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US 6,267,060 B1Granted
Overhead conveyor with powered drive module
AssigneeOCS Intellitrak, Inc.
InventorDonald E. Owens, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A factory preassembled drive module is assembled between opposed spaced apart ends of load beams and opposed rotatable shafts supported by the load beams are assembled drivingly to a rotatable drive shaft coupling of the drive unit or module in a job site where the overhead conveyor is installed. The drive unit module includes a motor driving a transmission, in turn driving pulleys that drive belts in turn driving the rotatable portion of the drive shaft coupling. The drive motor and transmission are mounted on a bracket with lost motion permitting tension adjustment of the belts, and the bracket is formed with flanges to respectively abut and overlap correspondingly shaped portions of the adjacent load beams for connection thereto.
Claims29
An overhead conveyor system, comprising:
- a plurality of carriages for suspending loads;
- an overhead powered conveyor for suspending said carriages and transporting said carriages serially along at least one conveying path;
- a stationary frame extending along said conveying path;
- said overhead powered conveyor having at least one drive having a rotational power output;
- said overhead powered conveyor having first and second drive shafts with spaced apart aligned distal ends and extending along said conveying path;
- each of said drive shafts being mounted to said stationary frame for rotation about respective shaft axes parallel to respective portions of said conveying path;
- said overhead powered conveyor having a power connection between said drive and said drive shafts for rotatably-driving said drive shafts about said shaft axes;
- said carriages each having a driven wheel rotatable about a driven wheel axis nonparallel and non-perpendicular to said shaft axis, and said driven wheel engaging an engagement portion of said drive shafts with sufficient traction so as to form a helical loci of engagement about the periphery of said drive shafts during rotation of said drive shafts about said shaft axis to power said carriages along the conveying path in a direction of the conveying path dependent upon a direction of rotation of said drive shafts;
- said carriages suspending the loads vertically below said drive shafts;
- wherein the mounting of each of said drive shafts to said stationary frame includes two aligned load beams extending along the conveying path and being fixedly connected to said stationary frame, and a plurality of bearings mounted on said load beams rotatably supporting each of said drive shafts;
- said load beams having spaced apart, aligned and adjacent distal ends respectively adjacent the distal ends of said drive shafts;
- said power connection including a drive shaft coupling drivingly extending between said drive shaft distal ends and having opposed ends respectively being connected to said distal ends of said drive shafts;
- a bracket mounting said drive, said bracket extending between and being connected to said distal ends of said load beams below and adjacent to said drive shaft coupling;
- each of said drive shafts is cylindrical with a cylindrical periphery;
- said drive shaft coupling having a pulley;
- said power connection including a pulley on said rotational power output of said drive and a flexible endless link drivingly extending around said pulleys;
- and
- wherein said link together with said pulley of said drive shaft coupling forms an extension of said cylindrical outer periphery of said drive shafts at least for an engagement portion for receiving thereon said driven wheel.
15 more elements
An overhead conveyor system, comprising:
- a plurality of carriages for suspending loads;
- an overhead powered conveyor for suspending said carriages and transporting said carriages serially alone at least one conveying path;
- a stationary frame extending along said conveying path;
- said overhead powered conveyor having at least one drive having a rotational power output;
- said overhead powered conveyor having first and second drive shafts with spaced apart aligned distal ends and extending alone said conveying path;
- each of said drive shafts being mounted to said stationary frame for rotation about respective shaft axes parallel to respective portions of said conveying path;
- said overhead powered conveyor having a power connection between said drive and said drive shafts for rotatably-driving said drive shafts about said shaft axes;
- said carriages each having a driven wheel rotatable about a driven wheel axis nonparallel and non-perpendicular to said shaft axis, and said driven wheel engaging an engagement portion of said drive shafts with sufficient traction so as to form a helical loci of engagement about the periphery of said drive shafts during rotation of said drive shafts about said shaft axis to power said carriages alone the conveying path in a direction of the conveying path dependent upon a direction of rotation of said drive shafts;
- said carriages suspending the loads vertically below said drive shafts;
- wherein the mounting of each of said drive shafts to said stationary frame includes two aligned load beams extending along the conveying path and being fixedly connected to said stationary frame, and a plurality of bearings mounted on said load beams rotatably supporting each of said drive shafts;
- said load beams having spaced apart, aligned and adjacent distal ends respectively adjacent the distal ends of said drive shafts;
- said power connection including a drive shaft coupling drivingly extending between said drive shaft distal ends and having opposed ends respectively being connected to said distal ends of said drive shafts;
- and
- a bracket mounting said drive, said bracket extending between and being connected to said distal ends of said load beams below and adjacent to said drive shaft coupling;
- said drive shafts being of uniform tubular construction throughout their length with a cylindrical outer periphery;
- and
- wherein said opposed ends of said drive shaft coupling are telescopically received within respective ones of said distal ends of said drive shafts, and said drive shaft coupling has a cylindrical periphery central portion forming an extension of the cylindrical outer periphery of said drive shafts for rotation therewith.
14 more elements
An overhead conveyor system, comprising:
- a plurality of carriages for suspending loads;
- an overhead powered conveyor for suspending said carriage transporting said carriages serially along at least one conveying path;
- a stationary frame extending along said conveying path;
- said overhead powered conveyor having at least one drive having a rotational power output;
- said overhead powered conveyor having first and second drive shafts with spaced apart aligned distal ends and extending along said conveying path;
- each of said drive shafts being mounted to said stationary frame for rotation about respective shaft axes parallel to respective portions of said conveying path;
- said overhead powered conveyor having a power connection between said drive and said drive shafts for rotatably-driving said drive shafts about said shaft axes;
- said carriages each having a driven wheel rotatable about a driven wheel axis nonparallel and non-perpendicular to said shaft axis, and said driven wheel engaging an engagement portion of said drive shafts with sufficient traction so as to form a helical loci of engagement about the periphery of said drive shafts during rotation of said drive shafts about said shaft axis to power said carriages along the conveying path in a direction of the conveying path dependent upon a direction of rotation of said drive shafts;
- said carriages suspending the loads vertically below said drive shafts;
- wherein the mounting of each of said drive shafts to said stationary frame includes two aligned load beams extending along the conveying path and being fixedly connected to said stationary frame, and a plurality of bearings mounted on said load beams rotatably supporting each of said drive shafts;
- said load beams having spaced apart, aligned and adjacent distal ends respectively adjacent the distal ends of said drive shafts;
- said power connection including a drive shaft coupling drivingly extending between said drive shaft distal ends and having opposed ends respectively being connected to said distal ends of said drive shafts;
- and
- a bracket mounting said drive, said bracket extending between and being connected to said distal ends of said load beams below and adjacent to said drive shaft coupling;
- and
- said bracket forming the sole support for said drive and said bracket being solely supported by the distal ends of said channels.
13 more elements
An overhead conveyor system, comprising:
- a plurality of carriages for suspending loads;
- an overhead powered conveyor for suspending said carriages and transporting said carriages serially along at least one conveying path;
- a stationary frame extending along said conveying path;
- said overhead powered conveyor having at least one drive having a rotational power output;
- said overhead powered conveyor having first and second drive shafts with spaced apart aligned distal ends and extending alone said conveying path;
- each of said drive shafts being mounted to said stationary frame for rotation about respective shaft axes parallel to respective portions of said conveying path;
- said overhead powered conveyor having a power connection between said drive and said drive shafts for rotatably-driving said drive shafts about said shaft axes;
- said carriages each having a driven wheel rotatable about a driven wheel axis nonparallel and non-perpendicular to said shaft axis, and said driven wheel engaging an engagement portion of said drive shafts with sufficient traction so as to form a helical loci of engagement about the periphery of said drive shafts during rotation of said drive shafts about said shaft axis to power said carriages along the conveying path in a direction of the conveying path dependent upon a direction of rotation of said drive shafts;
- said carriages suspending the loads vertically below said drive shafts;
- wherein the mounting of each of said drive shafts to said stationary frame includes two aligned load beams extending along the conveying path and being fixedly connected to said stationary frame, and a plurality of bearings mounted on said load beams rotatably supporting each of said drive shafts;
- said load beams having spaced apart, aligned and adjacent distal ends respectively adjacent the distal ends of said drive shafts;
- said power connection including a drive shaft coupling driving extending between said drive shaft distal ends and having opposed ends respectively being connected to said distal ends of said drive shafts;
- a bracket mounting said drive, said bracket extending between and being connected to said distal ends of said load beams below and adjacent to said drive shaft coupling;
- said power connection having a flexible endless link;
- said bracket including a lost motion adjustable connection with said drive for adjusting tension within said link;
- and
- said bracket including a threaded member threadingly movable against said drive in a direction perpendicular to the conveying path for said adjusting.
14 more elements
An overhead conveyor system, comprising:
- a plurality of carriages for suspending loads;
- an overhead powered conveyor for suspending said carriages and transporting said carriages serially along at least one conveying path;
- a stationary frame extending along said conveying path;
- said overhead powered conveyor having at least one drive having a rotational power output;
- said overhead powered conveyor having first and second drive shafts with spaced apart aligned distal ends and extending alone said conveying path;
- each of said drive shafts being mounted to said stationary frame for rotation about respective shaft axes parallel to respective portions of said conveying-path;
- said overhead powered conveyor having a power connection between said drive and said drive shafts for rotatably-driving said drive shafts about said shaft axes;
- said carriages each having a driven wheel rotatable about a driven wheel axis nonparallel and non-perpendicular to said shaft axis, and said driven wheel engaging an engagement portion of said drive shafts with sufficient traction so as to form a helical loci of engagement about the periphery of said drive shafts during rotation of said drive shafts about said shaft axis to power said carriages along the conveying path in a direction of the conveying path dependent upon a direction of rotation of said drive shafts;
- said carriages suspending the loads vertically below said drive shafts;
- wherein the mounting of each of said drive shafts to said stationary frame includes two aligned load beams extending alone the conveying path and being fixedly connected to said stationary frame, and a plurality of bearings mounted on said load beams rotatably supporting each of said drive shafts;
- said load beams having spaced apart, aligned and adjacent distal ends respectively adjacent the distal ends of said drive shafts;
- said power connection including a drive shaft coupling drivingly extending between said drive shaft distal ends and having opposed ends respectively being connected to said distal ends of said drive shafts;
- a bracket mounting said drive, said bracket extending between and being connected to said distal ends of said load beams below and adjacent to said drive shaft coupling;
- said bracket forming the sole support for said drive and said bracket being solely supported by the distal ends of said load beams;
- at least one bearing rotatably mounting said drive shaft coupling on said bracket;
- and
- said drive shaft coupling, at least one si bearing, said bracket, said drive, and said power connection form a preassembled drive unit that is fully preassembled independently of said drive shafts and said load beams as a module drive unit.
14 more elements
An overhead conveyor system, comprising:
- a plurality of carriages for suspending loads;
- an overhead powered conveyor for suspending said carriages and transporting said carriages serially along at least one conveying path;
- a stationary frame extending along said conveying path;
- said overhead powered conveyor having at least one drive having a rotational power output;
- said overhead powered conveyor having first and second drive shafts with spaced apart aligned distal ends and extending alone said conveying path;
- each of said drive shafts being mounted to said stationary frame for rotation about respective shaft axes parallel to respective portions of said conveying path;
- said overhead powered conveyor having a power connection between said drive and said drive shafts for rotatably driving said drive shafts about said shaft axes;
- said carriages each having a driven member and said driven member engaging an engagement portion of said drive shafts with sufficient traction so as to form a helical loci of engagement about the periphery of said drive shafts during rotation of said drive shafts about said shaft axis to power said carriage along the conveying path in a direction of the conveying path dependent upon a direction of rotation of said drive shafts;
- said carriages suspending the loads vertically below said drive shafts;
- wherein the mounting of each of said drive shafts to said stationary frame includes two rigid aligned load beams extending along the conveying path and being fixedly connected to said stationary frame, and a plurality of bearings mounted on said load beams rotatably supporting each of said drive shafts;
- said load beams having spaced apart, aligned and adjacent distal ends respectively adjacent to the distal ends of said drive shafts;
- said power connection including a drive shaft coupling drivingly extending between said drive shaft distal ends and having opposed ends respectively being connected to said distal ends of said drive shafts;
- and
- a bracket mounting said drive, said bracket extending between and being connected to said distal ends of said load beams below and adjacent to said drive shaft coupling, said bracket forming the sole support for said drive and said bracket being solely supported by the distal ends of said load beams.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.