Crossfeeder
AssigneeGeneral Dynamics, Pomona Division
InventorMichael D. Golden
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for feeding a plurality of items to a unit having a variable demand. The apparatus includes a frame rotatably supporting a first shaft in a fixed position, and a last shaft rotatably supported in a fixed position, the last shaft supplying items to the unit, the first shaft discharging the items from the apparatus at a variable rate, and at least two rotatable pivotally mounted, intermediate shafts to guide the items between the first and last shafts and accumulate them during load demand. The rate of feed by the last shaft is different from that of the first shaft and is determined at least by the extent of accumulation at the intermediate shafts, and optionally also by the differential in feed rate existing between the first and last shafts.
Claims30
A crossfeeder unit capable of constant supply rate and variable output rate of serially provided items comprising:
- a support structure;
- discharge means for discharging items from the unit;
- input means means for item input to the unit;
- intermediate means for accumulation of a variable number of items between the input and discharge means, the intermediate means including at least one pivotable accumulating means mounted to pivot about the axis of at least one of the input and discharge means in accordance with differences between the supply rate and the output rate;
- guide means for guiding said items from the input means to the output means via the intermediate means;
- and
- control means responsive to the position of the accumulating means relative to the pivot axis and effective to control the feed of items to said crossfeeder.
A crossfeeder apparatus for serially feeding a plurality of items comprising:
- a frame assembly;
- an input shaft rotatably mounted in said assembly;
- article conveying means and drive means mounted on the input shaft;
- an output shaft having mounted thereon article exit means and drive means;
- a plurality of rotatable and pivotable shafts positioned between said input shaft and said output shaft, each having drive means, the drive means of each said plural shafts being interconnected, and the drive means of the shaft next adjacent said output shaft being interconnected to said output shaft drive means, the drive means of the shafts next adjacent said input shaft being interconnected with the drive means of said input shaft;
- guide means positioned about said shafts and related article moving means for guiding said articles between said shafts along a path defined by said guide means;
- and
- independent drive means effective to rotate said input shaft to provide articles to said crossfeeder, the independent drive means being responsive to the motion of said output shaft, whereby said plural shafts are capable of varying the number of articles in said crossfeeder by the rotation thereof about their pivot axes.
Crossfeeding apparatus for feeding items in succession from a supply source at a quasi-steady rate to a utilization device operating at an intermittent demand rate, the apparatus comprising:
- a conveyor for the items coupled to be driven by the utilization device and connected to drive a plurality of rotatable shafts supporting the conveyor along a transfer path between the supply source and the utilization device, the plurality of shafts including input and output shafts fixed in position by a rigid support structure;
- and
- a plurality of intermediate shafts pivotably supported from adjacent input and output shafts, respectively, so as to be movable in position about respective pivot axes of the input and output shafts and relative to a line between the input and output shafts in order to vary the number of items on the conveyor along the transfer path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.