Conveyer system

Application filed February 8, 1831. Serial No. 514,530.

My invention relates to conveyer systems and has particular reference to a system for preventing collision between articles passing over two branch conveyers leading into a _ junction between the two conveyers.

In factories and in other locations where it is desirable to transport parcels, boxes or other articles from various points of a building or manufacturing plant to other points _t0 therein, it has been the practice to provide conveyers, one of the most popular types being the roller or Hasslet type of conveyer. Conveyers of this character may start at widely separated points in the building, i. e. ₁₆ there will be a branch conveyer starting at one part of the factory or other location, while another may start at a point considerably spaced from the first. These conveyers are then brought together at a junction point 20 at which the two conveyers merge into a single continuing conveyer extending from the junction. point.

In the past considerable difficulty has been experienced in preventing parcels on both of 25 such branch conveyers arriving simultaneously at the junction point and colliding, to the injury of the parcels or box so conveyed.

It is an object of my invention therefore to provide a conveyer system in which several 3G branch conveyers may be brought together at a junction point to converge into a continuing conveyer beyond such junction and in which the possibility of collision between parcels entering simultaneously from both 25 branch conveyers is avoided.

Another object of my invention is to provide a conveyer system of the character described in the preceding paragraph, in which the parcels on one conveyer are engaged by co a stopping device and are positively held from entering the junction until parcels from the other conveyer have cleared the junction sufficiently to insure that there will be no collision.

Another, object of my invention is to provide a conveyer of the character described in the preceding paragraphs, in which parcels entering upon one conveyer will operate. so as to remove the stopping device from one CO of the branch conveyers and projecting a stopping device in the path of the other conveyer, until after parcels from the first conveyer have passed into the junction beyond a point of danger of collision.

Other objects of my invention will be ap- 65 parent from a study of the following specification read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein

Figure 1 is a plan view of a conveyer system in which two branch conveyers converge 60 into a single conveyer at a junction point, ' such system being provided with a collision preventing device constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the 65 conveyer system illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail end view, partly in section, of the conveyer shown in Figure 1, the section being taken along line III—III of Figure 1 and illustrating the stopping de- 70 vice when in one of its stopping positions;

Figure 4 is a detail view, partly in section, similar to Figure 3 but showing the stopping device in its opposite position; and

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified form 75 of the conveyer system illustrated in Figure 1, particularly illustrating the junction of a branch conveyer intersecting the opposite branch conveyer at a considerable angle.

Referring to the drawings, I have illus- 80 trated a conveyer system comprising a pair of branch conveyers 1 and 2 which are illustrated as following paths parallel to each other. Each of these branch conveyers comprises a plurality of rollers 3, (in this instance 85 a single roller extending across both of the branch conveyers) driven in any suitable manner as by means of a chain 4 operating upon sprockets 5 connected to each of the rollers and maintained in contact with such 80 sprockets as by means of passing the chain 4 Over idler rollers or sprockets 6. The chain 4 is arranged to be suitably driven from a driving sprocket 7 connected upon a suitable shaft 8 which may be in turn driven through 05 any suitable gearing 8' connected to a drive shaft 9 to which power is supplied from any suitable prime mover, as by means of pulley and belt 10.

The branch conveyers 1 and 2 are illustrat- 100

1,853,787 ed as converging into a junction 11, such junction being formed by the converging exterior guides 12 (for branch conveyer 1) and 13 (for branch conveyer 2) to guide parcels ⁸ upon each of these conveyers to a contmuing conveyer 14 which extends from the junction 11.

Prior to the entry of the parcels into the junction 11, the parcels have been restrained 1° to one or the other of the branch conveyers 1 and 2 by means of a divisional partition guide 15 which terminates, as is indicated at 16, approximately in alignment with the point at which the exterior guides 12 and 13 ¹⁸ converge.

The junction 11 is indicated as comprising a plurality of separate rollers 17 arranged in longitudinal alignment with the branch conveyer 2 while a similar set of rollers 18 is 20 provided in alignment with the branch conveyer 1 so that parcels entering the junction from the branch conveyer 1 will be positively driven through the junction 11 by means of rollers 18 independent of rollers 17. The 25 rollers 17 and 18 are arranged to be driven by means of a chain 19 which is in turn driven through a suitable sprocket 20 connected in any suitable manner to a separate stub shaft 21 geared to the drive shaft 9.

By arranging a plurality of stub shafts, such as 8 and 21, power may be applied to each of the rollers of a conveyer which extends over a considerable distance without placing any unnecessary strain upon the 35 chains connected to the rollers and the positive application of power is thereby facilitated.

In order to prevent collision between parcels upon the two branch conveyers 1 and 2 ⁴⁰ which may arrive at the junction point simultaneously, I have illustrated a stopping device for obstructing the path of such articles as comprising a lever 22 secured beneath the level of the rollers 17 as by connecting the ⁴⁵ rearward end of the lever 22 to a pivot shaft 23 which is in turn supported upon brackets 24 carried by the guides 12 and 13. Thus, the lever 22 is arranged for pivotal movement in a vertical plane.

⁶⁰ Spaced along the lever 22 in the direction of movement of parcels over the conveyer system I have arranged an upstanding rod or bar 25 rigidly secured at its lower end to the lever 22 and bearing upon its upper end a ⁵⁵ journal 26 constituting the bearing for a shaft 27 upon opposite ends of which are secured rollers 28 and 29.

The length of the rod or bar 25 is selected such that when the lever 22 is in its Uppermost position the rollers 28 and 29 will lie considerably above the upper level of the conveyer rollers 17 in a position to engage the front end of a parcel passing over branch conveyer 2 and thus positively stopping such parcel (indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3 eo at A) from entering into the converging junction 11 a sufficient distance to engage a similar parcel B which may be entering from branch conveyer 1. '

Still further spaced along the lever 22 in 70 the direction of movement of parcels over the conveyer system I have illustrated a second bar 30 also rigidly secured to the bar 22 and carrying upon its upper end a pair of rollers 31 and 32. Again, the length of the bar 30 ⁷⁵is such that when the lever 22 is in its uppermost position the rollers 31 and 32 will be in a position to engage a parcel passing from the branch conveyer 2.

The spacing of the rollers 28—29 from the ⁸⁰rollers 31—32 is selected substantially equal to the length of the parcels to be conveyed over the conveyer system so that a parcel which passes over the rollers 23—29 will engage the rollers 31 and 32 and thereby hold ⁸⁵the lever 22 in its depressed position until after the parcel clears or passes from above the rollers 31 and 32.

Arranged in alignment with the branch conveyer 1 is a similar lever 33 carrying in ⁹⁰similar positions bars 34 and 35 which respectively support rollers 36—37 and rollers 38—39.

By referring particularly to Figure 3, it will be observed that levers 22 and 33 are ⁹interconnected by means of a walking ,beam or lever 40 which is pivoted as at 41 upon a bracket 42, opposite ends of the lever being connected by means of links 43 and 44, re- ₁₀₀spectively, to the levers 33 and 22. Hence, when lever 33 is depressed (as is illustrated in Figure 3) lever 22 will be elevated, while depression of lever 22 (as is illustrated in Figure 4) will insure elevation of lever 33. ₁₀₆

The operation of the conveyer system constructed in accordance with the preceding description is as follows:

Assuming that parcels are moving across each of the branch conveyers 1 and 2 toward _nothe junction 11, the arrival of these parcels at the junction 11 will cause the first parcel to so arrive to engage the rollers 28 and 29 or 36, 37 associated with the particular branch conveyer over which it is travelling. u₅

Assuming that the first parcel to arrive is traveling along branch conveyer 1, the engagement of rollers 36 and 37 by such parcel will cause depression of the lever 33 to remove rollers 36 and 37 from the path of this par- 120 cel, while at the same time through the connection of the walking beam or lever 40, the lever 22 will be elevated to place the rollers 28 and 29 into position to obstruct or stop the parcel approaching from branch conveyer 2. 125 The unobstructed parcel from branch conveyer 1 will then pass into the junction 11 without danger of colliding with parcels from conveyer 2.

The parcel from branch conveyer 1 in its W0

1,868,787 3 movement through the junction 11 will move sufficier ^l!y forward to engage rollers 88 and 89 to thus maintain the lever 33 depressed and the lever 22 elevated until it has moved ⁰ a sufficient distance through the junction 11 to prevent a parcel entering the junction at this time from branch conveyer 2 from catching up with the first parcel or colliding therewith·

As the first parcel passes from above rollers 38, 39 the parcel from conveyer 2 which has been abutting rollers 28,29 is now permitted to depress these rollers to remove the ob_ie struction from its path and it may enter the junction 11, maintaining the lever 22 depressed during its entire passage past the forward rollers 31,32. At the same time the de{iression of lever 22 will cause the elevation of ever 33 and obstruct the entry of further parcels from branch conveyer 1 until after the junction 11 is again clear for further entry of parcels.

It will be observed that if a succession _S5 of parcels enter from one of the branch conveyers, for example, branch conveyer 1, these successive parcels being spaced from each other by an amount less than the distance “®” indicated by the arrow on Figure 1, representing the longitudinal spacing of the forward and rearward rollers associated with each of the levers, all of these parcels will proceed into the junction before permitting entry of any parcel from the opposite branch con₃₅ veyor. Also, it will be observed that in the ° event two parcels should arrive at the junction 11 from both of the branch conveyors 1 and 2 n exact synchronism, these two parcels will simultaneously strike the rearward rollers.

₄₀ That is, parcel A from conveyer 2 will engage rollers 28 and 29 at the same instant that parcel B on conveyer 1 would engage rollers 36 and 37.

However, one or the .other of these parcels ₄₅ ould be given preference hr in other words would be permitted to depress its associated rollers in preference to the other by reason of any difference in weight between the two parcels. If one of the parcels, for example, _eo parcel B, exceeds in weight the parcel A, ^υ the lever 33 will be depressed and allow that parcel to enter the junction first while the other parcel would be stopped and prevented from entering the junction.

~₅ Ry referring to Figure 5 it will be observed that· I have illustrated therein a modified form of the conveyer system such as is illustrated in Figure 1. In this case, however, the branch conveyer 1“ is illustrated as being in aligninent with and constituting a part of a ^υ straight conveyer of which the continuation 14“ constitutes a part.

The branch conveyer 2“ approaches conveyer 1“, not parallel thereto as in the form illustrated in Figure 1, but at a considerable angle ^s thereto so that it is necessary to form a curved section 60 constituting, in effect, a “switch” connecting with the branch conveyer 1· at a junction 61.

In this form of my device, the rollers 3* and their method of drive is assumed to be ⁷⁰suitably driven as are the rollers 3 shown in Figure 1, while the stopping devices are also similar to those described with reference to Figure 1 as constituting a lever 33· pivoted ' upon a shaft 62 similar to that referred to as ⁷⁸23 in Figure 2 and carrying a pair of rearward rollers 36* and 37^a and a set of forward rollers 38“ and 39*.

The stopping device associated with branch conveyer 2* constitutes the lever 22* mounted ⁸⁰upon a shaft 23“ and carrying rearward rollers 28* and 29* and also being provided with a set of forward rollers 31· and 32*. - .

It will be observed that the guide rail 63 upon the right hand side of branch conveyer ⁸⁶1 is cut away as is indicated at 64 to permit the entry of parcels from branch conveyer 2“ into the junction 61 while the relative locations of the rollers 38“ and 39* associated with branch conveyer 1* and rollers 31* and ⁸⁰32* associated with branch conveyer 2* are arranged adjacent the cut away portion of the guide 63.

It will also be observed that a walking beam 65 pivoted at 66 has its opposite ends ⁸⁵connected respectively to the lever 33* and the lever 22“ so that when one of these levers is depressed the opposite lever will be elevated. Hence, parcels such as that indicated at 67 approaching upon branch conveyer 1“ will ¹⁰⁸be prevented from entering the junction 61 if a parcel 68 is on its way into the junction 61 from branch conveyer 2“ until the parcel 68 has passed beyond rollers 31* and 32*. The necessity of providing the two sets of ¹⁰⁵rollers on each of the levers is forcefully demonstrated in the modification shown in Figure 5; if the stoppings rollers 36“ and 37“ were permitted to release the box or parcel 67 at the time the parcel-68 had cleared the ¹¹⁰rearward rollers 28“ and 29“ associated with branch conveyer 2“, the box 67 might be started at such time as to strike the box 68. This is particularly true since the passage of the box 68 into the junction 61 is somewhat ¹¹⁵hindered due to the fact that it must change its direction of travel and therefore a greater friction is encountered by this box than is by the box 67 merely continuing its straightahead movement. 120

Thus, it will be observed that I have provided a conveyer system in which a pair of branch conveyers converging into a junction are provided with a device which positively prevents entry of parcels from both of said.¹²⁵branch conveyers at the same time and in which, irrespective of the time of arrival of said parcels at the junction, preference will be given to one or the other of the parcels and thus prevent the conveyer system ¹⁸⁸

1,858,787 from becoming jammed or otherwise obstructed against tree passage of the parcels through the conveyer system.

While I have illustrated and described the B preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to any of the details shown or described herein, except as defined in the appended claims.