US 5,467,859 AGranted

Vibrator for transporting articles

AssigneeVibro Industries, Inc.

InventorKarl M. Sahlberg

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A vibrator for transporting articles has a base, a sliding carriage having an article-carrying surface, a piston arrangement with two expansion chambers in the base for vibrating the carriage, and a pneumatic valve assembly operated by the piston arrangement. Preferably, two pistons are oppositely aligned on a common axis and bear outwardly against the carriage. The pneumatic valve assembly includes a pair of spaced cam rods and a crossbar extending between the cam rods at their midpoints. The cam rods are parallel to the axis of the pistons, slide in unison with the carriage, and cooperatively push the crossbar between opposite extreme positions. The crossbar switches the air flow directions for the power and exhaust strokes of each piston. Air flow to or from one of the expansion chambers is throttled such that the carriage is moved more forcefully in one direction than in the other. Articles on the article-carrying surface are incrementally displaced in the direction opposite to the more forceful stroke.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A vibrator for transporting articles, comprising:

a carriage having an article-carrying surface;
a base having spaced ends and defining an inlet, a vent, a piston cavity and a manifold, the carriage being attached to the base;
a piston arrangement disposed in the piston cavity for reciprocating movement between two positions, the piston arrangement bearing on the carriage;
at least one seal between the piston arrangement and the piston cavity, the piston arrangement, the seal and the piston cavity forming two expansion chambers that are respectively enlarged and contracted with movement of the piston arrangement, the manifold communicating with the inlet, the vent, and the expansion chambers for supplying and exhausting air to the expansion chambers;
a mechanism outside of the expansion chambers, associated with the manifold and operated by the piston arrangement to move between a first position in which one said expansion chamber communicates with the inlet and the other said expansion chamber communicates with the vent, and a second position in which said one expansion chamber communicates with the vent and said other expansion chamber communicates with the inlet, whereby the piston arrangement is reciprocated;
and,
regulating means, associated with one of the expansion chambers, for regulating one of air flow into said one expansion chamber and air flow out from said one expansion chamber, such that the piston arrangement and the carriage move relatively more forcefully in one of the opposite directions than the other, and articles on the surface are transported in a direction opposite thereto.

4 more elements

A method for converting compressed air power into asymmetrical vibration for transporting articles, comprising the steps of:

providing a carriage with an article-carrying surface;
providing a base coupled to the carriage, the base having spaced ends, an air inlet, an air vent, a piston cavity and a manifold;
disposing a piston arrangement in the piston cavity for movement in opposite directions, the piston arrangement bearing against the carriage;
providing a seal between the piston arrangement and the piston cavity so as to define two expansion chambers that are respectively enlarged and contracted in alternating manner with reciprocation of the piston arrangement;
extending air conduits from the manifold to each of the inlet, the vent, and the two expansion chambers;
providing a mechanism outside the expansion chambers, associated with the manifold, and operating the mechanism by movement of the pistons to vary between a first position in which one said expansion chamber communicates with the inlet and the other said expansion chamber communicates with the vent, and a second position in which said one expansion chamber communicates with the vent and said other expansion chamber communicates with the inlet, whereby the piston arrangement is reciprocated;
supplying compressed air to the inlet;
and,
asymmetrically regulating one of air flow into and out of the expansion chambers such that the piston arrangement moves more forcefully in one direction than in an opposite direction, whereby articles on the surface are transported in said opposite direction.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.