US 4,793,261 AGranted

Accumulating pallet chain-dog conveyor and method of conveying pallets

AssigneeDurr Industries, Inc.

InventorKurt W. Schwaemmle

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Abstract

An accumulating pallet chain-dog conveyor has spring-biased roller assemblies attached to the pallet underside for frictionally engaging dogs and spacers which are connected to an endless chain. The roller assemblies include rotatable rollers having a plurality of flats for engaging the surfaces of the dogs and spacers. In operation, the pallets are propelled by the dogs which are engaged by the spring-biased rollers. The conveyor includes a pallet stop which halts the forward movement of the pallet at a predetermined position. When the forward movement of the pallet is stopped, the opposed rollers rotate the distance of one flat whereby the dog passes between the rollers in sliding, frictional engagement therewith. Thus, the pallet stops and the endless chain with its attached dogs and spacers continues to move. After the dog passes from between the opposed rollers, the rollers slidingly, frictionally engage a spacer which also passes between the rollers. The sliding, frictional engagement with the dogs and the spacers during the time in which the pallet is stationary due to its engagement with the pallet stop prevents rearward and lateral movement of the pallet. In another aspect, the conveyor includes a pallet-propelling sprocket in synchronous motion with the endless chain and a plurality of sprocket-receiving pins mounted on the underside of the pallet. The conveyor includes a drive course and return course linked by turn courses. As a pallet reaches the end of the drive course or the end of the return course, the pallet-driving sprocket engages the pins whereby the pallet is carried through the turn course.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An accumulating pallet chain-dog conveyor comprising:

a carrier attachment defining a conveyor course;
a pallet adapted to be propelled on said carrier attachment through said conveyor course;
a pallet stop for halting the movement of said pallet through said conveyor course;
an endless propelling means associated with said carrier attachment for propelling said pallet through a portion of conveyor course;
a generally wedge-shaped dog connected to said endless propelling means;
a spacer attached to said endless propelling means;
two pivoting arms attached to the underside of said pallet;
two horizontally opposed rollers for sequentially engaging said dog and said spacer during movement of said endless propelling means and defining a space between said rollers, said rollers each having at least one flat surface for said sequential engagement of said dog and said spacer and one of said rollers being attached to one of said pivoting arms and the other of said rollers being attached to the other of said pivoting arms;
first biasing means in operative relation to said one of said pivoting arms;
second biasing means in operative relation to said other of said pivoting arms, said first and second biasing means for biasing said rollers toward one another such that said dog and said spacer are sequentially, substantially, continuously engaging by said flat surfaces of said rollers;
whereby said rollers engage said dog during operation of said conveyor to propel said pallet through said conveyor course until the movement of said pallet is halted by said pallet stop at which time said biased rollers allow said dog to move through said space, said flats of said rollers being in sliding frictional contact with said dog, whereupon said spacer moves through said space in sliding, frictional contact with said flats of said rollers, imparting a stabilizing force on said pallet.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/013,482Filed 11 Feb 1987
Granted: 27 Dec 1988
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B65G 35/06
Mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for: comprising a load-carrier moving along a path, e.g. a closed path, and adapted to be engaged by…
B23Q 7/1457
Using endless conveyors: comprising an impeller or a series of impellers
B65G 19/02
Conveyors comprising an impeller or a series of impellers carried by an endless traction element and arranged to move articles or materials over…
B65G 47/261
Arranging the articles, e.g. varying spacing between individual articles: accumulating articles