Accumulation conveyor assembly

An accumulation conveyor comprising:

• a frame, said frame including a pair of side frame members, each at said side frame members having a lower flange;
• a plurality of rollers rotatably supported by said frame, said rollers defining a convoying surface;
• a stop member pivotally mounted between said side frame members about a fixed pivot axis, said stop member being pivotally mounted to one of said rollers;
• an actuator selectively pivoting said stop member between an extended position wherein at least a portion of said stop member is extended above said conveying surface for stopping one or more articles conveyed on said conveying surface and a retracted position wherein said stop member is below said conveying surface, and said stop member moving in an arcuate path when a moving between said extended position and said retracted position, said stop member pivoting in a downstream direction relative to said conveying direction when said stop member moves in said actuate path from its extended position to said retracted position to thereby minimize binding between said stop member and articles on said conveying surface, and said actuator and said stop member comprising a low profile stop assembly wherein neither said a stop member nor said actuator extend below said flanges of said side frame members.

An accumulation conveyor comprising:

• a frame;
• a plurality of rollers rotatably supported by said frame, said rollers defining a conveying surface;
• a stop member;
• and
• an actuator selectively moving said stop member between an extended position wherein at least a portion of said stop member is extended above said conveying surface for stopping one or more articles conveyed on said conveying surface and a retracted position wherein said stop member is below said conveying surface, and said stop member pivoting about one of an upstream roller and a downstream roller from said stop member when moving between said extended position and said retracted position.

A method of controlling the flow of articles on a conveying surface of an accumulation roller conveyor, the roller conveyor having a plurality of rollers defining a conveying surface having a conveying direction, said method comprising:

• providing a stop member;
• and
• mounting the stop member to one of an upstream roller and a downstream roller from the stop member;
• and
• pivoting the stop member about the one of an upstream roller and a downstream roller to move the stop member to from a retracted position below the conveying surface of the rollers to an extended position wherein at least a portion of the stop member is above the conveying surface to least slow articles conveyed on the conveying surface of the accumulation conveyor.

An accumulation conveyor comprising:

• a frame, said framing including frame members, each of said side frame members having a lower flange;
• a plurality of rollers rotatably supported by said frame, said rollers defining a conveying surface;
• a stop member pivotally mounted between said side frame members about a fixed pivot axis, said first pivot axis being located between said conveying surface and a lower surface of said rollers;
• an actuator selectively pivoting said stop member between an extended position wherein at least a portion of said stop member is extended above said conveying surface for stopping one or more articles conveyed on said conveying surface and a retracted position wherein said stop member is below said conveying surface, said actuator selectively pivoting said stop member about one of said rollers when moving said stop member between said extended position and said retracted and wherein said one of said rollers includes said fixed pivot axis, and said stop member moving in an arcuate path when moving between said extended position and said retracted position, said stop member pivoting in a downstream direction relative to said conveying direction when said stop member moves in said actuate path from its extend position to said retracted position to thereby minimize binding between said stop member and articles on said conveying surface, and said actuator and said stop member comprising a low profile stop assembly wherein neither said stop member nor said actuator extend below said flanges of said side frame members.