GB1069469A - Conveying apparatus for the treatment of articles with liquids - Google Patents

Abstract

1,069,469. Conveyer systems; elevated railways. ALBRIGHT & WILSON (MFG.) Ltd. Dec. 18, 1963 [Dec. 18, 1962], No. 49973/63. Heading B7L. [Also in Division B8] In an apparatus for conveying articles on carriers 11 to be subjected to treatment in liquids in tanks 12, 12<SP>1</SP> wherein the carriers 11 are suspended from horizontal arms 10 carried horizontally by a main intermittently moving endless conveyer (2, 3), Fig. 1 (not shown) and vertically movable to immerse the articles in the liquids, the apparatus for loading/unloading the carriers 11 on the arms 10 when the latter are at their uppermost level comprises a trolley 29 moved to and away from the loading/unloading station in the horizontal travel of the arms 10. A retractable stop 35 is provided to half the trolley 29 over the arm 10, a stirrupshaped member 42 is suspended from the trolley 29 and adapted to hold a cap member 53 mounted at the top of the carrier, and a conical lifting member 54 is mounted on each arm 10 and adapted to engage a conical surface 49 on the carrier 11 when the arm 10 is near the top of its vertical movement, whereby the stirrup 42 and cap 53 disengage and the carrier is free to move horizontally with the arm 10. The loading-unloading conveyer forming a horizontal curve above the uppermost level of the arms 10 comprises an upper and lower rail 24, 25. On the upper rail 24, driving trolleys (26), Fig. 3 (not shown), move and push by means of couplings 27, 28 bearer trolleys 29 running freely on the lower rail 25. The bearer trolley can be freed from the driving trolley coupling 27 by the coupling 28 moving downwards at the loading/unloading station. The coupling 28 is driven downwards against a spring 33 by a stud thereon engaging a tapered profile on the stop 35, a vertical slot 30 in the coupling running over a peg 31 of the trolley 29. The stops 35, 35<SP>1</SP> are pivotally retractable about axes 36, 36<SP>1</SP> by means of relays 37, 37<SP>1</SP> operated in accordance with the vertical position of the arms 10 under the control of a vertically moving beam 13. Notches 50, 50<SP>1</SP> are provided in the cone 49 to register with a transverse stabilizer pin provided with the conical lifting member 54. The main conveyer, Fig. 1 (not shown), comprises two endless chains interconnected by rods forming the vertical rails on which the arms 10 run. The vertical position of the arms 10 is controlled by a counterbalanced beam 13, movable up and down by vertical chains 14 which are driven in alternate directions by a reciprocating rack engaging pinions on the chain wheel axles.