High speed baggage diverter
OwnerGeorge W. Peppelinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides a diverter assembly for transferring moving articles from one conveying surface to another conveying surface, comprising: a) a frame; b) at least one endless belt suspended between spaced apart pulleys supported on the frame, wherein the endless belt defines an unsupported belt span for contacting articles on the one conveying surface and transferring the contacted article to the another conveying surface; and c) an actuator operably connected to the frame to move the unsupported belt span in a position to contact the article moving on the one conveying surface to transfer the article to the another conveying surface.
Claims50
A diverter assembly for selectively transferring articles of baggage from an input conveying surface having a discharge end to one of multiple output conveying surfaces, comprising:
- a) a frame;
- b) at least one endless belt suspended and moving along a path between spaced apart pulleys supported on the frame, wherein the endless belt defines a belt span for contacting an article on the one conveying surface and transferring the contacted article of baggage to one of the multiple conveying surfaces, wherein at least one of the multiple output conveying surfaces has a receiving end, only a portion of which is positioned in a laterally overlapping and adjacent relationship with a portion of the discharge end of the input conveying surface;
- and
- c) an actuator operably connected to the frame to move the belt span into a position to contact the article moving on the one conveying surface and transfer the article to one of the multiple output conveying surfaces.
A diverter assembly for transferring articles of baggage from an input conveyor to one of two output conveyors, comprising:
- a) a diverter assembly having an arm pivoting between first and second positions about a stationary pivot point;
- b) at least one endless belt suspended on the arm and movable along an endless path;
- and
- c) an actuator operably connected to the arm to pivot the arm into the first position to contact an article of baggage while moving on the input conveyor and transfer the article to one of the two output conveyors, the arm contacting the article while the article is at least partially on the one output conveyor, and to pivot the arm into the second position to contact an article while moving on the input conveyor and transfer the article to the other output conveyor, the arm contacting the article while the article is least partially on the other output conveyor.
A method of selectively transfering articles of baggage from an input conveying surface having a discharge end to one of multiple output conveying surfaces, each having a receiving end, the method comprising:
- a) moving a baggage article along the input conveying surface in a conveying direction,
- b) discharging the article from the discharge end of the input conveying surface;
- c) receiving the article onto the receiving end of one of the multiple output conveying surfaces, wherein a portion of the receiving end of at least one of the multiple output conveying surfaces is positioned in a laterally overlapping and adjacent relationship with a portion of the discharge end of the input conveying surface;
- and
- d) selectively diverting the article onto the receiving end of one of the multiple output conveying surfaces by contacting the article with an endless belt suspended between at least two spaced apart pulleys, the endless belt perpendicular to the conveying surfaces, wherein the article is diverted at least partially in a transverse direction with respect to the conveying direction.
A method of diverting baggage articles moving in a conveying system comprising:
- a) pivoting an arm, having at least one endless belt supported thereon, about a stationary pivot into a first position wherein the endless belt contacts a baggage article while the article is moving on an input conveyor, and transfers the article to one of two output conveyors, the endless belt contacting the article while the article is at least partially on the output conveyor;
- and
- b) pivoting the arm about a stationary pivot into a second position wherein the endless belt contacts an article while the article is moving on the input conveyor and transfers the article to the other output conveyor, the endless belt contacting the article while the article is at least partially on the output conveyor.
A method of selectively diverting a plurality of baggage articles moving in a conveying system from an input conveying surface having a discharge end to one of multiple output conveying surfaces, each output conveying surface having a receiving end and a perimeter, comprising:
- a) moving a plurality of randomly positioned baggage articles along an input conveying surface in a conveying direction;
- and
- b) selectively diverting each article onto the receiving end of one of the multiple output conveying surfaces, and aligning each article adjacent the perimeter of one of the output conveying surfaces, wherein each article is contacted with an endless belt suspended between at least two spaced apart pulleys, the endless belt perpendicular to the conveying surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.