Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Endless conveyor
Patent
1996-07-17
1998-04-07
Bidwell, James R.
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Endless conveyor
198597, B65G 1500
Patent
active
057353891
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a conveying system for conveying various objects such as work pieces, components and materials as objects to be transported in transverse directions (horizontal directions and those close to them).
BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY
To convey various objects in transverse directions, various conveyors, such as roller conveyor, power moller (product's name), belt conveyor and chain conveyor, etc. have been used up to the present. Objects to be transported are placed on rollers or a belt or a chain being stretched across, then the rollers, etc. are driven to carry the objects to be transported. When an object to be transported reaches a desired position, the movement of the rollers, etc. will be stopped to halt the conveying.
When a conveying system is composed of only various conveyors described above, it is difficult to achieve accurate positioning of objects to be transported at a specified position being one of the destinations of conveying. Even if the conveyor itself is stopped, and the condition thereof is maintained by a brake, etc., the position of the object to be transported itself is not stable since the object to be transported may slip or tilt on the rollers, belt or chain. For instance, when an automated machine threads bolts in specified positions of a certain component being conveyed and held stationary by a conveyor, the position of the component will not be set correctly, hence the automatic machine will not be able to bring the bolts onto the exact positions (threaded holes or the like in the component) and the position of the component may shift during threading. In such a case, therefore, a special means, such as a mechanism for holding the object to be transported, will be needed for positioning and fixing. It, however, is not easy to achieve simultaneously the holding action and keeping the object to be transported immobile under its condition of being held.
It was also difficult for conventional conveying systems comprising various conveyors to transport objects to be transported properly along a path with a bent of a specified angle. It is possible to provide a guide on a side along the conveying path to forcefully change the conveying direction of the objects to be transported; it, however, results in a large loss of the conveying power and is inefficient, and one can not expect a constant conveying direction of the objects to be transported.
The object of the present invention is to provide a conveying system which is capable, not only of normal conveying in transverse directions, but also of easily and stably positioning the object to be transported during stop at a destination of conveying, and a conveying system which is capable of properly transporting objects to be transported along a path with bents.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The conveying system described in claim 1 of the present invention comprises a conveyor for conveying objects to be transported in transverse directions (horizontal directions and directions close to them), a support provided in the conveying path at a point at which the object to be transported is to be positioned, and an elevation changing means for moving up or down the conveyor to transfer the object to be transported between the support and the conveyor.
The conveying system described in claim 1 makes conveying and positioning of the objects to be transported during stop as follows. First, the normal conveying is made by driving the conveyor while the conveyor is kept raised by the elevation changing means. When the object to be transported is transported to a specified conveying destination at which the object to be transported is to be positioned, such as a point at which the object to be transported is subjected to external processing, welding, etc. or piping is connected to the object to be transported, the conveyor will be stopped and the conveyor will be lowered by the elevation changing means. As the support is present within the conveying path at the point, when the conveyor is lowered, the objec
REFERENCES:
patent: 3951254 (1976-04-01), Juhrend
patent: 4511030 (1985-04-01), Lem
patent: 5165516 (1992-11-01), Reed et al.
patent: 5201401 (1993-04-01), Haderer et al.
Houzouji Masahiko
Sakamoto Osamu
Bando Kagaku Kabushiki Kaisha
Bidwell James R.
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