US3747535A - Transporting apparatus - Google Patents

Transporting apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
US3747535A
US3747535A US00163217A US3747535DA US3747535A US 3747535 A US3747535 A US 3747535A US 00163217 A US00163217 A US 00163217A US 3747535D A US3747535D A US 3747535DA US 3747535 A US3747535 A US 3747535A
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United States
Prior art keywords
speed
zone
platforms
platform
loop
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00163217A
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English (en)
Inventor
P Zuppiger
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Dunlop Holdings Ltd
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Dunlop Holdings Ltd
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
    • B66B—ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS
    • B66B21/00—Kinds or types of escalators or moving walkways
    • B66B21/10—Moving walkways
    • B66B21/12—Moving walkways of variable speed type

Definitions

  • the apparatus may further include a 52 U.S.Cl. ..104/25, 198/110 Second curved speed-Change 10m and Second 10W [51] Int. Cl.
  • the present invention relates to transporting apparatus, such as is used for conveying passengers or goods between points of the type in which the loads being conveyed are loaded onto a low-speed conveyor and subsequently travel on a high-speed conveyor.
  • the corresponding portion of the screw train has a pitch which respectively increases from the entry end to the exit of the acceleration zone or decreases in the case of a deceleration zone, this screw train portion being rotatably driven by a motor coupled to one end of the portion in question.
  • the safety of the people being conveyed on the platforms is dependent to a very large extent on the continuity of the moving band formed by the platforms, particularly in the acceleration and deceleration zones of the circuit.
  • Such continuity is directly dependent firstly on the machining accuracy of the drive screws and of the platform elements with which these screws are meant to come into engagement, and secondly on the accuracy with which all of these parts are assembled.
  • a final drawback of the apparatus described in UK, Patent No. 1,034,969 lies in the relatively large amount of space occupied by this apparatus, in particular as regards the part thereof which serves to recycle the platforms that successively leave the unloading section and move towards the loading section, this being the circuit portion over which the platforms travel whilst being recycled and which is practically co-planar with the loading, acceleration, deceleration and unloading portion of the circuit.
  • a transporting apparatus comprises a series of transport platforms intended to travel over a closed circuit having a low speed zone, a high-speed. zone, an intermediate speed-change zone between the low and high-speed zones, the speed change zone being in the form of a curve and the cosine of the angle between tangents at the two ends of the curve corresponding to the ratio of the platform speeds in the low-speed and high-speed zones, and a platform-return run curved at least in part as the speed change zone, wherein the circuit comprises a stretched-out loop comprising firstly, two main segments which are contained, one in a first horizontal plane and the other in a second, subjacent, horizontal plane, and secondly two secondary segments which connect the ends of the said main segments to form the closed circuit, the segment in the upper main segment of the loop comprising at least the said low, high and speed-change zones of the apparatus and the segment in the lower main segment of the loop comprising at least the curved part of the platform-return run.
  • the circuit comprises a stretched-out loop compris
  • the upper main segment ofthe loop comprises an addi-
  • the said additional speed change zone being in the form ofa curve and the cosine of the angle between tangents at the ends of the curve corresponding to the ratio of the platform speeds in the high-speed and additional low-speed zone
  • the lower main sgement of the loop comprising the return run of the con veyor comprises low-speed end zones one at each end of the segment, a high-speed central zone and two curved speed change zones, one between each zone and the high-speed zone, each being curved as the speed change zones in the upper main segment.
  • the transporting apparatus is preferably provided with means on each platform enabling detachable, edge-to-edge, hooking engagement with the adjacent platforms, and control means are provided for controlling said hooking means, adapted to engage said hooking means for as long as the platforms move along the main segments of the circuit loop and to relase the platforms from hooking engagement when travelling over one or other of said secondary segments of said loop.
  • the platforms may be driven over the closed loop by means comprising in the speed change zone, a succession of linear motors whose stators are disposed to one side at least of the plane of motion of the platforms, along the path followed by the centres of gravity of these platforms, and whose armatures are formed by at least one metallic mass associated with each platform, in the terminal portions of each main segment of the loop a pair of rotary screws extending on opposite sides of the path followed by the centres of gravity of the platforms, in a plane parallel to the plane of motion of the platforms and over a set length from the end of this main segment, the thread of each screw receiving a projecting element on each platform when the platform reaches the entry end of the screw, and axially pushing the projecting element and the platform towards its exitend, a driving device being provided for the screws, and over the other portions of the said main segments of the loop, a driving mechanism engaging with the platforms in at least a portion of each end of the segments.
  • the driving mechanism may comprise a set of rubber tyred wheels some of which are powered at least some of which are provided with braking means.
  • Synchronising means may be provided between the various pairs of screws and the driving mechanism as .required.
  • Another aspect of the invention provides a conveyor system comprising a transporting apparatus and an endless belt moving at a constant speed substantially equal to the platform speed in the high speed zone of the loop wherein the speed-change zone accelerates a load from the low speed to the high speed for transfer from the high speed zone to the endless belt, the path of the high speed belt being curved so as to avoid the additional speed-change zone and the additional low speed zone which decelerates a load transferring from the high speed belt to the high speed zone.
  • Yet another aspect of the invention provides a conveyor system in which the transporting apparatus provides a two-part high-speed zone one running adjacent to one side of the belt for transfer of loads onto the belt and the following part of the high speed running adjacent to the other side of the belt for transfer of loads from the belt for subsequent deceleration the two parts being connected by a high speed zone running under the belt;
  • Barrier devices may be provided to move loads onto or off the belt as required.
  • FIG. I is a developed view in side elevation
  • FIGS. 2 and 3 are views along II-II and III-III respectively of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 4 illustrates, on an enlarged scale, a partsectional cross-section along IV--IV of FIG. 2;
  • FIGS. 5 and 6 are cross-sections along V-V and Vl-Vl of FIG. 4;
  • FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate in elevation and plan the structural features of another detail of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view along IXIX of FIG.
  • FIG. 10 is a view in the direction X-X of FIG. 9;
  • FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view along XI-XI of FIG. 1;-
  • FIG. 12 is a view in the direction XII-XII of FIG. 11;
  • FIG. 13 shows two adjacent platforms in the high speed load carrying position
  • FIG. 14 is a view on XIV-XIV of FIG. 13;
  • FIG. 15 is a view on XV-XV of FIG. 14;
  • FIG. 16 is a view on XVI-XVI of FIG. 14;
  • FIG. 17 shows two ajacent platforms in the high speed return zone of the conveyor
  • FIG. 18 is a view on XVIIXVII of FIG. 17;
  • FIG. 19 is a view on XIX-XIX of FIG. 18;
  • FIG. 20 is a view on XX-XX of FIG. 18;
  • FIG. 21 shows a conveyor belt to transporter arrangement
  • FIG. 22 shows an alternative arrangement to FIG. 21.
  • the transporting apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is more particularly intended for the loading of goods or people on to a transporting band 1, of which only a segment is visible in the drawing, and for unloading these goods or people off this band.
  • This band segment moves in a horizontal plane, it is rectilinear over part of its length and is slightly curved at its right-nand end, in the drawing, so as to move sufficiently far away from the exit of the transporting apparatus.
  • This transporting apparatus consists of a series of platforms 2a, 2b, 2c. 2m, 2n, etc., moving in joined position over a circuit defined by two guide rails 3 and 4.
  • These rails each form a stretched out loop having two main segments, 3a and 3b, and 4a and 4b, respectively, and two secondary segments, 30 and 3d, and 4c and 411, respectively.
  • the main segments 3a and 4a are contained in a common horizontal plane, the same applies to the segments 3b and 4b, the plane con taining these segments being however situated underneath the plane of segments 3a and 4a.
  • the segments 3c and 4c, and 3d and 4d, respectively, are each of semi-circular shape and are respectively contained in first and second vertical planes that are parallel to each other.
  • each of the segments 3c and 4c of the guide rails 3 and 4 comprises five parts A, B E, of which three, A, C and E, are rectilinear whereas the other two B and D, form a curve, i.e. a segment of a parabola.
  • the lower segments 3b and 4b of rails 3 and 4 also comprise five parts A, B, ,E', of which those bearing the references A, C and E are rectilinear whereas parts B and D have a curved outline.
  • the rectilinear parts of the circuit over which travel the platforms of the illustrated transporting apparatus are those over which these platforms move at constant speed whereas the curved parts, e.g. part E or part B, are those over which these platforms are gradually accelerated or are decelerated.
  • the,platforms 2a, 2b, 2c etc. are accelerated when they are being driven over parts B and D of the circuit of the apparatus and are decelerated when they move over parts D and B of this circuit.
  • the parts C and C of the circuit are those over which the platforms move at the greatest constant speed, parts A, E, 3d-4d,
  • the segments 3a and 4a of rails 3 and 4 are contained in the same plane as that of motion of the band and are parallel to the axis of the rectilinear part thereof. Moreover, the speed at which the platforms move over the circuit part C is identical to the speed V V of the transporting band 1. Over the circuit part A, as also over the part A, and over that formed by the segments 3c and 4c, the speed of motion of the platforms has a value equal to V,,, less than V.
  • This speed V is chosen to be sufficiently low to enable easy access of the users or of the goods on to part A of the circuit, or to enable unloading of these users or goods from part B of this circuit.
  • the circuit of the apparatus illustrated in the drawing comprises in fact the following four sections: Load acceleration A first low speed V section formed by the circuit part A; a second, high speed V, section formed by the lefthand portion of part C; a third section for accelerating the platforms from V, to V formed by part B; a fourth, platform recycling, section formed by the remainder of the circuit.
  • each of the platforms 2a, 2b, 2c, 2m etc. has in plan, the shape of a trapezium of which one of the small sides, here that indicated by the reference a in the case of platform 2a (FIG. 2), forms with one of the two parallel sides, here the side b, an acute angle a such that a 11/2 if 1r, is the angle lying between the two vectors V and V,, and defined by the already mentioned relationship; cos 1b,, V. i
  • Each platform is formed by a segment from a shaped structural member, of substantially rectangular crosssection, which is partly hollowed out internally and which is for instance produced by extrusion (FIG. 4).
  • each element On its top surface, each element is lined with a plate 5 from which project a series of parallel ribs 5a for providing the users or the goods loaded on the platforms with sufficient lateral support.
  • the transporting apparatus at the entry of circuit part A as also at the exit of circuit part E, the transporting apparatus according to the invention further provides a comb 6 for facilitating the loading and unloading, respectively, of the loads. Only a very small part of this comb is shownin FIG. 4, where one of its teeth is seen to project between two ribs of a plate 5. Further details of the conveyor grooves are disclosed in copending applicattion Ser. No. 143,989 filed Mar. 17, 1971.
  • each platform On its underneath surface, each platform is provided with two annular supports 7 (FIG. 4) which are located, one, near the longitudinal edge b of the platform (see FIG. 2) and the other, near the second longitudinal edge of the latter, the distance between the axes of these two supports, projected on to one or other of the parallel edges of the corresponding platform, being equal to the distance between the axes of symmetry of the rails 3 and 4 along, for instance, part A of the circuit.
  • each of the supports 7 with which are provided the various, platforms' is mounted a turret Sbodily associated with the upperpart of a trolley 9 provided with two grooved rollers g, and g by means of which each trolley 9 rolls over the outer face of the corresponding rails 3 or 4.
  • a turret Sbodily associated with the upperpart of a trolley 9 provided with two grooved rollers g, and g by means of which each trolley 9 rolls over the outer face of the corresponding rails 3 or 4.
  • a lever l, and 1- On the rotational axis of each of these rollers, a, and a respectively, there is pivotally mounted a lever l, and 1-,. respectively carrying at its free end a second roller, g and g4 respectively, rotatably mounted on the corresponding lever and moving in contact with the inner face of will! or 4.
  • the free end of the levers I or I carries two buffers u and u-,, and 14*, and u*;, respectively, the terminal portion of which extends to a distance from the pivotal axis of rollers 3 and g.,, respectively, which is greater than that of the radius of these rollers thereby to avoid contact between the rollers belonging to the trolleys of one of the platforms and the rollers 3 of the trolleys on the preceding platform, in particular when these platforms are travelling over the two secondary segments 3c and 4c, and 3d and-4d, respectively, of the loops formed by the rails 3 and 4.
  • each trolley is provided at each of its ends with a buffer x, or x respectively by means of which the trolleys of each platform come into contact with the corresponding trolleys of the adjacent platforms, in particular when all of these platforms are moving over the secondary segments 3c, 40, 3d and 4d mentioned earlier.
  • Each platform of the transporting apparatus is capable of being hooked to an adjacent platform by means of two hooking mechanisms (which are further described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,183 of Oct. 3, 1972 each comprising a male portion and a female portion, the components of one of these mechanisms being visible in FIGS. 5 and 6.
  • the various platforms are each formed on their longest side faces with two longitudinal grooves p and p the cross-section of which is cylindrically shaped with a common diameter. It is these grooves that are anchored the first and second portions, respectively, of each of the hooking mechanisms.
  • each platform is mounted a socket member 10 which is provided on its outer surface with a liner of anti-friction material 11 and which is formed with a transverse passage 10a into which is inserted, and secured by a pin 12, the end 13a of a tie-rod 13.
  • the socket member 10 may not only be pivoted in the housing p, but can also be made to slide axially therein; it is of course also possible to keep the socket member stationary and to move the platform angularly or axially in relation to this socket member.
  • the tie-rod 13 has a portion 13b, of rectangular cross-section, adjacent a shoulder 13c, and, at its free end, an abutment 13d. Between these two elements, i.e. the shoulder and the abutment, the tie-rod is of cylindrical outline.
  • eachplatform In the groove p of eachplatform are secured two substantially cylindrical components 14A and 148 which are disposed in substantially co-axial relationship and which define between themselves a space 15.
  • the arrangement of the components 14A and 14B inside the groove p is such that the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the space 15 lies substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the trolley 9 (FIG. 4), when the latter is oriented at right angles to the longitudinal sides of the corresponding platform.
  • component 14B is bored a cylindrical passage 16 (FIG. 6) opening in the space 15.
  • the component 14A is formed with a cylindrical recess 17 (FIG. 6) opening in the space 15, which extends co-axially with the passage 16 and which has the same diameter as this passage.
  • This passage and this recess are intended to receive first and second pivot members 18 and 29, respectively, which are secured in diametrically opposite positions to the side face of a socket member 20.
  • a slot 14* (FIG. 5) in which is slidably mounted a rectangular welded-on" extension of a locking bolt 22, such that the bolt 22 may slide guided by the extension in the slot.
  • a stop member 24 which engages a similar step 25 in axial alignement with the first step to prevent excessive movement.
  • a spring 26 is mounted over and abutting the two steps to bias the bolt 22 to one side of its movement and thus take up a locking position (indicated in FIG. 5), the unlocking action taking place by exerting a thrust, from left to right in the drawing, on a roller 27 pivotally mounted at the end ofa lug 22b on the locking bolt 22.
  • the locking bolt is provided with a longitudinal slot 22d (FIGS. 5 and 6) between the edges of which extends a projecting element 28 solid with the component 14A which has provided a rectangular head 28a larger than the slot 22d.
  • the locking bolt is formed at its left end with a notch of substantially rectangular shape 22e.
  • This notch is defined by two teeth 22fand 22g and its width is slightly greater than that of the rectangular portion 13b of rod 13.
  • platform 2b releases itself from platform 2a, and, if only the first is driven, it moves away from this platform at most by a length limited by contact of the abutment 13d of rod 13 (FIGS. 4 and 6) with one end of the socket member 20.
  • the platforms of the transporting apparatus according to the invention are able to occupy two separate relative positions, one in which the platforms are close together and the other in which the platforms are remote from each other.
  • the platforms are however in spaced-apart relationship when they are travelling over the two secondary segments of the circuit (parts 3c and 4c, 3d and 4d of rails 3 and 4).
  • FIG. 4 shows the relative position of the platforms over these circuits segments.
  • the illustrated transporting apparatus comprises a first pair of ramps for actuating the locking bolts 22 of the two hooking mechanisms connecting each platform to a neighbouring platform, these ramps extending along the segments 3c and 4c of

Landscapes

  • Escalators And Moving Walkways (AREA)
  • Control Of Conveyors (AREA)
  • Structure Of Belt Conveyors (AREA)
US00163217A 1970-07-17 1971-07-16 Transporting apparatus Expired - Lifetime US3747535A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH1091170A CH529646A (fr) 1970-07-17 1970-07-17 Dispositif transporteur

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3747535A true US3747535A (en) 1973-07-24

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00163217A Expired - Lifetime US3747535A (en) 1970-07-17 1971-07-16 Transporting apparatus

Country Status (9)

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US (1) US3747535A (de)
AU (1) AU466669B2 (de)
CA (1) CA934316A (de)
CH (1) CH529646A (de)
DE (1) DE2135707A1 (de)
ES (1) ES393369A1 (de)
FR (1) FR2099448B1 (de)
GB (1) GB1357031A (de)
NL (1) NL7109890A (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5571254A (en) * 1993-10-01 1996-11-05 Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Speed variable moving sidewalk
US5868193A (en) * 1994-03-30 1999-02-09 Lauener Engineering Ltd. Method and prestressed beam chain for use in an apparatus for continuously casting metal
WO2000040486A1 (en) * 1999-01-07 2000-07-13 Golden Aluminum Company Method and drive apparatus for continuously casting metal in a continuous block caster
DE102014209378A1 (de) 2014-05-16 2015-11-19 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Transportvorrichtung zum Transport von Gütern

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1546384A (en) * 1975-03-22 1979-05-23 Dunlop Ltd Platform conveyors

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3465689A (en) * 1967-01-17 1969-09-09 Robert Underwood Ayres Moving sidewalk
US3580182A (en) * 1968-04-26 1971-05-25 Battelle Memorial Institute Variable-speed transport apparatus
US3583325A (en) * 1969-07-22 1971-06-08 Swing Shift Mfg Co Passenger conveyor system

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE127630C (de) *
GB190922563A (en) * 1909-10-04 1910-07-28 Benjamin Ratcliffe Adkins Improvements in Conveying Apparatus.
FR567435A (fr) * 1923-06-15 1924-03-01 Trottoir roulant
GB1255477A (en) * 1968-01-01 1971-12-01 Nat Res Dev Improvements in and relating to transport apparatus
GB1311082A (en) * 1969-03-26 1973-03-21 Nat Res Dev Transport apparatus and elements for the same

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3465689A (en) * 1967-01-17 1969-09-09 Robert Underwood Ayres Moving sidewalk
US3580182A (en) * 1968-04-26 1971-05-25 Battelle Memorial Institute Variable-speed transport apparatus
US3583325A (en) * 1969-07-22 1971-06-08 Swing Shift Mfg Co Passenger conveyor system

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5571254A (en) * 1993-10-01 1996-11-05 Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Speed variable moving sidewalk
US5868193A (en) * 1994-03-30 1999-02-09 Lauener Engineering Ltd. Method and prestressed beam chain for use in an apparatus for continuously casting metal
US5878805A (en) * 1994-03-30 1999-03-09 Lauener Engineering, Ltd. Apparatus for continuously casting metal
US5924474A (en) * 1994-03-30 1999-07-20 Golden Aluminum Company Roll support apparatus for transporting a support beam
US6076657A (en) * 1994-03-30 2000-06-20 Nichols Aluminum Apparatus for continuously casting metal
US6325204B1 (en) 1994-03-30 2001-12-04 Nichols Aluminum-Golden, Inc. Method and drive apparatus for continuously casting metal in a continuous block caster
WO2000040486A1 (en) * 1999-01-07 2000-07-13 Golden Aluminum Company Method and drive apparatus for continuously casting metal in a continuous block caster
GB2361905A (en) * 1999-01-07 2001-11-07 Golden Aluminum Co Method and drive apparatus for continously casting metal in a continous block caster
DE102014209378A1 (de) 2014-05-16 2015-11-19 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Transportvorrichtung zum Transport von Gütern
WO2015172944A1 (de) 2014-05-16 2015-11-19 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Transportvorrichtung zum transport von gütern
US10843712B2 (en) 2014-05-16 2020-11-24 Siemens Aktiengesellschaf Transport device for transporting goods

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU466669B2 (en) 1975-11-06
AU3123971A (en) 1973-01-18
CA934316A (en) 1973-09-25
NL7109890A (de) 1972-01-19
FR2099448A1 (de) 1972-03-17
CH529646A (fr) 1972-10-31
FR2099448B1 (de) 1974-09-27
ES393369A1 (es) 1974-10-01
DE2135707A1 (de) 1972-02-17
GB1357031A (en) 1974-06-19

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