Conveyors – chutes – skids – guides – and ways – Rollerways – Submerging and rising
Reexamination Certificate
1996-07-05
2001-05-01
Valenza, Joseph E. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors, chutes, skids, guides, and ways
Rollerways
Submerging and rising
C193S0350SS, C193S0350SS
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223875
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the priority of German application Serial No. 195 23 788.9 filed on Jul. 4, 1995, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a conveyor section having a stop and being adapted to convey items, particularly open-top containers for carrying mail items in sorting machines.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Known sorting machine conveyor sections may be configured as chute or roller conveyors which include conveying rollers arranged in series. Known stops for the roller conveyors may be operated electromagnetically or pneumatically. Disadvantages of the above conveyor sections include high production expenditures as well as a high energy requirement and actuation costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a stop for a conveyor section which is simple in its design and in which a costly energy supply and actuation by means of electromagnetic and/or pneumatic lines can be dispensed with.
The above and other objects to become apparent as the description progresses are accomplished according to the invention by the provision of a conveyor section for transporting items in a conveying direction which defines a transport plane and comprises a stop roller having a rotational axis and an outer surface and being movable between an upper position in which the stop roller rises at least partially above the transport plane for stopping the items, and a lower position in which the transport plane is tangential to the outer surface of the stop roller. In its lower position, the stop roller functions as a conveyor roller for the items. The conveyor section further includes a guide for guiding a movement of the stop roller between its upper position and its lower position, and a pretensioned spring operatively connected to the stop roller for applying an upward force to the stop roller thus urging the stop roller in an upward direction. The application of at least a minimum predetermined downward force to the stop roller overcomes the upward force of the spring for moving the stop roller to its lower position.
According to one aspect of the invention, a conveyor system is provided which includes a conveyor section substantially as described above, together with an item to be transported by the conveyor section and disposed thereon. The item is configured for applying at least a minimum predetermined downward force to the stop roller when the stop roller is in its upper position for overcoming the upward force of the spring for moving the stop roller to its lower position. In the above case, the stop roller, the spring and the item are configured such that, in the upper position of the stop roller, contact points between the item and the stop roller are disposed above the rotational axis of the stop roller.
According to one aspect of the invention, the item may be configured for applying a force to the stop roller in the conveying direction at the contact points between the item and the stop roller for moving the stop roller to its lower position. The item may include a perpendicular front face, or a slanted portion on its front face. The slanted portion may be configured such that an angle between the slanted portion and the transport plane is adjustable.
According to the invention, the stop is configured as a stop roller which is urged in an upward direction by means of a pretensioned spring and is movable in a guide for moving the stop roller between an upper and a lower position. In the absence of external forces acting on the stop roller, the stop roller occupies its upper position as a result of the force applied thereto by the pretensioned spring. In its upper position, the stop roller rises above the transport plane and acts as a stop for an item to be transported. If an item to be transported pushes against the stop roller, the stop roller at first stays in its upper position.
Moreover, according to the invention, the force acting on the stop roller may be applied thereto by the item to be transported on the conveyor section. The above force, which is a shearing force, may be applied manually in the form of a short duration force impulse in the direction of conveyance. If the conveyor section is in an inclined position, the force action may be a result of the gravitational force of the item to be transported, which, for transport containers, corresponds to a defined filling level thereof. As soon as the force required for the compression of the spring is reached or exceeded, the stop roller is pushed downward to its lower position at the adjoining level of conveyance, that is, at the level of the transport plane, such that the transport plane is tangential to the outer surface of the stop roller, the stop roller thereby being effective for conveying the item to be transported. Accordingly, in its lower position, the stop roller does not apply any braking forces on the item to be transported.
In its upper position, the stop roller may project above the transport plane only to such an extent that the points where the items to be transported contact the stop roller (that is, the contact points) are disposed above the rotational axis of the stop roller. The above ensures that the items to be transported are capable of pushing the stop roller in a downward direction either by means of a force impulse exerted on the items to be transported or, in the case of conveyor sections with a gradient, by means of the gravitational force of the items. In conveyor systems using transport containers, the forces in the direction of conveyance required for pushing a stop roller in a downward direction can be varied by configuring the front faces of the transport containers such that the faces include slanted portions oriented at different angles with respect to the transport plane.
Furthermore, individual containers which are not intended to transmit a force to-the stop roller to push the stop roller in a downward direction may be configured such that the points where they contact the stop roller are disposed below the rotational axis of the stop roller and, in such a case, the stop roller may be operated manually via a lever.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1632203 (1927-06-01), Threefoot et al.
patent: 2306101 (1942-12-01), Van Zandt
patent: 3990557 (1976-11-01), Carder
patent: 5103959 (1992-04-01), Carlson
patent: 69 48 906 (1969-12-01), None
patent: 39 20 477 (1991-01-01), None
patent: 55-98022 (1980-07-01), None
patent: 4-223926 (1992-08-01), None
Kelemen Gabor J.
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Valenza Joseph E.
Venable
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