US2604970A

US2604970A - Conveyer system

Info

Publication number: US2604970A
Application number: US40140A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harvey E Steinhoff
Original assignee: WAGNER MALLEABLE IRON Co
Current assignee: WAGNER MALLEABLE IRON Co
Priority date: 1948-07-22
Filing date: 1948-07-22
Publication date: 1952-07-29
Anticipated expiration: 1969-07-29

Description

July 29, 1952 H. E. STEINHOFF CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed July 22, 1948 MW QW INVENTOR.

Patented July 29, 1952 CONVEYER SYSTEM Harvey E. Steinhofi', Decatur, 111., assignor to Wagner Malleable Iron Company, Decatur, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application July 22, 1948, Serial No. 40,140

6 Claims. l

My invention relates to a continuous conveyor system consisting of an overhead track or rail provided with a plurality of trolley members adapted to travel throughout the length of the rail or track by means of an endless chain, cable or other suitable element having operative connections with the trolley members, in conjunction with material holding trays, buckets or containers which are pendently suspended from the trolleys by means which permit a degree of lag in the container travel while passing through what may be termed the loading zones and cause the containers to be grouped closely together at predetermined intervals while passing through the loading zones.

The invention has for its object the provision of carriers, trays, or buckets, having rigidly held bails of particular formation and depending links pivotally secured. to overhead trolleys, whereby the carriers will have a controlled amount of lag during their travel through the prearranged loading zones while the pull cable or chain continues to travel at its fixed rate of speed; the carrier holding links automatically returning to their normal position while the carriers will be pendently held in upright position.

The aforementioned objects and advantages, as well as other advantages inherent in the invention, will be readily comprehended from the detailed description of the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a section of my improved conveyor system illustrating a number of the improved carriers approaching and passing into what may be termed a loading zone.

Figure 2 is a similar side elevation and a continuation of the section, to illustrate the rail or track and certain carriers passing, out of the zone shown in Figure l with the track or rail extending beyond one of its dips or declinations and returned to the normal plane.

The present application covers a species of the invention, generic features of which are disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 40,139, filed July 22, 194.8.

In the specific exemplification, the system comprises an overhead track or rail. it, preferably of I-beam cross section arranged to extend in a predetermined plane except at preselected localities, known as loading zones, wherethe track or rail is provided with a declination or dip as shown at H extending a prearranged distance commensurate with the nature or size of the carriers and the desired number of carriers to be loaded.

The track or top rail I'll is provided with a prearranged number of trolleys l2 consisting of a clevis type of yoke provided with. rollers i3 adapted to ride the lower flange and on opposite sides of the web of the rail; while the lower end of the yoke is provided with an integral shank l4 which is adapted to pass through a link of a pull chain I5, or be immovably secured to a pull cable, thus arranging the chain 15 beneath the overhead rail H]. The chain 15 is intended to be constantly held tautv throughout the system and thus maintain the trolleys at their predetermined and uniform spaced relation.

A link [6 is pivotally connected to the lower end of each dependingyoke-shank Hi beneath the chain and arranged'to swing in. a direction longitudinally of the rail and chain. The lower end of each link 15 preferably is provided with a spool or grooved sheave I"! for pendently supporting a material carrier therefrom; the spool or sheave being rotatably secured to the lower end of the pivoted link.

An acceptable'type of carrier in the form of a rectangular fiat bottomed frame or holder is shown at l8 and each is shown provided with a suitable trayor material holding container 553 loosely set thereon.

The ends. of the carriers-are provided with inverted U-shaped bails 20 whose ends are rigidly secured to the carrier frames and the upwardly disposed intermediate portions of the. bails are bent into an inverted obtuse. v-shape formation as shown at 2|, 2!, with the juncture between the portions 2|, 2| given an arcuate formation and spool or sheave seating valley as at 22.

The degree of slope of sides 2t, 2! of the bail preferably corresponds to. or exceeds the degree of dip or declination in the. overhead supporting rail or track of the system in order to readily permit relative movement between the carriers [8 and the. suspending links.

At locations coincident with the dips. or declinations in the overhead rail. Ill, that is to say at points intended to constitute the loading zones, I provide tables; or platforms preferably provided with suitable transversely disposed rollers, as for example at 2.3. The table or. platform tops are arranged in the horizontal plane of the bottoms of the carrier frames it during their normal travel in advance of the zones, with the result that when the trolleys enter and pass to the bottom of the dip or declination H in the overhead rail or track [-0, the distance between the rail l0 and the carriers l8 decreases, causing the spools H. at thebottom ends of the links to ride toward the forward end of the bail-loop, as

shown at the third carrier from the right in Figure 1; it being understood that the conveyor is traveling in the direction of the arrow.

As the carrier engages the platform top, the suspended weight on the link [6 is taken by the platform thereby producing a yieldable or lost motion relation between link-spool or sheave IT and the bail, allowing the carrier to lag in its travel while the pull cable or chain remains taut and continues at its fixed speed and maintains the fixed spaced relation between the trolleys. The lag in the container or carrier is obtained by the spool or sheave ll riding along the declining portion of the bail until it reaches the vertical leg of the bail as shown at the third carrier 18 from the right in Figure l; and when the spool or sheave l'l engages the forward vertical portion of the bail the spool or sheave carrying link It will swing rearwardly about its pivot as shown at the left hand carrier in Figure land thus cause the carriers or receptacles to group closely together at predetermined spacing while passing through the loading zone.

After the carrier has passed through the lowest point of the rail dip and the trolley begins traveling up the inclined portion of the dip as shown at the right hand end of Figure 2, the spool of the link begins to travel toward the apex of the bail, see the second carrier in Figure 2; the spool carrying link assuming its normal vertical position as shown in the carrier at the left in Figure 2 when traveling the horizontal portion of the overhead rail.

The receptacles at their ends preferably are each provided with

aprons

24 and 25. These aprons may be formed integral with the sides or ends of the receptacle or tray walls and arranged to slope upwardly outward; the aprons 2Q preferably at their tops terminating in rearwardly extending ends adapted to overlap the apron 25 at the forward ends of the succeeding receptacles or trays when the receptacles pass through the loading zones where the receptacles during their lag in travel come into closer relation as shown in the drawing, thus maintaining a spaced relation between the receptacles and preventing spillin or dropping of material between the succeeding receptacles or trays.

The exemplification of the invention shown and described is believed to be a simple embodiment of the invention but certain modifications of construction are possible and may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a conveyor system, the combination of an overhead track or rail provided at predetermined zones along its length with declinationsor dips; a plurality of uniformly spaced trolleys arranged on said rail; a continuously traveling taut endless element operatively connected with said trolleys whereby said trolleys are maintained in fixed spaced relation and caused to travel on said rail; a rigid link pivotally connected to each trolley adjacent said endless element so as to swing in a direction lengthwise of said element and the lower end of the link having a laterally disposed spool or roller; a plurality of carriers, each provided with an inverted U-shaped bail whose ends are rigidly secured to opposite ends of the carrier in an upright position, the intermediate portion of the bail above the carrier being formed with inclining sides extending from the vertical legs of the bail to the center, said angularly arranged intermediate portion being adapted to receive the link spool or roller for pendently supporting the carrier; and a series of fixed platforms disposed in the normal horizontal plane of the carrier-bottoms to support the carriers during travel respectively through the dips or rail declinations of said track and thereby to permit the link-spools to ride down the inclined portions of the carrier bails and to swing reversely to the direction of carrier travel to provide a predetermined degree of lag in carrier travel through said zones.

2. In a conveyor system, the combination of a track rail; a plurality of uniformly spaced trolleys arranged on the rail and provided with depending portions; a continuously traveling taut end less element connected with the trolleys to maintain the spaced relation between the latter and cause them to move therewith; a plurality of carriers, each provided with a bail of inverted U-shape whose vertical sides are rigidly secured to opposite ends of a carrier so as to extend thereabove, the upper intermediate portion of the bail sloping upwardly inward toward each other into inverted V-shape formation; a rigid link for each carrier, pivotally connected at the upper end to the depending portion of the respective trolley, beneath the point of attachment between the depending portion and said endless element so as to permit the link to swing in a direction lengthwise of the direction of travel, the lower end of the link havin a laterally disposed portion adapted to engage beneath the upper V-shaped part of the bail to pendently support the carrier and to have sliding engagement with the bail at preselected zones during the carrier travel along said rail; and a carrier supporting platform disposed throughout each of said zones whereby tension on said links is relieved and the latter are permitted to ride the downwardly sloping portion of the carrier-bail so as to permit the carrier to lag in its travel through said zones without retarding the speed of the continuously moving endless element, thereby causing the carriers to group closely together at predetermined intervals while passing through each of said zones.

3. In a conveyor system, the combination of an overhead rail; a plurality of trolleys arranged to ride on the rail; a continuously traveling taut pull element connected with each trolley to maintain predetermined spaced relation between the trolleys; a plurality of carriers pendently supported from the respective trolleys by yieldable means having shifting lost motion contact with the carrier so as to permit the said means to shift toward the forward side of the carrier; carrier supporting platforms at preselected locations in the system, said rail having a depressed section over each platform, whereby the vertical distance between the carriers and the trolleys is decreased as said trolleys move across each platform to permit the carriers to lag in their travel through said locations without interrupting the normal speed of the pull element.

4. In a conveyor system provided along its length with spaced zones, the combination of an overhead rail; a plurality of trolleys arranged to travel along said rail and each having a depending shank or stem; a continuously traveling taut pull element connected with the shanks or stems of the trolleys to maintain a prearranged spaced relation between the trolleys and cause the latter to move therewith; a plurality of carriers adapted to be pendently suspended respectively from the trolleys through the medium of rigid links pivotally secured at their upper ends to the depending shanks or stems of the trolleys while their lower ends have sliding lost motion connection with the carrier; platforms arranged respectively at said zones for supporting the carriers during their travel through said zones, said rail and each platform being spaced substantially less than the normal distance required to support said carriers in suspension, whereby the vertical distance between the trolleys and the carriers is decreased to permit said links to swing about their pivot points and to shift their sliding connection with the carriers so that the latter are permitted to lag and become closely grouped in their travel through said zones without retarding the speed of travel of the pull element.

5. In a conveyor system provided with spaced zones, the combination of an overhead rigid rail; a plurality of trolleys arranged to travel along said rail; a continuously traveling taut pull element connected with the trolleys to maintain the latter in predetermined spaced relation and cause them to travel along the rail; a plurality of carriers pendently supported from the trolleys by shiftable lost motion connections adapted to permit the carriers at prearranged periods to lag and become closely grouped in their travel without retarding the speed of travel of the pull element; and platforms disposed respectively at said zones arranged to have the carriers ride thereon, said rail and each platform being spaced vertically less than the normal distance required to support said carrier in suspension, whereby said connections are permitted to shift during the carriers travel along each platform, with anti-friction surfaces 6. In'a conveyor system, in combination, an

overhead generally horizontal rail, a plurality of trolleys arranged to travel in succession along said rail, drive means for advancing said trolleys along said rail while maintaining them in substantially uniformly spaced relation, a plurality of suspension elements depending respectively from said trolleys and movable therewith, a plurality of carriers normally supported respectively by said suspension elements. and means independent of said suspension elements for supporting said carriers during movement along a predetermined portion of said rail at a distance from said rail less than when supported by said suspension elements, each suspension element providing a lost motion relationship between said suspension element and an associated carrier permitting said carrier to lag when supported by said last mentioned means, whereby contiguous carriers are grouped relatively closely together in their movement along said rail portion.

HARVEY E. S'I'EINHOFF.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 801,523 Hinchman Oct. 10, 1905 1,507,888 McBride Sept. 9, 1924 2,141,125 Braune Dec.20, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 689,952 France wt-m." S pt 1 1.930