US 5,054,601 A · Sorting conveyor

Abstract

A bundle distribution system comprised of tilt tray carriers coupled in tandem forming a continuous loop, each conveyor being a link in the loop. Vertical and horizontal wheels guide the conveyors along a closed loop path which may include curved and straight sections as well as vertical curves and inclined path sections. Each carrier includs a pivotally mounted tilt tray normally maintained in an upright position. Linear induction motors (LIMs) cooperate with a conductive plate arranged along the underside of each carrier for propulsion. The LIMs are distributed at spaced intervals along the closed loop track, each carrier being a movable element of the motor. The LIMs are operated in parallel and a speed sensor provides feedback for controlling the operating speed to a tolerance of within .+-.5%. The cam follower rollers of a tilting assembly follow a movable tilt cam which initially unlocks the tilting mechanism from the locked position followed by tilting of the carriage about its longitudinal axis. Straightening cams on both sides of the track downstream from the opening cam reset the tilted tray and prevent overshooting. The multi-wheel speed sensor assures rolling engagement of at least two of the sensor wheels with at least one of the carts. A top loader which is positioned above the track so as to minimize the space required therefor, is capable of dropping signature bundles onto the desired tray with great accuracy. The tilting cam likewise assures accurate tilting and release of a bundle upon a branching out feed chute.

Claims50

Dependent claims

Apparatus for use in a conveyor system comprising:

a body having a longitudinal tilt axis;
rotatable wheel means arranged near a rear end of said body for rollingly supporting said body;
a support tray swingably mounted upon said body and being swingable along a longitudinal axis substantially coincident with the longitudinal tilt axis;
a coupling releasably secured to the forward end of said body;
said body having a coupling receiving pin near said rear end for receiving the coupling of a similar apparatus;
a locking means on said body;
tilt means coupled to said tray and swingable therewith;
said tilt means including a rod having follower rollers aligned along a predetermined axis of rotation and extending beyond opposite sides of said body;
said tilt means including a swingable locking plate swingable about an axis transverse to said longitudinal axis;
and
said rotational axis being parallel to said transverse axis;
having means cooperating with said locking means when in a first position to lock the support tray in the upright position;
bias means normally urging said locking plate toward said locking means;
said locking plate being swingable away from said locking means to a second position displaced from said locking means when said tilt means is tilted through a first predetermined angle away from the upright position and said tilting assembly and said tilt tray being tilted in the same direction as said tilting apparatus as said tilting assembly moves through a second predetermined angle.

11 more elements

Interconnecting tray assembly members for a product conveyor system each being adapted to support a tiltable tray and being comprised of:

a supporting frame;
a pair of integral uprights on said frame for swingably supporting the tiltable tray above said frame for movement about a first axis;
wheel means rollingly coupled to said frame for rollingly supporting said frame, said wheel means being arranged a spaced distance rearward from the rearward upright of said frame;
a locking means mounted upon said frame;
a tilting assembly being coupled to said tiltable tray for movement therewith and including a locking plate having means for engaging said locking means;
said locking plate being swingably mounted to rotate about a second axis transverse to said first axis and including bias means normally urging said engaging means toward said locking means;
said tilting assembly including a tilt bar normally extending parallel to said second axis, which bar, when tilted in a predetermined direction, initially urges said tilting mechanism in a first direction against the force of said bias means to move said locking plate away from said locking means and thereafter to tilt said tiltable tray when said locking plate is displaced from said locking means.

4 more elements

A tray conveyor system for receiving and dispensing products comprising:

closed loop track means for supporting and guiding the tray conveyor system;
a closed loop tray conveyor assembly comprised of a plurality of individual tilt tray carrier means each being coupled to the adjacent carrier means respectively located downstream and upstream of each carrier means whereby each carrier means comprises a "link" in a closed loop "chain";
each of said carrier means comprising roller means, said track means including guide means receiving said roller means for guiding each of said carrier means along said closed loop track means;
each of said carrier means including frame means and a tilt tray swingably mounted thereto;
tilt actuating ramp means;
means on each carrier means for abruptly tilting its associated tray responsive to selective engagement with said tilt actuating ramp means;
the bottom surface of each frame means being provided with a conductive sheet-like metallic member;
linear electric motor means mounted on said track means adjacent to said metallic member in such a manner as to provide a small air gap between said linear electric motor means and said metallic member;
said linear electric motor means being energizable to create an electromagnetic field for creating eddy currents in said metallic member to develop a counteracting magnetic field cooperating with the field developed by said linear motor means when said metallic member is in the influence of said electromagnetic field to create a thrust sufficient for moving all of said carrier means in a predetermined direction along said track means whereby substantially continuous propulsion of said tray conveyor is obtained as the metallic members of each of said carrier means passes said linear electric motor means, the counteracting magnetic field dissipating when the metallic member leaves the influence of said electromagnetic field.

6 more elements

A tray conveyor system for receiving and dispensing products comprising:

closed loop track means for supporting and guiding the tray conveyor system;
a closed loop tray conveyor assembly comprised of a plurality of individual tilt tray carrier means each being coupled to the adjacent carrier means respectively located downstream and upstream of each carrier means whereby each carrier means comprises a "link" in a closed loop "chain";
each of said carrier means comprising roller means, said track means including guide means receiving said roller means for guiding each of said carrier means along said closed loop track means;
each of said carrier means including frame means and a tilt tray swingably mounted thereto;
the bottom surface of each frame means being provided with a conductive sheet-like metallic member;
linear electric motor means mounted on said track means adjacent to said metallic member in such a manner as to provide a small air gap between said linear electric motor means and said metallic member;
said linear electric motor means being energizable to create an electromagnetic field for creating eddy currents in said metallic member to develop a counteracting magnetic field cooperating with the field developed by said linear motor means to create a thrust sufficient for moving all of said carrier means in a predetermined direction along said track means whereby substantially continuous propulsion of said tray conveyor is obtained as the metallic members of each of said carrier means passes said linear electric motor means;
control means for adjusting power to all of said linear electric motors for controlling the speed of said conveyor system;
adjustable speed control setting means;
said control means being responsive to said speed control setting means for adjusting the signal applied to said linear electric motors responsive to the setting of said speed control setting means;
feedback means for monitoring the speed of said tray conveyor system for generating an electrical feedback signal representing conveyor speed;
said controller means comparing said feedback signal with said speed setting signal for controlling the amplitude of all of the linear electric motors to maintain the speed determined by said speed setting means;
said feedback means comprising speed monitoring roller means rollingly engaging said carrier means;
converter means coupled to said roller means for converting the rotation of said roller means into an electrical signal representative of conveyor speed;
said roller means engaging each of said carrier means as they pass said roller means;
said roller means comprising a plurality of rollers and coupling means for coupling all of said rollers to said converting means;
said plurality of roller means being arranged in tandem fashion so as to lie along an imaginary line which is substantially parallel to the path of movement of said conveyor;
said roller means being spaced sufficiently far apart so that at least two of said plurality of rollers are always in engagement with at least one of said tilt tray assemblies.

15 more elements

A tray conveyor system including a closed loop tray conveyor for receiving and dispensing products comprising:

closed loop track means for supporting and guiding the tray conveyor;
said tray conveyor being comprised of a plurality of individual tilt tray carrier means each being coupled to the adjacent carrier means respectively located downstream and upstream to each carrier means whereby each carrier means comprises a "link" in a closed loop "chain";
each of said carrier means comprising roller means cooperating with said track means to guide each of said carrier means along said closed loop track means;
each of said tilt tray means including frame means and a tilt tray swingably mounted thereto;
means for swingably mounting a tiltable tray upon said frame means;
tilting means coupled to said swingably mounted tray;
pin means;
said tilting means being tiltable about first and second mutually perpendicular axes;
bias means normally urging said tilting means in a first direction about said first axis for engaging said locking pin means;
said tilting means further comprising a tilting arm having a cam follower roller means mounted thereon;
tip cam means arranged along said track means and having a tip cam member swingable between a first position displaced from said cam follower roller means and a second inclined position which is adapted to cause said roller means to move along the inclined surface of said tip cam member for tilting said tray means.

8 more elements

A tray conveyor system for receiving and dispensing products comprising:

closed loop track means for supporting and guiding the tray conveyor system;
a closed loop tray conveyor assembly comprised of a plurality of individual tilt tray carrier means each being coupled to the adjacent carrier means respectively located downstream and upstream of each carrier means whereby each carrier means comprises a "link" in a closed loop "chain";
each of said carrier means comprising roller means, said track means including guide means receiving said roller means for guiding each of said carrier means along said closed loop track means;
each of said carrier means including frame means and a tilt tray swingably mounted thereto;
the bottom surface of each frame means being provided with a conductive sheet-like metallic member;
linear electric motor means mounted on said track means adjacent to said metallic member in such a manner as to provide a small air gap between said linear electric motor means and said metallic member;
said linear electric motor means being energizable to create an electromagnetic field for creating eddy currents in said metallic member to develop a counteracting magnetic field cooperating with the field developed by said linear motor means to create a thrust sufficient for moving all of said carrier means in a predetermined direction along said track means whereby substantially continuous propulsion of said tray conveyor is obtained as the metallic members of each of said carrier means passes said linear electric motor means;
control means for adjusting power to all of said linear electric motors for controlling the speed of said conveyor system;
feedback means for monitoring the speed of said tray conveyor system for generating an electrical feedback signal representing conveyor speed;
said controller means comparing said feedback signal with said speed setting signal for controlling the linear electric motors to maintain the speed determined by said speed setting means;
said feedback means comprising speed monitoring roller means rollingly engaging said carrier means;
converter means coupled to said roller means for converting the rotation of said roller means into an electrical signal representative of conveyor speed;
said roller means engaging each of said carrier means as they pass said roller means;
said speed monitoring roller means comprising a plurality of rollers;
elongated mounting means for rotatably mounting each of said rollers thereto whereby the axis of rotation of said rollers lie at spaced intervals along and perpendicular to an imaginary straight line;
means coupled to said track means for housing said converter means;
spring means coupled between said housing means and said mounting means for resiliently supporting said mounting means;
said converter means for converting rotational movement into an electrical signal wherein a characteristic of the electrical signal changes in accordance with rotating speed;
means for coupling rotation of all of said roller means to said converter means;
said housing being positioned relative to said track means to place the roller means in a position for rollingly engaging the bottom surfaces of said carrier means;
the spacing between said roller means being sufficient to assure that at least two of said roller means are always in engagement with one or more of said carrier means.

18 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Sorting conveyor

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Sorting conveyor

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Abstract

Claims50