Article conveyance having mechanical drive

An article conveying apparatus, comprising:

• an elongated member movable in a first direction along a first path, said elongated member having a plurality of sections each of which includes first and second end portions and a body portion connected with said first and second end portions with said sections of said elongated member having a major axis that extends in a second direction normal with respect to said first direction with said first and second end portions spaced from one another along said major axis;
• and
• a plurality of article engaging members each connected with a different one of said first end portions of said plurality of sections of said elongated member and extending therefrom in a third direction normal to both said first and second directions to engage the articles at a second path with at least a portion of each of the articles engaged in said second path by said article engaging members being adjacent to and spaced from said first path in said third direction, and with adjacent ones of said plurality of article engaging members being at least partially spaced from one another for supporting and urging the articles along said second path upon movement of said elongated member along said first path, each of said plurality of sections of said elongated member being shaped to enable angular deviation between said spaced adjacent ones of said article engaging members in opposite directions toward and away from one another to thereby allow angular deviation of said first and second paths in either one of said opposite directions.

An article conveying apparatus, comprising:

• a chain movable in a first direction along a first path, said chain having a plurality of links each of which includes first and second end portions and a body portion connected with said first and second end portions with said links of said chain having a major axis that extends in a second direction normal with respect to said first direction with said first and second end portions spaced from one another along said major axis;
• a chain guide receiving said chain therein, said chain guide having a rectangular shape with first and second guide walls parallel to one another and third and fourth guide wall parallel to one another with said guide walls extending in said first direction and defining said first path, said first guide wall having an opening therein extending along said first guide wall in said first direction;
• and
• a plurality of flanges each connected with a different one of said first end portions of said plurality of links of said chain and when in said chain guide extending from said links of said chain through said opening in said first guide wall in a third direction normal to both said first and second directions to engage the articles at a second path adjacent to and extending along said first guide wall of said chain guide with at least a portion of each of the articles engaged in said second path by said flanges being adjacent to and spaced from said first path in said third direction, and with adjacent ones of said plurality of flanges being contiguous to one another for supporting and urging the articles along said second path upon movement of said chain along said first path.

A conveying apparatus for conveying articles having a neck portion with a neck ring thereon, said apparatus comprising:

• a chain having a plurality of links each of which includes, when vertically positioned, first and second end portions having flat horizontal surfaces with vertically extending contoured side walls and with said first and second end portions being apertured for receiving a vertically extending linking pin therebetween, and a vertically extending cylindrical body portion horizontally offset from said first and second end portions with said cylindrical body portion having an aperture therethrough for receiving a vertically extending second linking pin;
• a flange associated with each of said links with each said flange extending horizontally from the bottom of each said link of said chain when said chain is vertically positioned, each said flange having an article engaging portion, and said flanges of adjacent links of said chain being at least partially spaced from one another;
• and
• a chain guide effectively enclosing said chain when in said chain guide and establishing the path of movement of said chain, said chain guide, when positioned to effectively enclose a vertically positioned chain within said chain guide, having parallel upper and lower guide walls adjacent to said flat horizontal surfaces of said first and second end portions of said links of said chain and parallel inner and outer guide walls adjacent to said vertically extending contoured side walls of said first and second end portions of said links of said chain, said outer wall of said chain guide having a horizontally extending opening thereat, and said flanges when in said chain guide extending through said opening at said outer guide wall of said chain guide into an article conveying path for engagement of said article engaging portions of said flanges with the neck rings of the articles whereby the articles are conveyed in a straight path along said article conveying path upon movement of said chain in a straight path along said chain path established by said chain guide and whereby the articles are conveyed in a curved path along said article conveying path upon movement of said chain in a curved path along said chain path with angular deviation between adjacent ones of said flanges in opposite directions toward away from one another causing said chain path to be curved in either one of said opposite directions depending upon the desired direction of curvature of said chain and article conveying paths.