An oscillating-accumulating conveyor, comprising:
- horizontally elongated frame means defining a substantially horizontally extending longitudinal direction;
- wheel means rotatably supported on said frame means at longitudinally spaced intervals and disposed for supporting and rolling engagement with a stationary horizontally extending support surface;
- drive means for causing said frame means to be cyclically reciprocated back and forth in said longitudinal direction through a predetermined stroke, whereby said frame means is rollingly supported during said reciprocation due to said wheel means being rollingly engaged with said support surface;
- a plurality of conveyor rolls mounted on said frame means at longitudinal intervals therealong, said conveyor rolls being individually freely rotatably supported on said frame means for individual rotation about horizontal axes which extend substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal direction, said conveyor rollers at their uppermost peripheral surface defining a substantially horizontal conveying plane which extends longitudinally of the conveyor, whereby a load to be conveyed can be supported on said conveyor rolls and moved longitudinally along said plane;
- one-way holding means extending in said longitudinal direction for permitting said load to be forwardly moved along said conveyor during the forward stroke of said drive means while preventing rearward movement of said load during the rearward stroke of said drive means, whereby said conveyor rolls rollingly engage and support said load as the frame means and the conveyor rolls mounted thereon are retracted rearwardly relative to the load by said drive means, whereby the cyclic reciprocation of said frame means by said drive means causes the load to be intermittently advanced in a steplike manner along the length of the conveyor;
- and
- said one-way holding means including a plurality of individual one-way holding devices disposed at spaced intervals along a row which extends parallel to said longitudinal direction, each said holding device including a movable holding member swingably movably supported on a mounting structure which is fixedly secured relative to said support surface, said holding member being normally maintained in a first position wherein a part thereof projects upwardly for physical engagement with an end surface of the load for positively preventing the load from moving in said rearward direction, said holding member being movable by said load into a retracted position wherein the holding member is disposed in its entirety below the load in response to engagement of said holding member by said load during its forward movement so as to permit unrestricted free forward movement of the load during advancing of the conveyor, said holding member being provided with a roughened nose at the upper end thereof which is disposed for engagement with a bottom lower surface on the load when the holding member is positioned thereunder and is held thereby in said retracted position, whereby the roughened nose engages a bottom surface of the load to prevent rearward movement thereof.