollinger, David H.
• Application Number:
  US09/229,190
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 271/302, 271/204, 271/85, 198/465.4, 198/687.1
• US Class Current: 271/302
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/323 Hanging
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/55 Rail guided gripping means running in closed loop, e.g. without permanent interconnecting means
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/003 by grippers B65H29/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/60 diverting the stream into alternative paths B65H29/62 takes precedence

Abstract

The conveyor line (1) of a conveyor has a branching point (6) with a switch (7). This switch has a pivotable switching member (8) which in one position lies in this conveyor line (1) and in the other position connects this first conveyor line (1) with a second conveyor line (10). Preceding the branching point (6) is a retaining member (11) that can be inserted into the path of movement of the transport elements (2) conveyed along the conveyor line (1). This retaining member (11) can be used to hold back the transport elements (2) approaching the branching point in order to create room for changing over the switching member (8). The transport elements are independent of one another, which makes it possible, selectively and as required, either to move the oncoming transport elements (2) along the first conveyor line (1) or to divert them into the second conveyor line (10).

Claims

1. A conveying system for conveying articles (5), comprising:

at least one conveying path (1);

a number of individual transporting elements (2) for transporting articles (5), said transporting elements (2) being independent from one another and movable along said conveying path (1);

at least one controllable branching location (6) or at least one controllable introduction location (12) arranged on the conveying path (1);

diverting means at said branching location (6) for diverting out of the conveying path (1) individual transporting elements (2) which are empty or are transporting articles (5); and

introducing means at said introduction location (12) for introducing into the conveying path (1) individual transporting elements (2) which are empty or are transporting articles (5).

2. The conveying system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, at least one branching location (6) and at least one introduction location (12) are arranged on the conveying path (1).

3. The conveying system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one charging location (21) for transferring articles (5) to the transporting elements (2) is provided on the conveying path (1).

4. The conveying system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one discharge location (22) for discharging the articles (5) by way of the transporting elements (2) is provided on the conveying path (1).

5. The conveying system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the conveying path (1) is designed as a closed loop.

6. The conveying system as claimed in claim 4 wherein each discharge location (22) is assigned a processing station (23, 24).

7. The conveying system as claimed in claim 4, wherein each discharge location (22) is assigned a timing device (34) which causes the transporting elements (2) to be fed to the discharge location (22) in a specific timed sequence.

8. The conveying system as claimed in claim 4, wherein arranged upstream of each discharge location (22) is a storage path (43) along which the transporting elements (2) are stored.

9. The conveying system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the conveying path (1) has downwardly sloping sections (40) along which the transporting elements (2) are moved preferably under the action of gravitational force.

10. The conveying system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the conveying section (1) has upwardly sloping sections (39, 39a) along which the transporting elements (2) are moved by conveying means (41, 51, 52).

11. The conveying system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the conveying path (1) has both downwardly sloping and upwardly sloping sections (40;

39, 39a), and wherein a storage path (43) along which the transporting elements (2) are stored is provided in the transition from a downwardly sloping section (40) to an adjoining upwardly sloping section (39, 39a).

12. The conveying system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein provided at each branching location (6, 6a) and at each introduction location (12, 12a) are switchover diverters (7) for the connection of the conveying path (1) to a second conveying path (10) for guiding away the diverted transporting elements (2) and/or for the connection of the conveying path (1) to a third conveying path (16) for introducing transporting elements (2) which are conveyed along the third conveying path (16) into the conveying path (1).

13. The conveying system as claimed in claim 12, wherein arranged upstream of the diverter (7), as seen in the respective conveying direction (A, C) of the first and the third conveying paths (1, 16), is a controllable restraining element (11, 19;

17) which can be displaced into the movement path of the transporting elements (2) in order to stop the transporting elements (2).

14. The conveying system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the transporting elements (2) have controllable grippers (3) for gripping the articles (5) which are to be transported, said grippers being connected to carriages or slides (4) in a fixed or releasable manner.

15. The conveying system as claimed in claim 1 or 2 for conveying printed products (5) which occur in a printed-product-processing plant.

16. The conveying system as claimed in claim 5, wherein each discharge location (22) is assigned a processing station (23, 24).

17. The conveying system as claimed in claim 7, wherein arranged upstream of each discharge location (22) is a storage path (43) along which the transporting elements (2) are stored.

18. The conveying system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the conveying path (1) has downwardly sloping sections (40) along which the transporting elements (2) are moved preferably under the action of gravitational force.

19. The conveying system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the conveying section (1) has upwardly sloping sections (39, 39a) along which the transporting elements (2) are moved by conveying means (41, 51, 52).

20. The conveying system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the conveying path (1) has both downwardly sloping and upwardly sloping sections (40, 39, 39a), and wherein a storage path (43) along which the transporting elements (2) are stored is provided in the transition from a downwardly sloping section (40) to an adjoining upwardly sloping section (39, 39a).

21. The conveying system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the conveying path (1) has both downwardly sloping and upwardly sloping sections (40, 39, 39a), and wherein a storage path (43) along which the transporting elements (2) are stored is provided in the transition from a downwardly sloping section (40) to an adjoining upwardly sloping section (39, 39a).

22. The conveying system as claimed in claim 3, wherein provided at each branching location (6, 6a) and at each introduction location (12, 12a) are switchover diverters (7) for the connection of the conveying path (1) to a second conveying path (10) for guiding away the diverted transporting elements (2) and/or for the connection of the conveying path (1) to a third conveying path (16) for introducing transporting elements (2) which are conveyed along the third conveying path (16) into the conveying path (1).

23. The conveying system as claimed in claim 22, wherein arranged upstream of the diverter (7), as seen in the respective conveying direction (A, C) of the first and the third conveying paths (1, 16), is a controllable restraining element (11, 19, 17) which can be displaced into the movement path of the transporting elements (2) in order to stop the transporting elements (2).

24. The conveying system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the transporting elements (2) have controllable grippers (3) for gripping the articles (5) which are to be transported, said grippers being connected to carriages or slides (4) in a fixed or releasable manner.

25. The conveying system as claimed in claim 3 for conveying printed articles which occur in a printed-product-processing plant.