Modular diverter shoe and slat construction

• US 5,127,510 A
• Filed: 08/28/1991
• Issued: 07/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dematic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rapistan Demag Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Cotter, David H., LeMay, Curtis E., Woltjer, Bernard H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, D. Glenn
• Application Number:
  US07/758,340
• Time in Patent Office: 314 Days
• Field of Search: 198/365, 198/370, 198/372, 198/456, 198/440, 198/457
• US Class Current: 198/370.02
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2207/36 Pushing shoes on conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/844 the article-engaging elements being pushers transversally movable on the supporting surface, e.g. pusher-shoes

Abstract

A sortation system includes a plurality of slats connected at opposite ends in spaced relation with each other to a pair of endless chains. The slats define a conveying surface moving longitudinally along a frame. A plurality of diverter shoes are provided. Each diverter shoe is movably mounted on one of the slats for lateral movement with respect to the conveying surface. Each slat is defined by a wall formed as a right cylinder including an outer surface having a planar upper portion defining the conveying surface, each diverter shoe having a support portion including a substantially continuous glide surface surrounding the wall, the glide surface having substantially the same configuration as the outer surface of the slat.

Each diverter shoe additionally has a diverting portion joined to the support portion by a dove-tail groove and includes one or more vertical diverting surfaces and a plurality of contiguous, generally planar surfaces sloping downwardly from the upper extent of each diverting surface laterally inwardly as well as forwardly and rearwardly. Different configurations of diverting portions may be easily applied to the support portions to accommodate left-hand divert, right-hand divert or bi-directional divert applications. Both the support and diverting portions are defined by a plurality of wall segments having substantially the same thickness and arranged in a honey-comb manner.

Claims

1. In a conveying system having a longitudinally moving conveying surface defined by the uppermost ones of a plurality of slats connected at opposite ends in spaced relation with each other to a pair of endless chains;

a plurality of diverter shoes each moveably mounted on one of said slats for lateral movement with respect to said conveying surface; and

track means engaging said diverter shoes for imparting a lateral force to move said diverter shoes laterally to displace product positioned on said conveying surface, wherein the improvement comprises;

each of said slats being defined by a wall formed as a right cylinder including an outer surface having a planar upper portion defining said conveying surface; and

each of said diverter shoes having a support portion including a substantially continuous glide surface surrounding said wall, said glide surface having substantially the same configuration as said outer surface of said slat.

2. The conveying system in claim 1 wherein said right cylinder has a quadrilateral-shaped cross-section including one side defining said planar upper portion.

3. The sortation system in claim 2 wherein said right cylinder has a parallelogram-shaped cross-section.

4. The conveying system in claim 1 wherein each of said slats is formed by extrusion.

5. The conveying system in claim 1 wherein each of said slats further includes mounting means for mounting said opposite ends of said wall to said chains.

6. The conveying system in claim 5 wherein said mounting means includes vibration dampening material between said wall and said chains.

7. The conveying system in claim 5 wherein said mounting means includes a compression fitting for engaging an inner surface of said wall.

8. The conveying system in claim 1 wherein said glide surface is defined by an anti-friction material.

9. The conveying system in claim 1 wherein each of said diverter shoes further includes a diverting portion joined to said support portion.

10. The conveying system in claim 9 wherein said support and diverting portions of said diverter shoes are molded acetal copolymer.

11. The conveying system in claim 10 wherein said support and diverting portions of said diverter shoes are defined by a multiplicity of joined wall segments having substantially the same thickness.

12. The conveying system in claim 9 wherein said diverting portion is joined to said support portion by a dovetail groove.

13. In a conveying system having a longitudinally moving conveying surface defined by the uppermost ones of a plurality of slats connected in spaced relation with each other in an endless web;

a plurality of diverter shoes each movably mounted on one of said slats for lateral movement with respect to said conveying surface; and

track means engaging said diverter shoes for imparting a lateral force to move said diverter shoes laterally to displace product positioned on said conveying surface, wherein the improvement comprises;

each of said slats defined by a wall having generally planar upper and lower wall portions joined by side wall portions defining joining edges between each of said wall portions;

each of said diverter shoes having a support portion including a glide surface surrounding said wall; and

bearing means defining a bearing between at least one of said joining edges of each of said slats and an engaging portion of said glide surface of the corresponding one of said diverter shoes.

14. The conveying system in claim 13 wherein said bearing means includes means defining an enlarged radius surface at said one of said joining edges.

15. The conveying system in claim 13 wherein said bearing means defines bearings between two opposite said joining edges and engaging portions of said glide surface.

16. The conveying system in claim 15 wherein each of said bearings includes means defining an enlarged radius surface at each of said two opposite joining edges.

17. The conveying system in claim 13 further including means defining lateral stabilizing means between one of said wall portions of each of said slats and an engaging portion of said glide surface of the corresponding one of said diverter shoes, said lateral stabilizing means resisting vertical-axis reaction-force-couples.

18. The conveying system in claim 17 wherein said one of said wall portions is said lower wall portion.

19. The conveying system in claim 17 wherein said lateral stabilizing means includes a T-shaped portion extending from said one of said wall portions being slidably positioned in a slot defined in said engaging portion of said glide surface.

20. The conveying system in claim 13 wherein said support portion is molded of a polymeric material.

21. The conveying system in claim 20 wherein said polymeric material is acetal copolymer.

22. The sortation system in claim 20 wherein said support portion is defined by a multiplicity of joined wall segments having substantially the same thickness.

23. In a conveying system having a longitudinally moving conveying surface defined by the uppermost ones of a plurality of slats connected in spaced relation with each other in an endless web;

a plurality of diverter shoes each movably mounted on one of said slats for lateral movement with respect to said conveying surface; and

track means engaging said diverter shoes for imparting a lateral force to move said diverter shoes laterally to displace product positioned on said conveying surface, wherein the improvement comprises;

each of said slats defined by a wall having generally planar upper and lower wall portions joined by side wall portions defining joining edges between each of said wall portions;

each of said diverter shoes having a support portion includes a glide surface surrounding said wall; and

means defining lateral stabilizing means between one of said wall portions of each of said slats and an engaging portion of said glide surface of the corresponding one of said diverter shoes, said lateral stabilizing means resisting vertical-axis reaction-force-couples.

24. The conveying system in claim 23 wherein said one of said wall portions is said lower wall portion.

25. The conveying system in claim 23 wherein said lateral stabilizing means includes an outward extension of said one of said wall portions being slidably positioned in a slot defined in said engaging portion of said glide surface.

26. The conveying system in claim 25 wherein said outward extension is T-shaped.

27. The conveying system in claim 23 wherein said support portion is molded of a polymeric material.

28. The conveying system in claim 27 wherein said polymeric material is acetal copolymer.

29. The conveying system in claim 27 wherein said support portion is defined by a plurality of joined wall segments having substantially the same thickness.

30. A diverter shoe for use in a conveyor system having a longitudinally moving conveying surface defined by the uppermost ones of a plurality of slats connected in spaced relation with each other in an endless web;

and track means extending below said uppermost ones of said slats for engaging and imparting a lateral force to displace selected ones of said diverter shoes laterally with respect to said conveying surface;

said diverter shoe comprising;

a support member having a glide portion including means defining a glide surface adapted to glide along one of said slats; and

a diverting member joined to said support member and having at least one substantially vertical diverting surface on a lateral end thereof and a plurality of contiguous, generally planar surfaces sloping downward from an upper extent of said diverting surface laterally inward and longitudinally forward or rearward.

31. The diverter shoe in claim 30 having one said diverting surface and wherein said planar surfaces slope laterally inward to another lateral end of said diverting member opposite said diverting surface.

32. The diverter shoe in claim 30 having a pair of diverting surfaces, each on opposite lateral ends of said diverting member and wherein said planar surfaces slope laterally inward to a central portion of said diverting surface.

33. The diverter shoe in claim 30 wherein said support member guide portion is molded of a polymeric material.

34. The diverter shoe in claim 33 wherein said polymeric material is acetal copolymer.

35. The diverter shoe in claim 33 wherein said glide portion is defined by a multiplicity of interconnected wall segments having substantially the same thickness.

36. The diverter shoe in claim 30 wherein said support member includes a follower portion adapted to be engaged by said track means and a base portion defined by said glide portion for mounting said follower portion, said base portion defined by a plurality of said wall segments arranged in a honey-comb manner.

37. The diverter shoe in claim 30 wherein said diverting member is molded of a polymeric material.

38. The diverter shoe in claim 37 wherein said polymeric material is acetal copolymer.

39. The diverter shoe in claim 37 wherein said diverting member is defined by a multiplicity of interconnected surface segments having substantially the same thickness.

40. The diverter shoe in claim 30 wherein said diverting member is joined to said support member by a dovetail joint.

41. The diverter shoe in claim 40 wherein said dovetail joint includes a locking detent.

42. A diverter shoe for use in a conveyor system having a longitudinally moving conveying surface defined by the uppermost ones of a plurality of slats connected in spaced relation with each other in an endless web;

and track means extending below said uppermost ones of said slats for engaging and imparting a lateral force to displace selected ones of said diverter shoes laterally with respect to said conveying surface;

said diverter shoe comprising;

a support member having a glide portion including means defining a glide surface adapted to glide along one of said slats;

a diverting portion joined to said support portion and having at least one substantially vertical diverting surface on a lateral end thereof; and

wherein said support member glide portion is defined by a multiplicity of interconnected wall segments having substantially the same thickness.

43. The diverter shoe in claim 42 wherein said glide portion is molded of a polymeric material.

44. The diverter shoe in claim 43 wherein said polymeric material is acetal copolymer.

45. The diverter shoe in claim 42 wherein said support member includes a follower portion adapted to be engaged by said track means and a base portion defined by said glide portion for mounting of said follower portion, said base portion defined by a plurality of said wall segments arranged in a honey-comb manner.

46. The diverter shoe in claim 42 wherein said diverting member is defined by a multiplicity of interconnected wall segments having substantially the same thickness.

47. The diverter shoe in claim 46 wherein said diverting member is molded of a polymeric material.

48. The diverter shoe in claim 47 wherein said polymeric material is acetal copolymer.

49. The diverter shoe in claim 46 wherein said diverting member includes a base portion for attachment to said support member, said base portion defined by a plurality of said wall segments arranged in a honey-comb manner.

50. The diverter shoe in claim 42 wherein said diverting member is joined to said support member by a dovetail joint.

51. The diverter shoe in claim 50 wherein said dovetail joint includes a locking member.