GB1386903A - Conveyor apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1386903 Roller conveyers ERMANCO Inc 23 July 1973 [24 July 1972] 34918/73 Heading B8A Groups A, B of rollers 14 of a roller conveyer are driven by belts 27 which engage countershafts 20 extending in the direction of the conveying path, disengageable coupling means in the form of a clutch 25 being provided between a drive shaft 16 and individual countershafts 20 to permit selective control of the roller groups by means of article-engaging triggers 51. Each group includes one roller 14a driven by a belt 28 from an adjacent roller 14. Clutches 25 each comprise an idler roller 30 normally spring-urged into engagement with rollers 29, 31 provided on shafts 16, 20 respectively but the roller 30 is movable away from the rollers 29, 31 by a pneumatic device 42, 43 operated by one of a plurality of triggers 51 each of which controls one group of rollers 14. By varying the size of the drive roller 29 and/or the countershaft roller 31, different groups of the rollers 14 may be driven at different speeds. The clutches 25 may provide for slip if torque is to be limited and they may be of the electric solenoid type. Photo-electric cells or elevated rollers may be substituted for the triggers 51 and brake devices may be used with the counterhsafts 20, Fig. 6 (not shown). Figs. 11-16 (not shown) illustrate, in sequence, the travel of articles along the conveyer and the operation of pneumatic circuitry controlling the travel. Fig. 17 (not shown) illustrates an electric circuit which may replace the pneumatic arrangement. In Fig. 18, a countershaft 140 is concentric with a drive shaft 141 and clutch 145 is of the sliding friction type. Alternatively, drive and driven clutch plates (157, 158), Figs. 20, 21 (not shown), have complementary projections and detents. In a further modification, Fig. 22, a toothed member 175 of the clutch is made of an elastomer material or, if of metal, drive and driven gears 171, 174 are made of the elastomer material. In embodiments where a parallel spaced drive and counterhsaft arrangement is used, a friction belt drive, equivalent to clutch means, may be controlled by a movable idler roller; magnetic particle clutches are also specified . The countershafts may be readily removable for easy replacement of the drive belts.