Continuous vertical conveyor
AssigneeDonald L. Collver
InventorWalter K. Franke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A chain drive continuous vertical conveyor is provided wherein multiple slats carried by multiple pairs of chain cooperate to form multi-sectional elevator surfaces. The elevator surfaces are capable of lifting wide and heavy loads. A live storage accumulator is also provided including multiple horizontal live storage levels which are stacked vertically. Each of the live storage levels includes a low profile belt conveyor. Containers may be transferred from a vertical conveyor to the accumulator and from the accumulator to another vertical conveyor.
Claims9
A continuous vertical conveyor comprising:
- first and second pairs of continuous lengths of roller chain,
- at least one pair of drive sprockets carrying, guiding and driving each of said pairs of chain in a single direction continuously,
- each of said first and second pairs of chain moving in parallel paths and each pair carrying at least one slat means extending therebetween,
- each of said slat means forming a generally horizontal surface when said pair of roller chains is moving in a vertical direction, and
- synchronizing means for aligning two or more of said slat means carried by said first and second pairs of chain to form a generally planar, horizontal, multi-sectional elevator surface wherein two slats are adjacent each other when said first and second pairs of chain are moving in a vertical direction.
In combination, first and second continuous vertical conveyors and a storage accumulator, wherein each vertical conveyor comprises:
- first and second pairs of continuous lengths of roller chain,
- first and second pairs of sprockets carrying and guiding said pairs of chain in a single direction continuously,
- each of said first and second pairs of chain moving in parallel paths and each pair carrying at least one slat means extending therebetween,
- each of said slat means forming a generally horizontal surface when said pair of roller chains is moving in a vertical direction,
- synchronizing means for aligning two or more of said slat means carried by said first and second pairs of chain to form a generally planar, horizontal, multi-sectional elevator surface wherein two slats are adjacent each other when said first and second pairs of chain are moving in a vertical direction,
- and wherein said accumulator comprises:
- multiple live storage levels wherein each level comprises a horizontal, low profile belt conveyor, each belt conveyor having a receiving end and a discharge end, each of said belt conveyors being positioned in vertical alignment,
- pusher means carried by said first continuous vertical conveyor adjacent each of said storage levels for pushing containers off said elevator surface onto one of said belt conveyors, and
- unloading means for transferring containers from one of said belt conveyors to said second continuous vertical conveyor.
A live storage accumulator for storing containers temporarily, comprising:
- multiple live storage levels wherein each level comprises a horizontal, low profile belt conveyor, each belt conveyor having a receiving end and a discharge end, each of said belt conveyors being positioned in vertical alignment,
- pusher means mounted adjacent said receiving end of each of said low profile belt conveyors for pushing containers onto each of said low profile belt conveyors,
- unloading means for transferring containers from one or more of said low profile belt conveyors, said unloading means being located adjacent the discharge end of each low profile belt conveyor, and
- a two speed unloading conveyor means located on each of said levels between said low profile belt conveyor and said unloading means, said unloading conveyor means having a low speed for transferring a row of containers onto it from said low profile belt conveyor and a high speed for transferring a row of containers from it to said unloading means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.