NZ213774A

NZ213774A - Conveyor with self propelled load carriers

Info

Publication number: NZ213774A
Application number: NZ213774A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Francesco Canziani
Original assignee: Francesco Canziani
Priority date: 1984-10-11
Filing date: 1985-10-10
Publication date: 1988-02-29
Also published as: IT1176933B; SE8504682L; AR242011A1; AU580336B2; ES289543U; GB2165510B; ATA294885A; IN164164B; BE903402A; DD238593A5; NL8502755A; DK168370B1; GB8524068D0; AT395240B; FR2571678A1; DK463685A; ZA857209B; CN1005327B; AU4787985A; DK463685D0

Description

<div class="application article clearfix" id="description"> 2 13774 MM <3 -8 k 10 - to 666GT>D/00 ... 6G<c4/OQ <-% 29 FEB 1988 i P.O. J :vn:l, No: 9t { . ' 'ooctbbs PATENTS FORM NO. 5 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION •AN APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING AND SORTING ITEMS, HAVING SELF-DRIVEN CARRIAGES" I. «f>- FRANCESCO CANZIANI of Italian nationality of Via Contardo Ferrini 21 San Macario (Varese) - Italy hereby declare the invention, for which l/-we-pray that a patent may be granted to me/ts-a-; and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement -1- - 2 - vENrX i o i t •} The present invention provides for an apparatus for the transport and sorting of items, whose main feature consists in providing for motor driven transport carriages. This enables the fixed part of the apparatus to be made lighter and simpler, and is likely to consist of a simple track or rail upon which the carriages run. Thus it is easier and quicker to adapt the plant to the various requirements of use, both from the layout point of view - as it is extremely easy to vary the path - and the capacity viewpoint - as it is possible to vary at will the number of the conveying carriages, with no intervention on other parts of the plant being necessary. Sorting machines are known wherein items are laid on conveyor planes forced to move along a fixed path, comprising a number of collecting stations in which the items are discharged by pusher elements, according to a suitable coding at the moment of loading or by the tilting of the conveyor plane, or by other systems. In all these known apparatuses, though, the carriages are mounted on loose wheels, and motion is imparted by one or more fixed motors that actuate traction means, such as chains or the like, linked to the carriages. This solution applies especially in the case of simple paths, such as eg straightforward or rather short paths. *DfOff7. In case, however, where the path has bends, branches, .nclined sections or sections set at different heights, things xrnij! M 11 get notably more complicated: it is necessary then to cut the path up into a number of sections, and to provide for suitable linkage between one section and the subsequent one, this resulting in the apparatus being bulky, heavy, costly and, above all, involving careful maintenance. „w-' - 3 - In addition, when changes to the path need to be made, it is often necessary to restructure the whole plant. To solve these problems, the present invention provides for an apparatus for conveying and sorting items which comprises a plurality of carriages movable along a fixed path and arranged to contain said item(s); means constructed to discharge the conveyed items at pre-determined points of the path; a guide rail consisting of a pair of spaced-apart angle irons, said carriages being movable along said guide rail; motor means for advancing said carriages associated with each carriage and fed through feed bars located along the path; and further motor means also fed through feed bars located along the path, devised for controlling the means that discharge the items at pre-dctermineJ collecting points located at either side of the path. It is possible to avoid the use of traction devices, to dramatically reduce the maintenance operations and, due to simple structure of the plant, to intervene at once in case changes of any kind are required. The present invention will be now described in detail, by mere way of non-limiting example, with special reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Fig. 1 is a view from above of a carriage of the apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 2 is the vertical section through an apparatus according \\~13MARJ987*° the invention- 'orn* ' - Fig. 3 is the vertical section of the apparatus of Fig. 2, along a plane orthogonal to the previous one. - r" o\ v*-/ < t K i - 4 - » «> / < In the apparatus of the invention the path consists of a guide-rail consisting of a pair of angle irons 2, secured to a base 3 at a certain distance from each other, so arranged that their flanges 4 protrude outwards. Carriages indicated generally as 5 run along the guide rail 1. Each carriage comprises a frame 6 to which there are fastened pairs of shafts 7 which carry as many idle wheels 8. The latter support the carriage and act, from opposite sides, upon the flanges 4 of the guide rail 1. To frame 6 is also fixed a pair of shafts 9, substantially vertical, at the end of which there are idle wheels 10, that run in between the angle irons 2. In the case of self driven carriages, (as that shown in the Figures) an electric motor 11 or the like is also secured to frame 6 which motor, through a reducer 12, actuates a pair of toothed wheels 13 keyed on shafts 14 on which are also secured driving wheels 15 which, like the previous ones, act upon one of the flanges 4 from opposite sides. Of course, in the case of dragged carriages, wheels 15 are replaced by as many idle wheels 8. Sliding contacts 16 feed the motor 5 from feed rods 17 set parallel to the guide rail 1. Above frame 6 there is the conveyor plane 18 that may be of any known type, for instance a tiltable plate, or a fixed plane on which a pusher element runs, or a rotating belt runs actuated by an independent motor which is also fed, through sliding i13MARI9§? ntacts, from feed rods. Connected with the carriage heads there are upwards extending walls 19, made of flexible material, having the function of filling the gap between two adjacent carriages, so as to ensure a continuity of the planes on which the objects are laid, and preventing the said objects from falling in this space. There are also provided jointed coupling means 20 between the carriages. During working the carriages, which are interconnected, run along the guide rail 1 carrying the items to be sorted. The carriages may each be equipped each with it§ own motor, or driving motors may alternate with one or more dragged carriages. A feature of the invention is the provision of the motor means secured to the carriages, so that the fixed part of the plant is just limited to the guide rail, making it possible to avoid fixed motors and carriage traction means. Thus, with the movable part of the apparatus being independent of the fixed part, it is possible to make any desired change to either part, without the whole plant being affected. Consequently, it will be easy to vary the path either by deviating rail 1 according to the requirements, or adding branches and increasing or decreasing the length thereof, without any necessity of adjusting the mobile parts. Likewise, the number of carriages could be increased or decreased as a function of the required plant capacity, without any intervention on the path being necessary. This allows maximum flexibility of the whole apparatus, and the compliancy thereof with the various company's requirements, in a very short time and with no particular difficulties. - 6 - ^ -i. «.i / ^ 4 Furthermore, the resulting structure is lighter, simpler, less expensive, and of reduced maintenance. A person skilled in the art may provide for several changes and variations, provided they are kept within the ambit of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims. </div>

Claims

<div class="application article clearfix printTableText" id="claims"> WHAT I CLAIM I8.tr

1. Item conveying and sorting apparatus, which comprises a plurality of carriages movable along a fixed path and arranged to contain said item(s); means constructed to discharge the conveyed items at pre-determined points of the path; a guide rail consisting of a pair of angle irons mounted with flanges thereof horizontal and spaced-apart, said carriages being movable along said guide rail with idle wheel(s) mounted on each carriage running between the spaced-apart angle irons forming said guide rail; each said carriage being provided with at least one pair of opposed idle wheels acting on opposite sides of the flanges of the angle irons; some or all of the carriages having motor means for advancing said carriages along the path; said motor means being fed through feed bars located along the path; and further motor means also fed through feed bars located along the path, devised for controlling the means that discharge the items at pre-determined collecting points located at either side of the path.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which some of said carriages are provided with a number of pairs of idle wheels and with at least one pair of driving wheels which act on the sides of the flanges of the angle irons.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 in which said motor means actuate a pair of toothed wheels engaging with each other and linked to the same number of driving wheels acting, opposite to each other, upon the flange of the guide rail.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, in which said motor means consist of an electric motor fed through sliding contacts from feed rods arranged along said path and parallel thereto.

5. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising upwardly extending parts made of flexible material connected between front and rear walls of the carriages.

6. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims including jointed coupling means for linking each carriage to the subsequent one.

7. An apparatus for conveying and sorting items, arranged, constructed and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. </div>