US 6,378,695 B1Granted

Conveyor apparatus with adjustable guide rails

OwnerRhett L. Rinneinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A conveyance system has movable guide rails that can be positioned close to one another when small packages or articles are carried by the system or further apart from one another if the conveyed packages or articles are large. The spacing between the guide rails is controlled by a linkage arrangement that includes a center link mounted for conjoint rotation on a longitudinally disposed drive shaft. Each opposite end of the center link is pivotally attached to an outer link and the outboard end of each outer link is pivotally mounted to a slideably mounted mounting block to which is secured a rail support for holding a guide rail. The drive shaft is rotated manually through a control knob or the rotation is performed by a reversible motor. Alternatively, a bell crank rotates the drive shaft in a first direction to cause convergence of the guide rails and in a second, opposite direction to cause divergence of the guide rails. In a second embodiment, the conveyor system has a curvature formed in it. Curved guide rails have guide rail extensions slideably mounted to them at their opposite ends to enable the guide rails to be effectively lengthened and shortened when the space between them is increased or decreased, respectively.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An apparatus for varying the lateral spacing between guide rail in a conveyor assembly, comprising:

a drive shaft of elongate construction, said drive shaft being mounted for rotation about a longitudinal axis of rotation;
rotation means for selectively rotating said drive shaft in a first direction about said longitudinal axis of rotation and in a second direction about said axis, said second direction being opposite to said first direction;
said rotation means including a linkage means;
said linkage means including a center link and two outboard links;
said center link being centrally apertured to accommodate said drive shaft;
said center link being mounted for conjoint rotation with said drive shaft so that rotation of said drive shaft effects simultaneous and corresponding rotation of said center link;
said center link being pivotally connected at its opposite, outboard ends to inboard ends of said respective outboard links;
each outboard link of said two outboard links having an outermost free end;
a slideably mounted mounting block pivotally connected to respective outermost free ends of said outboard links;
a rail support member mounted in upstanding relation to each of said slideably mounted mounting blocks;
a first guide rail mounted to a first rail support member and a second guide rail mounted to a second rail support member;
whereby rotation of said drive shaft in said first direction effects convergence of said first and second guide rails;
and
whereby rotation of said drive shaft in said second direction effects divergence of said first and second guide rails.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.