US3613864A - Transport system with roller tracks, containers and at least one switch for the tracks - Google Patents

Transport system with roller tracks, containers and at least one switch for the tracks Download PDF

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Publication number
US3613864A
US3613864A US19636A US3613864DA US3613864A US 3613864 A US3613864 A US 3613864A US 19636 A US19636 A US 19636A US 3613864D A US3613864D A US 3613864DA US 3613864 A US3613864 A US 3613864A
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United States
Prior art keywords
guide
switch
container
pin
channel
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Expired - Lifetime
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US19636A
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English (en)
Inventor
Gerhard Lingg
Welsch Leimen
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Mannesmann Geisel GmbH
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Mannesmann Geisel GmbH
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G13/00—Roller-ways
    • B65G13/08—Roller-ways of curved form; with branch-offs
    • B65G13/10—Switching arrangements

Definitions

  • Pavitt ABSTRACT A switch in a roller track system with a single, low level switch blade controlling passage of a single guide pin in the bottom front of a container across the switch, and into the appropriate branch of the roller track; additional guide pins and guide rolls on the container run in appropriate tracks, to guide the container without bouncing.
  • PATENTEDOET 1 m 3.613.864
  • the present invention relates to conveyor and transport system which includes a switch in a roller track system for conveying and transporting containers on a continuous basis and at a high rate.
  • the switch is to be controlled directly or through stored signals and the containers are to be provided with particular guiding means.
  • Switches are known having two switch blades, one of which being position controlled by a solenoid operating in response to signals defining the destination of a container. After the container has passed the first blade, the container itself shifts the second blade mechanically into position for the same direction. Guide bars and rods are provided additionally in the switch for engagement withfrontal and rear end guide pins and rolls on the container to cause passage thereof across the switch without bouncing and lateral oscillations.
  • the purpose of the invention is to improve on switches of this type.
  • the preferred embodiment thereof it is suggested to provide a relativ'ely low-level switch blade and guide rail means in and above the blade, but still below the plane of container bottom, roller train engagement.
  • the containers are provided with code bars from which signals for position control of 'the switch blade ahead can be derived as'the container approaches the switch.
  • the container isprovided with guide pins and rollsrunning in the rail means and preventing lifting of the container off the track.
  • Guide pins and rolls extend from the container, as is known per se' generally; however, theirparticular construction differs. Near the front end of the'container bottom there are provided guide rolls from which extends a pin further down, the pin may be an extension of the roll journal. Near the rear end of the container bottom, there are provided additional guide rolls centrally disposed and two guide pins laterally displaced from these rolls. The guide rail means in the switch are positioned'to engage these rolls and pins to guide the container across the switch and into the path as determined by the switch blade position. I
  • the simplified construction of the container wherein the guide pins and rolls cooperate with the automatically controlled switch, permits the container topass across the switch without lateral oscillation, bouncing or shaking.
  • the front guide pin and the guide rolls thereat steer the container first to point into thedirection as determined by the position of the switch blade.
  • the rear end guide means engage appropriately positioned rail means to supplement directional guiding, i.e., steering and further propagation of the container.
  • a switch constructed in accordance with the invention establishes a rather simplified element within a roller track system,'and canbe employed with particular success in those cases which previously did not permit sufiiciently flawless operation, for example, because the transport capacity was too high or because oscillation or collision occurred or the containers experienced lateral shocks when crossing a'conventional switch.
  • FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a container to be used on a track system having a switch of the type shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
  • FIG. 4 is a front view of the container'shown in FIG. 3;
  • FIG. 5 illustrates a section view'taken along lines A-B in FIGS. 1 and 2 and showing additionally the frontal guide means of a container when in approach position of the switch;
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a section view taken along lines C-D in FIG. 1, showing also the rear end guide means of a container as passing into the branch track; 1 I
  • FIG. 7 illustrates a section view taken along lines E-F in FIG. 2, also showing the rear end guide means of a container as continuing in the straight track;
  • FIG. 8 is a section view taken along lines G-H in FIGS. 1 and 2;
  • FIG. 9 is a section view taken along lines K-L in FIGS. 1 and 2.
  • FIGS. land 2 there is illustrated a principal roller conveying track and a branch roller track linked to the principal track by an automatic switch l0l.lt is presumed that containers move generally from left to right.
  • the principal roller track as continued through the straight through operating portion of the switch includes tran'sport rollers 102, the branch portion of the roller track includes the transport rollers 103.
  • the rollers l02 are driven through chains or tooth belts I04, and rollers 103 are separately driven by similar belts or chains 105.
  • the belts or chains are, in turn, driven through separately positioned motors.
  • a switch blade or tongue 106 is disposed in the lowest operating level of the switch (see FIGSf 8 and 9) and is included in a guide system 107, 108, to act in the same level.
  • the guide system is constructed from symmetrically arranged angle irons, the inner surfaces of which defining the guide track or track switching and container steering channel I08. That track, groove or channel may be coated with plastic material.
  • the channel 108 as defined by these bars 107 has a straight portion and a curved portion emerging from the straight portion of channel 108 at the leading side, where facing the arriving containers onthe roller track.
  • the channel is designed to steer a container across the switch and through guidance of a steering pin extending from the container.
  • the switch blade 106 in particular controls presence of a continued straight channel or of a curved channel portion,'depending upon the position of blade 106.
  • FIG. I the blade 106 is shown in a position for providing an operating curved portion of container steering channel 108, blocking off the straight through portion, while FIG. 2 shows the blade 106 in the alternative position, blocking the curved portion of channel 108 and providing a straight through container steering channel.
  • the switch includes additionally a system of guide bars or rails and chutes.
  • a first rail 109 extending straight through the switch colinear with a straight through travel path.
  • Another rail 110' has a first, straight portion at the switch entrance but curves into the branch track to be continued colinear therewith.
  • a complementary rail I09 Opposite to the continued portion of rail 110 there is a complementary rail I09, beginning in the switch a short distance behind the'switch blade pivot point.
  • a complementary rail 110 begins likewise at'thatpoint to continue in effect the portion of rail I10 adjacentrail 109, but now behind the switch.
  • Guide bars or rails 109 and 110', I09 and 110 (as continued) and 109, 110 are symmetrically arranged to each other and surround respectively in parts the guide system 107, 108, but they extend into a higher vertical level. (See FIGS. 5 et seq.)
  • the particular sides ofthe guide bars or rails 109, I10 or 109', 110' as facing each other across the space occupied by system 107, 108 are differently'contoured and offset in cross section (see FIGS. 5 to 8).
  • guide rails 111 and 112 defining horizontal guide channels or chutes for pins extending from the bottom of the containers respectively.
  • Guide rail chute 111 takes care of straight on guiding, while the slightly curved rail chute 112 provides for guiding during switch branching.
  • the rails 111 and 112 are spaced somewhat to the right and to the left respectively from the central guidance system as provided by bars 107 defining the track switching and container steering channel 108.
  • the runways established by rails 111 and 112 may likewise be covered with plastic.
  • An electromagnet such as a solenoid 113, is connected to operate switch blade 106.
  • a container 114 travelling on the roller track and approaching the switch will be guided across the switch in accordance with the particular position of switch blade 106 and by means of structure on the container depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4.
  • the container is constructed from plastic components having drawn walls, frame 115 and stiffening ribs etc. as needed.
  • the frame 115 serves also as undercarriage and provides elongated skids for travelling.
  • bars 116 serving as code carriers. Magnetization codes on the bars provide commands to the track defining the particular travel path to the particular container.
  • the providing of two bars 116 as code carriers was found necessary as usually a single carrier is insufficient for storing all of the required commands to be transmitted.
  • the container 114 is basically constructed symmetrically but the encoding on bars 116 establishes requirement for a particular orientation for the propagation of the container on the track.
  • guide means are provided defining the front of the container.
  • the different contours of guide rails 109, 109', 110 and 110' do not only serve to prevent lifting of the container from the roller track but also prevent reversal of rotation of guide rolls to be described next.
  • the bottom of a container 114 is provided with the required guide means.
  • two guide rolls 119 and 120 are rubberized or made of an elastic-plastic material.
  • the smaller rolls, 117 and 120, are placed on first and upon suitable journals, and the larger diameter rolls 118 and 119 are respectively placed on top (as seen from the bottom of the container).
  • the differently sized rolls engage laterally different contour tracks of guide rails 109, 110 etc., as can be seen, for example, in FIG. 5 for the two front rolls and in FIGS. 6 and 7 for the two rear rolls.
  • the front roll arrangements 117 and 120 are additionally provided with a guide or steering pin 121, the pin may actually be a downward extension of the journal for the rolls.
  • the bottom of the container is additionally provided with guide pins 122 and 123, but they are provided in the rear and laterally displaced from the rear guide rolls.
  • the three pins 121, 122 and 123 provide for steering and guiding of container 114, whereby particularly steering pin 121 runs in steering channel 108 when the container passes the switch; pins 122 and 123 respective cooperate with chutes 111 and 112.
  • the direction of propagation of the container is defined by the guide means and specifically by the orientation of placing these pins, whereby particularly the position of steering pin 121 defines the front end of the container. This way it is prevented that a container is reversedly placed on the roller track.
  • the correct direction of transport and propagation of the container is represented by the arrow in FIG. 3.
  • the switch is constructed with the guide rail, channels and chutes, that run through the switch to permit safe guidance of the containers when passing through without undergoing oscillatory motions.
  • As a container enters the switch (FIG. 5-section A-B in FIGS. 1 and 2), suitably placed scanners interrogate the encoding on one of the code carrier bars 116.
  • the scanners provide signals representing the readout result and feed these signals to a computer which, in turn, provides as an output, a control and actuating signal to operate solenoid 113, either to retain the position of the switch blade 106 or to change it.
  • solenoid 113 operates the switch blade 106 to retain or to assume branch off position, as shown in FIG. 1.
  • steering pin 121 enters channel 108 and is switched by the tongue 106 into the curved branch track portion of that steering channel.
  • the guide roll 117 continues in engagement with the curved portion of guide rail while guide roll 118 recedes from the straight through rail 109, but that roll soon engages rail 109 behind the switch blade 106 to support guiding of the container into the branch track.
  • a container guided as aforedescribed will not undergo lateral oscillations nor will it be susceptible to lateral bouncing or shocks as is known from other roller tracks.
  • the crucial part is correct and complete guidance of the container out of its original (straight) direction of propagation along a curved switch path and into the different direction of the branch track.
  • Always one of the guide rolls of each pair (117, 118-119, 120) is in engagement with a guide rail, and the rear portion of a container is properly reoriented by the particularly positioned guide chute 112.
  • Tipping of a container 114 is always a danger to be considered on fast moving roller tracks and must be avoided; tilting may occur basically for reasons of interruption in the regular sequence of transport rollers of the track in the switch.
  • a plurality of support rolls 124 which prevent tilting and, therefore, tipping of the containers from the track.
  • FIG. 2 showing the switch blade 106 in the alternative position.
  • the steering pin 121 of a container is guided to continue in a straight path.
  • guide roll 118 continues engagement with straight rail 109, while roll 117 engages guide rail 110 when the steering pin 121 is still in the straight guide groove 108.
  • the rear guide rolls 119, 120 find their path already prepared and continue analogously.
  • guide pin 122 enters guide chute 111 to enforce straight on continuation of the container without oscillatory interlude.
  • pin 122 runs in chute 111 while guide roll 120 is off the rail 110' and until engaging rail 110. Bouncing is, thus, positively inhibited.
  • pin 123 misses curved guide chute 112.
  • the containers follow each other usually at a high speed.
  • the containers are withdrawn from the switch (either branch) at a higher speed than the speed with which they enter.
  • rollers 102, 103 adjacent the switch exit are driven at a higher speed than the rollers in front of the switch.
  • the transmission ratio is appropriately selected for this purpose accordingly.
  • the switching system has been described for right-hand switching, but it is apparent, that a left-hand switch can be constructed similarly, and actually symmetrically.
  • the switch blade 106, guide bars 107 (channel 108), guide rails 109, 110 and guide chute 111 and 112 are to be modified for left-hand branching and transport path curving.
  • the rather simple construction of the switch is of advantage to meet all requirements for high transport speeds.
  • the container will pass safely across the switch and without bouncing lateral oscillations or shocks, regardless whether entering the branch or whether continuing straight ahead.
  • a conveyor and transport system which includes a roller track system, at least one switch and containers for being rolled on the track system, comprising:
  • a solenoid coupled to the switch blade for controlling and adjusting the position of the switch blade:
  • code carrier means on a container storing manifestations of signals representing the destination of the carrier on the track system for the control of the solenoid;
  • the container provided with guide rolls for engaging the guide rails, to guide the container through the switch and preventing lifting of the container from the track system;
  • a plurality of guide pins on the container one thereof running in the steering channel for steering the container in direction in accordance with the position of the switch blade, the remaining guide pins cooperating with the guide chutes to provide additional guidance of the container in and across the switch.
  • a conveyor and transport system which includes a roller track system, at least one switch, and containers for being rolled on the track system, comprising:
  • a switch inserted in the roller track system including a steering channel means and a switch blade having first position to complete a first steering channel and a second position to provide a second steering channel branching off a common entrance portion of the two channels,
  • the switch further including guide rails including a first one extending along the direction of the first guide channel, and a second one extending along the second guide channel; and a container for passage over the track system and having at least one steering pin extending down near the front end thereof for guiding in and through the steering channel means, selectively through the first and the second steering channel in dependence upon the position of the switch blade, the container further having guide roll means journaled about the pin for selective engagement with the first or the second rail as the container passes through the switch.
  • the switch further including a first guide chute along the first guide rail but laterally displaced therefrom, and a second guide chute along the second guide rail, laterally displaced therefrom;
  • the container including a first rear guide pin positioned to enter the first guide chute only when the switch blade steers the container, through operation of the front guide pin thereof, so that the front pin passes through the first guide channel, the container including a second rear guide pin positioned to enter the second guide chute onl when the switch blade steers the container, throug operation of the front guide pin thereof, so that the front pin passes through the second guide channel.
  • rear guide rolls means on the container there being additional guide rails positioned in relation to the first and second guide rails for coacting with the guide roll means respectively when running along the first or second guide rails, the rear guide roll means engaging the additional guide rails prior to completed passage of the first or of the second rear guide pin through the first or the second guide chute.
  • the front and the rear guide roll means each comprising a pair of rolls of different diameters, respective one thereof for engagement with the first rail, the respective other one for engagement with the second rail, the first and second rails having differently offset portions in cross-sectional profile.
  • roller track operated so that the container enters the switch at lower speed than upon crossing the switch.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Branching, Merging, And Special Transfer Between Conveyors (AREA)
  • Warehouses Or Storage Devices (AREA)
  • Attitude Control For Articles On Conveyors (AREA)
US19636A 1969-03-15 1970-03-16 Transport system with roller tracks, containers and at least one switch for the tracks Expired - Lifetime US3613864A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE19691913350 DE1913350B2 (de) 1969-03-15 1969-03-15 Weiche einer rollenfoerderbahn

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3613864A true US3613864A (en) 1971-10-19

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US19636A Expired - Lifetime US3613864A (en) 1969-03-15 1970-03-16 Transport system with roller tracks, containers and at least one switch for the tracks

Country Status (5)

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US (1) US3613864A (de)
DE (1) DE1913350B2 (de)
FR (1) FR2034965B1 (de)
GB (1) GB1309833A (de)
NL (1) NL7003727A (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3753485A (en) * 1971-10-13 1973-08-21 Fromme Fa Branching device and guide means for high-speed tray conveyors
WO1995014129A1 (en) * 1993-11-18 1995-05-26 Levi Strauss & Co. Automated garment finishing system
US10377578B2 (en) * 2017-05-24 2019-08-13 Delta Electronics, Inc. Transmission equipment
US10427889B2 (en) 2017-05-24 2019-10-01 Delta Electronics, Inc. Transmission equipment

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2015024936A1 (de) * 2013-08-23 2015-02-26 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Weichenanordnung für eine stückgutförderanlage

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3098454A (en) * 1959-11-07 1963-07-23 Maestrelli Raffaello Automatic steering system for vehicles supported on pneumatic tired wheels
US3307162A (en) * 1961-10-30 1967-02-28 Electro Nuclear Systems Corp Magnetic article encoding apparatus

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1990050A (en) * 1931-12-15 1935-02-05 Alvey Ferguson Co Conveying mechanism

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3098454A (en) * 1959-11-07 1963-07-23 Maestrelli Raffaello Automatic steering system for vehicles supported on pneumatic tired wheels
US3307162A (en) * 1961-10-30 1967-02-28 Electro Nuclear Systems Corp Magnetic article encoding apparatus

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3753485A (en) * 1971-10-13 1973-08-21 Fromme Fa Branching device and guide means for high-speed tray conveyors
WO1995014129A1 (en) * 1993-11-18 1995-05-26 Levi Strauss & Co. Automated garment finishing system
US5458265A (en) * 1993-11-18 1995-10-17 Levi Strauss & Co. Automated garment finishing system
US5593072A (en) * 1993-11-18 1997-01-14 Levi Strauss & Co. Automated garment finishing system
US10377578B2 (en) * 2017-05-24 2019-08-13 Delta Electronics, Inc. Transmission equipment
US10427889B2 (en) 2017-05-24 2019-10-01 Delta Electronics, Inc. Transmission equipment

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1913350A1 (de) 1970-12-17
GB1309833A (en) 1973-03-14
DE1913350B2 (de) 1972-09-28
FR2034965A1 (de) 1970-12-18
FR2034965B1 (de) 1973-12-21
NL7003727A (de) 1970-09-17

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