GB1278958A - Improvements in or relating to conveyor systems - Google Patents

Abstract

1278958 Conveyer systems GEO W KING Ltd 8 Sept 1970 [8 Sept 1969] 44365/69 Heading B7L An overhead power and free conveyer system has an endless propelling chain supported by a power track which is spaced from a support track in the form of channels 3 along which carriers consisting of interconnected trolleys 1 and 2 run, each carrier having forward and rearward driving dogs 5, 6 respectively and there being pusher members 4 on the propelling chain engageable with the dogs 5 to displace the carriers to a transfer region, where the support track branches. In the transfer region, the pusher members 4 disengage from the dogs 5, the dogs 6 being displaceable into and out of the path of the pusher members 4 by means of a cam 14, but outside a transfer region, the dogs 6 are disposed out of the path of movement of the pusher members 4. Each dog 6 is guided for vertical movement in its associated trolley 2 by two horizontal transverse pins 7 and side plates 10 of trolleys 2, and carries at its upper end sliding cam followers 19 which co-operate with cams 14 fixed to and extending along the tops of the channels 3 in the transfer region. A ramp 13 co-operates with a projection 16 from a trolley 1 to lower the associated driving dog 5 out of the path of movement of pusher members 4 if a trolley 1 runs into a trolley 2. Each trolley 1 has a forward holdback dog 21 which can pivot forwardly under the action of a pusher member 4 and engage with the associated forward driving dog 5 but cannot be pivoted rearwardly from that position. Each dog 5 has its top surface shaped so that it can pass forwardly below a pusher member 4 but the pusher member 4 cannot pass forwardly over it. Each dog 5 is guided for vertical displacement in the associated trolley 1. At the lower end of the dog 5 are two transverse pins 23 which constrain this end of the dog 5 and one end of a lever 24 to move with each other. Projecting rearwardly from each dog 5 and fixed thereto is an arm 25 which overlies a forwardly projecting arm 26 fixed to the associated dog 21. When a dog 5 is displaced downwardly, the associated arm 26 is displaced downwardly by its associated arm 25 so that the associated dog 21 is pivoted against a counterweight 27 so that the dog 21 does not project into the path of movement of members 4. In order to ensure that this occurs in a transfer region, each lever 24 has fixed thereto a cam follower pin which co-operates with a cam 29 fixed to one of the channels 3.