GB994974A - Improvements in and relating to storage conveyors - Google Patents

Abstract

994,974. Storage conveyers. TISSMETAL LIONEL - DUPONT, TESTE & CIE. July 7, 1961 [July 8, 1960], No. 24755/61. Heading B7L. In a storage conveyer of the kind comprising trolleys C1, C2 . . . Cn1, Fig. 1, driven by a chain A along a track B, the chain having at intervals pairs of driving and retaining pawls 2, 3 respectively, which engage the heads 6 of the trolleys, the pawls being pivotable out of the path of the heads 6 as a trolley enters the storage zone shown in Fig. 1, wherein the track B is downwardly inclined, rollers 4 provided on each of the driving pawls 2 engage a fixed downwardly inclined ramp 5 and lift the pawls 2 out of engagement with the trolleys, the retaining pawls 3 remaining in engagement with their associated trolley heads 6, e.g. on a trolley Cn, until the trolleys abut another trolley, e.g. C4, held in the storage zone, this preventing undue acceleration of the trolleys along the inclined track, and the foremost trolley, e.g. C2, being held in the storage zone by a stop E, which may only be released when a pair of pawls 2, 3 is in a position to take up the drive to a released trolley. The stop E is constituted by the nose 28, Fig. 7, of a plate 26 held on a fixed vertical pivot 29. At the end 5a, Fig. 5, of the ramp 5 and in line therewith, is disposed a plate 13 and a lever 19 so that a roller 4 will pass over the plate 13 and the surface 21 of the lever 19 before allowing the associated driving pawl 2 to drop back to its trolley engaging position, thus the pawl is prevented from engaging with the head 6 of a trolley held by the nose 28. The lever 19 is pivotable about a horizontal pivot 20 and carries a finger 24 which engages in an opening 25 in the plate 26, and holds it locked in the position shown in Fig. 7. The plate 13 may be raised to the position 13a, Figs. 5, 8, by vertical movement of a rod 14 fixed to the plate 13, this movement being effected manually or by the use of an electromagnet or an hydraulic or pneumatic jack. A roller 4 will then pass under the plate 13 and allow its associated pawl 2 to drop into its trolley engaging position The roller 4 then contacts an adjustable cam 22 fixed to the lever 19 and lifts this lever and the finger 24, Fig. 8, so that the plate 26 is free to pivot to allow the passage of the head 6 of the trolley which has just been engaged by the driving pawl 2. As the plate 26 pivots it pushes a lever 30a, 30b about its vertical pivot 29 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 7, wherein its end 30a will be engaged by the head 6 of the released trolley, this lever serving to return the plate 26 to the position shown in Fig. 7, wherein the finger 24 will drop back into the opening 25 to lock the plate 26 in position, and the nose 28 will arrest the succeeding trolley.