US 5,154,123 AGranted

Rail conveyor and rail switches therefore

AssigneeLitton Industrial Automation Systems, Inc.

InventorWeston R. Loomer

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Abstract

Diversion-type switches and cross-type switches are provided for inclusion in suspended rail conveyor arrangements to form a rail conveyor system. Each of said switches includes at least one shiftable rail section movable between a first position of cooperation with spaced rails of one conveyor pathway and a second position of cooperation with spaced rails of another conveyor pathway. Rail alignment and load transmitting elements, in the configuration of coacting fingers and seats, are disposed at the respective end of the shiftable rail section and fixed rail section and coact therewith so that load forces acting on the shiftable rail section act to align the shiftable rail section with the spaced rails of the respective conveyor pathways and so that load forces applied to the shiftable rail section are transmitted directly to the fixed rail section. Operating elements, including cams and cam followers are provided to move the shiftable rail section to separate the rail alignment and load transmitting elements to shift the shiftable rail section and to bring together the rail alignment and load transmitting elements.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A rail conveyor;

comprising:
(a) a rail arrangement including at least a first rail conveyor pathway and a second rail conveyor pathway;
(b) said first rail conveyor pathway and said second rail conveyor pathway meeting at at least one predetermined location whereat each of said rail conveyor pathways is discontinuous by having the rails thereof separated from each other end to end;
(c) rail switch support means mounting rail switch means at said predetermined location;
(d) said rail switch support means mounting said rail switch means for movement between a first position wherein said rail switch means coacts with and establishes said first rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway and a second position wherein said rail switch means coact with and establishes said second rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway;
(e) operating means carried by said rail switch support means for shifting said rail switch means between said first position and said second position;
and
(f) at least one rail cooperating means disposed for coaction with said rail switch means and separated rails of the rail pathways which the rail switch means is to coact with;
(g) each of said rail cooperating means to include, a body member of predetermined external configuration carried either by said rail switch means or a rail of the rail pathway with which said rail switch means will coact, and, a body seat of a configuration corresponding to at least a portion of said external configuration of said body member and carried by either said rail switch means or the rail of the rail pathway with which said rail switch means will coact, whichever of same is not carrying said body member;
(h) said predetermined configuration of said body member and said predetermined configuration of said body seat being such that when said body member and said body seat are disposed for coaction with each other that load forces applied to said rail switch means will effect an alignment of said rail switch means with the separated rails of the rail pathway which said rail switch means is to coact with to render the pathway continuous, and will transfer loads applied to said rail switch means directly to the separated rails of the rail pathway which said rail switch means is to coact with and any support structure therefor.

7 more elements

A rail connector for connecting spaced rails otherwise forming a continuous path into a continuous rail path;

comprising:
(a) rail section means;
(b) said rail section means being movable into a position occupying the space between the spaced rails and coacting with the spaced rails to form therewith a continuous path;
(c) rail cooperating means disposed for coaction with said rail section means and the spaced rails which the rail section means is to coact with;
(d) said rail cooperating means including at least one body member of predetermined external configuration carried either by said rail section means or a rail of the spaced rails with which said rail section means will coact, and, a body seat of a configuration corresponding to at least a portion of said external configuration of said body member and carried by either said rail section means or a rail of the spaced rails with which said rail section means will coact, whichever of same is not carrying said body member;
(e) said predetermined configuration of said body member and said predetermined configuration of said body seat being such that when said body member and said body seat are disposed for coaction with each other that load forces applied to said rail section means will facilitate alignment of said rail section means with the spaced rails to render the rail path continuous and will transfer loads applied to said rail section means directly to the spaced rails of the rail path which the rail section means is to coact with and any support structure therefor.

3 more elements

A rail conveyor;

comprising:
(a) a rail arrangement including at least a first rail conveyor pathway and a second rail conveyor pathway which meet at at least one predetermined location and merge into a common rail pathway;
(b) said first rail conveyor pathway and said second rail conveyor pathway at said predetermined location and said common rail pathway being each discontinuous by having the respective rails thereof separated from each other end to end;
(c) rail switch support means mounting rail switch means at said predetermined location;
(d) said rail switch support means mounting said rail switch means for movement between a first position and a second position;
(e) said rail switch means carrying a first shiftable rail section and a second shiftable rail section which shift laterally when said rail switch means moves between said first position and said second position such that in said first position thereof said first shiftable rail section is disposed between and coacts with said separated rails of said first rail conveyor pathway and said common rail pathway and renders same continuous and in said second position thereof said second shiftable rail section is disposed between and coacts with said separated rails of said second rail conveyor pathway and said common rail pathway and renders same continuous;
(f) operating means carried by said rail switch support means for shifting said rail switch means between said first position and said second position;
and
(g) at least one rail cooperating means disposed for coaction with said rail switch means and separated rails of the rail pathways which the rail switch means is to coact with;
(h) each of said rail cooperating means to include, a body member of predetermined external configuration carried either by said rail switch means or a rail of the rail pathway with which said rail switch means will coact, and, a body seat of a configuration corresponding to at least a portion of said external configuration of said body member and carried by either said rail switch means or the rail of the rail pathway with which said rail switch means will coact, whichever of same is not carrying said body member;
(i) said predetermined configuration of said body member and said predetermined configuration of said body seat being such that when said body member and said body seat are disposed for coaction with each other that load forces applied to said rail switch means will effect an alignment of said rail switch means with the separated rails of the rail pathway which said rail switch means is to coact with to render the pathway continuous, and will transfer loads applied to said rail switch means directly to the separated rails of the rail pathway which said rail switch means is to coact with and any support structure therefor;
(j) said operating means including cam means, operative during said shifting of said rail switch means, to shift said rail cooperating means in a first predetermined manner so that said body member thereof and said body seat thereof are not disposed for coaction with each other, to shift said rail switch means in a second predetermined manner between said first position and said second position, and to shift said rail switch means in a third predetermined manner so that said body member thereof and said body seat thereof shift back into said disposition of coaction one with the other.

9 more elements

A rail conveyor;

comprising:
(a) a rail arrangement including at least a first rail conveyor pathway and a second rail conveyor pathway;
(b) said first rail conveyor pathway and said second rail conveyor pathway crossing at at least one predetermined location whereat each of said rail conveyor pathways is discontinuous by having the rails thereof separated from each other end to end;
(c) rail switch support means mounting rail switch means at said predetermined location;
(d) said rail switch support means mounting said rail switch means for rotational movement between a first position wherein said rail switch means coacts with and establishes said first rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway and a second position wherein said rail switch means coacts with and establishes said second rail pathway as a continuous rail pathway;
(e) operating means carried by said rail switch support means for shifting said rail switch means between said first position and said second position;
and
(f) at least one rail cooperating means disposed for coaction with said rail switch means and separated rails of the rail pathways which the rail switch means is to coact with;
(g) each of said rail cooperating means to include, a body member of predetermined external configuration carried either by said rail switch means or a rail of the rail pathway with which said rail switch means will coact, and, a body seat of a configuration corresponding to at least a portion of said external configuration of said body member and carried by either said rail switch means or the rail of the rail pathway with which said rail switch means will coact, whichever of same is not carrying said body member;
(h) said predetermined configuration of said body member and said predetermined configuration of said body seat being such that when said body member and said body seat are disposed for coaction with each other that load forces applied to said rail switch means will effect an alignment of said rail switch means with the separated rails of the rail pathway which said rail switch means is to coact with to render the pathway continuous, and will transfer loads applied to said rail switch means directly to the separated rails of the rail pathway which said rail switch means is to coact with and any support structure therefor;
(i) said operating means including cam means, operative during said shifting of said rail switch means, to shift said rail cooperating means in a first predetermined manner so that said body member thereof and said body seat thereof are not disposed for coaction with each other, to shift said rail switch means in a second predetermined manner between said first position and said second position, and to shift said rail switch means in a third predetermined manner so that said body member thereof and said body seat thereof shift back into said disposition of coaction one with the other.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.