Gravity accumulation conveyor apparatus
AssigneeRecot, Inc.
InventorAndrew Fisher
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gravity accumulation conveyor apparatus for transporting objects from an upstream end to a downstream end under the influence of gravity as the objects traverse a plurality of rollers, the apparatus having at least one roller zone including a plurality of nondriven rollers having an upstream roller and a spaced downstream roller. A flexible connector such as an O-ring is in mechanical engagement with only the upstream roller and the spaced downstream roller such that only the upstream roller and the downstream roller move in synchronism. When a first object is stopped on the downstream roller, a second object engaging the upstream roller also tends to be stopped. When the first object moves on the downstream roller, the second object engaging the upstream roller is caused to move.
Claims10
A gravity accumulation conveyor apparatus for transporting objects from an upstream end down an incline to a downstream end under the influence of gravity as the object traverses a plurality of rollers, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one roller zone forming the conveyor apparatus, the at least one roller zone including at least three rollers and having an upstream roller and a spaced downstream roller separated by at least one roller;
- and
- connection means in continuous mechanical engagement with only the upstream roller and the spaced downstream roller in the at least one roller zone so as to bypass the at least one separating roller such that the connection means moves only the upstream roller and the downstream roller together in substantial synchronism whereby when a first object is stopped on the downstream roller, a second object engaging the upstream roller also tends to be stopped and, when the first object moves on the downstream roller, the second object engaging the upstream roller is caused to move.
An accumulation conveyor apparatus for transporting packages from an upstream end to a downstream end by gravity, the apparatus comprising:
- three or more nondriven rollers in spaced relation with each other and having at least one upstream roller and at least one spaced downstream roller separated by at least one roller;
- and
- connection means in continuous mechanical engagement with only the upstream roller and the downstream roller and bypassing the at least one separating roller such that the connection means moves only the upstream roller and the downstream roller in substantial synchronism to allow the upstream roller to rotate when the downstream roller is rotating and to stop rotation when the downstream roller is stopped from rotating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.