Belt transfer assembly

A sheave assembly of a transfer assembly, said transfer assembly for transferring one or more articles laterally with respect to a conveying surface, said sheave assembly comprising:

• a lift assembly;
• a fixed support member;
• a moveable support member, said lift assembly moving said moveable support member between a non-transfer position and a transfer position;
• a transfer belt having a closed loop, and comprising a reinforced belt;
• a driven pulley supported by said fixed support;
• and
• at least two transfer sheaves mounted to said moveable support member, said transfer sheaves supporting said transfer belt, said transfer belt extending around said driven pulley and being driven around said closed loop by said driven pulley and said moveable support member including a rail extending across at least a portion of said moveable support member, said transfer belt extending trough said rail, and said rail at least laterally retaining said transfer belt on said sheave assembly when said lift assembly moves said moveable support member to said transfer position and said transfer belt is subject to a lateral force from an article being transferred by said transfer belt.

A transfer assembly for a conveyor system, said transfer assembly comprising:

• at least two conveying surfaces defining a conveying direction;
• at least two driven transfer sheaves positioned between said conveying surfaces;
• a transfer bait extending over said transfer sheaves, said transfer belt defining a transfer surface and having a length, a width, and a height, said width being greater than said height;
• a driven belt shaft, said driven belt shaft having a driven sheave, said transfer belt forming a closed loop around said transfer sheaves and said driven sheave;
• said transfer belt being driven by said driven sheave to move in a transfer direction non-parallel to said conveying direction;
• an actuator moving said transfer sheaves between a first position wherein said transfer surface of said transfer belt is below said conveying surface and a second position wherein said transfer surface is above said conveying surface for lifting an article being conveyed on said conveying surface and transferring the article in said transfer direction;
• and
• said transfer belt having a generally horizontal belt portion defining said transfer surface and generally horizontal lower belt portions between said transfer sheaves and said driven sheave, said generally horizontal lower portions moving from a lower position below a horizontal reference plane to a higher position above said horizontal reference plane when said actuator moves said transfer sheaves wherein the change in length of said transfer belt is minimized when said actuator moves said transfer sheaves between said first and second positions.

A transfer assembly for a conveyor system, said transfer assembly comprising:

• at least two conveying surfaces defining a conveying direction:
• at least two driven transfer sheaves positioned between said conveying surface;
• a transfer belt extending over said transfer sheaves, said transfer belt defining a transfer surface and having a length;
• a driven belt shaft, said driven belt shaft having a driven sheave, said transfer belt forming a closed loop around said transfer sheaves and said driven sheave said transfer belt being driven by said driven sheave to move in a transfer direction non-parallel to said conveying direction;
• and
• an actuator moving said transfer sheaves between a first position wherein said transfer surface of said transfer belt is below said conveying surface and a second position wherein said transfer surface is above said conveying surface for lifting an article being conveyed on said conveying surface and transferring the article in said transfer direction, and said transfer belt having a generally horizontal belt portion defining said transfer surface and generally horizontal lower belt portions between said transfer sheaves and said driven sheave wherein said length of said transfer belt changes less than an inch when moved between its non-transferring position and its transferring position.

A transfer assembly for a conveyor system, said transfer assembly comprising:

• at least two conveying surfaces defining a conveying direction;
• at least two driven transfer sheaves positioned between said conveying a transfer belt extending aver said transfer sheaves, said transfer belt defining a transfer surface and having a length;
• a driven belt shaft, said driven belt shaft having a driven sheave, said transfer belt fanning a closed loop around said transfer sheaves and said driven sheave;
• a main drive line shaft, said main line drive shaft selectively driving said driven belt shaft;
• said transfer belt being driven by said driven sheave to move in a transfer direction non-parallel to said conveying direction;
• a main line drive shaft, said main line drive shaft selectively driving said driven belt shaft, and said main line drive shaft being adapted to selectively drive said driven belt shaft in a clockwise direction and a counter-clockwise direction wherein said transfer belt moves in a first transferring direction when said driven belt shaft is moved in a clockwise direction and moves in an opposite second transfer direction when said driven belt shaft is moved in a counter-clockwise direction, said main line shaft including first and second clutch assemblies, said first clutch assembly selectively driving said driven belt shaft in a clockwise direction, and said second clutch assembly selectively driving said driven belt shaft in a counter-clockwise direction wherein said transfer belt moves in a said first transferring direction when said driven belt shaft is moved in a clockwise direction and moves in said opposite second transfer direction when said driven belt shaft is moved in a counter-clockwise direction;
• and
• an actuator moving said transfer sheaves between a first position wherein said transfer surface of said transfer belt is below said conveying surface and a second position wherein said transfer surface is above said conveying surface for lifting an article being conveyed on said conveying surface and transferring the article in a respective transfer direction, and said transfer heft having a generally horizontal belt portion defining said transfer surface and generally horizontal lower belt portions between said transfer sheaves and said driven sheave wherein the chance in length of said transfer belt is minimized when said actuator moves said transfer sheaves between said first and second positions.