The conveyor system features plural endless and independently powered conveyor chains traveling individual guide tracks, one chain and track representing a main power conveyor line traversing the entire length of the system, and one or more further and similar chain and track-type branch lines which, at spaced zones therealong, converge and diverge in relation to the main line, paralleling the latter through some length. Thus, pusher dogs on the parallel-traveling conveyor reaches may selectively be brought into and out of propelling engagement with a given article-containing tray atop the parallel track reaches. As thus selectively impelled by only a single pusher dog on one or the other line, the tray may travel straight past a point of divergence or exit of a branch chain-track line in relation to the main line, or the tray may be mechanically switched into and out of one or more branch routes, under propulsion by a branch track dog, the power chain having been "de-dogged" from the chain at a zone of selection upstream of the diversion or exit zone. The diversion may be, for example, into and out of an elevator unit or "vertical", prior to entering which the trays are removed from the branch line, being later returned thereto for convergent re-entry to the main line. Selection of the path of tray travel is computer-controlled, and is effected through the agency of a pair of ganged mechanical tray-diverting (or returning) switch arms which pivot about axes upstream of the direction of power and branch chain travel, so that "spearing" of a tray is impossible. The ganged switch arms trip electrical limit switches at opposite extremities of the switch swing, the occurrence of which is governed by two or more movable ramp-type de-dogging units, at least one associated with each of the main and branch line tracks upstream of the diverting or exit zone. Under the control of such units dogs on the main power and branch chains are respectively left drivingly engaged with or drivingly disengaged from the trays, in effect disabling the selected pusher chain in the last named condition. Mechanical operation of the de-dogging units is in turn under the control of individual braking type electric motors intermittently operating the de-dogging ramps. These motors receive energizing signals from a read-out unit or sub-assembly under the above-mentioned master computer control; and under such governing from the read-out unit the motors operate electrical limit switches timing 180.degree. rotations thereof in determining whether dogging or de-dogging shall take place. Read-out signals are electromagnetically received by the reader from the magnetically coded strip or plate means on the bottoms of the trays, such means thus designating the tray's destination, and being in due course re-coded for another trip of the tray through the system by write-in means similar to the read-out unit. In order to eliminate impact noise and shock upon its dogging engagement by a pusher dog traveling at considerable chain-powered speed, each tray has like front and rear walls of a semi-rigid nature, at least adjacent the bottom thereof, behind which the power chain and branch pusher dogs will engage to propel the trays; a yield of such wall portion in becoming dogged will absorb impact noises and at the same time will operate in the manner of a return spring in maintaining the dog's tray propelling contact.
A conveyor adapted to accumulate articles includes a number of supporting rollers arranged in two rows longitudinally thereof, a drive chain interposed between the two rows of supporting rollers, pushers tiltably mounted each at the approximate midportion of its length on the drive chain at specified spacing and each having an upper projection projecting upward from the chain to engage the article and a lower projection carrying a roller and projecting downward from the chain, and levers tiltably mounted each at the approximate midportion of its length on the drive chain and positioned in front of the pushers in mating combination therewith, each of the levers being adapted to be pushed down by contact with a stopped article while travelling with the drive chain and to thereby tilt the mating pusher. Normally, both the pushers and levers are maintained in raised position by gravity. In a specified portion of the conveyor, there is disposed a stopping device having a cam upwardly movable to come into contact with and push up the roller of the pusher and to thereby position the upper projection thereof below the upper ends of the supporting rollers and downwardly movable out of contact with the lower end of the pusher. Normally, the upper end of the pusher tilting lever is positioned at a lower level than the upper end of the pusher. At the front end portion of the conveyor, guide rails are positioned at a lower level than the other portions thereof, over a section in excess of the dimension of the article in the direction of travel of the article.
A conveyor apparatus for advancing articles in a direction of conveyance, including a conveyor track on which the articles are supported; an endless driven conveyor element and an article carrier device including an article carrier element pivotally supported on the endless driven conveyor element. The article carrier element is adapted to engage and thus convey, or be disengaged from an article on the conveyor track. The article carrier element comprises a pivotal lever and a carrier lug formed on the pivotal lever. The latter has an activated pivotal position in which the carrier lug is adapted to be brought into and maintained in a force-transmitting engagement with one of the articles and a deactivated pivotal position in which the carrier lug is maintained disengaged from the articles. A force-exerting device urges the pivotal lever into the activated position. There is further provided a contact element on the pivotal lever downstream of the carrier lug as viewed in the direction of conveyance. The contact element is arranged for being depressed by a downstream situated object for causing a rotation of the pivotal lever into the deactivated position.
In a conveyor system for forwarding trays along a support, the trays are engaged by pusher mechanisms attached to an endless driven chain supported on a track adjacent to the tray's support. Each pusher mechanism has a pivotally mounted pusher member that is associated with a pivoted control member located forwardly of the pusher member and connected thereto by a horizontally sliding connecting member. The pusher member and the control member are normally urged to positions in which the pusher member is drivingly engageable with a tray and the control member is engageable with an object such as a preceding tray overtaken by the control member; such engagement resulting in movement of the pusher member to a non-driving position and enabling trays to be stopped and accumulated. The pusher member may be moved to an inoperative position by means of a second control member, operable upon contact with selectively spaced ramps which force the second control member to rotate in such a manner as to slide the horizontal member to a position which results in the pusher member being inoperative.
An arrangement comprises a pipeline filled with liquid at atmospheric pressure. The pipeline serves for displacement of containers with cargo therein by means of driven conveyors arranged along the pipeline. Endless traction members of the conveyors comprise belts having at least one row of equally spaced elements. Each container has at least one longitudinal groove with stops for engagement with the belt elements during the displacement of the containers. The arrangement according to the invention enables transportation of cargoes with comparatively low power consumption.
An accumulating conveyor system for transporting and storing plural loads, formed of a pair of laterally spaced parallel lines of non-powered rollers and an intervening load advancing car reciprocative along advance and return strokes between the ends of the roller lines. The load advancing car has a load advancing friction pad movable vertically from a raised load engaging position to a retracted inactive position under control of a monitor wheel which also moves vertically, to retract the pad from load engaging position responsive to contact of the wheel with loads along the lines of rollers.
