Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Pusher conveyor and separate load support surface
Patent
1996-05-16
1998-03-17
Valenza, Joseph E.
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Pusher conveyor and separate load support surface
198741, B65G 2502
Patent
active
057276714
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a step conveyor comprising a primary stationary beam and a secondary beam being movable upwards and downwards as well as to and fro relative thereto, said secondary beam being supported by restrictedly pivotable bow-shaped eccentrically journalled segments resting on a stationary guideway, wherein in a rest position the secondary beam is positioned below the level of the primary beam.
A step conveyor of this type is known from Dutch patent application 88,01751. In a rest position of the step conveyor the bow-shaped (or spiral-shaped) segments are in a position, in which the distance between their point of contact with the stationary guideway and their pivot axis is minimal. In this position the secondary beam is positioned below the level of the of the primary beam (which is defined by rolls), objects placed upon the step conveyor are supported in this position by the primary beam. When the step conveyor is activated the secondary beam is moved longitudinally relative to the stationary beam. As a result the bow-shaped segments will pivot along the stationary guideway towards a new position in which the distance between their point of contact with this stationary guideway and their pivot axis is maximal. This means that the secondary beam is lifted relative to the stationary guideway and thus relatively to the primary stationary beam. In this position the known secondary beam engages the lower side of the objects to be transported and lifts these from the stationary beam. After the bow-shaped segments having reached this new position a continued longitudinal displacement of the secondary beam leads to a shift of the segments along the stationary guideway and a displacement of the objects.
Returning the secondary beam into the opposite direction firstly leads to re-pivoting the bow-shaped segments towards the first position, such that the secondary beam drops and the objects are positioned upon the primary beam. Next, after reaching their original pivotal orientation, the segments will slide back along the stationary guideway towards their starting position.
In this known step conveyor the secondary beam moves until above the level of the primary beam for lifting the objects to be transported. A major disadvantage is, that for lifting an additional force is required. A second disadvantage is, that vertical movements occur. A third disadvantage of this step conveyor is, that in the primary beam, which generally is shaped as a double beam enclosing the secondary beam or which is shaped as a working floor, a recess has to be created large enough to enable the passage of the secondary beam. As a result dirt can easily enter into the step conveyor and disturb its function. Especially in industries operating in a dusty environment, such as the textile industry where there is an overall presence of lint particles, this is a major disadvantage. Finally, as a fourth disadvantage, the large recesses negatively influence the safety and passableness of the working floor, of which the primary beams are a part.
It is an object of the invention to provide a step conveyor of this type, which does not show these disadvantages.
Thus the step conveyor, according to the invention is characterized as set forth in the main claim.
In accordance with the invention the secondary beam is in each position positioned below the level of the primary beam. This means, that the secondary beam does not any longer directly engage the objects to be transported, such that these remain supported by the primary beam and, as will appear later, will be compacted in a lesser way. The transport of the objects is realised now by means of dogs provided at the top of the secondary beam, said dogs in a working position (the position in which the bow-shaped segments have lifted the secondary beam relative to the primary beam) engaging the objects to be transported exclusively with a horizontal movement.
As noted above such a step conveyor is primarily applied in the textile industry. In this industry such step conveyors are used
REFERENCES:
patent: 2416469 (1947-02-01), Cordis
patent: 2916148 (1959-12-01), Crane et al.
patent: 3047132 (1962-07-01), Wachsmuth
patent: 4712964 (1987-12-01), van Elten et al.
patent: 4749079 (1988-06-01), Minto
Dreger Walter H.
Valenza Joseph E.
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