Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
  • E01B—PERMANENT WAY; PERMANENT-WAY TOOLS; MACHINES FOR MAKING RAILWAYS OF ALL KINDS
  • E01B25/00—Tracks for special kinds of railways
  • E01B25/22—Tracks for railways with the vehicle suspended from rigid supporting rails
  • E01B25/26—Switches; Crossings

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a switch in a con- veyor system with overhead carriages for switching the carriages between a main track and a branch track.
• a switch in a con- veyor system with overhead carriages for switching the carriages between a main track and a branch track.
• tracks may either be driven or undriven.
• the carriages are generally suspended from the track by means of one or more wheels rolling freely on the track.
• This switch consists of a turntable which is located at the point where switching should be per- formed between two tracks, and which is mounted on a shaft at right angles to the tracks.
• the turntable carries two track sections whose length and shape are adapted to the discontinuities in the tracks where switching should be effected. By rotating the shaft, one of the track sections of the turntable is brought to a suitable switching position.
• this switch also suffers from the same shortcomings as the switch mentioned above, i.e. it is difficult to operate and has no distinct, reliable switching positions. Also in this turntable-type switch, the carriages may stop unintentionally and even drop from the tracks.
• the ob-ject of the present invention therefore is to provide a quick, reliable and easily operated switch having distinct, reliable switching positions.
• Another object of the invention is to provide a switch minimizing the risk that the carriages sus ⁇ pended from the tracks may stop or drop from the track.
• the switch of the invention is charac ⁇ terized in that the main track and the branch track of the switch each have a connecting point and a com ⁇ mon switching point spaced from the connecting points, and that the space between the respective connecting point and the switching point is alternately bridgeable by means of two switch tongues which are simultaneously operable in a respective plane by means of a link mechanism.
• Preferred embodiments of the switch according to the invention are stated in the subclaims. The invention and its many advantages will be described in more detail hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings.
• FIG. 1 illustrates a conveyor system using overhead carriages and includ- ing switches according to the invention.
• Fig. 2 il ⁇ lustrates the switch according to the invention with certain parts removed, when in a first switching po ⁇ sition.
• Fig. 3 illustrates the switch according to the invention with certain parts removed, when in a second switching position.
• Fig. 1 shows a conveyor system employing trolleys or carriages 1 which are suspended by means of wheels 3 from an undriven track 2 and which in a known manner are manually, freely rollable on the track 2.
• Asso- ciated with the track 2 are a plurality of branch tracks 4 onto which the carriages 1 can be switched, as desired.
• a switch 5 schematically illustrated in this Figure is .provided at each point where branch tracks 4 join the track 2, one of said points being marked with a ring.
• Fig. 2 it is shown how the switch 5 according to the invention is arranged in relation to the track 2 and the branch track 4.
• the carriage 1, of which only part is shown, is suspended from the track 2 by means of the wheel 3 which, as mentioned above, is rolling freely on the track 2.
• the switch 5 disposed horizontally in the illu ⁇ strated embodiment, comprises a U-shaped frame 6 lo ⁇ cated at the side of the track 2.
• a first switch tongue 7 which is pivotal at a first connecting point 8 and whose free end 9 in the switching position shown is located at a switching point 10.
• the switch 5 further comprises a second switch tongue 11 which is pivotally mounted at a second con ⁇ necting point 12 and whose free end 13 in the switch ⁇ ing position shown is raised from the switching point 10.
• B3 The end of the switch tongue 7 located at.the connecting point 8 is fixedly connected to an L-shaped link element 14 pivotally mounted on one shank 15 of the frame 6 by means of a shaft 16.
• the end of the switch tongue 11 located at the connecting point 5 12 is fixedly connected to an L-shaped link element
• a control shaft 20 comprising a first link system in the form of a link arm 21 one end of which is hingedly con ⁇ nected to the L-shaped link element 14 and the other end of which is hingedly connected to a link 22 fixedly 5 mounted on the control shaft 20.
• the link system 14, 21, 22 controls the pivotal movement of the first switch tongue 7.
• the switch tongue 11 has a similar link system in the form of a link arm 23 one end of which is hinged- 0 ly connected to the L-shaped link element 17 and the other end of which is hingedly connected to a link 24 fixedly mounted on the control shaft 20.
• the link system 17, 23, 24 controls the pivotal movement of the second switch tongue 11. 5
• the two link systems 14, 21, 22 and 17, 23, 24 together form a link mechanism which is acutated by the control shaft 20 and by means of which the switch tongues 7, 11 are pivoted about their connecting points 8 and 12, respectively, for performing the switching operation.
• the rotation of the control shaft 20 is brought about manually by means of a control lever 25.
• a safety rail 26 having the same shape as the switch tongue 11 is pro ⁇ vided underneath this tongue.
• the rail 26 extends from one location below the switching point 10 to another location below the connecting point 12.
• the safety rail 26 may of course instead be located below the switch tongue 7.
• the switch 5 is shown in its second switching position, i.e. after rotation of the control shaft 20.
• the link mechanism By means of the link mechanism, the free end 9 of the tongue 7 has been pivoted up from the switching point 10, while the free end 13 of the switch tongue 11 has been pivoted down onto the switching point 10.
• the carriage not shown in this Figure, can thus be rolled onto the branch track 4.
• the connecting points 8, 12 and the switching point 10 are arranged in a common, substantially horizontal plane at the corners of an imaginary triangle. It further appears that the control shaft 20 and the connecting points 8, 12 are located in a plane sub ⁇ stantially at right angles to the horizontal plane in which said triangle is contained.
• the alternate operation of the switch 5, i.e. the pivotal movements of the switch tongues 7, 11 to and from the common switching point 10, is effected in a quick, simple and highly reliable manner.
• the distinct switching positions of the switch tongues 7, 11, which have a U-shaped section in the illustrated embodiment, are further ensured by a rod or pin 27 which is provided at the switching point 10 and by means of which the ends 9 and 13 of the switch tongues 7 and 11, respectively, are engaged in the switching position. Similar rods are provided at the connecting points 8, 12.
• the switch 5 has been described as a manually operable switch, but it is evident that it may as well be automatically operable by means of a schematically illustrated pneu ⁇ matic or hydraulic unit 28 which is part of the con ⁇ veyor system and which brings about rotation of the control shaft 20 and is controlled by position trans- ducers 29 arranged along the tracks 2, 4 and sensing the movement of the carriages 1 (see Fig. 1).
• the different parts of the switch 5 are preferably of metal so that the parts to be fixedly interconnected can easily be welded together.
• the different parts may be assembled by screw means and that the parts may wholly or partly consist of plastic.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Chain Conveyers (AREA)
• Railway Tracks (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20364299

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (6)

Citations (7)

• 1986
  • 1986-04-22 SE SE8601850A patent/SE457246B/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1987
  • 1987-04-22 WO PCT/SE1987/000206 patent/WO1987006549A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1987-04-22 EP EP19870902839 patent/EP0302878B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1987-04-22 DE DE8787902839T patent/DE3774574D1/de not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (7)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events