Actuator for adjustable conveyor guiderail

Abstract

A system includes a conveyor and a cable adapted to travel along an endless path to extend or retract a first adjustable guiderail for guiding one or more articles when being conveyed along the conveyor. A cable actuator adapted to move the cable along an endless path. The cable actuator may include a capstan adapted to receive at least a portion of the cable and rotate to cause the cable to move along the endless path, a tensioner adapted to tension the cable, or both the capstan and the tensioner. First and second adjustable guiderails may also be provided, along with a controller for controlling associated cable actuators. The controller may include a plurality of preset conditions, each corresponding to a width of an article to be conveyed or to a width of the conveying path between the first adjustable guiderail and the second adjustable guiderail.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.