Tire conveyor assembly and components thereof

• US 8,104,606 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2010
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UMD Automated Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Unique Metal Designs, Inc.
• Inventors: Rogers, Don A., Musick, Rick A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dillon, Jr., Joseph A
• Application Number:
  US12/755,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20100193324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 198/860.3, 198/861.1, 198/782, 198/841
• US Class Current: 198/860.3
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0273 Tires
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/22 Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors during feeding B65G47/14
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/493 by use of light responsive means
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/8823 Pivoting stop, swinging in or out of the path of the article
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/8861 Stop in the form of a clamp on one or both sides of the article

Abstract

A conveyor assembly for conveying a product to one or more product operations includes a conveyor belt rotating about a drive roller assembly and an end return roller assembly. A pair of spaced apart side frames supports the conveyor belt and between which the conveyor belt rotates. The side frames are formed from an upstanding member and an inwardly extending horizontal member. Both the frame upstanding member and the frame horizontal member carry a series of elongated slots. One or more L-shaped brackets are formed from a generally upstanding member and an inwardly extending member. Both the bracket upstanding member and the bracket horizontal member carry a series of elongated slots. The bracket horizontal member slots are configured to overlay the frame elongate horizontal member slots, and the bracket upstanding member slots are configured to overlay the frame upstanding member slots for attaching components to the side frames.

Claims

1. In a conveyor assembly including a conveyor belt rotating about a drive roller assembly and an end return roller assembly, said conveyor assembly for conveying a product to one or more product operations along its length, the improvement for locating and relocating components along the length of said conveyor assembly being a component mount which comprises:

a pair of spaced apart side frames that support said conveyor belt and between which said conveyor belt rotates, said side frames formed from an upstanding member having a horizontally extending upper flange carrying a series of elongated slots along the length of said horizontally extending upper flange, and adapted to be attached to

brackets each having at least one component mounting surface carrying a series of elongated slots configured to overlay said horizontally extending upper flange elongate slots for attaching components to said side frames said overlaying engagement of said bracket and flange slots facilitating locating and relocating components along the length of said conveying assembly.

2. The conveyor assembly of claim 1, wherein said product is one or more of unmounted tires, wheel mounted tires, green tires, or boxes.

3. The conveyor assembly of claim 1, wherein said components are one or more of a bar code reader, a diverter, a stager, or a centering assembly.

4. The conveyor assembly of claim 3, wherein a side conveyor is connected to said conveyor assembly and said bracket carries a vertically disposed roller assembly for urging product from said conveyor belt onto said side conveyor.

5. The conveyor assembly of claim 1, additionally comprising one or more L-shaped brackets formed from a generally upstanding member and an inwardly extending member, both said bracket upstanding member and said inwardly extending member carrying a series of elongated slots, said bracket horizontal member slots configured to overlay said frame elongate horizontal member slots, and said bracket upstanding member slots configured to overlay said frame upstanding member slots for attaching components to said side frames.

6. The conveyor assembly of claim 1, wherein said spaced apart side frames upstanding members also carry elongate slots.