Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor system having auxiliary section for storing items...
Patent
1996-02-09
1998-04-07
Bidwell, James R.
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor system having auxiliary section for storing items...
198594, 198435, B65G 100
Patent
active
057353808
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention concerns a pendulant product storage installation, in particular for food products, and more particularly for bars of chocolate or the like, these products being placed on shelves arranged horizontally on pendulant product carriers horizontally suspended on two chains moving parallel to each other in a closed circuit comprising a feed section going from a station for loading the products on the shelves, to a product receiving station arranged for unloading the shelves, and a return section in which the shelves are brought back empty from the receiving station to the loading station, in which the receiving station comprises equipment consisting of a pusher device associated with a first driving mechanism, the pusher device comprising at least one pusher moving substantially horizontally,
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Numerous pendulant storage installations are already known, in particular that disclosed in the European Patent application published under number 0 538 742 A1. In food product production lines, for example bars of chocolate, biscuits, chocolate covered products and other products which are fragile and delicate to handle, it is often necessary to be able to have a temporary storage installation available for these products, given that production is carried out continuously while packaging is carried out in batches and the packaging units of a same line are periodically subject to halts required for maintenance, repair or the placing of packing material.
Furthermore, European Patent No. A-0 569 788 discloses a device for receiving products at the discharge end of a conveyor belt, comprising a horizontal movement pusher which cooperates with a belt one end of which can be moved between different levels to clear products at different heights. In the case of the device disclosed in Patent EP-A-0 569 788, the effect of interposing a conveyor belt between the pusher and a receiving station is to lengthen the storage unit and to reduce its operational speed.
These storage installations must comply with relatively burdensome specifications. They must allow large storage capacity and assure efficient and careful transport of the products from a loading station to a receiving station, while providing maximum security for the conveyed products, great flexibility of use and variable storage potential as a function of the instant demand.
Among the problems encountered with these installations is that of placing and recovering products on the shelves carried by the pendulant product carriers. These operations must be rapid and accurate and the equipment used must be adapted to the products to be transferred. In addition, the placing and recovery operations must be able to be carried out continuously or in batches. In the first case, the chains which convey the pendulant product carriers rotate continuously and the loading station and receiving station equipment must be arranged for following their movement. In the second case, this equipment is stationary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention proposes to answer all of these demands by providing a pendulant storage installation which is flexible to use and which has a great ability to be adapted as a function of the different applications for which it is intended.
This object is achieved by the installation according to the invention, which is characterised in that said equipment comprises a second driving mechanism arranged for imposing on said pusher a substantially vertical movement which combines with said substantially horizontal movement.
According to a preferred embodiment, said first mechanism comprises a control cam connected to said pusher to perform said substantially horizontal movement and said second mechanism comprises at least one hydraulic or pneumatic jack or a screw having an axial movement connected to said pusher to perform said substantially vertical movement.
According to an alternative embodiment, the first mechanism may comprise a first control cam connected to said pusher to perform said substantia
REFERENCES:
patent: 2932376 (1960-04-01), Millington
patent: 3068987 (1962-12-01), Franklin
patent: 4117921 (1978-10-01), Mikata
patent: 4634333 (1987-01-01), Butterly, Jr. et al.
patent: 4964498 (1990-10-01), Klingl
Hofmann Armin
Schneider Hauke
Bidwell James R.
Sapal Societe Anonyme des Plieuses Automatique
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