Transportation system for the distribution of articles to several receiving stations along a track

A system for distributing various articles to a number of destinations, comprising:

• track means forming a path leading past all said destinations;
• at least one self-propelled carriage movable along said path and provided with an electric motor, said track means including a supply conductor extending along said path for feeding current to said motor;
• support means on said carriage including a transverse rod formed with a plurality of predetermined engagement positions for articles respectively headed for said destinations, said engagement positions being transversely spaced with reference to said path;
• holders emplaceable on said rod in any of said engagement positions, each holder being adapted to carry at least one article;
• retrieval means at each destination aligned with the respective engagement position for automatically releasing a corresponding holder from said rod upon movement of said transporter past said retrieval means;
• guide means at each destination juxtaposed with said retrieval means for directing a released holder to a receiving station;
• and
• hook means on each holder fitting onto said rod in a forwardly open position for disengagement by said retrieval means during continuous movement of said carriage;
• said retrieval means including a magnet positioned for coaction with a ferromagnetic part of any of said holders suspended from said rod in an aligned engagement position, said magnet being provided with an electrical energizing circuit including an ancillary conductor extending alongside said supply conductor in the vicinity of said retrieval means and a pair of interconnected brushes on said carriage respectively positioned for contact with said supply conductor and said ancillary conductor for activating said magnet during travel of said carriage past said retrieval means.

A system for distributing various articles to a number of destinations, comprising:

• track means forming a path leading past all said destinations;
• at least one transporter movable along said path;
• support means on said transport including a transverse rod formed with a plurality of predetermined engagement positions for articles respectively headed for said destinations, said engagement positions being transversely spaced with reference to said path;
• holders emplaceable on said rod in any of said engagement positions, each holder being adapted to carry at least one article;
• a fixed stop at each destination aligned with the respective engagement position for releasing a corresponding holder from said rod upon movement of said transporter past said stop;
• guide means at each destination juxtaposed with said stop for directing a released holder to a receiving station;
• hook means on each holder fitting onto said rod in a forwardly open position for disengagement by said stop during continuous movement of said transporter;
• and
• a magnet on said stop positioned for coaction with a ferromagnetic part of any of said holders suspended from said rod in an aligned engagement position, said magnet being provided with an electrical energizing circuit including switch means closable by said transporter during travel thereof past said stop.

A system for distributing various articles to a number of destinations, comprising:

• track means forming a path leading past all said destinations;
• at least one transporter movable along said path;
• support means including a transverse rod formed with a plurality of predetermined engagement positions for articles respectively headed for said destinations, said engagement positions being transversely spaced with reference to said path;
• holders emplaceable on said rod in any of said engagement positions, each holder being adapted to carry at least one article;
• retrieval means at each destination aligned with the respective engagement position for automatically releasing a corresponding holder from said rod upon movement of said transporter past said retrieval means;
• guide means at each destination juxtaposed with said retrieval means for directing a released holder to a receiving station;
• and
• hook means on each holder fitting onto said rod in a forwardly open position for disengagement by said retrieval means during continuous movement of said transporter, said hook means including an upright, an elbow with a depending front arm articulated to the top of said upright, latch means on said upright normally keeping said elbow in a generally horizontal position overhanging said rod upon suspension of the holder from said rod, and a forwardly pointing release member operatively coupled with said latch means for allowing said elbow to swing upwardly and lift said front arm off said rod upon contact of said release member with a stationary element forming part of said retrieval means.

A system for distributing various articles to a number of destinations, comprising:

• track means forming a path leading past all said destinations;
• at least one transporter movable along said path;
• support means on said transporter including a transverse rod formed with a plurality of predetermined engagement positions for articles respectively headed for said destinations, said engagement positions being transversely spaced with reference to said path;
• holders emplaceable on said rod in any of said engagement positions, each holder being adapted to carry at least one article;
• retrieval means at each destination aligned with the respective engagement position for automatically releasing a corresponding holder from said rod upon movement of said transporter past said retrieval means;
• guide means at each destination juxtaposed with said retrieval means for directing a released holder to a receiving station;
• hook means on each holder fitting onto said rod in a forwardly open position for disengagement by said retrieval means during continuous movement of said transporter, each holder being provided beneath said hook means with a mounting for at least one article to be transported;
• and
• clamping means on each holder for pressing such an article against said mounting, said clamping means being provided with an extension projecting toward said hook means for preventing engagement thereof with said rod in an inoperative position of said locking means.