JPH01197215A - Chain for conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to meet requirements due the dimensional change in a work by providing a stopper composed of an elastic member between relatively adjacent pins which support chain rollers while connecting link plates, in such a way as to let one end of the member be protruded over the chain, and thereby forming the abutting surfaces to the work therein. CONSTITUTION:Stopper members 4a and 4b are rotated upward on the axis of a pin 2a by means of compression springs 10, abutting surfaces 12 are protruded upward above a chain roller 3 while being restrained by both a pin 2b and rotation holes 8. This constitution allows a cargo W to be carried to be fitted into the steps 11 of the stopper members 4a and 4b, which are located at the pitch position corresponding to the length L of the cargo so that the cargo is positioned by the abutting surfaces 12. The other stopper member underneath the cargo W is immersed, since the escape surfaces 14 are pressed down by the cargo W. This constitution can thereby improve responsiveness against the dimensional change in the cargo to be carried.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a conveyor chain used for conveying balents, workpieces, and the like.

(Prior Art) Chain conveyors have conventionally been used to transport pallets, workpieces, and the like.

A chain conveyor uses a sprocket to drive an annular chain, and conveys the object by moving the chain.The chain used for this uses a conveyor belt to prevent misalignment of the object in the conveying direction. Part members are attached at equal intervals according to the shape and size of the object.

However, in the conventional conveyor chain, since the stopper member is fixed to the chain, it is difficult to change the dimensions of the conveyed object.

That is, when the length dimension of the conveyed object increases, it may become impossible to place the conveyed object unless the attachment pinch of the stopper member is increased accordingly. If the size of the conveyed object becomes smaller, the mounting pitch of the stopper members must be reduced accordingly, otherwise there will be wasted space on the conveyor and the conveyance time per pitch of the conveyed object will be reduced. It takes a lot of time, and the conveyance efficiency deteriorates.

However, in conventional conveyor chains, the stopper member is fixed with bolts, etc., and in order to respond to changes in the dimensions of the conveyed object, the bolts must be loosened to change the mounting position, and the position will change in the reinstalled position. It was necessary to make some minor adjustments.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In this way, with conventional conveyor chains, it takes a lot of time and effort to change the position of the stopper member.
It is not easy to change the dimensions of the conveyed objects, which impedes the flexibility of the conveyor line and makes it impossible to handle high-mix, low-volume production.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a conveyor chain that can easily accommodate changes in the dimensions of conveyed objects.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a conveyor chain in which a large number of link plates are connected by pins and chain rollers are provided on the pins. It can be rotated around a pin,
A stopper member whose rotational angle width is regulated by the other pin and which is biased in the upward rotational direction by an elastic member is provided, and an upper end portion on the side of the pin that restricts the rotation of the stopper member. The conveyor chain is configured to have a contact surface that comes into contact with the conveyed object in a direction along the longitudinal direction of the conveyor chain.

Further, the elastic member is constituted by a compression spring provided between the stopper member and a pin that restricts rotation.

Further, the contact surface includes a plurality of stopper members provided so as to face in opposite directions.

Furthermore, the contact surfaces face in opposite directions (like 1).
The stopper member is configured to include two stopper members rotatably provided around two pins.

[For production]

The stopper member is rotatable about the pin, and is urged in an upward rotational direction by an elastic member.

As a result, the abutting surface protrudes upward, so that the conveyed object comes into contact with the abutting surface, and displacement of the conveyed object in the conveying direction is prevented.

When the object to be conveyed is placed on the stopper member, the stopper member rotates downward against the biasing force of the elastic member, thereby avoiding unnecessary interference with the object to be conveyed.

Therefore, even when the conveyed object is placed on the stopper member, displacement of the object is prevented by the stopper and stopper members at other appropriate positions.

If there are multiple stopper members or their contact surfaces face in opposite directions, the front and rear ends of the conveyed object
The position is determined by two stopper members.

The conveyed object is positioned between any two stopper members provided so that their contact surfaces face in opposite directions.

〔Example] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 are a front view and a plan view of the conveyor chain R.

Conveyor chain R has many link plates 1°1...
are connected by pins 2a..., 2b..., and the adjacent bins 2a, 2b are rotatable around one bin 2a, and the rotation is controlled by the other bin 2b. Stopper members 4a..., 4b whose angular width is regulated
. . , two chain rollers on either side of each 3.
3 so that it is held in the center position.

The stopper member 4a and the stopper member 4b are manufactured to have opposite shapes, and are arranged so as to face in opposite directions with one bin 2a as a rotation axis.

3 and 4 are a sectional front view and a sectional plan view showing the conveyor chain R in an enlarged manner.

Also with reference to these figures, each stopper member 4a, 4b
is made of light metal, synthetic resin, etc., and has a disc-shaped base 5,
It consists of a stomba part 6 which is integrally formed and protrudes from the semi-circumferential part of the base part 5.

The base portion 5 is provided with a shaft hole 7 through which the bottle 2a can rotate freely, and the width of the base portion 5 is approximately half the width of the stopper portion 6.

The stopper part 6 has a third vertically long rotation hole 8 through which the bottle 2b passes and the stopper members 4a and 4b can rotate by a certain angular width around the bottle 2a. A spring mounting hole 9 which is orthogonal to the moving hole 8 from below and does not penetrate therethrough is provided. A compression spring 10 is attached to the spring attachment hole 9 between its bottom and the bottle 2b, and the compression spring 10 biases the stopper members 4a, 4b in the upward rotational direction.

At the top of the tip of the stopper part 6, there is a conveyor chain R.
Contact surface 12 that contacts the conveyed object W in the direction along the longitudinal direction of
A step portion 11 having
A relief surface 14 is provided which is horizontal when a and 4b are in a free state.

Next, the operation of the conveyor chain R configured as described above will be explained.

The stopper members 4a and 4b are rotatable about the bottle 2a, and are biased in the upward rotational direction by the compression spring 10, so that in their free state, the contact surface 12 is located above the base 5. protrudes to.

The object W to be transported is a stopper member 4a whose both ends are in pinch positions corresponding to the length of the object W to be transported.

It fits into the stepped portion 11 of 4b, and is positioned between the contact surfaces 12 of the fitted stepped portions 11, thereby preventing displacement in the conveying direction.

Another stopper member 4a under the conveyed object W.

4b maintains a posture in which its release surface 14 is pushed downward by the bottom surface of the conveyed object W and rotated downward against the biasing force of the compression spring 10, and these do not affect the conveyed object W at all. It is not a hindrance.

Assuming that the distance (pitch) between the pin 2a and the pin 2b is PO, the minimum pitch P1 of the contact surfaces 12 facing the same direction is as follows: Minimum pitch P1=POX3, and the distance between the adjacent contact surfaces 12 is If the distance is P2,
The positioning dimension P3 that allows positioning in the front-rear direction is as follows: Positioning dimension P3=P2+ (PIXn), where n is any positive integer.

That is, the dimension P3 that allows positioning in the front-rear direction is automatically varied in small increments for each multiple of the minimum pitch P1.

Therefore, since the length L of the transported object W needs to be slightly shorter than the positioning dimension P3, if the length L is different for each multiple of the minimum pinch P1, the transported object W of different lengths can be
(It is possible to carry out positioning and transport at the same time without performing any change work.)

In this case, the minimum conveyance pitch P4 between the conveyed articles W and the conveyed articles W is conveyed article pitch P4=PIX (n'+1), and the minimum pinch is selected according to the length of the conveyed articles W. Is possible.

In addition, if positioning of only one end of the front and rear ends in the transport direction is required, the length of the transported object W may be arbitrary, and the minimum pinch of the transported object is the same as the above-mentioned pinch P4. It is possible to select the minimum pitch depending on the length of the object W.

In order to drive the conveyor chain R, for example, the teeth of the sprocket may be inserted between the front and rear chain rollers 3, and the sprocket may be rotated.

In the embodiments described above, other elastic members may be used in place of the compression spring 10. Further, for example, a spiral spring may be attached to the bottle 2a.

In the above-described embodiment, the weight of the conveyed object W is supported by the stopper members 4a and 4b, but a wheel roller having a diameter larger than the base 5 of the stopper members 4a and 4b is installed, and the weight of the conveyed object W is supported by the wheel roller. The conveyed object W may be supported.

In the above embodiment, one stopper member 4a, 4b may be attached to one pin 2a. It is also possible to provide bins 2a and 2b that are not equipped with stopper members 4a and 4b. Further, if the conveyor starts or stops running slowly, either one of the stopper members 4a, 4
Even if the conveyance object W is positioned in only one direction in the conveyance direction using only b, it is possible to prevent the displacement of the conveyance object W.

In the above embodiment, two chain rollers 3 were provided on both sides of the stopper members 4a, 4b, but one chain roller 3 was provided on each of the stopper members 4a', 4b.
It may be provided only on one side.

Further, it is also possible to provide the stopper members 4a and 4b on the outside of the link plate 1.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the invention of claim 1, even if the dimensions of the conveyed object are changed, there is no need to attach or detach the stopper member to change the position, and it is possible to easily respond to the change in the dimension of the conveyed object. .

Therefore, the flexibility of the conveyor line is increased, and it is possible to easily handle high-mix, low-volume production.

According to the invention of claim 2, in addition to the above-mentioned effects, the stopper member has a simple structure and can be downsized.According to the invention of claim 3, in addition to the above-mentioned effects, the front and rear ends of the conveyed object are It is positioned by a stopper member and is prevented from shifting in both directions of conveyance.

According to the invention of claim 4, in addition to the above-mentioned effects, it is possible to provide a larger number of stopper members, and it is possible to respond to smaller changes in the dimensions of the conveyed object.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a front view of a conveyor chain, FIG. 2 is a plan view of a conveyor chain,
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional front view of the conveyor chain, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional plan view of the conveyor chain. W...Transferred object, R...Conveyor chain, 1...
・Link plate, 2a, 2b...pin, 3...chain roller, 4a, 4b...stopper member, 10...
Compression spring (elastic member), 12... contact surface.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) In a conveyor chain in which a number of link plates are connected by pins and chain rollers are provided on the pins, two adjacent pins are rotatable around one of the pins, A stopper member whose rotation angle width is regulated by the other pin and which is biased in an upward rotation direction by an elastic member is provided, and an upper end portion on the side of the pin that regulates the rotation of the stopper member. A conveyor chain, characterized in that a contact surface that comes into contact with a conveyed object is formed in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor chain. (2) The conveyor chain according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is a compression spring provided between the stopper member and a pin that restricts rotation. (3) Claim 1 or 2, wherein the contact surfaces include a plurality of stopper members provided so as to face in opposite directions.
Conveyor chain described in . (4) The conveyor chain according to claim 3, comprising two stopper members rotatably provided around one pin so that their contact surfaces face in opposite directions.