GB1044183A - Article storage and conveying apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,044,183. Conveyers; shoots. POSTMASTER GENERAL. April 3, 1964 [April 4 1963]. No. 13501/63. Headings B8A and B8S. Conveying apparatus for articles such as boxes or trays comprises gravity roller conveyers 6, 7 and a roller transfer section 10. In an unloaded state of the section 10 a counterweight 13 maintains it in the receive position indicated in full line, articles on the upper conveyer 6 being able to pass from the outbye end of the conveyer on to the transfer section. The weight of an article on the transfer section is sufficient to pivot the section to the transfer position indicated in chain line. When the transfer section is in the receive position, a locking rod 18 extends past the end of the transfer section and engages with a locking pawl 23. The transfer section is thus locked in the receive position, the pawl 23 being biased into the locking position by a leaf spring 24. Also, the free end of the locking rod 18 lies under one end of a transverse lever 25 which at its other end is connected to an upstanding stop member 26. When the locking rod 18 and the pawl 23 are disengaged, a spring 27 causes the lever 25 to pivot and swing the stop member 26 into an operative position. Articles on the conveyer 6 are thus prevented from passing beyond the outbye end of the conveyer. An article A passes from the conveyer 6 on to the transfer section 10 since the stop member 26 is maintained inoperative. The forward end of the article A engages a roller 16 carried by a buffer arm 14 which swings towards the chain line position, Fig. 2 (not shown). The arm 14 moves the locking rod 18 and, the lever 25 being disengaged, the stop member 26, after the article A has passed over it, moves to prevent passage of further articles beyond the end of the conveyer 6. Further axial movement of the rod 18 results in disengagement from the locking pawl 23 and the transfer section is free to pivot to the transfer position. At the end of this pivot movement, a latch plate 28 engages with a locking pawl 29 carried by the conveyer 7, and the transfer section is locked in the transfer position. The article A then moves under gravity on to the conveyer 7. the buffer arm 14 and rod 18 being moved back to the full line position by a compression spring 22. During transfer of the article on to the conveyer 7 it rides over a wedge-shaped section 33 of a U-shaped member 32 and a locking pawl 29 is released from engagement with a latch plate 28 dependent from the transfer section 10. As the transfer section returns to the receive position, the rod 18 rides up the pawl 23 until the leaf spring 24 swings the pawl under the rod 18, locking the transfer section in the receive position once again. There may be more than two conveyors, a transfer section being arranged between the outbye and inbye ends of adjacent conveyers. The apparatus may be constructed for use as a temporary storage device for storing a sequence of articles on vertically-spaced conveyers. Instead of being operated by gravity, the transfer sections may be operated electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically. The conveyers may comprise gravity shoots or powered endless belts horizontally disposed.