GB2074969A - Conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

A conveyor for the transportation of production parts comprises a drive belt or chain (7) and a plurality of pallets (9) for carrying the production parts mounted on the belt or chain by means of rollers (8) which permit the belt or chain to move relative to the pallet so that the pallets build up into a stack when they encounter an obstruction. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Conveyor German Patent No. 12 69 949 discloses a conveyor for transporting rocker bars progressively past various processing machines which lets the production parts coming from one processing machine accumulate into stacks and then removes them according to the requirements of the receiving processing machine. The conveyor has the disadvantage that it requires considerable machine construction expenditure.

In addition it comprises supporting frames for the production parts which raise and lower the conveyor as a stack of parts is built up. This not only wastes a considerable amount of motive energy but also creates an unduly high noise level.

According to the present invention there is provided a conveyor for the transportation of production parts comprising a drive belt or chain and a plurality of pallets for carrying production parts mounted on the belt or chain by means of rollers which permit the chain or belt to move relative to the pallet.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the pallets are provided with lateral idler or friction rollers which are loosely disposed on a flat outer side of chains or belts and which run laterally in supporting frame of the conveyor. The belts or chains are supported in the area between their driving or guide pinions by lateral runners provided on the supporting frame. In operation, when the chain or belt is rotating continuously the pallets are carried in the conveying direction as a consequence of the friction occurring in the rollers, but as soon as the path of movement of one pallet is obstructed, a stack of pallets builds up below it, the friction rollers allowing an uninterrupted operation of the chain or the belt.

The idlers or friction rollers are preferably composed of a simple non-ferrous metal or plastic material.

The return of the pallets can be effected in the supporting frame of the conveyor below the conveyor route by means of a drive unit identical to the conveyor route or via a correspondingly inclined track in the supporting frame along which the pallets travel under the force of gravity.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawing which shows a vertical section across the conveying direction through a stackable pallet-conveyor according to the invention. In the upper left half, an area around a driving pinion is shown and in the right half an area around a runner is shown. In the lower left half, a pallet-returner with a drive unit is indicated in broken lines and in the lower right half a gravity-fed pallet-returner is shown.

In the drawing, a supporting frame 1 of a conveyor comprises a sub-structure 2, on which are fixed U-shaped bearing rails 3,3 on the left and right of the path of the conveyor.

In the bearing rails 3 are pivoted shafts 5 bearing driving and reversing pinions 4. In the area between the driving and reversing pinions, runners 6 are fixed to the bearing rails 3.

Toothed chains or belt 7 run over the driving and reversing pinions 4 run and are supported by the runners 6 in the areas between the driving and reversing pinions. On the flat rear side of the chains or belts 7 are supported idler or friction rollers 8 of pallets 9.

The pallets 9 are provided with receptacles for production parts 10. If the chains or belts 7 are driven continuously, the pallets 9 supported with their idler or friction rollers 8 on the outer side of the chains or belts 7 are carried along by the friction occurring in the rollers 8. If a pallet 9 is stopped at the point of transfer to the next processing machine, for example, because the maching is temporarily out of order, the drive unit of the conveyor can continue working and the subsequent pallets form themselves into a stack or queue, the idler or friction rollers being driven in reverse by the continued motion of the chains or belts beneath the pallets.

As soon as the next processing machine again picks up production parts, the pallets in the stack will move up and if necessary be detached from the stack.

The return of the pallets can be effected, as shown in the lower left half of the Figure, by a drive unit, or, as shown in the lower right half of the Figure, by the force of gravity.

Claims

1. A conveyor for the transportation of production parts comprising a drive belt or chain and a plurality of pallets for carrying production parts mounted on the belt or chain by means of rollers which permit the chain or belt to move relative to the pallet.

2. A conveyor according to Claim 1 wherein the pallets are retained on the chains or belt by laterally spaced rails.

3. A conveyor according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the chains or belts are supported along their lengths by fixed runners.

4. A conveyor according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein friction rollers are formed from a non-ferrous metal or plastics material.

5. A conveyor according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the pallets are returned beneath an upper run of the conveyor by means of a mechanical drive unit.

6. A conveyor according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the pallets are returned along an inclined track under the force of gravity.

7. A conveyor for the transportation of production parts substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Conveyor German Patent No. 12 69 949 discloses a conveyor for transporting rocker bars progressively past various processing machines which lets the production parts coming from one processing machine accumulate into stacks and then removes them according to the requirements of the receiving processing machine. The conveyor has the disadvantage that it requires considerable machine construction expenditure. In addition it comprises supporting frames for the production parts which raise and lower the conveyor as a stack of parts is built up. This not only wastes a considerable amount of motive energy but also creates an unduly high noise level. According to the present invention there is provided a conveyor for the transportation of production parts comprising a drive belt or chain and a plurality of pallets for carrying production parts mounted on the belt or chain by means of rollers which permit the chain or belt to move relative to the pallet. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the pallets are provided with lateral idler or friction rollers which are loosely disposed on a flat outer side of chains or belts and which run laterally in supporting frame of the conveyor. The belts or chains are supported in the area between their driving or guide pinions by lateral runners provided on the supporting frame. In operation, when the chain or belt is rotating continuously the pallets are carried in the conveying direction as a consequence of the friction occurring in the rollers, but as soon as the path of movement of one pallet is obstructed, a stack of pallets builds up below it, the friction rollers allowing an uninterrupted operation of the chain or the belt. The idlers or friction rollers are preferably composed of a simple non-ferrous metal or plastic material. The return of the pallets can be effected in the supporting frame of the conveyor below the conveyor route by means of a drive unit identical to the conveyor route or via a correspondingly inclined track in the supporting frame along which the pallets travel under the force of gravity. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawing which shows a vertical section across the conveying direction through a stackable pallet-conveyor according to the invention. In the upper left half, an area around a driving pinion is shown and in the right half an area around a runner is shown. In the lower left half, a pallet-returner with a drive unit is indicated in broken lines and in the lower right half a gravity-fed pallet-returner is shown. In the drawing, a supporting frame 1 of a conveyor comprises a sub-structure 2, on which are fixed U-shaped bearing rails 3,3 on the left and right of the path of the conveyor. In the bearing rails 3 are pivoted shafts 5 bearing driving and reversing pinions 4. In the area between the driving and reversing pinions, runners 6 are fixed to the bearing rails 3. Toothed chains or belt 7 run over the driving and reversing pinions 4 run and are supported by the runners 6 in the areas between the driving and reversing pinions. On the flat rear side of the chains or belts 7 are supported idler or friction rollers 8 of pallets 9. The pallets 9 are provided with receptacles for production parts 10. If the chains or belts 7 are driven continuously, the pallets 9 supported with their idler or friction rollers 8 on the outer side of the chains or belts 7 are carried along by the friction occurring in the rollers 8. If a pallet 9 is stopped at the point of transfer to the next processing machine, for example, because the maching is temporarily out of order, the drive unit of the conveyor can continue working and the subsequent pallets form themselves into a stack or queue, the idler or friction rollers being driven in reverse by the continued motion of the chains or belts beneath the pallets. As soon as the next processing machine again picks up production parts, the pallets in the stack will move up and if necessary be detached from the stack. The return of the pallets can be effected, as shown in the lower left half of the Figure, by a drive unit, or, as shown in the lower right half of the Figure, by the force of gravity. Claims

1. A conveyor for the transportation of production parts comprising a drive belt or chain and a plurality of pallets for carrying production parts mounted on the belt or chain by means of rollers which permit the chain or belt to move relative to the pallet.

2. A conveyor according to Claim 1 wherein the pallets are retained on the chains or belt by laterally spaced rails.

3. A conveyor according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the chains or belts are supported along their lengths by fixed runners.

4. A conveyor according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein friction rollers are formed from a non-ferrous metal or plastics material.

5. A conveyor according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the pallets are returned beneath an upper run of the conveyor by means of a mechanical drive unit.

6. A conveyor according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the pallets are returned along an inclined track under the force of gravity.

7. A conveyor for the transportation of production parts substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.