GB1333296A - Conveyor systems - Google Patents

Abstract

1333296 Conveyers JERVIS B WEBB CO 18 Jan 1971 [21 Jan 1970] 2305/71 Heading B7L A conveyer system comprises a supporting and guiding structure defining a path of travel for a plurality of trays 10, a propelling chain 36 mounted within a track 46 for movement beneath the trays 10 in a direction 59, pusher units 38 mounted at intervals along the chain 36 by means of vertically extending portions 52, Figs. 4 and 5, which extend through a slot 48 in the track 46 for connection with the chain 36, each pusher unit 38 being provided with a pusher member 54 which has a driving dog 61 and a positioning arm 64 and which is movable about a pivot 57 on the portion 52 between a driving position in which the dog 61 engages driving means 28 on a tray 10 and a non-driving position, each pusher unit also being provided with a locking member 56 which has a locking portion 69 and a tripping arm 68 and which is movable about a pivot 58 on the portion 52 between a locking position, in which the locking portion 69 engages a horizontal surface 70 of the positioning arm 64 to hold the dog 61 in its driving position, and a non-locking position, the tripping arm 68, when the locking member 56 is in its locking position, extending into the path of travel of a tray 10, whose driving means 28 is engaged by the dog 61, in advance of that tray. The locking portion 69, which acts as a counterweight to the tripping arm 68 so that the locking member 56 tends to be urged towards its locking position, has a lobe 74 which in the locking position, engages an abutment 72 of the positioning arm 64 and is located in an over-centre position with respect to the pivot 52 so that it retains the dog 61 in its driving position. If the tripping arm 68 meets an end 31 of a preceding tray then, as seen in Fig. 4, the locking member is rotated anti-clockwise out of its locking position and thus enables the dog 61 to be disengaged from the driving means 28 due to the reaction force exerted on the dog by the means 28. Movement of trays around curves and at junctions between two lines of the supporting and guiding structure is described with reference to Figs. 1 and 3, not shown.