Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G9/00—Apparatus for assisting manual handling having suspended load-carriers movable by hand or gravity
  • B65G9/002—Load-carriers, rollers therefor
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B61—RAILWAYS
  • B61B—RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B61B13/00—Other railway systems
  • B61B13/04—Monorail systems
  • B61B13/06—Saddle or like balanced type
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G9/00—Apparatus for assisting manual handling having suspended load-carriers movable by hand or gravity
  • B65G9/008—Rails or switches

Definitions

• This invention relates to an overhead conveyor system comprising an overhead rail, and a trolley movable along said rail and from which trolley an article can be suspended for movement between working stations disposed along the path of the overhead rail.
• An overhead conveyor system according to the invention is particularly suitable for use in a factory for moving articles between working stations at which successive operations can be carried out during the complete formation or fabrication of the articles.
• the invention has been developed primarily, though not exclusively, with a view to providing an overhead conveyor system for use in a garment-making factory, in which case the "articles" will be partly-formed garments which require a sequence of manufacturing steps before completion of the garment.
• the articles are conveyed between working stations disposed along the path of the overhead rail, by being suspended from trolleys which run along an upper guide or running surface of the rail.
• each trolley will carry a batch of articles, and the operative at each working station can reach out and remove articles sequentially from the batch on the trolley, carry out any necessary work on the article, and then return the article to the trolley, or to a further trolley, for conveyance to the next working station at which further work is carried out.
• the overhead conveyor system of the invention is based on the use of an overhead rail having an upper running surface, and a trolley having wheels which run along this surface. This provides a simpler construction than some existing conveyor arrangements (one of which is described in more detail below) and which is particularly suitable for use (if desired) in an automated conveyor arrangement.
• the invention provides an overhead rail with a trolley which runs on the upper running surface thereof, giving the advantages of (a) easy mounting and dismounting of the trolley on and from the rail, (b) simple construction and (c) facility for automation, it is necessary to provide a guide arrangement on the trolley which can impart lateral stability to the trolley, especially when the trolley has reached a working station at which article transfer takes place which is liable to exert a turning moment on the trolley about the longitudinal axis of the rail.
• an overhead conveyor system which comprises an overhead rail having an upper running surface, and a trolley having at least one flanged wheel engagable with said upper running surface for movement of the trolley along said rail, in which the trolley comprises: a cradle on which said flanged wheel is rotatably mounted; support means mounted on said cradle and serving for the suspension of one or more articles to be transported by the trolley; and a guide which is engagable with a lower region of the rail in order to locate the trolley laterally relative to the rail.
• the support means may comprise an arm rigidly mounted on the cradle, and preferably mounted rigidly at one end on the cradle, and having the other end"engaged by a
• SUBSTITUTE SHEET releasable latch which serves to retain the article(s) suspended from the arm.
• the guide comprises a wheel which is arranged to run along the underside of the rail, and it may have two axially spaced annular flanges, one of which has a smaller diameter than the other to permit the trolley to be disengaged from the rail by pivoting about the upper flanged wheel.
• the support means comprises a support block mounted on the cradle, and- preferably a peg or other releasable retainer is suspended from the support block and serves to suspend releasably an article from the trolley.
• the peg is preferably connected to the block via a swivel, to enable the suspended article to be rotated relative to the cradle.
• the support means in a further arrangement, may comprise an elongate support suspended from the trolley and extending longitudinally thereof, the support having a plurality of article suspension points spaced apart along its length.
• the support means may comprise an upright support suspended from the cradle and carrying at its lower end a rotatable article suspending device, which may carry a plurality of circumferentially spaced article suspension points.
• the upright support is vertically adjustable relative to the cradle.
• one or more power operated devices may be arranged at predetermined positions along the path of the rail, and so as to be engagable with the upright support of a trolley when the latter moves to the particular predetermined position. The power operated device then engages with the upright support
• SUBSTITUTE SHEET and, upon operation of the device, it can cause any required raising or lowering of the upright support to suit the requirements of an operative at the predetermined position.
• the power operated device is mounted at a work station, and may be mounted on and extend upwardly from a work table.
• the device is preferably pneumatically operated, and engages with a projection extending laterally of the upright support.
• the trolley has a pair of flanged wheels arranged one in front of the other, with respect to the rail on which they run, and each wheel may be carried at the upper end of a vertical arm which extends upwardly from the main frame of the trolley.
• the guide may then be mounted on, or form a part of one or both of said arms.
• there are two guide members comprising a second pair of flange wheels rotatably mounted on the arms so as to lie vertically beneath the abovementioned first pair of wheels, said second pair of wheels rolling along the underside of the rail.
• a single guide wheel may be provided which when two flanged wheels are provided (for engaging the upper running surface of the rail) , may be mounted substantially symmetrically with respect to the (overhead) flanged wheels.
• the rail is preferably shaped in the form of a flattened oval, and conveniently is formed of hollow one- piece construction.
• the trolley can readily be mounted on and dismounted from the rail. Furthermore, there is a simple construction of the rail and the trolley.
• a fixing bracket for suspending the rail from a stand, the bracket comprising an upper portion for fixing the bracket to part of the stand at a
• the conveyor system according to the invention may be used to advantage in a garment-making factory, in which a number of working stations are arranged along the path of the rail, and the operative at each station can readily remove partly formed garments from the trolley in order to carry out the required work at that station.
• Figure 1 is a perspective side view of a first embodiment of an overhead rail and trolley mounted thereon;
• Figure 2 is a partial end view taken in the direction of the arrow X in Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating a fixing bracket for suspending the rail on a stand
• Figure 4 is a side view of a second embodiment
• Figure 5 is an end view of the second embodiment
• Figure 6 is a schematic side view of a third embodiment
• Figure 7 is a schematic side view of a fourth embodiment.
• Figure 8 is a schematic view showing the co-operation between an overhead conveyor system according to the invention and a working station.
• an overhead conveyor system 1 comprises an overhead rail 2 and a trolley 3 which has a pair of flanged wheels 4 for rolling along the upper running surface 5 of the rail.
• the wheels 4 are arranged one beind the other, with respect to the rail 2 on which they run.
• a cradle 6 of the trolley 3 is suspended from the wheels 4 by means of two vertical arms 7 on which the
• the cradle 6 is suspended from the lower ends of the vertical arms 7, which ends are bent so as to extend generally horizontally and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rail.
• the mounting means 9 fixing the cradle to the arms 7 allow a certain degree of play or pivoting so that the cradle can twist slightly relative to the arms. This allows the trolley successfully to negotiate bends in the rail.
• the cradle 6 is provided with support means mounted thereon and serving for the suspension of one or more articles to be transported by the trolley, and taking the form of a rigidly mounted horizontal support arm 10.
• the arm 10 is rigidly mounted thereon at one end on the cradle so that the arm extends generally longitudinally of the rail, at least when the trolley is travelling along the rail.
• the arm 10 is rigidly welded to the cradle but has a bend 11 somewhere in the central region of the arm so that the free end 12 of the arm extends laterally of the rail, whilst still lying in the same horizontal plane.
• a latch member 13 is pivotally mounted on cradle 6 for pivotable movement about pivot axis 13a, the lower end of the latch engaging within a slot 14 in the free end of the arm. This serves to prevent garments which have been suspended from the arm 10 by means of clips or pegs 15 from sliding off whilst trolley 3 is in motion.
• a guide is provided on the cradle 6 which is engagable with a lower region of the rail and which also serves to locate the trolley laterally relative to the rail.
• the guide comprises a pair of guide members in the form of a second pair of flanged wheels 16 rotatably mounted on vertical arms 7 on axles 17.
• the second pair of wheels are flanged, but are not identical to the first pair, the difference being that one of the flanges 16a is of reduced diameter so as to allow the trolley to be removed from the rail if necessary.
• the trolley primarily runs along the upper surface 5 of the rail, but at the same time the lower pair of wheels rollingly engage the undersurface 18 of the rail to provide a restoring force.
• Figure 3 illustrates a fixing bracket 25 for suspending the rail 2 from a stand 26 of which there may be provided several.
• the bracket comprises an upper externally threaded portion 27 which is secured at a desired height relative to the stand 26 by means of a nut 28.
• Continuous with the upper portion 27 is an intermediate portion 29 which is bent away from the rail so as to allow free passage of the trolley.
• the intermediate portion 29 terminates in a lower portion 30 which is welded to a fixing plate 31, the fixing plate 31 being bolted or otherwise secured to the rail 2 by bolts 32 or similar.
• FIG. 4 A further embodiment is shown in Figures 4 and 5, in which a pair of upper flanged wheels 44 are arranged closely adjacent to each other, one at each end of a horizontal support arm 45, and running on the upper surface of rail 2 in the form of an oval tube.
• the support arm 45 is carried at the upper end of an upright support arm 46, and a single guide wheel 47 is rotatably mounted on a lower end of the upright arm 46 for rotation about a horizontal axis, and to engage the underside of the rail 2. (The arms 45 and 46 therefore form the "cradle" of the trolley) .
• the single guide wheel 47 is cut-away at its side remote from the support arm 46, to permit ready lifting-off of the trolley, by outward pivoting about the upper flange wheels 44, when required.
• a support block 48 is carried by the lower end of the upright support arm 46 to permit 360° rotation of any article suspended from the trolley. There is shown a peg 49 from which a garment hanger can be suspended, which is in turn suspended from the support block 48 via a tensile link 50 and a swivel 51.
• This embodiment can be used for automation, and for transporting and manufacturing single or multiple items. As shown, there are two upper flanged wheels 44, and a single lower guide wheel 47. However, a single upper flanged wheel may be provided, operating in conjunction with a pair of lower guide wheels if required.
• the support means which is mounted on the cradle comprises an elongate support 53 which is suspended from the trolley and which extends longitudinally thereof, the support 53 having a plurality of article suspension points 54 spaced apart along its length.
• One or more articles, such as partly formed garments, can then readily be suspended from the suspension points 54 by means of any suitable releasable retainers, such as pegs.
• a fourth embodiment of trolley is designated generally by reference 55, and has a pair of upper rollers running on the upper running surface 5 of the rail 2, and a single lower roller (guide) running on the under surface 18 of the rail 2.
• the support means mounted on the cradle comprises an upright support 56 which is suspended from the cradle and which carries at its lower end a rotatable article suspending device 57.
• the device 57 is rotatable, and carries a plurality of circumferentially spaced article
• the upright support 56 is vertically adjustable relative to the cradle, to vary the height of articles suspended therefrom, to suit operating requirements, and particularly the requirements of operatives arranged at work stations along the path of the overhead rail 2.
• means may be provided to enable the device 57 to be slid radially outwardly of the axis of upright support 56 (along a suitable radial guide extending upwardly of the support 56) to vary the positioning of the suspended articles relative to the path of the overhead rail 2, and thereby to suit the requirements of an operative at any particular work station.
• the device 57 will still be rotatable about its central axis,- but off-set from the axis of the support 56.
• one or more power operated devices are arranged at predetermined positions along the path of the rail 2, for engagement with the upright support 56 when the trolley moves to the particular predetermined position.
• the power operated device is designated by reference 59, and is shown in more detail in Figure 8.
• the power operated device 59 is shown in Figure 8 as being mounted on and extending upwardly from a work table at a work station 60, and preferably takes the form of a pneumatic ram having a projecting actuator arm 59a engagable with a projecting lug 56a of the support 56.
• the actuator arm 59a can come into engagement with lug 56a, and following operation of the device 59, preferably under automatic triggering, the support 56 can then be raised or lowered to the required height to suit the requirements of the operative at the work station 60.
• An adjustable bracket 61 may be arranged to permit variation in the datum height of the device 59.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Chain Conveyers (AREA)
• Carriers, Traveling Bodies, And Overhead Traveling Cranes (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=26292664

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

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Family Cites Families (10)

• 1988
  • 1988-08-26 AU AU23294/88A patent/AU2329488A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1988-08-26 WO PCT/GB1988/000705 patent/WO1989001891A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1988-08-26 EP EP19880907726 patent/EP0374175A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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