US 5,472,503 AGranted

Vertical load transferring apparatus

AssigneeLico, Inc.

InventorLarry E. Birchler

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Abstract

A raising and lowering mechanism is provided at a work station for vertically transferring articles or products delivered to the station by an overhead delivery conveyor. Discrimination between transfer of a load from the delivery conveyor and transfer back to the delivery conveyor is accomplished by a mechanical discriminator which appropriately conditions suspension hooks on the delivery conveyor for either releasing the load or reconnecting the load. The transfer mechanism employs a vertically reciprocating conveyor which is confined to a vertical transfer axis without the necessity to employ some degree of lateral movement to uncouple the load from the delivery conveyor, present the load at a working position within the work station, and return the load to the delivery conveyor. Drift compensation is provided to allow for some misalignment of a delivered load with the transfer axis. The drive system for the vertical conveyor may be coupled by a flexible linkage to other work stations to enable simultaneous operation of transfer mechanisms at a plurality of work stations with a single drive. In applications where articles are immersed in a treatment bath at a work station, the vertical conveyor may be modified to tip the load to bubble off trapped air.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A conveyor system comprising:

a work station having a supporting structure,
a transfer mechanism mounted on said structure and having means defining a single, upright transfer axis along which articles or products are moved into said station to a working position,
conveyance means for delivering a load to said station for transfer thereinto along said axis, and having a load suspension member movable between a first, load-carrying position aligned with said axis and a second, load-releasing position displaced from said axis,
an article holder for carrying the load and provided with a support component engageable with said suspension member for attaching the holder thereto,
said transfer mechanism including raising and lowering means at said station having receiver means movable along said transfer axis for engaging said support component of the holder, lowering the holder from said suspension member to said working position and thereafter raising the holder from said working position, and
discriminator means responsive to movement of said receiver means along said axis for shifting said suspension member from said first to said second position thereof upon movement of said receiver means into engagement with said support component to release the component from said suspension member and transfer the load to said raising and lowering means, and thereafter returning the suspension member to said first position for reengagement of the member with the support component when the article holder is raised from said working position, whereby the article holder is transferred from said conveyance means to said raising and lowering means, lowered to said working position at the work station and then returned to the conveyance means without displacing the holder from said transfer axis, said discriminator means including an element movable with said receiver means, operating means responsive to engagement by said element for shifting said suspension member from said first to said second position, and means for defeating the action of said operating means until said receiver means engages said support component to receive the load.

3 more elements

A conveyor system comprising:

a work station having a supporting structure,
a transfer mechanism mounted on said structure and having means defining a single, upright transfer axis along which articles or products are moved into said station to a working position,
conveyance means for delivering a load to said station for transfer thereinto along said axis, and having a load suspension member movable between a first, load-carrying position aligned with said axis and a second, load-releasing position displaced from said axis,
an article holder for carrying the load and provided with a support component engageable with said suspension member for attaching the holder thereto,
said transfer mechanism including raising and lowering means at said station having receiver means movable along said transfer axis for engaging said support component of the holder, lowering the holder from said suspension member to said working position and thereafter raising the holder from said working position, and
discriminator means responsive to movement of said receiver means along said axis for shifting said suspension member from said first to said second position thereof upon movement of said receiver means into engagement with said support component to release the component from said suspension member and transfer the load to said raising and lowering means, and thereafter returning the suspension member to said first position for reengagement of the member with the support component when the article holder is raised from said working position, whereby the article holder is transferred from said conveyance means to said raising and lowering means, lowered to said working position at the work station and then returned to the conveyance means without displacing the holder from said transfer axis,
said discriminator means including an extensible and retractable actuator device for effecting said shifting of the suspension member from said first to said second position thereof.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.