Apparatus for controlling the flow of articles
AssigneeHartness International, Inc.
InventorsDorian F. Steeber, Olivier P. Duterte
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for controlling the flow of articles includes an infeed conveyor and an outfeed conveyor spaced apart from the infeed conveyor to define a space therebetween. A movable transport member is disposed across and movable along the space. Transport member includes a rotatable member drivingly engaged by the infeed and outfeed conveyors so as to rotate as either of the infeed and outfeed conveyors move. The transport member travels along the space if a relative speed difference exists between the infeed and outfeed conveyors. An article transfer member is carried by the transport member and is disposed between the infeed and outfeed conveyors to transfer articles between the conveyors as the rotatable member rotates.
Claims10
An apparatus for controlling the flow of articles, comprising:
- an infeed conveyor driven in a first direction to convey articles therealong in said first direction, and an outfeed conveyor driven in an opposite direction to convey articles therealong in said opposite direction;
- said infeed and outfeed conveyors spaced apart and generally parallel so as to define a space therebetween;
- a movable transport member disposed between and movable along said space, said transport member further comprising a rotatable member drivingly engaged on a common drive surface simultaneously by said infeed and outfeed conveyors so that said rotatable member continuously rotates as either of said infeed and outfeed conveyors move and said transport member travels along said space if a relative speed difference exists between said infeed and outfeed conveyors causing said transport member to travel in the direction of the faster of said infeed and outfeed conveyor;
- and
- a rotating article transfer member carried by and driven by said transport member to rotate and transfer articles between said infeed conveyor and said outfeed conveyor as said rotatable member rotates relative to said infeed and outfeed conveyors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.