JPS6411502B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in power and free conveyor systems.

Such conveyor systems conventionally include a carrier track, a carrier each having a drive trolley supported on the carrier track, a power track spaced perpendicularly from the carrier track, and a carrier propulsion means mounted on the power track, the propulsion means extending forwardly. It includes a normally driven pusher member projecting toward the carrier track. The drive trolley has a drive member movable between an operating position and a non-operating position with respect to the pusher member and biased toward the operating position. Other conventional features of such conveyor devices include:

1. The ability to stop and store the carrier by placing the drive member in a non-operational relationship with the pusher.

2. In more complex systems, the ability to provide a transport zone, into which carriers are propelled by a sending pusher and from which carriers are propelled by a receiving pusher, the sending and receiving pushers are typically ( (but not necessarily) are part of separately driven dispatch and receiving propulsion means, allowing the carrier speed and/or relative spacing to be varied as desired throughout the apparatus.

The present invention further provides several structural and operational features, including the following.

1. Ability to provide two types of conveyors: one with a power track below the carrier track, and one with a power track above the carrier track.

2. A stopper that reliably stops the forward movement of the carrier.

3. Carrier bumper and storage mechanism located within a protected space partially surrounded by structural members forming the carrier track.

The conveyor apparatus of the present invention includes a carrier track, carriers each including a drive trolley supported on the carrier track, a power track, and a carrier propulsion means normally driven forward and mounted on the power track; The carrier propulsion means includes a pusher member projecting toward the carrier track, and the drive trolley includes a drive member movable between an operating position and a non-operating position with respect to the pusher member and biased toward the operating position, The drive member extends from the drive trolley toward the power track and includes an end portion in which a drive pawl and an actuation cam are integrally formed;
The drive pawl includes a drive surface engageable by the pusher in the operating position of the drive member, the actuation cam extends forwardly from the drive member, the actuation cam is provided with a first actuation cam surface, and each carrier has a first actuation cam surface. a rearwardly extending actuator that is engaged by a storage cam surface of a subsequent carrier for moving the drive member to an inoperative position;
A second stop cam surface is provided on the actuation cam, the stop cam surface being located between the first accumulation cam surface and the drive surface of the drive pawl and formed on the drive member in front of the drive surface of the drive pawl. a stop member extending to the abutting surface and further positionable in the path of motion of the end portion of the drive member is engageable with the second stop cam surface to move the drive member to the inoperative position; It is characterized by being able to engage with the contact surface to stop the carrier.

Preferably, the restraining pawl is integrally formed with the drive member and has a restraining surface that is engageable with the pusher in the operating position of the drive member, and the restraining pawl is engageable with the pusher in the non-operating position of the drive member. It is impossible.

Also preferably, the conveyor apparatus of the invention has one or more of the following features.

The actuating cam has a third anti-stick cam surface located outwardly of the abutment surface and extending toward the drive surface, the anti-stick cam surface being configured to engage the anti-stick cam surface with the pushed pusher member. in response to moving the drive member toward the non-operating position.

The drive pawl has a pair of wing portions each projecting laterally to one side of the actuation cam and having a drive surface of the drive pawl;
The lateral extent of the wing portions is such that the pusher members of the pair of carrier propulsion means mounted on the pair of power tracks disposed in juxtaposition can engage with the driving surfaces, and Forms an anti-stick cam surface.

The stop member is engageable with the wing portion of the drive pawl to limit movement of the drive member to an inoperative position in response to engagement of the second stop cam surface with the stop member.

The wing portions of the drive pawl project to each side of the restraining surface of the restraining pawl, and the driving surface of each wing portion is engageable with the pusher member in a non-engaging relationship with respect to the restraining surface of the restraining pawl.

The abutting surface of the drive member projects laterally to each side of the restraining surface of the restraining pawl.

The storage cam surface of the actuation cam and the actuator are located within laterally spaced vertical web portions of the carrier track, and each carrier has forwardly and rearwardly projecting bumpers located within these laterally spaced vertical web portions of the carrier track. provided.

The drive member is biased into the operating position by its weight, or is connected to a lever pivoted on the drive trolley and having a counterweight that biases the drive member into the operating position.

These and other features of the invention will be developed in the following description of embodiments disclosed in the accompanying drawings.

2 and 3 illustrate the conveyor system of the present invention in which the carrier track 10 is positioned above the power track 12. FIG. The carrier track 10 is formed by a pair of channel track members 13, 14 (FIG. 3), each having a lower flange extending from one side to the other of laterally spaced vertical web portions 16 extending perpendicular to the raceway surface. A pair of elongated carrier support raceways 15 are provided. The upper flanges 18 of the track members 13, 14 provide a pair of opposing guide surfaces 19.

A carrier 20 is supported on the carrier track 10,
This, of course, has a shape appropriate to the articles being handled by the particular conveyor system. The typical carrier shown in FIG. 2 comprises a front drive trolley 22, an intermediate load carrying trolley 24 and a rear load carrying trolley 26. A tow bar 27 is connected to drive trolley 22 and intermediate trolley 24 by a swivel fitting 28 . The load carrying structure 30 is connected by a vertical pivot pin 31 to each of the intermediate and rear trolleys 24, 26 by a vertical pivot pin 31.

Other possible carrier configurations include a carrier with a drive trolley 22 and a rear trolley 26 with a load support structure connected to one or both of these trolleys, or a carrier with only the drive trolley 22 connected to it. There are carriers that connect load-carrying structures. Either carrier has a drive trolley 22, regardless of what other carrier components are employed.
including.

Power track 12 is vertically spaced apart from carrier track 10, as shown in FIG.
It consists of a pair of channel track members 32, 33 mounted in laterally spaced toe-to-toe relationship that is generally symmetrical about a vertical plane extending through the longitudinal centerline of the track. A structural frame 26 supports the carrier and power tracks 10, 12 in longitudinal spacing as shown in FIG. Each frame 36 is optionally attached to a vertical channel support 37 for the carrier track member, a transverse chevron member coupled to the support 37 and the power track members 32, 33, and to each other component of the frame 36. It consists of a base member 39 that can be mounted at a desired height on the foundation of the base.

A carrier propulsion means 40 (FIG. 2) is mounted on power track 12 and normally driven forward as indicated by arrow 41, and includes a pusher member 42 projecting toward carrier track 10. In the particular construction shown, the pusher member 42 is formed on a link 43 of an endless chain 44 connected to a power trolley 45 that travels on the power track 12. Other forms of propulsion conventionally employed in power and free conveyor systems may also be used.

Regarding Figures 2, 4, and 5, the drive trolley 2
2 is movable between an operative position and an inoperative position with respect to a pusher member 42, and has a drive member 46 biased into the operative position shown in solid lines in FIGS. 2 and 4. Drive member 46 includes an end portion 48 that is connected to drive trolley body 52 by suitable means as described below.
It is movably mounted inside.

Trolley body 52 includes a pair of laterally spaced interconnected side plates 54 having a wheel support portion 55 located within carrier track 10 and a bearing portion 56 located external to the carrier track. A hole 57 is provided in the portion 56 for connecting the traction bar 27 or load carrying structure to the trolley body. Front and rear axles 58,59 extend between portions 55, and a pair of front load-bearing wheels 60 and a pair of rear load-bearing wheels 61 are mounted on axles 58,59, respectively. Spacer 62 (Figure 5)
The wheels 60 and 61 are positioned outside the side plate 54. The track width of each pair of wheels is much larger than is customary for free trolleys in power and free conveyor systems, so that the carrier track members 13,
14 needs to be increased accordingly. The front and rear guide rollers 63, 64 are each mounted on a stub axle 62 attached to a block 66 interconnected between the carrying portions 56 of the side plates 54. Each of the guide rollers 63, 64 is engageable with a guide surface 19 of the carrier track member and corresponds to the large spacing between these guide surfaces and
It has a diameter substantially corresponding to a diameter of 0.61 mm.

As a result of the increased lateral spacing between the carrier track members 13, 14, the increased track width of the load-carrying wheels 60, 61, and the increased diameter of the guide rollers 63, 64, the lateral stability is increased and in particular the carrier It is advantageous for a conveyor system of the type shown in FIG. 2 to have a platform-like article carrying structure 30 located above the track 10. The lateral stability of the structure 30 is determined by the trolleys 22, 24, carrier track support surface 1
5 and the guide surface 19. These dimensional increases also contribute to several other advantages, which in the case of drive trolley 22 arise primarily from the structure of drive member 46.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the stem portion 50 of the drive member 46 is formed between the trolley body side plates 54 and a longitudinal guide portion 68 of a web 69 interconnecting the roller bushing 67 on the front axle 58 and the side plates 54. It is movable between directionally spaced guides. The inner end 70 of the stem portion is connected to an arm 71 carried on a pivot pin 72 mounted between the side plates. Figures 4 and 5
The drive member 46 of the trolley shown in the figure is biased to the operating position by its weight, and the arm 71 is attached to the contact tool 7 on the trolley body.
3 primarily serves to form this position.

A drive claw 74 and an operating cam 76 are integrally formed at the end portion of the drive member 46.
4 has a drive surface 75 that is engageable with the pusher 42 in the operating position of the drive member, and an actuation cam 76 extends forward 41 from the drive pawl. The restraining pawl 78 also has the illustrated structure in which the driving member 46 is integrally formed, and has a restraining surface 79 that can engage with the pusher 42 in the operating position of the driving member. However, the restraining surface projects outwardly to a lesser extent than the driving surface 75 and has a smaller width (FIG. 5). The operating cam 76 has a first operating cam surface 80, a second stopping cam surface 81,
and a third anti-stick cam surface 82.

A storage cam surface 80 is located at the forward end of the actuation cam 76 and within the web portions 16 of the carrier track members 13,14. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, each carrier has a sixth drive member 46 for the next carrier.
A rearwardly extending actuator 84 capable of engaging the next carrier's actuating cam surface 80 to an inoperative position shown in solid line in the figure.
is provided. actuation cam 80 of actuator 84;
Complementary surfaces 85 at 86 maintain drive member 46 in this position. Thus, when the next carrier catches up with the preceding stopped carrier, it stops and accumulates behind the preceding carrier.

Each carrier also has a bumper 87 that protrudes forward.
and a rearwardly projecting bumper 88, which extends from the web portions 16 of the carrier track members 13, 14.
located within. As shown in FIG. 6, the rearwardly projecting bumper 88 of one carrier is moved to the non-operating position in response to the engagement of the drive member 46 of the next carrier with the actuator 84 of one carrier and the accumulation cam surface 76 of the next carrier. When the carrier moves to , it can engage with the forward protruding bumper 87 of the next carrier. The retaining surfaces 85, 86 are configured such that the drive member is in an inoperative position prior to engagement of the bumpers 87, 88.

2 and 6 show the actuator 84 and the bumper 8.
7 and 88 are attached to the multi-trolley carrier 20. The front bumper 87 is the body 5 of the drive trolley 22.
2, the actuator 84 and the rear bumper 88 are attached to the body of the rear trolley 26 (and to the intermediate trolley 2, as shown in FIG. 2, if maximum density storage zone is desired).
4). In conveyor systems having carriers each containing only a single drive trolley, actuator 84 and rear bumper 88 are mounted to the body of each drive trolley.

A second stop cam surface 81 of the actuation cam 76 is located between the first storage cam surface 80 and the drive surface 75 of the drive pawl and extends to an abutment surface 90 formed on the drive member 46 in front of the drive pawl. There is. In the operating position of the drive member shown in FIG. 4, the stop cam surface 81 is located outside the carrier track 10 and functions in the manner shown in FIGS. 10-12. A stop member 91 (movable laterally of the carrier track 10 in a known manner) is positionable in the path of motion of the end portion 48 of the drive member 46 and is coupled to a stop cam surface to move the drive member to an inoperative position as shown in FIG. 81 and a mating surface 90 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 12 to stop the carrier. When the restraining pawl 78 is integrally formed with the drive member 46, this pawl becomes unable to engage the pusher member 42 when the drive member 46 is moved by the stop member 91 to the inoperative position. The contact surfaces 90 protrude to each side of the restraining surface 79 to prevent interference between the restraining surface and the stop member 91 when the engagement is released.

A third anti-stick cam surface 82 of the actuation cam 76 is located outwardly of the abutment surface 90 and extends towards the drive surface 75 of the drive pawl. The anti-stick cam surface 82 is adapted to move the drive member 46 toward the non-operational position in response to engagement of the pusher member 42 caught up with the anti-stick cam surface 82, which occurs, for example, in the transfer zone. ing.

Drive pawl 74 of drive member 46 preferably includes a pair of integral laterally extending wing portions 92,93. Each wing portion projects to one side of the drive member and also projects rearwardly and outwardly of the abutment surface 90 from the actuating cam. Each wing section 92,93 is provided with an extension of the drive surface 75 and is provided with an extension of the anti-stick cam surface 82. Each wing portion 92,93 also projects to one side of the restraining pawl 78. These wing sections cooperate with the stop member 91 and the pusher 42 of the transfer zone.

10-12, stop member 91 is formed with a biased portion 94 extending forwardly to one side of stop surface 95 of the stop member. The forward extent of the biasing portion 94 causes the wing portion 9 of the drive pawl 74 to engage the biasing portion 94 as the drive member 46 is moved to the inoperative position in response to engagement of the stop member 91 with the stop cam surface 81.
3 overlap and engage with each other. This limits the movement of the drive member 46 and also ensures the engagement of the stop surface 95 of the stop member 91 with the abutment surface 90 of the drive member 46 .

Wing portions 92, 93 of drive member 46 and pusher 4
The cooperation with 2 will be described with respect to the conveyor system shown schematically in FIG. In this device, the path of the carrier track 10 is shown as a solid line, although this device does not represent a particular device, but merely illustrates the mode of use of the invention. The carrier moving clockwise around the device and located on a vertical line on the left side of FIG. Pusher member 4
It is promoted by 2-1. The relationship between the carrier track 10 and the power track 12-1 along this portion of the system is that of the conventional one shown in FIGS. The pusher member is symmetrical about plane 34 and is engageable with drive and restraint surfaces 75, 79 of drive pawls 74, 78 of drive member 46.

As the carrier advances to the right on the upper horizontal trajectory of FIG. is the pusher member 4 of the other chain, which is independently driven by the drive unit 96-2 and moves along the path formed by the power track 12-2.
2-2 (acting as a receiving pusher). Transfer zone 98-1 is at inlet end 99
and an outlet end 100. At the inlet end 99 there is an excursion 101 of the sending power trajectory 12-1 to one side of the vertical plane 34 and a convergence 102 of the receiving power trajectory 12-2 relative to the vertical plane 34. Between the inlet end 99 and the outlet end 100, the sending and receiving power tracks 12-1 and 12-2 have parallel portions that are offset to either side of the vertical plane 34, as shown in FIG. , extending parallel thereto and preferably arranged in substantially symmetrical relation thereto. These parallel power track sections position the sending and receiving pusher members 42-1, 42-2 in a laterally spaced relationship in which the sending pusher member 42-1 is engageable with one of the drive pawl portions 93. and a receiving pusher member is engageable with the other of the drive pawl portions 92. At the exit end 100, the dispatch power track 12-1 is connected to the carrier track 1.
The received power trajectory 12-2 diverges from the received power trajectory 12-2, which typically converges in a vertically aligned relationship with respect to zero.

The carrier entering the transfer zone 98-1 is propelled by one of the dispatch pusher members 42-1 which engages the drive pawl and wing portion 93 of the carrier. This engagement continues until the dispatch power track 12-1 diverges at the exit end 100 of the transfer zone, and the drive pawl wing portion 92 then transfers to the preceding receiving pusher member 42-2.
engaged by. Alternatively, the receiving pusher member 4
2-2 is moving at a faster speed than the sending pusher member 42-1, the receiving pusher member 42-2 catches up and engages the wing portion 92 of the drive pawl to move the carrier to the exit end 100 of the transfer zone.
Promote it further.

Shipping pusher member 4 in transfer zone 98-1
If the next carrier propelled by either the receiving pusher member 42-1 or the receiving pusher member 42-2 catches up with the previous stopped carrier for some reason, the operating cam surface 80 of the propelled carrier will overtake the previous stopped carrier. actuator 84 . The drive member 46 of the next carrier is all the pusher members 42-1, 4.
2-2 is moved to a non-operating position, and
Regardless of the movement of the pusher member, the next carrier stops and remains stopped until the previous carrier is propelled again.

If desired, a stop member 91 is provided in the transfer zone and, when positioned in the path of motion of the end portion 48 of the drive member 46, is engaged by the stop cam surface 81 and stops all pusher members 42-1, 42.
-2 to move the drive member to the non-operating position (compare Figures 7 and 12). When the stop member leaves the stop cam surface 81 and the abutment surface 90, the drive member 46 returns to the operating position and the drive pawl wing portion 92 or 9
One of the parts 3 is the next advancing Pushsha part 42-
2 or 42-1, respectively. The carrier is then propelled through transport zone 98-1 as previously described.

FIG. 13 shows a carrier drive trolley 122 of the present invention in an overhead power and free conveyor system with a power track mounted above the carrier track 10.
shows. Trolley 122 is similar to drive trolley 22 except that arm 71 is replaced by a lever 116 which is provided with a counterweight portion 118 to bias drive member 46 into the operating position with respect to pusher member 42.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a typical conveyor device showing the features of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of the load carrier of the present invention in which the power track is located below the carrier track, and FIG. 2 is an end view showing the track structure, FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the drive trolley of the load carrier in FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is an end view of the trolley in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is an end view of one carrier. FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 1, showing the storage relationship between the rear trolley and the drive trolley of the next carrier; FIG. FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side view showing various relationships between the drive trolley and the receiving pusher in the transfer section of FIG. 7; FIG. 9 is a view showing the relationship between the sending and receiving pushers; FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 9--9 showing the relationship between the drive trolley and the stop member; FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side view taken as indicated by arrow 10 in FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the relationship between the trolley and the stop member.
Fig. 12 is a plan view taken as shown by line 12-12 in Fig. 11, and Fig. 13 shows the carrier track located below the power track. Figure 3 is a side view of another drive trolley of the present invention modified for use in the conveyor system of the present invention. In the figure, 10...Carrier orbit, 12...Power orbit, 16...Wing part, 20...Carrier, 2
2, 24, 26...Trolley, 27...Tow bar,
30... Support structure, 36... Frame, 40...
...Carrier propulsion means, 42... Pusher member, 4
4... Endless chain, 45... Power trolley, 46
... Drive member, 56 ... Trolley body, 73 ... Opposing tool, 74 ... Drive claw, 75 ... Drive surface, 76 ...
Operating cam, 78... Suppression claw, 80... Accumulation surface, 8
1... Stop cam surface, 82... Anti-sticking cam surface, 8
4... Actuator, 8788... Bumper, 90... Contact surface, 91... Stopping member, 92, 93... Wing portion, 9495... Stopping surface, 101... Biasing portion,
104, 105...Beveled surface, 107...Cam bar.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A carrier including a carrier track and each carrier including a drive trolley supported by the carrier track,
a power track spaced perpendicularly from the carrier track; a carrier propulsion means mounted on the power track and constantly driven forward; the carrier propulsion means having a pusher member projecting toward the carrier track; in a conveyor apparatus having a drive member, the drive trolley being movable between an operative position and a non-operating position with respect to a pusher member and biased toward the operative position, the drive member 46 having a drive pawl 74 and an actuating portion. 76
integrally formed with the drive pawl 74, the drive pawl 74 having a drive surface 75 engageable with the pusher member 42 in the operative position of the drive member 46, and the actuating portion 76 extending forwardly from the drive pawl 74; The drive pawl 74 includes a pair of wing portions 92, 93, each projecting transversely to one side of the actuation portion 76, and the drive surface 7 of the drive pawl 74.
5 is provided on each of the pair of wing sections 92, 93, and the transverse extension of the wing sections 92, 93 is such that the drive surface 75 of the drive pawl 74 is connected to the pusher member 42 of the carrier propulsion means. 1,42-2, and is adapted to be engageable by the transport zone 98-2.
The carrier propulsion means is mounted on each of a pair of power tracks 12-1, 12-2 arranged in side-by-side relationship at 1; 20 is provided with a rearwardly extending actuator 84 which engages the storage cam surface 80 of the next carrier to cause the drive member 46 of the next carrier to move the drive member 46 of the next carrier to the pusher member 42.
- 1, 42-2 to the non-operating position to stop the next carrier. 2 The driving trolley 22 is provided with a restraining pawl 78 having a restraining surface 79 that is normally engaged by the pusher member 42, and the driving surface 75 of the driving pawl 74 is powered by a distance greater than that of the restraining surface 79. including a portion protruding outward toward the track 12;
2. The conveyor system of claim 1, wherein the abutting surface (90) projects transversely to each side of the restraining surface (79) to prevent interference of the stop member (91) with the restraining surface (79). 3. The conveyor device according to claim 2, wherein the restraining pawl 78 is integrally formed with the driving member 46. 4 The stop cam surface 81 and the contact surface 90 are located in front of the drive surface 75 of the drive claw 74 and the actuating portion 7
6, said stop cam surface 81 is arranged forward of said abutment surface 90 and extends towards it; is movable in the transverse direction of the carrier track 10 and follows the path of movement of the drive member 46. A stop member 91, which may be located within said stop cam surface 81, moves towards the drive member 46 to hold it in an inoperative position.
4. A conveyor device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the conveyor is engageable with the abutment surface 90 to stop the carrier 20. 5 the wing portions 92, 93 are disposed outside the abutment surface 90 toward the power track 12; the stop member 91 is engageable with the abutment surface 90 and engages the wing portions 92, 93; 5. A conveyor device as claimed in claim 4, having a stop surface 95 which is non-engagable. 6 The stop member 91 has a biased portion 94 extending rearwardly to one side of the stop surface 95 to direct movement of the drive member 46 in response to engagement of the stop member 91 by the stop cam surface 81 to the non-drive position. Claim 5, wherein said biasing portion 94 is engageable in a superimposed manner by one of said wing portions 92, 93 to limit
Conveyor equipment as described in section. 7 Said working part 76 and said wing parts 92,9
3 is provided with an anti-stick cam surface 82, this anti-stick cam surface 82 is arranged outside the contact surface 90 and extends toward the drive surface 75, and this cam surface 82 is Claims 4 to 6 are adapted to move the drive member 46 toward the non-operating position in response to engagement between the pushed pusher members 42-1 and 42-2.
A conveyor device according to any one of paragraphs.