US 2004/0168882 A1 · Cam for accumulating conveyor

Abstract

A preferred embodiment of a cam for an accumulating conveyor system has a primary cam and a secondary cam that operably rotate about a common axis at substantially the same speed. The primary and secondary cam each have an outer circumferential surface that defines a receiving portion and a cam surface. The receiving portion of the cam is engageable with a cam follower of a shoe for moving the shoe between an upper and lower horizontal run of the conveyor. In another aspect of the present invention, the conveyor system has two sets of primary and secondary cams. One set of primary/secondary cams is positioned at a beginning of the conveyor system, while the other set is positioned at the end of the conveyor system. The primary cams are positioned at opposite corners of the conveyor system. Each cam is configured differently than the other three cams.

Claims30

Dependent claims

An accumulating conveyor comprising:

a primary cam having an outer circumferential edge defining at least one receiving portion and at least one cam surface, the primary cam being rotatable about a rotational axis aligned substantially perpendicular to a plane of the primary cam and passing through a geometric center of the primary cam;
a secondary cam having an outer circumferential edge defining at least one receiving portion and at least one cam surface, the secondary cam rotatable about a rotational axis aligned substantially perpendicular to a plane of the secondary cam and passing through a geometric center of the secondary cam, the secondary cam positioned relative to the primary cam such that the plane of the primary cam is substantially parallel to the plane of the secondary cam and the rotational axis of the primary cam substantially coincides with the rotational axis of the secondary cam;
and
wherein the primary cam and the secondary cam operably rotate at the same rotational speed about their respective rotational axis.

1 more element

An accumulating conveyor system comprising:

a first shaft having a first end and a second end;
a second shaft having a first end and a second end, a longitudinal axis of the second shaft being aligned substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first shaft;
a first primary cam having an outer circumferential edge defining at least one receiving portion and at least one cam surface, the first primary cam engageable with the first end of the first shaft;
a first secondary cam having outer circumferential edge defining at least one receiving portion and at least one cam surface, the first secondary cam engageable with a second end of the first shaft;
a second secondary cam having outer circumferential edge defining at least one receiving portion and at least one cam surface, the second secondary cam engageable with a first end of the second shaft;
a second primary cam having outer circumferential edge defining at least one receiving portion and at least one cam surface, the second secondary cam engageable with a second end of the second shaft;
a first shoe having a cam follower operably engageable with the outer circumferential edge of the first primary cam and the outer circumferential edge of the second secondary cam;
and
a second shoe having a cam follower operably engageable with the outer circumferential edge of the first secondary cam follower and the outer circumferential edge of the second primary cam.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cam for accumulating conveyor

Life of this patent

Cam for accumulating conveyor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30