Conveyor chain link having movable gripper and conveyor system utilizing same
AssigneeAmbec
InventorThomas Spangenberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A chain link comprising an elongated body having opposed first and second ends defining a longitudinal axis therebetween. The body has guide shoes that project from a bottom portion of the body for supporting the link on a track. The chain link further includes a gripping member that has a structure that is in sliding engagement with a cooperating structure disposed along the body of the link. The cooperating structure permits the gripping member to move relative to the body in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body.
Claims31
A chain link for use in a product capture conveyor system having a pair of endless conveyors that convey products therebetween, said product capture conveyor system having a track and an urging mechanism positioned along said track, said chain link comprises:
- an elongated body having opposed first and second ends defining a longitudinal axis therebetween;
- and
- a gripping member configured to move relative to said elongated body in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis of said elongated body when said gripping member confronts said urging mechanism.
A chain link for use in a conveyor system, said conveyor system having a pair of closed loops of chains each defining a travel path, the two closed loops of chains being oriented to include sections which extend parallel to and closely spaced from one another to form a conveyor channel therebetween, said conveyor system includes an urging mechanism provided along each of said closed loops of chains, said chain link comprising:
- a carrier member having a top portion and a longitudinal axis;
- and
- a gripper slidably engaged with said top portion of said carrier member, said gripper being movable with respect to said carrier member along the longitudinal axis of said carrier member when said gripper contacts said urging mechanism.
A conveyor system for moving articles comprising:
- a conveyor including a chain having a plurality of links that follows a track defining a travel path, said travel path includes a curved portion having a radius of curvature defining a center point,
- each link having a gripping member in sliding engagement with said link wherein said gripping member is movable relative to said link, each link having means for supporting said link in said track wherein said link follows said travel path of said track,
- said chain includes a proximal portion that is closer to said center point of said curved portion and a distal portion that is farther from said center point of said curved portion, said proximal portion defines a contraction zone and said distal portion defines an expansion zone when said chain travels around said curved portion;
- and
- means for moving each gripping member into said expansion zone before each respective link travels along said curved portion of said track.
A conveyor system comprising:
- a conveyor including a chain having a plurality of links that follows a track defining a travel path, said track includes a turning wheel having a radius of curvature defining a center point,
- each link having means for supporting said link in said track wherein said link follows said travel path of said track and a gripping member in sliding engagement with said link wherein said gripping member is movable relative to said link, and
- an urging mechanism positioned along said track to move each gripping member in a direction relative to the center point of said curved portion when each gripping member reaches said urging mechanism.
A product capture conveyor system comprising:
- a conveyor including a chain having a plurality of links that follows a track defining a travel path, said track includes a curved portion having a radius of curvature defining a center point,
- each link having means for supporting said link in said track wherein said link follows said travel path of said track and a gripping member in sliding engagement with said link wherein said gripping member is movable relative to said link, and
- a guide bar positioned along said track to move each gripping member in a direction relative to the center point of said curved portion when each gripping member reaches said guide bar.
A product capture conveyor system comprising:
- a conveyor including a chain having a plurality of links that follows a track defining a travel path, said track includes a curved portion having a radius of curvature defining a center point,
- each link having means for supporting said link in said track wherein said link follows said travel path of said track and a gripping member in sliding engagement with said link wherein said gripping member is movable relative to said link, and
- a cam positioned adjacent said track to move each gripping member in a direction relative to the center point of said curved portion when each gripping member reaches said cam, said gripping member defines a cam follower.
A product capture conveyor system comprising:
- a conveyor including a chain having a plurality of links that follows a track defining a travel path, said track includes a curved portion having a radius of curvature defining a center point,
- each link includes a carrier having a longitudinal axis and a gripping member in sliding engagement with said carrier wherein said gripping member is movable relative to said carrier member, and
- means for urging said gripping member along said longitudinal axis of said carrier when said gripping member confronts said urging means, said urging means includes a guide bar positioned along said track.
A conveyor system for moving articles comprising:
- a track including one or more curved portions each having a radius of curvature defining a center point;
- a plurality of links that follow said track,
- each link includes a proximal portion and a distal portion relative to said center point of said curved portion of said track, said proximal portion defines a contraction zone and said distal portion defines an expansion zone when each link travels around said curved portion of said track;
- each link having a gripping member configured to be movable relative to its respective link between the contraction zone and the expansion zone;
- and
- means for urging each gripping member towards said expansion zone of its respective link, said urging means being positioned along said track.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.