GB1381439A - Power and free conveyors - Google Patents

Abstract

1381439 Power and free conveyers RAPISTAN Inc 10 May 1973 22397/73 Heading B7L A power and free conveyer comprises a chain 11 running in track 12 and carriers 14 running on a lower track 13, each carrier consisting of forward and rear trolleys 15, 16 joined by load bar 17 with trolley 15 having a drive post 30 engageable by a drive dog 41 pivoted at its forward end to the chain 11, there being spaced rearwardly of dog 41 a distance greater than that between trolleys 15 and 16, a pivoted drive arm 51 spring-loaded to its out-of-use position such that should the carrier be diverted by a switch, Fig. 6 (not shown), on to a side track causing disengagement between dog 41 and post 30 a ramp 80, Fig 10, will engage drive arm peg 56 to move the cam into engagement with a rear drive member 36 thus driving the carrier into the side track where it is left or engaged by another drive chain. The drive arm 51 may be selectively operated by a solenoid pivoting the ramp 80 between in-use and out-of-use positions. Where the carrier runs along an incline a ramp 81 may be provided to engage peg 46 of dog 41 and prevent the dog from moving out of contact with post 30. To accumulate carriers a stop 90 may be moved into the path of a carrier to contact the forward ramp 44 of dog 41 thereby lifting the dog and disconnecting the drive. A succeeding carrier will have its drive dog lifted by the rear drive member of the first carrier and thus the carriers will accumulate until the stop is removed and a drive dog can engage the post of the first carrier in the line.