Method for collecting conveyor suspension hangers, suspension hanger collecting apparatus and suspension hanger return apparatus

A conveyor suspension hanger collecting apparatus which is characterized by the fact that:

• a guide bar which adjusts orientations of conveyor suspension hangers near an end of a conveyor rail so that said conveyor suspension hangers are oriented in a given direction is installed along said conveyor rail in a position beneath said conveyer rail;
• said guide bar is formed so as to turn downward and to be reversed at an intermediate portion thereof;
• and
• a terminal end of said guide bar is formed so that it can be connected to and disconnected from a suspension arm formed on a carrying truck, said connection and disconnection being accomplished by means of a connecting means.

A conveyor suspension hanger return apparatus which is characterized by the fact that:

• a suspension arm, which is formed so that an arm is higher at one end thereof and inclined so that said arm is lower at another end thereof, is installed on a carrying truck;
• said another end of said suspension arm is formed in a shape of a fork;
• a hanger removing disk which has a cut-out step formed on its circumferential edge is installed so that said disk can be rotated by a motive force within a gap of said fork;
• a terminal end of a guide bar is installed so that said terminal end is oriented in a direction of rotation of said hanger removing disk;
• said guide bar is installed so that said guide bar turns upward and is reversed at an intermediate area thereof;
• a conveyor rail is installed which is formed as circular arc that is concentric with said guide bar and has a different radius, so that said conveyor rail executes a "U-turn";
• hooks of conveyor suspension hangers are engaged with said guide bar, and rolling members of said conveyor suspension hangers are engaged with said conveyor rail;
• and
• a conveyor suspension hanger feed-out device which is caused to be rotated by a motive force is installed between said guide bar and said conveyor rail.

A method for collecting hangers running on a conveyor rail comprising the steps of:

• feeding said hangers to a tip end of a guide bar which is installed under said conveyer rail, said conveyor rail and said guide bar being provided with curved rail and curved bar, respectively, which are curved in a vertical direction so that a terminal end of said guide bar is positioned above a terminal end of said conveyor rail;
• feeding said hangers further so that hook portions of said hangers engage with said guide bar after being oriented in a given horizontal direction;
• feeding said hangers further so that said hangers are positioned vertically reversed with said hook portions being hung from said guide bar at said terminal end of said guide bar;
• and
• releasing said reversed hangers from said guide bar by disengaging said hook portions of said hangers from said guide bar.