US3727984A - Air cushion conveyor lift cells - Google Patents

Air cushion conveyor lift cells Download PDF

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Publication number
US3727984A
US3727984A US00254574A US3727984DA US3727984A US 3727984 A US3727984 A US 3727984A US 00254574 A US00254574 A US 00254574A US 3727984D A US3727984D A US 3727984DA US 3727984 A US3727984 A US 3727984A
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Prior art keywords
orifice
diaphram
load
floor
spherical
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US00254574A
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English (en)
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H Beck
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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
    • B65G51/00—Conveying articles through pipes or tubes by fluid flow or pressure; Conveying articles over a flat surface, e.g. the base of a trough, by jets located in the surface
    • B65G51/02—Directly conveying the articles, e.g. slips, sheets, stockings, containers or workpieces, by flowing gases
    • B65G51/03—Directly conveying the articles, e.g. slips, sheets, stockings, containers or workpieces, by flowing gases over a flat surface or in troughs

Definitions

  • the present invention is directed at improved lift cells for air cushion conveying surfaces.
  • Such systems in which packages, bales, sheet material and the like are moved or conveyed over smooth, flat surfaces on a cushion of air, are well-known in the art.
  • an air pressure differential between the upper and lower surfaces of the floor or conveying surface forces air from the space beneath the floor to the load carrying surface through a plurality of spaced valved orifices.
  • the resultant flow of air under the load acts as a lubricant, reducing the amount of force necessary to move the article. Since air is desired only under the load, the orifices are equipped with automatic valves.
  • valves for controlling the passage of air through these orifices has been described. These valves, ranging from relatively complex devices such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,878 to considerably simpler embodiments such as the snap-in ball check valve described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,098, selectively open so as to permit the flow of air when the load is above the valve and terminate the flow of air when no load is above the valve. These valves however permit little or no control of the amount of air escaping when the valve is open since the prior art valves are generally either simply in an open or closed position. Increased sensitivity in such valves is apparently provided by the device of U.S. Pat. No.
  • the present invention provides a novel lift cell, including valve means, for use in such air cushion conveyor systems which maintain sensitivity to a proximity of a load object but which also limits the amount of air escaping through the valve.
  • This valve is of a simple design and can be readily installed, repaired if necessary and replaced with a minimum of effort. In additinn the lift cell of the present invention operates efficiently even with loads having uneven surfaces.
  • the characteristics of the present invention and its which defines an upper surface of hollow duct 11 in which air is supplied under pressure Disposed on the conveyor surface are a plurality of lift cells 12 which communicate between the upper load bearing surface of the floor and duct 11 below the floor through orifices (not shown in FIG. 1). Each of the lift cells contains a spherical valve member 13 which, upon assumption of a load, is depressed downwards so as to permit the passage of air from the duct to the load-bearing surface.
  • spherical valve member 13 is disposed within orifice 14. At the upper end of each orifice is an annular valve seat 15. Spherical valve member 13 fluidtightly engages valve seat 15 in its closed, no-load position, shown in FIG. 3A, a portion of the valve member extending above the floor. Disposed on the upper side of the floor concentrically about valve seat 15 is elastic annular diaphram 16. This diaphram,constructed of rubber, flexible plastic or the like, communicates with the hollow duct beneath the floor through a second orifice or channel 17. Disposed beneath spherical valve member 13 and urging it in fluidtight engagement with valve seat 15 is spring means 18. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B, spring means 18 also serves as a secondary valve means at one end 19 which seals the opening second orifice 17 when the spherical valve member 13 is in its closed no-load position.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic isometric view of the air cushion floor or surface
  • FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of one embodiment of the present lift cell
  • FIGS. 3A and 3B are sectional views of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 taken along the lines 3'-.3', FIG. 3A depicting the lift cell in a closed, no-load" position and FIG. 3B depicting a lift cell in an open loadedbearing position;
  • FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation of a further embodiment of the lift cell of the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation of a further embodiment of the lift cell of the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 there is provided a conventional floor or conveyor surface 10 14 from rapidly escaping.
  • spring 18 urges spherical valve member 13 back into fluidtight engagement of annular valve seat 15 and simultaneously seals secondary orifice 17.
  • a small bleed hole 20 in the diaphram results in its contraction to its original shape.
  • FIG. 4 depicts an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the spring means and-secondary valve means are distinct units.
  • the secondary valve means 21 carries an extension composed of a lower throat portion 22 and an upper shoulder 23 in which rides spherical valve member 13.
  • This vertical extension is disposed within the first orifice which in turn has a lower shoulder portion 24 in opposition to the upper shoulder portion 23 of the extension.
  • Disposed within these two shoulder portions is helical compression coil spring 25.
  • Spherical valve member 13 rides in annular valve seat 15 in the same manner as described for the embodiment of FIGS. 2,. 3A and 3B. Depression of spherical valve member 13 and the extension in which it rides opens orifice 17 with resultant expansion of diaphram 16.
  • the secondary orifice 17 is disposed transversally so as to communicate with primaryorifice l4 and diaphram 16.
  • the valve means for both the first and second orifices are provided by spring means 28 which is attached to the floor with a suitable fastener 29 at one end and carries spherical member 13 at the other end in dish 30.
  • Dish 30 is in the shape of a conical section and fluidtightly closes orifice 14.
  • spherical member 13 depresses spring 28 and its dish 30 away from orifice 14, thereby opening the same.
  • the air pressure differential is conveyed not only through primary orifice l4 and then under the load, but also through secondary orifice 17 so as to inflate diaphram 16.
  • the lift cell of the present invention may be assembled on a rigid floor of plywood, sheet metal or the like utilizing the individual components, as for example is the case in the embodiment of FIGS. 2, 3A and 33.
  • the entire lift cell may be a single unit which is installed into the floor or conveyor surface, as for example in the case of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4.
  • Diaphram 16 is secured to the surface by two diaphram retainer rings 26 and 27. These rings are of a thickness greater than the thickness of the diaphram, so that when the lift cell is in a no-load configuration, the diaphram rests below the top of the retainer rings. At the same time, the thickness of the retainer rings should be less than the height of the expanded diaphram so that the diaphram can form a seal with the bottom surface. of the load without interference from the retainer rings.
  • annular valve seat and the diaphram may be made as separate units, itis convenient to extend the diaphram within the inner retainer ring so that this extension serves as the annular valve seat.
  • a pneumatic lift cell for air cushion floors having a plurality of orifices operative to communicate an air pressure differential from the lower side of the floor to the upper, load-bearing side of the floor, said cell comprising an elastic annular diaphragm disposed on the upper side of the floor concentrically about said orifice; a spherical member moveably disposed in said orifices for movement from a no-loa position in which a portion of said spherical member extends above said floor to a second load position; spring means urging said spherical member into said no-load" position; a second orifice operative to communicate said air pressure differential from the lower side of the floor to said elastic annular diaphragm; valve means operative to open both of said first and second orifices upon movement of said spherical member from its no-10a to its load positions and to'seal both of said orifices upon return of said spherical member from its load to its no-load positions.
  • valve means includes an annular valve seat disposed at the upper end of each said orifice; said spherical member in its closed, no-loadl position fluidtightly engaging said valve seat and said spherical member being urged into engagement with said valve seat by said spring means; and secondary valve means sealing said second orifice when said spherical member is in its closed position but opening to convey said pressure differential through said second orifice for expansion of said diaphram when said spherical member is depressed by a load away from its closed position.
  • a pneumatic lift cell wherein said secondary valve means includes a verticalextension disposed within said first'orifice, said extension having a lower throat portion and an upper shoulder carrying said spherical valve member portion; said first orifice has a lower shoulder portion in opposition to the upper shoulder portion of said extension; and a helical compression coil spring is disposed between said upper shoulder of said extension and lower shoulder of said orifice.
  • a pneumatic lift cell for air cushion floors having a plurality of orifices operative to communicate an air pressure differential between the lower side of the floor and the upper, load-bearing side of the floor, said cell comprising each said orifice; an elastic annular diaphram disposed on the upper side of the floor concentrically about each of said orifices, sai'd diaphram being secured to said floor by inner and outer concentric retainer rings of thicknesses greater than the thickness of the diaphram but less than the height of the diaphram upon of the diaphram but less than the height of the diaphram upon expansion thereof, and extendingwithin said inner ring to its concentric inner circumference so as to define an annular valve seat; a
  • spherical valve member which in its closed, no-load position fluidtightly engages said valve seat with a portion of said valve member extending above said floor; a leaf spring urging said spherical valve member into engagement with said valve seat; and a second orifice communicating between said diaphram and said lower side of the floor; said leaf spring being secured at one end and sealing said second orifice with its other end when said spherical valve member is in its closed position but opening said second orifice to convey said pressure differential to said diaphram when said spherical valve'member is depressed by a load away from its closed position.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid-Damping Devices (AREA)
  • Check Valves (AREA)
  • Types And Forms Of Lifts (AREA)
US00254574A 1972-05-18 1972-05-18 Air cushion conveyor lift cells Expired - Lifetime US3727984A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US25457472A 1972-05-18 1972-05-18

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US3727984A true US3727984A (en) 1973-04-17

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US00254574A Expired - Lifetime US3727984A (en) 1972-05-18 1972-05-18 Air cushion conveyor lift cells

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US (1) US3727984A (enExample)
JP (1) JPS4955078A (enExample)
CA (1) CA984789A (enExample)
DE (1) DE2324912A1 (enExample)
FR (1) FR2185039B1 (enExample)
GB (1) GB1402676A (enExample)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4772176A (en) * 1987-07-20 1988-09-20 Montgomery Harold S Handling of palletized goods in a warehouse or the like
US11226095B2 (en) * 2019-01-28 2022-01-18 Andritz Inc. Velocity damper for a recovery boiler

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3122632A1 (de) * 1981-06-06 1982-12-23 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-Gmbh, 6000 Frankfurt Anordnung zum verschieben eines gegenstandes auf einer auflageflaeche
JPH0759451B2 (ja) * 1993-03-05 1995-06-28 株式会社 オチアイネクサス 搬送装置用移動体
JPH06255775A (ja) * 1993-03-05 1994-09-13 Ochiai Nekusasu:Kk 搬送装置

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3268265A (en) * 1964-09-29 1966-08-23 Gen Motors Corp Material handling system
US3413041A (en) * 1967-05-23 1968-11-26 Gen Motors Corp In-floor air caster cargo handling system

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3268265A (en) * 1964-09-29 1966-08-23 Gen Motors Corp Material handling system
US3413041A (en) * 1967-05-23 1968-11-26 Gen Motors Corp In-floor air caster cargo handling system

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4772176A (en) * 1987-07-20 1988-09-20 Montgomery Harold S Handling of palletized goods in a warehouse or the like
US11226095B2 (en) * 2019-01-28 2022-01-18 Andritz Inc. Velocity damper for a recovery boiler
US20220065447A1 (en) * 2019-01-28 2022-03-03 Andritz Inc. Velocity damper for a recovery boiler
US11719433B2 (en) * 2019-01-28 2023-08-08 Andritz Inc. Velocity damper for a recovery boiler

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA984789A (en) 1976-03-02
FR2185039A1 (enExample) 1973-12-28
GB1402676A (en) 1975-08-13
DE2324912A1 (de) 1973-12-13
JPS4955078A (enExample) 1974-05-28
FR2185039B1 (enExample) 1978-04-14

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