GB2147863A

GB2147863A - Birail conveyor support arrangement

Info

Publication number: GB2147863A
Application number: GB08425145A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bernard Couedic; Maux Robert Le; Jean Madore
Original assignee: Couedic Madore SARL
Current assignee: Couedic Madore SARL
Priority date: 1983-10-06
Filing date: 1984-10-04
Publication date: 1985-05-22
Also published as: ES8505436A1; GB8425145D0; ES536406A0; GB2147863B; FR2553123B1; IE55708B1; FR2553123A1; IE842525L

Abstract

Each branch 3, 4 of a support bracket 2 has a flat face 7 which cooperates with a flat surface 7' of the rail 11, these two flat faces 7, 7' being mutually secured by a screw arrangement 13 of which the head penetrates into a cavity 12 of the rail 11 and of which the shape 14 cooperates with the complementary shape 14' of the rail so that on tightening of the bolt 15, a force F is directed towards support surface 6 which is disposed at an angle alpha to the face 7. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for ensuring the positioning of a roller track-way in a birail handling network and a network which is equipped with it The invention relates to a device for ensuring the positioning of a roller track-way in a birail handling network. It also relates to a network which is equipped with it.

The technique of transporting loads by aerial conveyor of the birail type is often the best for a large number of applications. This is the case, particularly in the handling of carcases in the meat industry. The problem consists of moving on from one work position to another of different loads according to a predetermined course or a course to be determined. This course is defined by a support fixed, for example, to the framework of the building. It carries a chair intended to receive a double track-way on which is supported a set of wheels carrying and guiding a load carrying hook.

Numerous problems are posed in the conception and positioning of such a combination of components. It is essential that the structure be robust, as light as possible, and that the at times draconian hygiene rules can be met.

The positioning of the members must be reliable, simple and make the spacing between the two rails compatible with any type of load support. Finally, if the track-way requires points, the latter must be incorporated in the simplest structure possible to avoid recourse to too many accessories.

The object of the present invention is to resolve these problems.

According to the invention, there is provided a device for ensuring the positioning of a roller trackway in an aerial birail handling network comprising a chair and two rails intended to be received on the chair spaced with a given separation on which roll wheels carrying a load carrying carriage; the chair having two legs each of which have a flat face and a face inclined with respect to the flat face at an angle a different from 90 , forming a support surface for cooperating with a respective one of the rails; each rail having a face constituting the track-way and a face perpendicular to the latter being a flat face intended to come into abutment on the flat face of the chair.

By use of shims between the respective flat faces of the chairs and the rails a variable spacing between the two rails may be obtained.

A handling network including chairs and rails in accordance with the invention may incorporate a monoblock switch-point of a type which is intended to serve as a right hand or left hand switchpoint. This result is obtained thanks to its design in which are incorporated fixing means compatible with those of the chair, its support and the rails situated beyond the region of the switch-point.

To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures I and 2 show schematically a device according to the invention in cross-section through the rails; Figure 3 illustrates a side view of one of the important features of the shoe; Figures 4 and 5 show schematically in plan and section a switch-point member, and show how it cooperates with the elements constituting a device according to the invention.

For clarity, the same elements have the same references in all the Figures.

As shown in Figure 1, the chair 2 has in a known manner two legs 3 and 4 intended to receive a rail 11 on the rolling surface 5 of which is supported and travel wheels connected to a carriage having the loads to be transported (not shown).

A first feature to be noted is that the extremity of each of the legs 3 and 4 has a flat vertical face 7 and an inclined face 8 forming with the former an angle a different from 90".

Another feature is that the combination of these two faces, vertical 7 and inclined 8, constitutes a support surface 6 (shown as a heavy line in the Figure) for the rail 11. In effect, the outer shape of the latter has, in the complementary manner, a flat face 7' and an inclined face 8' making with the former an angle a defined above. There is then, at this level, captivating of the two complementary sections of the chair 2 and of the rail 11 at the level of the support surface 6.

Another feature is that the rail 11 also has a cavity 12 inside which is positioned a screw arrangement 13. Again there is here found compatibility between the section of this cavity 12 and that of the screw arrangement 13. The one and the other have inclined surfaces 14 and 14' making with the vertical an angle ss different from 90 , intended to bring into support the one on the other thanks to a means of rendering them solid, such as for example a bolt 15. The screw 150 is threaded in an open hole 151 in the chair 2, the threading of this bolt 15 providing the forcing of the one against the other of these two inclined surfaces 14 and 14'.The resultant force F contributes to relieve the amount of captivating of the rail at the level of the support surface 6 by strongly pressing the flat face 7' of the rail 11 onto the vertical face 7 and this on all its usable surface.

As shown in Figure 2, which is a side view of Figure 1,the legs of the chair have open holes 151 at the level of the bolts 15, holes which facilitate positioning of the rails 11 and the screw arrangement 13.

When the two rails 11 are in place, on opposite sides of the axis XX' of the chair 2, the separation D between the two guide planes 77 is fixed by the construction.

Another important feature is that the device described above permits reduction of the separation D as required; this point is fundamental, because it permits rendering of the device, according to the invention, compatible with all the existing networks.

In effect, as shown in Figure 3, in which are to be found all the elements of Figure 1, the separation D has been reduced to a spacing Dl less than D thanks to the positioning of shims 17 interposed between the two vertical faces 7 and 7' of the chair 2 and of the rail 11. This arrangement is possible precisely from the fact of the combination of means used and particularly the existence of the two flat faces 7 and 7'. It should be noted that the conception of these means permits their production not only by shaping but also by drawing. One can thus produce them in steel.

A device according to the invention intended to equip a handling network permits the use of a switch-point of which the shape and arrangement are explained by means of Figures 4 and 5. In Figure 4, a track-way is shown obtained according to the invention and called "a normal network" in the following description and of which the arrangement has been described above, intended to cooperate with a switch-point member 20 according to the invention.

According to a first characteristic of the switchpoint, this is constituted by a monoblock piece presenting two sections 21 and 22, and of which the ends 21b and 22b are identical, joining to form the point 23 of the switch point 20. The first section 21, has a curved part 21a constituting a track-way intended to cooperate with a curved part 210a constituting the track-way to which it is complementary and which forms part of the normal network. (The fixation means to the framework of the building at this curved part 210a are not shown in Figure 4.) The curved part 21a of the section 21 is followed by a straight part 21b intended to extend a track-way 210b taking it also to the normal track. The junction plane between the section 21 and the switch-point 20 and the normal network has the reference 30.The second section 22 of the switch-point is a straight section intended, at its end, to extend the track-way 220 of the normal network, (the junction plane between the two has the reference 31), and to cooperate with a normal track-way 220b. These sections are seen more clearly in cross-section in Figure 5.

According to a second characteristic, each of these two straight parts 21 b and 22b of the switchpoint 20 has a threaded bore 24 intended to be centred on the open hole 151 of the chair 2 having the desired separation. The route which the load can follow is shown by the arrows f.

According to the third characteristic of the switch point, and as also shown on Figure 5, the body of the switch-point has a drilling 26 which permits positioning of a screwed rod 27 intended to be bolted on an angle iron 28 solid with the chair support 100.

Thus, the fact of having at the level of the chair 2 a straight support renders possible the positioning of the point of the switch-point with the straight part which permits with, the aid of a driiling, fixing of this point of the switch-point with the two symmetric faces, which dispenses with the need of two types of switch-point left and right, this being so for 90" and for 45" points. Similarly, the arrangement of this switch-point 20 permits the doing away with fish plates as is the case in the majority of known devices.

Finally, the switch-point members have a standard fixing length and are fixed without accessories, by means simply of threading.

It should be noted that the design of the different installing means permits a maximum inertia for a minimum weight to be obtained. This arrangement satisfies equally the requirements of hygiene, particularly in avoiding all risks of retention of liquid at whatever level that may be and this without the qualities of the robustness of the network being compromised. It therefore concerns a simple and effective system and which finds application in all areas where handling must be effected by means of a birail network.

Claims

1. A device for ensuring the positioning of a roller track-way in an aerial birail handling network comprising a chair and two rails intended to be received on the chair spaced with a given separation on which roll wheels carrying a load carrying carriage; the chair having two legs each of which have a flat face and a face inclined with respect to the flat face at an angle a diff,erent from 90 , forming a support surface for cooperating with a respective one of the rails; each rail having a face constituting the track-way and a face perpendicular to the latter being a flat face intended to come into abutment on the flat face of the chair.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flat face of each rail cooperates with a face inclined with respect to this flat face at the said angle a such that at this level there is captivation of a section constituted by the two surfaces on the support surface of the chair.

3. A device as claimed in either of claims 1 and 2, wherein each rail has a cavity inside which a screw arrangement is positioned in use for ensuring connection between the rail and the chair.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cavity has an inclined surface making with the vertical an angle pdifferent from 90 , and the screwing arrangement has a complementary inclined surface making with the vertical the said angle ,3 so that in use the force resulting from screwing, which applies the two inclined surfaces against each other, provokes captivating of the rail into the chair.

5. A device as claimed in either of claims 3 and 4, wherein the screwing arrangement is a bolt of which the screw is threaded in a open hole in the chair.

6. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the chair has for each of its legs at the level of the respective bolt open holes intended to facilitate the positioning of the screwing arrangements.

7. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the separation between the two guide faces of the two rails is modified by the positioning of a set of shims interposed between the flat vertical faces respectively of the chair and of the rails.

8. A device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures I to 3 of the ac companying drawings.

9. A birail handling network incorporating a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A handling network as claimed in claim 9, including at least one monoblock switch-point constituted by two sections joining to form the point of the switch-point; the first section having on the one hand a curved part constituting a track-way intended to cooperate with a complementary, curved, track-way leading to the normal network, and on the other hand a straight part intended to extend to a track-way of a normal network, the second section being constituted by a straight part constituting a track-way intended to extend to a track-way of the normal network, its end having the same section as the straight part of the first section.

11. A handling network as claimed in claim 10, wherein the straight par of the first section and the end of the second section each have a threaded bore intended to be centred on the open hole of a said chair for bolting it solid.

12. A handling network as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the body of the switchpoint has a drilling intended for the positioning of a threaded rod intended to be fixed to the support of a chair.

13. A handling network substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.