Spiral conveyor apparatus with automatic flow control
AssigneeCarter Control Systems, Inc.
InventorsDonald F. Belz, Duane L. Glass
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spiral conveyor with automatic flow control includes a plurality of curved segments connected to form a spiral for the flow by gravity of articles from an upper level to a lower level. Each of the segments includes freely rotating skate wheels forming a conveying surface and a controlled, powered cylindrical roller. A sensor mounted in each segment senses the presence of an article in the segment. A controller receives the signals from the sensors and activates the associated roller for transport mode to assist articles through the conveyor if the path is clear, or if the downstream portion of the conveyor is blocked, to reverse the roller for accumulate mode to hold articles in the segment until the path is cleared.
Claims5
A method for operating a gravity conveyor having powered rollers mounted at intervals to define a plurality of zones to assist and control transport of the articles, comprising the steps of:
- repeatedly monitoring each zone for the presence of an article in the zone;
- activating a powered roller in a zone for transport rotation when an article is sensed in the zone and a next zone immediately downstream is sensed as clear for transport;
- and
- controlling a powered roller in a zone for accumulate mode when an article is sensed in the zone and a next zone immediately downstream is sensed as blocked.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.