Back to results
US 5,127,209 AGranted
Multi-purpose stacker with overlapping material handling devices
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Corporation
InventorStefan A. Hunter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A conveyor system is disclosed having two independent conveyor belts which travel along the same path at various speeds. Each conveyor belt has at least one set of material handling platens attached thereto. Product is fed into the space between each pair of platens and is transported to a distal location where it is removed. A control mechanism operates the two conveyor belts such that product can be loaded into one set of platens at one speed, while product already loaded into another set of platens on the other conveyor belt can be transported and unloaded at a different rate.
Claims26
A conveyor system comprising:
- a) two independently driven conveyor belts each having two sets of material handling members attached thereto, said conveyor belts being disposed to move said sets of material handling members along the same path;
- b) feed means for directing products between adjacent material handling members which are spaced apart;
- c) removal means for removing said products from said material handling members at a location displaced from said feed means to an unloading area;
- and
- d) positioning means for positioning a first of said sets of material handling members to receive products from said feed means while a second of said sets is being moved into position to receive additional products from said feed means, while a third of said sets is unloading and a fourth of said sets is in a staging area, said first and fourth sets being on one conveyor belt and said second and third sets being on said other conveyor belt.
2 more elements
An apparatus for collecting products, comprising:
- a) two independently driven conveyor belts each having two sets of material handling members attached thereto, said conveyor belts being disposed to move said sets of material handling members along the same path;
- b) feed means for feeding said products between adjacent material handling members which are splayed by passing said conveyor belts around a curve;
- c) removal means for removing said products from said material handling members at a location displaced from said feed means, said removal means including prongs which move said products to an unloading area;
- and
- d) positioning means for positioning a first of said sets of material handling members to receive products from said feed means while a second of said sets is being moved into position to receive additional products from said feed means, while a third of said sets is unloading and a fourth of said sets is in a staging area, said first and fourth sets being on one conveyor belt and said second and third sets being on said other conveyor belt.
2 more elements
An apparatus for collecting products, comprising:
- (a) at least two continuous conveyor belts, each belt having at least two sets of material handling means, each set having plural spaced material handling means, said conveyor belts being disposed to move said sets along the same path, said conveyor belts adapted to accommodate material handling means having different configurations to accommodate different numbers and shapes of products;
- (b) means for independently driving each conveyor belt, said independent drive means capable of moving said conveyor belt faster while products are unloaded in a vertical stack and stopping said conveyor belt for unloading in a horizontal group;
- (c) means for feeding products being adjacent material handling means, which are splayed by passing the conveyor belt around a curve, said feed means being upstream from means for guarding said material handling means carrying said products, said guard means preventing product from falling out of the space between adjacent material handling means;
- (d) means for guiding product between adjacent material handling means;
- (e) means for removing said products between said material handling means at a location displaced from said feed means, said removal means comprising prongs which move products from between said adjacent material handling means and onto an unloading area;
- (f) means for positioning a first of said sets of material handling means to receive products from said feed means while a second of said sets is being moved into position to receive additional products from said feed means, while a third of said sets is unloading and a fourth of said sets is in a staging area, the first and fourth sets being on one conveyor belt and the second and third sets being on the other conveyor belt;
- (g) an unloading area having means for dividing said groups of unloaded products into subgroups;
- (h) means for moving a product group across said unloading area away from said prongs to accommodate a second product group being moved onto said unloading area;
- (i) means for moving said first and second product groups onto an accumulator conveyor;
- and
- (j) an accumulator conveyor for moving groups of articles away from the unloading area and toward a packaging machine.
8 more elements
A method for collecting products, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing at least two continuous conveyor belts, each conveyor belt having at least two sets of spaced material handling means, said conveyor belts being disposed to move said sets along the same path, said spaced material handling means being disposed to accept at least one product in the space between adjacent material handling means;
- (b) providing a means for driving each conveyor belt independently of the other, a means for feeding products into said space between material handling means, a means for guiding products into said space between material handling means, and a means for removing products from between said material handling means at a location displaced from said feed means;
- (c) loading said products sequentially between adjacent material handling means in a first set of said sets by spreading said material handling means and passing each of said products across said guide means so as to guide the movement said products;
- (d) advancing said first set of material handling means to said removal means and unloading said products while a second set of material handling means is loaded as in step (c) above;
- (e) repeating step (c) with said third set while repeating step (d) with said second set, while said first set is moved into a staging area;
- (f) repeating step (c) with said fourth set while repeating step (d) with said third set, while the first set is advanced into position behind said fourth set and said second set is moved into said staging area;
- and
- (g) repeating step (c) with said first set, while repeating step (d) with said fourth set, while said second set is advanced into position behind said first set and said third set is moved into said staging area.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.