Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor system for moving a specific load as a separate unit – System includes a rotating or endless carrier with a load...
Patent
1993-12-08
1995-09-19
Dayoan, D. Glenn
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor system for moving a specific load as a separate unit
System includes a rotating or endless carrier with a load...
1986891, B65G 1746
Patent
active
054509440
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for grasping and transporting objects, having a number of plate-shaped supports combined into a rotating conveyor chain, wherein each support has at least one suction opening on its transport side, which is connected over at least a portion of the transport path with a fixed suction conduit that can be sealed airtight against the atmosphere and that leads to a supply point for suction air or compressed air. The supports are adjustably guided in guide rails which receive the edges of the supports extending parallel to the direction of conveyance.
2. Description of Prior Art
A device of this type is known from German Patent DE 37 01 564 C1. In this device it is only possible to dispose bores of small diameter because of the lesser thickness of the supports and the structural height of the guide rails connected therewith. Therefore the suction plates have only little suction force and thus holding ability. For this reason the conventional device is particularly suited for grasping and transporting light objects with smooth surfaces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of this invention to provide a device of the above mentioned type wherein it is also possible to grasp and transport heavier objects which do not have smooth surfaces.
In accordance with this invention, the above object is achieved with suction openings that are cut into supports in the form of holes. The holes in the supports are sealingly connected on the side facing away from the transport side with the fixed suction conduit extending along the transport path.
In spite of the small thickness of the support, the hole in the support can have a considerably large surface, so that it is possible to obtain a greater holding force by suction air, which is distributed over a large surface of the object and therefore does not require an absolutely tight sealing of the hole.
To be able, nevertheless, to keep the width of the suction conduit small, in a further embodiment of this invention, the holes in the supports are embodied as elongated holes aligned in a direction of conveyance.
So that no leaks occur at the places where the supports meet, in a further embodiment of this invention, the supports are sealed with respect to each other at the edges extending crosswise to the direction of conveyance with sealing elements, which extend at least over the area of the suction conduit disposed above the holes.
In accordance with yet a further embodiment according to this invention, it is possible to enlarge the suction surfaces of the support in a simple manner since the holes of the supports make a transition into enlargements on the transport side.
If the transport side of the support has an open-pored suction plate, which covers the hole or its enlargement, the suction surface is resilient so that it can be adapted to irregularities of the grasped and held object.
A further embodiment of this invention provides that the side of the support facing the transport side has a connecting strip extending in the direction of conveyance, provided with an opening that corresponds to a hole of the supports and which makes a transition into it. These connecting strips are provided on a front extending crosswise to the direction of conveyance with the sealing element which seals in the direction toward the connecting strip of the adjacent support.
The material of the connecting strips can be adapted to the material for the suction conduit in such a way that a tight connection with little friction is obtained. In addition, the connecting strips connected with the supports can be replaced if leaks occur after prolonged use. The conveyor chain with the supports does not need to be dismantled for this operation.
The connection of the supports with a conveyor chain is simplified in that the side of the support facing away from the transport side has a pair of chain connecting elements on both sides of the connecting strips. These chain connecting elements are connected with
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patent: 2905309 (1959-09-01), Makrides
patent: 2941653 (1960-06-01), Kriemelmeyer, Jr.
patent: 2969869 (1961-01-01), Klingler
patent: 3168958 (1965-02-01), Grossi
patent: 3375917 (1968-04-01), Irving, Jr.
patent: 3477558 (1969-11-01), Fleischauer
patent: 3708058 (1973-01-01), Kalven
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