Printed circuit board conveyor and method

A conveyor having endless ropes for frictionally transporting articles comprising:

• at least two substantially parallel, substantially continuous conveyor supports, each having a conveying track for slidably supporting a conveying portion of the endless rope from below and a returning track for slidably supporting a returning portion of the endless rope from below;
• sheaves having circumferential grooves, each sheave rotatably mounted to the ends of each conveyor support such that the sheaves' grooves are aligned with both the conveying track and the return track of the conveyor support, the sheaves' grooves for routing the endless ropes from one conveyor support track to another conveyor support track;
• guide rails horizontally adjustably mounted to the conveyor supports above the conveying tracks to secure the endless ropes in the conveying tracks and to limit contact with the articles to within about 0.001 inches of their edge while frictionally transporting them;
• and
• at least two stepping motors kept in phase, each attached to a single conveyor support and positioned to rotate at least one sheave on each conveyor support to circulate the endless rope around through the conveying and returning tracks, and to permit the conveyor supports to be horizontally adjustable.

A conveyor comprising:

• at least one means for linearly conveying articles, the linear conveying means including at least two endless ropes and at least tow conveyor supports, each conveyor support comprising
• an elongated substantially vertical body having a top portion and a bottom portion,
• a first platform depending substantially horizontally from a side of the body along its length at its top portion, the first platform having a top surface and a bottom surface,
• a concavely shaped channel formed in the top surface of and running the length of the first platform, the channel to slidably support the endless rope to frictionally transport articles, and
• a concavely shaped passage running the length of the body beneath the first platform, the passage to slidably support the returning rope;
• and
• a transfer mechanism to receive articles from a first linear conveying means and to deliver them to a workstation, the transfer mechanism comprising
• means for receiving an article from the first linear conveying means,
• means for lifting the received article above the first linear conveying means,
• means for rotating the lifted article to the workstation,
• means for lowering the rotated article to the workstation, and
• means for delivering the article from the transfer mechanism to the workstation.

The method of conveying articles from a first workstation to a second workstation comprising:

• conveying articles with a first endless rope conveying means from the first workstation to a transfer mechanism;
• receiving an article from the first endless rope conveying means onto the transfer mechanism;
• once an article has been received, stopping additional articles from being conveyed onto the transfer mechanism;
• lifting the article clear of the first endless rope conveying means with the transfer mechanism;
• rotating the article, with the transfer mechanism, to present the article to the second endless rope conveying means;
• lowering the transfer mechanism into alignment with the second endless rope conveying means;
• conveying the article off the transfer mechanism and onto the second endless rope conveying means;
• and
• conveying the article with the second endless rope conveying means from the transfer mechanism to the second workstation wherein the first and second conveying means both include endless ropes and conveyor supports, each conveyor support comprising
• an elongated substantially vertical body having a top portion and a bottom portion,
• a first platform depending substantially horizontally from a side of the body along its length at its top portion, the first platform having a top surface and a bottom surface,
• a concavely shaped channel formed in the top surface of and running the length of the first platform, the channel to slidably support a conveying portion of the endless rope to frictionally transport articles, and
• a concavely shaped passage formed in and running the length of the body at a position beneath the first platform, the passage to slidably support a returning portion of the endless rope.

A transfer mechanism for receiving articles from a first linear conveyor means and delivering them to a second linear conveyor means, the transfer mechanism comprising:

• a turntable;
• third means, mounted to the turntable, for linearly conveying an article from the first linear conveyor means onto the turntable;
• means for lifting the turntable and article clear of the first linear conveyor means;
• means for rotation the turntable and article to bring the third linear conveyor means and articles into partial alignment with the second linear conveyor means;
• and
• means for lowering the turntable and the articles into alignment with the second linear conveyor means;
• the third linear conveyor means for conveying the articles from the turntable onto the second linear conveyor means, and
• wherein the three linear conveying means comprise means for linearly conveying articles by limiting contact with the articles to within 0.001 inches of their edge.

A conveyor support for conveyors having endless ropes which frictionally transport articles, the conveyor support comprising:

• an elongated substantially vertical body having a top portion and a bottom portion;
• a first platform depending substantially horizontally from a side of the body along its length at its top portion, the first platform having a top surface and a bottom surface;
• a concavely shaped channel formed in the top surface of and running the length of the first platform, the channel to slidably support the endless rope to frictionally transport articles;
• and
• a concavely shaped passage running the length of the body beneath the first platform, the passage to slidably support the returning rope, the passage greater than semicircular shaped to envelop more than half the surface of the endless rope and protect it from potential damage.

A conveyor having endless ropes for frictionally transporting articles comprising:

• at least two substantially parallel, substantially continuous conveyor supports, each having a conveying track for slidably supporting a conveying portion of the endless rope and a returning track for slidably supporting a returning portion of the endless rope;
• sheaves having circumferential grooves, each sheave rotatably mounted to the ends of each conveyor support such that the sheaves' grooves are aligned with both the conveying track and the return track of the conveyor support, the sheaves' grooves for routing the endless ropes from one conveyor support track to another conveyor support track;
• guide rails horizontally adjustably mounted to the conveyor supports above the conveying tracks to secure the endless ropes in the conveying tracks and to limit contact with the articles to their edge while frictionally transportation them;
• and
• means for rotating at least on sheave on each conveyor support to circulate the endless rope around through the conveying and returning tracks.