GB1456201A - Towline conveyor systems - Google Patents

Abstract

1456201 Vehicle address system; conveyer systems GEO W KING Ltd 8 Oct 1973 [6 Oct 1972 (2)] 46323/72 and 17006/73 Headings B7L and B7N In a tow truck conveying system each vehicle is provided with an address pin to control movement of. the vehicles, tow pin from a main floor chain 2 to a subsidiary floor chain at a selected diverging point. The vehicles have castor lead wheels and tow pins which engage in open sided recesses in the chains. Where the main chain 2 runs at a level above that of the subsidiary chain 3 the adjacent sides 15 of the chain channels 13, 14 at the diverging point are cut away whereby when the address pin 18 engages an inclined plate 12, positioned to define the diverging point, the vehicle and hence the tow pin are moved sideways until the latter engages a drive recess in the subsidiary chain. Where the chains are at the same level, the address pin first engages a pneumatic or hydraulic valve whereby a piston-cylinder device 20 is energized to raise inclined plate 12 and ramp 23 to positions where they can be engaged respectively by the address pin.and an arm 11 extending outwards from tow pin 8. As the arm 11 is raised the pin 8 moves out of engagement with the main chain and the forward movement of the pin pivots a pusher arm 25 which moves back behind the pin under the action of a bias spring (not shown). The pin 8 now operates a limit switch 27 whereby a second piston-cylinder device 21 is energized to move the pusher arm to its broken line position during which movement the pin 8 is moved forwards and also sideways by engagement of the address pin 18 with the inclined plate 12 until it drops having passed over ramp 23, into a drive recess in subsidiary chain 4. As the vehicle leaves the diverging point pin 8 engages a second limit switch 28 which restores the devices to-their original condition.