Scroll strip conveyor system
AssigneeFleetwood Systems, Inc.
InventorsWallace W. Mojden, Andrew E. Mojden
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A scroll strip conveyor system comprises a conveyor belt for carrying a series of relatively flat scroll strips thereon in a flat, edge-to-edge spaced apart condition. An inspection station is located along the conveyor for inspecting the scroll strips to identify rejects. An ejector is provided for ejecting the rejects from the conveyor belt. A hopper feed apparatus is located at a terminal end of the conveyor belt for receiving the scroll strips therefrom one by one in an edge-to-edge condition and for redirecting the scroll strips into a parallel surface-to-surface spaced apart condition to be stacked in flat, surface-to-surface abutting condition in a hopper.
Claims32
A scroll strip conveyor system comprising:
- conveyor belt means for carrying a series of relatively flat scroll strips thereon in a flat, edge-to-edge spaced apart condition;
- means for inspecting said scroll strips to identify rejects;
- reject means for ejecting said rejects from said conveyor belt means;
- and hopper feed means located at a terminal end of said conveyor belt means for receiving said scroll strips therefrom one by one in said edge-to-edge condition and for redirecting said scroll strips into a parallel, surface-to-surface spaced apart condition to be stacked in flat, surface-to-surface abutting condition in a hopper;
- wherein said hopper feed means comprises;
- an enclosure having a bottom wall and a pair of opposite side walls, said walls collectively defining a cross-sectional configuration similar to the maximum peripheral dimension of said scroll strips;
- entrance opening means for receiving said strips on edge from said conveyor;
- and strip alignment means for redirecting said strips to said parallel spaced apart condition within said hopper feed means, such that the flat surfaces of said scroll strips are substantially perpendicular to said bottom and side walls.
A hopper-infeed apparatus for use in a scroll strip conveyor system including conveyor belt means for carrying a series of relatively flat scroll strips thereon in a flat, edge-to-edge spaced apart condition, comprising:
- hopper-infeed means located at a terminal end of said conveyor belt means and defining enclosure for receiving said scroll strips therefrom one by one in said edge-to-edge condition, and magnetic strip alignment means associated with the upper portion of the enclosure for redirecting said scroll strips into a parallel, surface-to-surface spaced apart condition and permitting the scroll strips to move along the length of said hopper-infeed means to be stacked in a flat, surface-to-surface abutting condition in a hopper;
- wherein said hopper-infeed means enclosure includes means defining a bottom wall and a pair of opposite side walls, said walls collectively defining a cross-sectional configuration similar to the maximum peripheral dimension of said scroll strips;
- entrance opening means for receiving said strips on edge from said comveyor belt means;
- and wherein said magnetic strip alignment means redirects said strips to said parallel spaced apart condition within said hopper-infeed means, such that the flat surfaces of said scroll strips are substantially perpendicular to said bottom and side walls.
An ejector apparatus for use in a scroll strip conveyor system including conveyor belt means for carrying a series of relatively flat scroll strips thereon in a flat, edge-to-edge spaced apart condition, comprising:
- a pair of spaced apart ejector finger members mounted for movement between a rest position wherein they do not interfere with the path of travel of said scroll strips along said conveyor belt means and an eject position wherein said ejector finger members staddle a belt part of the conveyor belt means and extend into the path of travel of said scroll strips along said conveyor belt means for redirecting said scroll strips away from said conveyor belt means, and selectively actuatable drive means or driving said ejector finger members between said rest and eject positions thereof;
- and further including reject bin means located adjacent said conveyor belt means for receiving said scroll strips redirected by said ejector finger members;
- wherein said reject bin means comprises a box-like enclosure member having an entrance opening aligned with said ejector finger members when in the eject position for receiving the redirected scroll strips therethrough;
- and wherein said reject bin means further includes a guide member extending angularly inwardly of said entrance opening for directing said scroll strips into an interior portion of said reject bin means, and means defining a pair of further openings in said enclosure in communication with said entrance opening and extending to areas adjacent and to either side of said guide member for receiving therethrough at least a portion of said ejector finger members for straddling and aligning with said guide member so as to assure redirection of said scroll strips into said reject bin means by the cooperative action of both the ejector finger members and the guide member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.