GB2303601A - Belt-driven platten conveyor: continuous drive at corners - Google Patents

Abstract

A conveyor system with tracks 10 to 13 is supported by a framework 14. The track frame 15 comprises outer and inner drive elements 16, 17, which are long, narrow endless belts entrained around rotary elements 18, 19. The belts drive plattens (40, fig. 3) for workpieces. Drive means 20 are provided for the belts. Numerals 25, 26 denote longitudinal slotted guides for plattens. 28 denotes an arcuate guide slot at a corner. The drive elements at each corner are arranged to transfer plattens smoothly from one conveyor to another, with continuous drive; particularly by the outward extension of outer drive element 16, to a point adjacent to the outer end of corresponding element 21 on track 13. Successive positions of the platten as it rounds a corner are shown in figure 3.

Description

Title: CONVEYOR SYSTEMS Description of Invention This invention relates broadly to conveyor systems. More particularly, the invention relates to conveyor systems of the type in which a track has means for guiding a succession of load-supporting members along the track, and two drive elements are provided in the form of endless loops spaced from one another transversely of the track and entrained around rotary support elements spaced lengthwise of the track so that parts of the drive elements extending lengthwise of the track are engagable with the load supporting-members for driving them along the track. Such a conveyor system will hereafter be referred to as a conveyor system of the kind specified.

Conveyor systems of the kind specified are widely utilised for transporting articles being manufactured between workplaces where different manufacturing operations are carried out on the articles. The drive elements, which usually are in the form of relatively narrow endless belts, are driven such that their parts engagable with the load-supporting members move in the direction in which the load-supporting members are required to be driven along the track. At the workplaces, the load-supporting members carrying the articles might be held stationary, in which case slippage takes place between the drive elements and the load-supporting members since the drive elements are not halted.

With known conveyors of such type, problems occur where load supporting members have to be transferred between track portions extending in different directions. Usually the track portions extend at right angles to one another, but it will be appreciated that they might extend at other angles to one another. In any event, it has been necessary to provide some means for guiding and supporting the load-supporting members as they move from one track portion to the next track portion, and hitherto suitably oriented and arranged rollers or the like have been used to provide such guide and support for the load-supporting members between the track portions. The drive elements cannot be arranged other than in straight lines. Such expedients do not provide for reliable driving and supporting of the load-supporting members as they change direction: jamming can occur.

Alternatively, transfer mechanisms have been provided to lift successive load-supporting members from a track portion extending in one direction and place them on the next track portion extending in another direction.

To provide this facility is expensive.

Accordingly it is one object of the present invention to provide a conveyor system wherein the above described problems can be overcome or reduced.

According to one aspect of the invention, we provide a conveyor system of the kind specified wherein the drive elements of respective track portions adjacent to one another and extending in different directions to one another are so arranged as to provide for engagement of a load-supporting member being guided from one track portion to the other always with at least two drive elements.

To achieve this, the drive elements are preferably arranged such that the centre line of one of the drive elements of one of the track portions intersects the corresponding drive element of the adjacent track portion.

Preferably the drive elements thus arranged are the outermost drive elements with respect to the "corner" where the track portions extend in different directions to one another. The inner drive elements are not readily able to be thus arranged, because there is less available space at the inner part of the "corner".

According to another aspect of the invention, we provide a conveyor system of the kind specified wherein, where adjacent track portions extend in different directions relative to one another, the outermost drive element of at least one of the track portions extends in the direction of the length of such track portion beyond the end of the innermost drive element of such track portion.

Preferably said track portions extending in different directions to one another form part of a system comprising a plurality of such portions defining a closed path along which the load-supporting members can be guided between a plurality of workplaces. Preferably the drive elements of all the track portions are arranged in accordance with the invention at each adjacent pair of track portions extending in different directions to one another.

Preferably each track portion has a respective motor, e.g. an electric motor, for driving the drive elements of the track portion.

According to another aspect of the invention, we provide a portion of track for a conveyor system of the kind specified, wherein at an end of said track portion one drive element extends farther in the direction of the length of the track portion than the other drive element.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conveyor system in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of part of the system of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of a further part of the system; Figure 4 is a perspective view of yet a further embodiment of system in accordance with the invention; Figure 5 shows elements which may be utilised in further systems in accordance with the invention.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings, this shows diagrammatically, in perspective view, a conveyor system which comprises four track portions indicated generally at 10, 11, 12, 13 arranged, in plan view, in a rectangular configuration with each adjacent pair of track portions 10, 11; 11, 12; 12, 13; 13, 10 extending at right angles to one another. The track portions are supported above ground level by a supporting framework indicated generally at 14. Each track portion comprises guide means and drive elements, as described in greater detail hereafter.

Figure 2 shows in greater detail the corner of the conveyor system where the track portions 10, 13 are adjacent one another. The track portion 10 comprises a track frame indicated generally at 15, which supports two drive elements 16, 17. The drive elements 16, 17, which are spaced from one another in the direction transversely of the track portion, comprise relatively narrow endless belts which are entrained around rotary elements spaced lengthwise of the track portion: such rotary elements at the illustrated end of the track portion are shown at 18, 19. Between the rotary elements 18, 19 and the corresponding rotary elements (not shown) at the other end of the track portion 10, the drive elements 16, 17 have upwardly presented drive runs able to support a loadsupporting member as described hereafter and return runs (not shown) spaced beneath the drive runs.Means, not shown in Figure 2 but indicated at 20 in Figure 1 for the track portion 10, are provided for driving the two drive elements such that their upwardly presented drive portions move in the direction in which load-supporting members are required to be moved along the track portion.

Preferably each track portion has its own drive means; a long track portion may have more than one drive means.

Similarly the track portion 13 is provided with drive elements 21, 22 entrained around rotary support elements 23, 24 respectively at the illustrated end of the track portion 13.

The track portions further comprise guide means respectively indicated at 25, 26 and in the form of longitudinally extending slot or trough formations for receiving projections extending downwardly from load-supporting members carried by the track and thus guiding load supporting members along the track. At the corner shown in Figure 2, a corner guide element 27 with an arcuate slot or trough formation 28 is provided for guiding the load-supporting members around the corner.

It will be noted in Figure 2 that the centre line of the top run of the drive element 16 intersects the top run of the drive element 21 where it is about to extend around the rotary support element 23.

Figure 3 shows a corner between two track portions extending at right angles to one another. The track portions are indicated at 30, 31 and the drive elements thereof at 32, 33; 34, 35. The guide means of the two track portions is indicated at 36, 37 and the corner guide member at 38 having arcuate guide formation 39 therein.

A load-supporting member, hereinafter termed for convenience a platen, is indicated at 40 and it will be noted that it is supported on the drive elements 32, 33. It has downwardly dependent projections 40, 41 engaged in the guide means 36. It further has a stop member 43 for engagement with a stop formation when required to be temporarily halted at a workplace for an operation to be carried out on an article carried by the platen. When this takes place, the drive elements continue running and slip beneath the platen.

Successive positions of the platen as it rounds the corner between the track portions 30, 31 are shown in broken lines in Figure 3. The arrangement of the guide means and drive elements ensures continuous driving of the platen around the corner and resists jamming thereof.

Referring now to Figure 4 of the drawings, this shows how a conveyor system in accordance with the invention may be extended by the use of additional track components. The reference numeral 45 indicates a conveyor system as that shown in Figure 1, which can be extended to a system of considerably elongated rectangular configuration by the addition of two track portions 46, 47. Such track portions are provided at the ends of track portions 48, 49 of the system 45, in place of track portion 50 which is from the ends of portions 48, 49 to the ends of the new track portions 46, 47.The drive elements of all the track portions overlap one another to the extent above described, to ensure satisfactory driving of platens between such portions Figure 5 shows further track portions which may be used with track portions as above described to form conveyor systems of any desired configuration. 51 indicates a track portion wherein the ends of the drive elements thereof are, at both ends of the portion, level with one another, while 52 and 53 show track portions where opposite ends of the one drive element are relatively extended compared with the other drive element.Adjacent drive-element supporting parts of the track portions may be joined to one another by the use of joining members 54 of trough-like configuration. 55 shows yet another configuration of track portion, in which one drive element extends beyond the other drive elements at both ends of the portion.

Each of the track portions as above described may be capable of having the lateral spacing of its drive elements adjusted in order to be used for constructing conveyor systems for transporting different widths of load-supporting member. Such track portions may include one drive element whose position relative to a supporting member or structure is variable, or different dimensions of supporting member or structure for the drive elements may be utilised. It will be appreciated that in a conveyor of greater width the outer drive elements will have to extend beyond the ends of the inner drive elements at a corner by a greater distance than they are required so to extend for a conveyor of lesser width.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (9)

1. A conveyor system comprising portions of track having means for guiding a succession of load-supporting members along the track and two drive elements in the form of endless loops spaced from one another transversely of the track and entrained around rotary support elements spaced lengthwise of the track so that parts of the drive elements extending lengthwise of the track are engageable with the load supporting members for driving them along the track, wherein the drive elements of respective track portions adjacent to one another and extending in different directions to one another are so arranged as to provide for engagement of a load supporting member being guided from one track to the other always with at least two drive elements.

2. A conveyor system comprising portions of track having means for guiding a succession of load supporting members along the track; and two drive elements in the form of endless loops spaced from one another transversely of the track and entrained around rotary support elements spaced lengthwise of the track, so that parts of the drive elements extending lengthwise of the track are engageable with the load supporting members for driving them along the track, and wherein adjacent track portions extending in different directions relative to one another have the outermost drive element of at least one of the track portions extending in a direction of the length of such track portion beyond the end of the innermost drive element of such track portion.

3. A conveyor system according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the drive elements are arranged such that the centre line of one of the drive elements of one of the track portions intersects the corresponding drive element of the adjacent track portion.

4. A conveyor system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said track portions extending in different directions to one another form part of a system comprising a plurality of such portions defining a closed path along which the load supporting members can be guided between a plurality of workplaces.

5. A conveyor system according to Claim 4 wherein the drive elements of all the track portions are as claimed in said claims.

6. A conveyor system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each track portion has a respective motor for driving its drive elements.

7. A portion of track for a conveyor system of the kind specified, wherein at an end of said track portion one drive element extends farther in the direction of the length of the track portion than the other drive element.

8. A conveyor system, or a portion of track therefor, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings

9. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.