US2487878A

US2487878A - Stationary connector for termini of angularly disposed conveyers

Info

Publication number: US2487878A
Application number: US764512A
Authority: US
Inventors: Oscar E Kantenwein
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-07-29
Filing date: 1947-07-29
Publication date: 1949-11-15
Anticipated expiration: 1966-11-15

Description

Nov. 15, 1949 o. E. KANTENWEIN 2,487,878

STATIONARY CONNECTOR FOR TERMINI OF ANGULARLY DSPOSED CONVEYERS Filed July 29, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet l O. E. KANTENWEIN STATIONARY CONNECTOR FOR TERMINI 0F Nov. 15, 1949 ANGULARLY msPosED coNvEYERs 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 29, 1947 m e 71a. WK.. E P M ,0

Nov. 15, 1949 v O. E. KANTENWEIN STATIONARY CONNECTOR FOR TERMINI OF ANGULAPLY DISPOSED CONVEYERS Filed July 29, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 jira/vz@ Nov. l5, 1949 o. E. KANTENWEIN 2,487,878

STATIONARY CONNECTOR FOR TERMINI OF ANGULARLY DISPOSED CONVEYERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 29, 1947 Patented Nov. 15, 1949 UNITED STAT-Es ement foreros 'STATIONARY CONNECTOR FOR TERMINI 0F ANGULARLY DISPOSE-D ICNVEYERS Oscar E. Kantenwein, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 29, 1947, .Serial No. 764,512

3 Claims. (Cl. 1593-435) My invention relates to stationary table interconnecting devices between Vangularly disposed conveyors, to replace the customary v'turntable structure used for the Isame purposes.

An important object of my invention is Ato provide a stationary ltable interconnecting device that may be used to connect from two or more angularly disposed conveyors, either of a horizontal type or a gravity type conveyor.

A further object `oi my invention iis to provide a stationary table interconnecting device `that, by means of a number of rows oi ball bear-ings, -the tops of `which `extend yslightly above the floor of the saidstationary `table, -dollies or boxes may be easily moved from the connecting conveyor, pivoted on the stationary interconnecting device, and moved ,on-to a second angularly disposed -conveyor.

A further object 'of my invention is to lprovide a stationary interconnecting ydevice that may be set into the cement flooring at the same -level as the horizontal conveyor `track ern-bedded in the oor, to which it 'is connected, or it may be set at any higher ievel that is vrezor-iven-ier-i-t for the operator, and may be used with gravity type conveyors. l

' A still further object of my invention is to provide, in a stationary table interconnecting device, a curbing means vhigh enough to act as a guide to the edge of the dolly `as is being swung from one conveyor track to another angularly disposed conveyor track.

A still further obiect of my invention is -to provide a dolly, into the four -corners of which are set ball bearings, to Vprovide a frictionless turning means against the laforementioned curbing, as the dolly is shifted in its directional path from one conveyor track to another. Y

A still further object vof my invention is to provide, in a stationary table interconnecting device, a slipprcof door, the surface of which lis suitably roughened to 'provide a safe footing and traction for the operator.

Another object of my invention Ais to provide a stationary table interconnecting unit, consisting of substantially two right vangular sectors having extending upright walls defining dihedral angles, the said walls and the said `angles cooperating in deecting the path of a load traversing the said conveyors.

Other objects and advantages inherent in my invention will become readily apparent from the Aensuing vdescription and 'the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated by like numbers, and in which:

2 Fig. V1 represents' a perspective view .of my 4invention showing 'it connected to two grav-ity .conveyors and showing lan operatori-n the act of turning a ydolly from one `conveyor to another.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View taken substantially on lines 2--2 of Fig'. "1.

Fig. `3 is -a perspective view foi my invention showing it set into a cement iioor and connected to two angularly `disposed Vhorizontal conveyors embedded in the floor.

Fig. 4 is a Itop view of my invention lshowing it set into a cement floor and connecting thr-ee angularly disposed horizontal conveyors `embedded in the floor.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portionvof my invention taken substantially :on lines 5-"5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a top view oi'my invention showing it set into the `cement iioor .and connecting tour angularly disposed horizontal 'conveyors embedded in the iioor.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of -a -dolly with parts broken away to show its operation and -position on my stationary table interconnecting device.

The customary mannen at present employed, for `cie-fleeting the path of a load transferred over angularly disposed conveyors is to use an 4expensive turntable device or unit requiring `expensive motivating equipment 'in association therewith and the use of electrical or `other source of power as a constant expense in the operation of the said turntable.

Incidental with turntable devices `and their associated mechanism, they are subjected to wear and tear to a greater extent, requiring maintenance, upkeep, and further expenses in their maintenance for elicient operation. My stationary table is more eil'lcient and a decided advantage over the present systems.

My invention generally designated 8 consists of two quadrants or sectors 9, which are connected by two oppositely disposed dihedral side formations 2l and 22. Y

In my invention generally 'designated 8, shown in Fig. l, the dihedral shaped side portions 22 are slightly bent at 23 to join the arcuate portions 9. A circular bottom l0 Aand a flooringv H having suitable shape to mate lwith the said sectors 9 to complete the structure and provide housing for a number of rows of ball bearings I4. The ball bearings I4 may revolve :on a bed of small ball bearings 16 in a hemspherical housing l5, so arranged that `asmall portion of the ball bearings 14 extend through openings i3 in the floor II, above the level of the projections I2 on the said floor I I.

The two angularly disposed gravity conveyors 24 are attached to my invention, on one side to a fiange 25 on the arcuate side 9, and on the other side by a plate 26 attached to the side 2|.

My invention, designated 8, as shown in Fig. 1, is provided with a number of legs I'I, the height being suicient to allow an operator 32, as shown in dotted lines, to easily manipulate and shift the path of dolly 28 from one to another of the two angularly disposed gravity conveyors 24. The dolly 28, in this instance, is shown with side racks 29 and carrying a load 30, and riding on the rollers 21 of the gravity conveyor 24 in the direction of the arrows 44 in Fig. 1.

A suitable dolly, as shown in Fig. 7, may be constructed of heavy planks 38, held together by an iron band 39 and having proportions suitable to enable it to shift within the curbing I9 around the wall of the stationary table interconnecting device, its width being determined by the width of the conveyors 24. The dolly 28 may also be provided With four ball bearings 3|, set `one in each of the four corners of the said dolly in hemispherical housings 4I and rotating upon small ball bearings 42.

A number of recessed openings 40 around the edge of the dolly 28 provide support for the rack posts 43, or for the side and end plates to make up the enclosure 29. As the dolly 28 reaches a position on the surface of the table interconnector 8, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the ball bearing 3| in the front corner of the dolly 28 will be deflected by the deflector curb 23 of the sides 22 and begin to turn the dolly on the ball bearings I4 of the connector 8.

The operator 32 grasps the dolly28 without checking its movement and pivots it upon the apex 33 of the dihedral angle which aids in the initiation of the shifting movement, turning it in the direction of the arrows 45 until it is angularly disposed in alignment with the second gravity conveyor 24 and moving in the direction of the arrow 46.

Fig. 3 illustrates a slight modification of my invention, generally designated 34, which differs from the first illustrated type only in that it is set into the cement floor I8 so that the top of its curbing I9 is flush with the top of the cement floor I8, and its floor II is iiush with the floors of the two angularly disposed conveyors 35 to which it is connected.

The stationary table interconnecting device 34 is attached to the two angularly disposed horizontal conveyors 35 in the same manner as that previously described for the stationary table interconnecting device 8 and the gravity conveyors 24, except that there are no legs I7 provided in this instance. The tops of the ball bearings I4 are the same distance above the oor II as the tops of the rollers 37 are above the tracks of the conveyors 35, so that a dolly 28, as shown in Fig. 3 in solid lines, may be pushed easily from the conveyor 35 onto the stationary interconnecting table 34 shifted to assume a path in the direction of the arrows 45 and 01T the conveyor connector in the direction of the arrows 46 on the sescond of the two angularly disposed conveyors 3 The dolly 28, at all times, is tangentially in contact with the rollers 3'! or with the balls I4, the exposed surfaces of the balls I4 being spaced sufficiently apart and extending above the projections I2, thus affording firm footage and traction to the soles of the shoes of an operator during the dolly manipulating operation.

Fig. 4 further illustrates a further modification of my invention, designated 36, which is similar to the modification, designated 34, except that it connects three angularly disposed conveyors 35 instead of two, so that a dolly 28 may be pushed onto the conveyor connector 35 from either of two directions and straight across, or maybe pivoted angularly to a third direction, asshown by full and dotted lines in Fig. 4.

A fourthmodication of my invention, as illustrated in Fig. 6, and is generally designated 3'I. It is similar to modification designated 38 except that it connects four angularly disposed conveyors 35 instead of three, so that dolly loads 28 may be pushed onto the conveyor connectors 31 from any one of four directions as represented, in this instance, by crossing aisles between the walls 41.

The illustrations l, 3, 4 and 6 show the simple and compact form of my conveyor stationary interconnecting table which can be installed in the restricted areas illustrated, at the same time functioning as a most efcient conveyor connector.

It will be noted that the sides 2I are of a somewhat heavier construction than the sides 22 or the sides 9, due to the fact that the apex 33 acts as a pivoting point for the dolly 28 as it is turned from one angularly disposed conveyor` to another.

The dolly 28 in Fig. 6 may be manipulated so that it travels in a straight path from one conveyor 35 to another conveyoi` 35 in co-extensive alignment therewith, or it may be deflected from one conveyor 35 to any of the angularly positioned conveyors 35.

Since many changes could be made in this construction without departure from the scope of the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying drawings, or in the foregoing description, shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than in a limiting sense.

Having thus described and disclosed my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A conveyor mechanism comprising, at least two angularly disposed conveyors, and a stationary conveyor table interconnecting the said conveyors, the said table being provided with universal bearing means spaced at predetermined distances on the upper surface thereof, the spaces intermediate the said universal bearing means being roughened to afford traction to the shoe soles of an operator.

2. A conveyor mechanism comprising, at least -two angularly disposed conveyors, and a stationary conveyor table interconnecting the said conveyors, the said table being provided with universal bearing means spaced at predetermined distances on the upper surface thereof, the said table composed of -two sector sections having perimetrally thereabout a projecting guide wall broken at the juncture to the said angularly disposed conveyors.

3. A conveyor mechanism comprising, at least two angularly disposed conveyors, and a stationary conveyor table interconnecting the said conveyors, the said table being provided with universal bearing means spaced at predetermined distances on the upper surface thereof, the spaces intermediate the said universal bearing means being roughened to afford traction to the shoe soles of an operator, the said table composed of two sector sections having perimetrally there- UNITED STATES PATENTS about a projecting guide Wall broken at the juncture to the said angularly disposed conveyors. Nuggezg F1 Osame JulyDza-e 1887 OSCAR E. KANTENWEDT.

5 OTHER REFERENCES REFERENCES CITED Mathews Conveyors-Engineering Data and The following references are of record in the Applications, copyrighted 1930. le of this patent: