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US 6,269,938 B1Granted
Over/under line feed system
OwnerDavid W. Lutzinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An over/under line feed system in accordance with the present invention includes a conveyor assembly positioned adjacent a workstation. The conveyor assembly preferably includes upper and lower conveyors. The workstation includes a workstation support frame and a carriage assembly supported by the workstation support frame. The carriage assembly is configured to receive a container, e.g., a collapsible plastic container, thereon. A lifting device is present to raise and/or lower the carriage assembly between the upper and lower conveyors. A tilting device allows at least a portion of the carriage assembly to tilt, providing easier access to the inside of the container.
Claims22
A line feed system, comprising:
- a conveyor assembly having an end, the conveyor assembly including a first gravity conveyor located below a second gravity conveyor;
- and
- a workstation located adjacent the end of the conveyor assembly, the workstation comprising:
- a support frame;
- a carriage assembly movably mounted in the support frame, the carriage assembly including a bearing plate assembly with a work platform mounted for arcuate movement on the bearing plate assembly;
- a lifting device attached to the carriage assembly to selectively move the carriage assembly on the support frame;
- and
- a tilting device connected to the work platform and configured to move the work platform with respect to the bearing plate assembly,
- wherein the bearing plate assembly includes two opposed bearing plates, with each bearing plate having at least one roller, and wherein the work platform includes two opposed, curved members and wherein the curved members are movable along the rollers to tilt the work platform.
6 more elements
A line feed system, comprising:
- a conveyor assembly having an end, the conveyor assembly including a first gravity conveyor located below a second gravity conveyor;
- and
- a workstation located adjacent the end of the conveyor assembly, the workstation comprising:
- a support frame;
- a carriage assembly movably mounted in the support frame, the carriage assembly including a bearing plate assembly with a work platform mounted for arcuate movement on the bearing plate assembly;
- a lifting device attached to the carriage assembly to selectively move the carriage assembly on the support frame;
- and
- a tilting device connected to the work platform and configured to move the work platform with respect to the bearing plate assembly,
- wherein the bearing plate assembly includes two opposed bearing plates, with at least one pivot arm pivotally mounted on each bearing plate at a pivot point and with each pivot arm attached to the work platform such that the work platform is pivotal about the pivot points.
6 more elements
A line feed system, comprising:
- a conveyor assembly having an end;
- and
- a workstation located adjacent the end of the conveyor assembly, the workstation including:
- a support frame;
- a carriage assembly movably mounted in the support frame, the carriage assembly including a work platform tiltably mounted on the carriage assembly;
- at least one lifting device connected to the carriage assembly to move the carriage assembly in the support frame;
- and
- a tilting device connected to the work platform to selectively tilt the work platform,
- wherein the lifting device includes a counterweight assembly having a counterweight connected to the carriage assembly and configured to bias the carriage assembly toward a top of the support frame.
6 more elements
A line feed system comprising:
- a conveyor assembly having an end;
- and
- a workstation located adjacent the end of the conveyor assembly, the workstation including:
- a support frame;
- a carriage assembly movably mounted in the support frame, the carriage assembly including a work platform tiltably mounted on the carriage assembly;
- at least one lifting device connected to the carriage assembly to move the carriage assembly in the support frame;
- and
- a tilting device connected to the work platform to selectively tilt the work platform,
- wherein the lifting device includes at least one lifting cylinder connected to the carriage assembly,
- wherein the at least one lifting cylinder is connected to the carriage assembly by a chain.
7 more elements
A line feed system, comprising:
- a conveyor assembly having an end;
- and
- a workstation located adjacent the end of the conveyor assembly, the workstation including:
- a support frame;
- a carriage assembly movably mounted in the support frame, the carriage assembly including a work platform tiltably mounted on the carriage assembly;
- at least one lifting device connected to the carriage assembly to move the carriage assembly in the support frame;
- and
- a tilting device connected to the work platform to selectively tilt the work platform,
- wherein the tilting device includes a piston-cylinder assembly with a sheave assembly mounted at one end of the piston.
6 more elements
A line feed system, comprising:
- a conveyor assembly having an end;
- and
- a workstation located adjacent the end of the conveyor assembly, the workstation including:
- a support frame;
- a carriage assembly movably mounted in the support frame, the carriage assembly including a work platform tiltably mounted on the carriage assembly;
- at least one lifting device connected to the carriage assembly to move the carriage assembly in the support frame;
- and
- a tilting device connected to the work platform to selectively tilt the work platform,
- wherein the carriage assembly includes a bearing plate assembly, with the work platform mounted for arcuate movement on the bearing plate assembly, and
- wherein the bearing plate assembly includes at least one roller and the work platform includes at least one curved member, with the curved member movable on the roller to tilt the work platform.
7 more elements
A line feed system, comprising:
- a conveyor assembly having an end;
- and
- a workstation located adjacent the end of the conveyor assembly, the workstation including:
- a support frame;
- a carriage assembly movably mounted in the support frame, the carriage assembly including a work platform tiltably mounted on the carriage assembly;
- at least one lifting device connected to the carriage assembly to move the carriage assembly in the support frame;
- and
- a tilting device connected to the work platform to selectively tilt the work platform,
- wherein the lifting device includes at least one lifting cylinder connected to the carriage assembly, and
- wherein the lifting device includes a lifting cylinder located at opposed sides of the support frame, with each lifting cylinder connected to an end of a timing rod rotatably mounted in the support frame.
7 more elements
A line feed system, comprising:
- a conveyor assembly having an end;
- and
- a workstation located adjacent the end of the conveyor assembly, the workstation including:
- a support frame;
- a carriage assembly movably mounted in the support frame, the carriage assembly including a work platform tiltably mounted on the carriage assembly;
- least one lifting device connected to the carriage assembly to move the carriage assembly in the support frame;
- and
- a tilting device connected to the work platform to selectively tilt the work platform,
- wherein the carriage assembly includes a bearing plate assembly, with the work platform mounted for arcuate movement on the bearing plate assembly, and
- wherein the bearing plate assembly includes at least one pivot arm pivotally mounted on the bearing pate assembly at a pivot point, with an outer and of the pivot arm connected to the work platform such that the work platform is pivotable around the pivot point.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.