Device for braking articles to be conveyed on a conveyer and braking rubber tubes therefor

A device for braking articles conveyed on a conveyor comprising:

• a pair of side walls extending along said conveyor;
• a pair of inflatable rubber tubes of a predetermined length with flat braking surfaces adjacent said articles and along said conveyor, said rubber tubes being provided on the inside of said pair of side walls such that said articles on said conveyor can pass between said rubber tubes;
• a means for inflating said pair of rubber tubes such that both sides of said articles are engaged by said rubber tubes when said rubber tubes are inflated;
• and
• guide members for guiding said articles, said guide members being provided adjacent an upper portion of each of said pair of side walls and a lower portion of each of said rubber tubes;
• wherein said pair of rubber tubes are arranged and configured such that when said pair of rubber tubes are inflated, said braking surfaces move in a direction toward both sides of said article in an upwardly inclined direction so that said article is lifted up slightly from said conveyor surface.

Rubber tubes for braking an article conveyed on a conveyor comprising:

• an inflatable rubber tube provided on both sides of said conveyor, said inflatable rubber tube comprising:
• a wall part comprising a flat braking surface;
• a reinforcing part positioned at the back of said braking surface for maintaining the flatness of said braking surface;
• an attaching wall part;
• and
• a hollow section that is provided between said reinforcing part and said attaching wall part so as to be narrow and small when not inflated, but enlarged when inflated.