Infeed assembly and a discharge assembly for a conveyor system
AssigneeDesign & Process Engineering, Inc.
InventorsRouzas R. Khoylian, James R. Cowdery, David B. Park
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The infeed and discharge assemblies are mechanically actuated by movement of the hook assemblies on the endless chains of the horizontal conveyor in order to sequentially direct the flexible carriers into and out of the respective vertical conveyors. Each of the infeed and discharge assemblies includes a pivotally mounted ramp assembly with a pair of latch assemblies at the ends for engaging an aligned pair of tracks in the respective vertical conveyors.
Claims29
In combination,
- a first conveyor having a pair of guide tracks for guiding a product-receiving carrier thereon, at least one endless chain for movement in an endless path, and at least one hook assembly secured to said chain for travel therewith, said hook assembly having a hook for engaging and pulling a carrier along said guide tracks during movement of said chain;
- a second conveyor having a pair of oppositely disposed vertical elevators, each elevator having a plurality of tracks thereon for movement in an endless vertically disposed path;
- and
- an infeed assembly for moving a carrier from said guide tracks of said first conveyor onto a pair of opposed tracks of said second conveyor;
- said infeed assembly including a pivotally mounted ramp assembly having a pair of ramp tracks aligned with said guide tracks of said first conveyor to permit movement of a carrier from said guide tracks onto said ramp tracks, cam means disposed in the path of travel of said hook assembly for lowering said ramp assembly in response to movement of said hook assembly thereon, and a releaseable latch assembly mounted adjacent at least one of said ramp tracks to engage a track of said second conveyor to align said ramp tracks with a pair of opposed tracks of said second conveyor to permit movement of a carrier from said ramp tracks onto said aligned tracks of said second conveyor.
An infeed assembly for moving a carrier from a horizontally disposed first conveyor having a hook assembly for conveying the carrier thereon to a vertically disposed second conveyor, said infeed assembly comprising
- a pivotally mounted ramp assembly having a pair of ramp tracks for guiding a carrier thereon, said ramp assembly being pivotally mounted about a pivot axis;
- at least one cam means for lowering said ramp assembly in response to the hook assembly moving into a predetermined position;
- and
- a releaseable latch assembly mounted on at least one of said ramp tracks for engaging with the second conveyor during a subsequent upward pivoting of said ramp assembly.
In combination
- a first conveyor having a pair of guide tracks for guiding a product-receiving carrier thereon, at least one endless chain for movement in an endless path, and at least one hook assembly secured to said chain for travel therewith, said hook assembly having a hook for engaging and pulling a carrier along said guide tracks during movement of said chain;
- a second conveyor having a pair of oppositely disposed vertical elevators, each elevator having a plurality of tracks thereon for movement in an endless vertically disposed path;
- and
- a discharge assembly for moving a carrier from a pair of opposed tracks of said second conveyor onto said guide tracks of said first conveyor, said discharge assembly including a pivotally mounted ramp assembly having a pair of ramp tracks aligned with said guide tracks of said first conveyor to permit movement of a carrier from said ramp tracks onto said guide tracks, cam means disposed in the path of travel of said hook assembly for raising said ramp assembly in response to movement of said hook assembly thereon and a releseable latch assembly mounted on at least one of said ramp tracks to engage a track of said second conveyor to align said ramp tracks with a pair of opposed tracks of said second conveyor to permit movement of a carrier from said aligned tracks of said second conveyor onto said ramp tracks.
A discharge assembly for moving a carrier to a horizontally disposed first conveyor having a hook assembly for conveying the carrier thereon from a vertically disposed second conveyor, said discharge assembly comprising
- a pivotally mounted ramp assembly having a pair of pivotally mounted ramp tracks for guiding a carrier thereon, said ramp assembly being pivotally mounted about a pivot axis;
- at least one cam means for raising said ramp assembly in response to the hook assembly moving into a predetermined position;
- and
- a releaseable latch assembly mounted on at least one of said ramp tracks for engaging with the second conveyor during a subsequent downward pivoting of said ramp assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.