Guide rail support bracket assembly for conveyor system

A conveyor system guide rail support bracket system comprising:

• a conveyor having a conveyor body;
• a first guide rail support bracket formed by cutting and bending a flat metal plate, the first bracket comprising:
• a mounting segment attachable to the conveyor body so as to define a first, proximate configuration;
• a support segment connected at one end to the mounting segment;
• and
• an open clamping section connected to the support segment at an end spaced from the mounting segment;
• at least a second guide rail support bracket formed by cutting and bending a flat metal plate, the at least second bracket comprising:
• a mounting segment attachable to the conveyor body;
• an extension segment attached along a first edge to the mounting segment so as to define at least a first distal configuration;
• a support segment connected along an edge to a second edge of the extension segment;
• and
• an open clamping section connected to the support segment at an end spaced from the mounting segment;
• clamping mechanisms wherein the clamping mechanisms comprise:
• a clamping hole formed in the respective clamping section;
• a threaded eyebolt ending in an eyelet, the eyebolt configured to fit through the clamping hole such that the eyelet is positioned on a concave side of the clamping section;
• and
• a fastener configured to thread onto the eyebolt and pull the eyelet into the concave side of the clamping section from an opposite convex side of the clamping section;
• support rods clamped into the open clamping sections by respective clamping mechanisms;
• and
• guide rails attached to ends of the support rods.

A guide rail support bracket assembly for a conveyor system, the assembly comprising:

• a support bracket comprising:
• a mounting segment;
• a support segment connected to the mounting segment;
• and
• a bracket pivot segment attached to the support segment;
• an open clamping section having a clamping hole formed therein, the clamping section also defining a clamping section pivot segment wherein the clamping section is connected to the support bracket via the pivot segments such that the support bracket and the clamping section can be secured in any of a 360° relative orientations;
• a threaded eyebolt ending in an eyelet, the eyebolt configured to fit through the clamping hole such that the eyelet is positioned on a concave, open side of the clamping section;
• and
• a fastener configured to thread onto the eyebolt and pull the eyelet into the concave open side of the clamping section from an opposite convex side of the clamping section.

A guide rail support bracket apparatus for a conveyor system, the apparatus comprising:

• a support bracket including:
• a mounting segment defining a first plane for mounting the bracket on a conveyor system, a support segment connected to the mounting segment defining a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane;
• and
• a bracket pivot segment defining a third plane which is substantially perpendicular to said first plane and to said second plane;
• and
• an open concave clamping assembly pivotally mounted to said pivot segment and configured to clamp a support rod in a plurality of angular positions both in and with respect to the third plane.

A method of guiding objects on a conveyor system, the conveyor system comprising a conveyor body and the conveyor system transporting objects along a non-strictly linear path, the method comprising:

• attaching ones of at least first and second guide rail support brackets to the conveyor body so as to extend at least first or second lateral distances therefrom;
• attaching guide rails to clamping sections via actuation of a securing mechanism positionable along a plurality of angular orientations with respect to a plane of the conveyor body;
• interconnecting the guide rail support brackets and the clamping sections;
• and
• pivoting the clamping sections along the conveyor body plane such that the guide rails are positioned in a substantially tangential orientation with respect to the conveyor travel.