Conveyor systems
AssigneePriorlucky Limited
InventorTony A. Russell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A conveyor system for delicate items such as mushrooms has a roller-type conveyor chain (10) arranged to run with its pin axes generally vertical. At spaced intervals along the chain are mounted support arms (13) projecting laterally from the chain. The chain-end of each arm has a re-entrant which resiliently embraces two rollers (18) of the chain, and allows the arm to release from the chain in the event of an obstruction. At the other end, each arm is bifurcated to define two limbs (36,37). One limb has a surface which is resiliently movable away from the confronting surface of the other limb.
Claims20
A conveyor chain comprising a series of links each having a pair of parallel spaced side plates with the plates of one link pivoted to the plates of the next adjacent link by a respective pin extending transversely to the length of the chain, and a plurality of supports for articles to be conveyed spaced along the length of the chain, each support being releasably coupled to the chain and projecting laterally thereof, each support comprising an arm adapted to support an article to be conveyed and having at one end portion chain engagement means in the form of a re-entrant opening the maximum internal width of which is such that two adjacent pins of the chain may be accommodated therein, at lease the part of the arm defining the opening being resiliently deformable to permit the arm to be sprung on to and off a pair of adjacent pins.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.