Sorting conveyor with cross-over
AssigneeThe E. W. Buschman Company
InventorsThomas C. Yu, Robert K. Vogt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A continuous apron type sortation conveyor having carton pushers which travel with and crosswise of the apron is provided with branch lines arranged in pairs directly opposite each other along the main line to which oppositely angled guide tracks for the pushers lead from positions adjacent the center of the conveyor. The successive carton pushers enter the upstream end of the conveyor on the opposite side of the apron from the side to which they will deliver the carton assigned thereto, and immediately thereafter, they are caused to travel approximately half-way across the apron to a centered position thereon, while at the same time pushing the carton assigned thereto to a position close to the side edge of the apron from which they are to be delivered to a branch line.
Claims6
A sortation conveyor system for cartons and the like including a frame defining a main line and a plurality of branch lines leading from opposite sides of said main line, comprising:
- (a) an endless apron supported for movement on said frame to define a top conveying run and a bottom return run,
- (b) means for driving said apron,
- (c) a plurality of pusher elements mounted for sliding movement on said apron from one side thereof to the other to push a carton laterally aligned therewith to said other side,
- (d) means for causing said pusher elements to enter the upstream end of said top run of said apron in preselected groups with each such group on the opposite side of said apron from the branch line to which the carton laterally aligned therewith is to be delivered,
- (e) guide means adjacent each side of the upstream end of said frame positioned to direct each such group of pusher elements to the center of said apron and thereby to cause said pusher elements to move said aligned carton to the opposite side of center of said apron,
- (f) selectively operable switch means associated with and mounted centrally of said frame upstream from each said branch line for movement between a centered guiding position and a guiding position aligned with said associated branch line wherein said switching means diverts successive said pusher elements toward said branch line, and
- (g) means defining a guide track extending from said switch means to each of said branch lines associated therewith for guiding said diverted pusher elements across the remainder of said apron to said associated branch line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.