Transfer apparatus
AssigneeDesigned Conveyor Systems, LLC
InventorsKenneth E. B. Wood, Gary W. Ivey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A transfer apparatus is provided for transferring articles laterally off of a conveyor. One embodiment of the apparatus is designed for use with a belt driven live roller conveyor, and has a serpentine transfer belt arrangement having first and second uppermost portions which when in the raised position will be located on either side of the drive belt of the main conveyor. Other features include the use of a toothed drive belt driven by a motor that may have a motor brake. The apparatus may also include a stop abutment to prevent interference by an upstream article with an article which has been selected for lateral transfer. A lifting mechanism for the transfer apparatus preferably includes an actuating ram having a ram axis oriented parallel to the width of the main conveyor.
Claims29
A transfer apparatus for transferring articles laterally off of a conveyor, comprising:
- a transfer drive belt;
- a transfer frame;
- a plurality of belt guides mounted upon the transfer frame, the drive belt being mounted upon the guides to define a serpentine belt path having first and second uppermost belt portions for engaging the article to be transferred, and a lowered belt portion located between the first and second uppermost belt portions;
- and
- a lifting mechanism, operably associated with the transfer frame, the lifting mechanism having a retracted position wherein drive belt cannot engage the article on the conveyor, and a raised position wherein the first and second uppermost belt portions can engage the article to transfer the article laterally off the conveyor.
A conveyor system, comprising:
- a belt driven live roller main conveyor having a plurality of rollers extending across a width of the main conveyor for supporting articles on the main conveyor, and having a main conveyor drive belt extending parallel to a length of the main conveyor and engaging the rollers from below to drive the rollers;
- and
- a transfer apparatus attached to the main conveyor and including:
- a transfer drive belt oriented parallel to the width of the main conveyor;
- and
- a lifting mechanism connected between the main conveyor and the transfer drive belt, and having a retracted position wherein the transfer drive belt is located below an upper surface of the rollers, and a raised position wherein the transfer drive belt is located above the rollers to engage an article on the main conveyor and transfer the article laterally off of the main conveyor.
A method of transferring an article laterally off of a belt driven live roller main conveyor having a central main conveyor drive belt extending parallel to a length of the main conveyor, comprising:
- (a) engaging the article from below in at least two locations on opposite sides of the main conveyor drive belt;
- (b) raising the article above the rollers of the main conveyor;
- and
- (c) transporting the raised article laterally off of the main conveyor.
A transfer apparatus for transferring articles laterally off of a main roller conveyor, comprising:
- a support frame adapted to be attached to the main conveyor;
- a transfer frame movable relative to the support frame;
- a lifting mechanism, connected between the support frame and the transfer frame for lifting the transfer frame relative to the support frame;
- first and second toothed transfer drive belts mounted on the transfer frame;
- a transfer drive motor mounted on the transfer frame;
- and
- a transfer drive train connecting the drive motor to the first and second toothed transfer belts, the transfer drive train including first and second toothed driving sprockets engaging the first and second toothed transfer drive belts, respectively.
A transfer apparatus for transferring articles laterally off of a main roller conveyor, comprising:
- a support frame;
- a transfer frame;
- a lifting mechanism connected between the support frame and the transfer frame;
- first and second transfer drive belts mounted on the transfer frame;
- and
- a stop abutment attached to the transfer frame and extending upwardly on an upstream side of the transfer apparatus, so that when the lifting mechanism is in a raised position the stop abutment extends above the main roller conveyor.
A transfer apparatus for transferring articles laterally off of a main roller conveyor, comprising:
- a support frame having a width and a length;
- a transfer frame;
- first and second transfer drive belts mounted on the transfer frame and extending parallel to the width of the support frame;
- and
- a lifting mechanism, connected between the support frame and the transfer frame, the lifting mechanism including an actuating ram extending perpendicular to the length of the support frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.