Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor arrangement for selecting among plural sources or... – By passive material-diverting means placed across the flow path
Patent
1981-07-31
1983-11-08
Valenza, Joseph E.
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor arrangement for selecting among plural sources or...
By passive material-diverting means placed across the flow path
198802, B65G 4746
Patent
active
044137214
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a sorting conveyor for individual objects in accordance with the preamble of patent claim 1.
Sorting conveyors of this type are known and are principally used in post office distribution centers for sorting of packages in accordance with their destinations. For example, from British Pat. No. 1,335,114 a sorting conveyor is known in which the bearing tray is tiltable about a shaft which extends lengthwise of the cart. The tilting movement is triggered by a linkage which is actuated by a separate guide rail which is deflected by switches positioned at the tilt locations. However, the guide rail which is required in addition to the rails for the cart, is relatively expensive and is subject to wearing out. In a sorting conveyor in accordance with British Pat. No. 1,544,570 the load bearing trays require no guidance in the horizontal position because they rest by means of bearing cups upon tilt shafts positioned on both sides of the longitudinal central axis of the cart. However, the triggering of the tilt motion again requires guidance rails, or switches. Moreover, additional springs must be used which maintain the load bearing trays in the horizontal or in the tilted position.
It is an object of the present invention to construct a sorting conveyor of the initially described kind in such a manner that the tilting of the load bearing trays into the desired position at the respective discharge locations requires the least possible structural effort.
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by an embodiment in accordance with the characterizing portion of patent claim 1.
By tilting of the shaft which extends diagonally to the load bearing tray, there is automatically obtained the desired inclinaton of the tray, which permits the downward sliding of the individual objects into a collecting container. To pivot the shaft there is preferably rotatably attached to the cart a drive disc, whose axle, e.g. by way of a universal joint, is in drive connection with the shaft of the tray. At the discharge locations, there can then be located guide rails which cooperate with the drive disc to rotate the latter.
By virtue of this construction, the mechanism for the tilting of the load bearing trays into the desired position becomes extremely simple and is characterized by a low susceptability to failure.
The drawing diagrammatically shows an embodiment of the invention, as well as a varient thereof. There is shown in:
FIG. 1 in perspective view a portion of a conveyor at a discharge location,
FIG. 2 a side view of a cart with chain drive,
FIG. 3 a top view of the cart of FIG. 2,
FIG. 4 a rear view of the cart of FIG. 2,
FIG. 5 a side view of a cart with drive provided by a linear electric motor, and
FIG. 6 a rear view of the cart of FIG. 5.
FIG. 1 shows, in perspective representation, a portion of the conveyor path of a sorting conveyor having a guide track 1, within which the carts 2 are propelled. Each cart 2 supports a load bearing tray 3, which is intended to receive a package 4. At two locations, the load bearing trays 3 are shown tilted so that the transported packages 4 are discharged into collection stations 5.
FIGS. 2 through 4 show the construction of a cart 2 with load bearing tray 3. The cart 2 has four support rollers 6, by means of which it rolls within a level guide path 1a of track 1. Horizontal guidance is provided by two guidance rollers 7, which are supported on vertical shafts and are guided by vertical walls 1b of track 1. The drive for carts 2 is provided in known manner by an endless, circulating chain 8 to which each cart 2 is coupled by a follower 9. Each cart 2 has an arm 10 which extends upwardly from the guide track and which provides a support head 11 for a shaft 12 which extends at an angle .alpha. inclined to the horizontal load bearing tray 3 and is rigidly connected with the latter. The angle .alpha. suitably has a value from about 40.degree. to about 50.degree.. The lower end of shaft 12 is connected through a universal joint 13 with a vertical shaft 1
REFERENCES:
patent: 4004681 (1977-01-01), Clewett et al.
patent: 4081071 (1978-03-01), Nielsen
patent: 4139088 (1979-02-01), Olesen
Daverio A.G.
Holmes Jonathan D.
Valenza Joseph E.
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