GB1585324A - Egg conveyors - Google Patents

Egg conveyors Download PDF

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Publication number
GB1585324A
GB1585324A GB1640378A GB1640378A GB1585324A GB 1585324 A GB1585324 A GB 1585324A GB 1640378 A GB1640378 A GB 1640378A GB 1640378 A GB1640378 A GB 1640378A GB 1585324 A GB1585324 A GB 1585324A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
egg
conveyor
tufts
run
eggs
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
GB1640378A
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
POTTER ELECTRICAL SERVICES Ltd
Original Assignee
POTTER ELECTRICAL SERVICES Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by POTTER ELECTRICAL SERVICES Ltd filed Critical POTTER ELECTRICAL SERVICES Ltd
Priority to GB1640378A priority Critical patent/GB1585324A/en
Publication of GB1585324A publication Critical patent/GB1585324A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G21/00—Supporting or protective framework or housings for endless load-carriers or traction elements of belt or chain conveyors
    • B65G21/20—Means incorporated in, or attached to, framework or housings for guiding load-carriers, traction elements or loads supported on moving surfaces
    • B65G21/2045—Mechanical means for guiding or retaining the load on the load-carrying surface
    • B65G21/2063—Mechanical means for guiding or retaining the load on the load-carrying surface comprising elements not movable in the direction of load-transport
    • B65G21/209—Mechanical means for guiding or retaining the load on the load-carrying surface comprising elements not movable in the direction of load-transport for augmenting or creating a pression force between the load and the load-carrying surface
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
    • A01K43/00—Testing, sorting or cleaning eggs ; Conveying devices ; Pick-up devices

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Husbandry (AREA)
  • Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Meat, Egg Or Seafood Products (AREA)

Description

(54) EGG CONVEYORS (71) We, R. POTTER ELECTRICAL SERVICES LIMITED, a British Company, of Fillongley, Coventry, West Midlands, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to egg conveyors and is particularly concerned with conveyors for conveying eggs from one level to another and are therefore inclined between the two levels In such inclined conveyors, means must be provided to restrain the eggs from rolling down the slope of the conveyor and therefore hitting against one another or parts of the conveyor structure and breaking. One type of known egg conveyor comprises a pair of parallel endless chains between which slats extend transversely to the chains and parallel to each other, the spacing of the slats being such that the eggs are supported by and will bridge across adjacent pairs of slats. This type of slatted conveyor can be arranged with its operative run inclined upwardly or downwardly at an angle of inclination not exceeding a limiting angle because for angles not exceeding the limiting angle it has been found that the eggs will remain bridged across the pairs of slats on which they settle at the input end of the conveyor until they have reached the output end of the conveyor; but where the angle of inclination is greater than the limiting angle, the eggs will roll down the slope of the conveyor. The limiting angle will vary according to the spacing of the slats and other factors but it has been found that it will usually be approximately 25 to the horizontal. Thus when the angle of inclination of the conveyor is greater than the limiting value some form of additional restraint must be provided to prevent the eggs from rolling down the slope of the conveyor.
According to the invention, an egg conveyor comprises an endless conveyor band arranged to be mounted to form an operative egg-conveyor run which is inclined at a required angle of inclination to a horizontal plane and a non-conveying return run and means supporting a stationary brush above the upper surface of the egg-conveyor run, the brush extending over substantially the whole length and width of the eggconbveyor run and having depending flexible bristle-like elements which will be engaged by eggs carried on the egg-conveying run and will be deflected thereby to permit the eggs to be carried on the egg-conveying run from the input to the output end of the conveyor, but which will have sufficient resistance to prevent the eggs from rolling down the slope of the egg-conveying run.
Conveniently, the bristle-like elements are grouped together in transverse rows of tufts arranged side-by-side and spaced apart in the length of the egg-conveying run and from one another across the width of the egg-conveying run. The tufts are conveniently staggered in one row with respect to an adjacent or near row, thereby to ensure that each of the eggs, which will be distributed on the egg-conveying run in a random manner, will be engaged by a plurality of tufts in succession during the passage of the egg between the input and output ends of the conveyor.
The tufts of bristle-like elements are conveniently supported at their upper ends on a backing member extending longitudinally above the egg-conveying run and adjustable toward and away from the upper surface of the egg-conveying run. In this way the tufts can be set in the position required to restrain the eggs from rolling down the slope of the egg-conveying run without preventing the egg-conveying movement of the eggs on the egg-conveying run and can be adjusted to accommodate wear of the tufts.
The egg conveyor may include a channelshaped stationary casing arranged to be mounted in an inverted manner over the egg-conveying run and to support the brush within the inverted channel with the backing member of the brush secured beneath the base of the casing, which will be uppermost in use, the backing member being adjustable toward and away from the base of the casing.
The channel-shaped casing together with the brush may conveniently be detachable from fixed structure of the conveyor. This enables the casing and the brush to be provided where the slope of the eggconveyor run has an angle of inclination exceeding that at which eggs will roll down the slope of the egg-conveying run and to be removed where the slope of the eggconveying run is less steep.
The egg conveyor band is conveniently of the type comprising a pair of parallel endless chains supporting between them slats extending transversely of the chains and spaced apart parallel to each other along the lengths of the chains.
By way of example, an egg-conveyor arrangement having a plurality of transfer conveyors for receiving eggs from egg collection conveyor belts, at different levels, running along the length of each of a row of cages in an egg-laying unit and for delivery eggs to a common delivery conveyor at one level is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the arrangement of transfer conveyors leading from the egg collection belts to the common delivery conveyor; Figure 2 is a plan view of the arrangement shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of a device in accordance with the invention to restrain eggs from rolling down the dope of a transfer conveyor inclined at an angle of inclination greater than a limiting angle, shown with part of a casing of the device broken away; Figure 4 is a view in the direction of arrow IV in Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a section on the plane V-V in Figure 3.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, rows of cages in an egg-laying unit are indicated at 1-4. Each row of cages has an egg-collection belt 5 extending longitudinally in front of the cages of each row. The egg-collection belts 5 are at different levels and it is required to transfer the eggs from the egg-collection belts 5 to a common delivery conveyor 6. In this example, the latter conveyor extends transversely to the rows of cages but in other arrangements it may extend longitudinally. A transfer conveyor 7-10 is arranged to receive eggs discharged from a respective egg-collection belt 5 and to discharge the eggs to the common delivery conveyor 6. Thus the transfer conveyors 7-10 each have different inclinations depending upon the relative levels of the egg-collection belts 5 and the common delivery conveyor 6. In the example illustrated, the rows of cages are arranged at their different levels on an inverted Vshaped frame and so there are two rows at each level and therefore two transfer conveyors at each level, as indicated in Figure 2. The two transfer conveyors 7 slope downwardly at a steep angle of inclination, the two transfer conveyors 8 slope downwardly at a less steep angle of inclination, the two transfer conveyors 9 are horizontal, or almost horizontal, and the two transfer conveyors 10 slope upwardly.
The transfer conveyors 7-10 and the common delivery conveyor 6 are each of the type in which the conveyor element is an endless slatted band comprising a pair of parallel endless chains between which extend a plurality of parallel transverse tubes which are spaced apart by distances such that eggs will be supported by bridging across a pair of adjacent tubes. As eggs are delivered by the egg-collection belts 5 onto the egg-delivery or upper run of a transfer conveyor, the eggs will bridge across a pair of tubes and remain supported thereby until they reach a transfer plate 11 over which they will gently roll on to the upper run of the common delivery conveyor 6, where they will again be bridged across adjacent tubes of the latter conveyor. The eggs will be deposited on each transfer conveyor in a random manner across the width and through the length of the upper run thereof.
Where the slope of each transfer conveyor does not exceed a limiting angle of inclination, the eggs will remain bridged across a pair of adjacent tubes for their whole passage from the input to the output end of the transfer conveyor, as an egg will be held by its own weight against the lower tube of the pair of tubes across which it is bridged. If the slope of a transfer conveyor is greater than this limiting angle (approximately 25 to the horizontal for a conveyor of the type employed in this example) it has been found that the eggs will roll down the slope of the conveyor and hit against each other or the fixed structure of the conveyor thereby resulting in breakage of the eggs.
In accordance with this invention the transfer conveyors 7 and, if necessary, the transfer conveyors 8, and perhaps 10. which have an angle of inclination greater than the limiting angle are provided with an additional egg-restraining device. This comprises an inverted stationary channel-like casing 12 (see Figures 4-5) extending throughout the length of the transfer conveyor of which the base which is uppermost supports a plate or block 13 from which depend a plurality of tufts 14 of bristle-like elements which together form a stationary inverted brush.
In this example, these elements are of nylon and are approximately 3" long. The tufts 14 are spaced apart widthwise of the plate or block 13 in parallel rows spaced apart in the length of the plate or block 13. The tufts 14 are staggered in adjacent or near rows so as to ensure that when eggs roll on to the upper run of the transfer conveyor in a random manner each egg will be engaged by a plurality of tufts 14 of the brush in succession as the egg is moved along by the transfer conveyor. The tufts 14 are flexible whereby as an egg is moved along by the conveyor, the egg will cause the tufts to be deflected and the latter will provide sufficient resistance to restrain the egg from rolling down the slope of the conveyor bv urging the egg against the rearward rod of the pair across which it is bridged. After an egg has been moved by the conveyor out of engagement with a tuft, the elements of the tuft will return to their undeflected positions.
To enable the tufts 14 to be moved bodily toward and away from the upper run of the conveyor for adjustment in order to restrain the eggs from rolling down the slope of the conveyor, but without preventing the passage of the eggs between the input and output ends of the conveyor, the ends of the plate or block 13 carry end plates or flanges 15 extending upwardly (see Figure 4). The plates or flanges 15 carry clamping screws 17 engaging in elongate slots 16 in an end wall of the casing 12. The screws 17 and slots 16 also permit the plate or block 13 to be adjusted relative to the casing 12 to accommodate wear of the elements of the tufts and to enable the plate or block 13 to be removed when the tufts 14 are to be replaced after excessive wear.
As the egg-restraining device shown in Figures 3-5 will only be provided for transfer conveyor having an angle of inclination greater than an angle of inclination approaching the limiting angle at which eggs would roll and as the device needs to be removable. the casing 12 is provided with mounting brackets 18 by which it is attached by removable pins 20 to supporting flanges 19 extending from the sides or other fixed structure of the transfer conveyor.
The construction of transfer conveyors is shown in Figures 3-5 and comprises a pair of parallel, driven endless chains 21. Pins 22 extend inwardly from the chain links and support parallel tubes 23. which form the slats of the conveyors.
Although the transfer conveyors 7-10 and the common delivery conveyor 6 illustrated are of the slatted type, the egg-restraining device shown in Figures 3-5 which includes the stationary brush 13, 14 may be used with other types of conveyor, such as a conveyor having a mesh or net-like egg-conveying endless belt or an endless belt having a rough surface.
WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An egg conveyor comprising an endless conveyor band arranged to be mounted to form an operative egg-conveyor run which is inclined at a required angle of inclination to a horizontal plane and a non-conveying return run and means supporting a stationary brush above the upper surface of the egg-conveying run, the brush extending over substantially the whole length of width of the egg-conveying run and having depending flexible bristle-like elements which will be engaged by eggs carried on the egg-conveying run and will be deflected thereby to permit the eggs to be carried on the egg-conveying run from the input to the output end of the conveyor, but which will have sufficient resistance to prevent the eggs from rolling down the slope of the egg-conveying run.
2. An egg conveyor as claimed in claim 1 in which the bristle-like elements are grouped together in transverse rows of tufts arranged side-by-side and spaced part in the length of the egg-conveying run and from one another across the width of the egg conveying run.
3. An egg conveyor as claimed in Claim 2 in which the tufts are staggered in one row with respect to an adjacent or near row, thereby to ensure that each of the eggs, which will be distributed on the eggconveying run in a random manner, will be engaged by a plurality of tufts in succession during the passage of the egg between the input and output ends of the conveyor.
4. An egg conveyor as claimed in Claims 2 or 3 in which the tufts of bristle-like elements are supported at their upper ends on a backing member extending longitudinally above the egg-conveying run and adjustable toward and away from the upper surface of the egg-conveying run.
5. An egg conveyor as claimed in Claim 4 including a channel-like stationary casing arranged to be mounted in an inverted manner over the egg-conveying run and to support the brush within the inverted channel with the backing member of the brush secured beneath the base of the casing, which will be uppermost in use, the backing member being adjustable toward and away from the base of the casing.
6. An egg conveyor as claimed in Claim 5 in which the channel-shaped casing together with the brush is detachable from
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. inverted stationary channel-like casing 12 (see Figures 4-5) extending throughout the length of the transfer conveyor of which the base which is uppermost supports a plate or block 13 from which depend a plurality of tufts 14 of bristle-like elements which together form a stationary inverted brush. In this example, these elements are of nylon and are approximately 3" long. The tufts 14 are spaced apart widthwise of the plate or block 13 in parallel rows spaced apart in the length of the plate or block 13. The tufts 14 are staggered in adjacent or near rows so as to ensure that when eggs roll on to the upper run of the transfer conveyor in a random manner each egg will be engaged by a plurality of tufts 14 of the brush in succession as the egg is moved along by the transfer conveyor. The tufts 14 are flexible whereby as an egg is moved along by the conveyor, the egg will cause the tufts to be deflected and the latter will provide sufficient resistance to restrain the egg from rolling down the slope of the conveyor bv urging the egg against the rearward rod of the pair across which it is bridged. After an egg has been moved by the conveyor out of engagement with a tuft, the elements of the tuft will return to their undeflected positions. To enable the tufts 14 to be moved bodily toward and away from the upper run of the conveyor for adjustment in order to restrain the eggs from rolling down the slope of the conveyor, but without preventing the passage of the eggs between the input and output ends of the conveyor, the ends of the plate or block 13 carry end plates or flanges 15 extending upwardly (see Figure 4). The plates or flanges 15 carry clamping screws 17 engaging in elongate slots 16 in an end wall of the casing 12. The screws 17 and slots 16 also permit the plate or block 13 to be adjusted relative to the casing 12 to accommodate wear of the elements of the tufts and to enable the plate or block 13 to be removed when the tufts 14 are to be replaced after excessive wear. As the egg-restraining device shown in Figures 3-5 will only be provided for transfer conveyor having an angle of inclination greater than an angle of inclination approaching the limiting angle at which eggs would roll and as the device needs to be removable. the casing 12 is provided with mounting brackets 18 by which it is attached by removable pins 20 to supporting flanges 19 extending from the sides or other fixed structure of the transfer conveyor. The construction of transfer conveyors is shown in Figures 3-5 and comprises a pair of parallel, driven endless chains 21. Pins 22 extend inwardly from the chain links and support parallel tubes 23. which form the slats of the conveyors. Although the transfer conveyors 7-10 and the common delivery conveyor 6 illustrated are of the slatted type, the egg-restraining device shown in Figures 3-5 which includes the stationary brush 13, 14 may be used with other types of conveyor, such as a conveyor having a mesh or net-like egg-conveying endless belt or an endless belt having a rough surface. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:
1. An egg conveyor comprising an endless conveyor band arranged to be mounted to form an operative egg-conveyor run which is inclined at a required angle of inclination to a horizontal plane and a non-conveying return run and means supporting a stationary brush above the upper surface of the egg-conveying run, the brush extending over substantially the whole length of width of the egg-conveying run and having depending flexible bristle-like elements which will be engaged by eggs carried on the egg-conveying run and will be deflected thereby to permit the eggs to be carried on the egg-conveying run from the input to the output end of the conveyor, but which will have sufficient resistance to prevent the eggs from rolling down the slope of the egg-conveying run.
2. An egg conveyor as claimed in claim 1 in which the bristle-like elements are grouped together in transverse rows of tufts arranged side-by-side and spaced part in the length of the egg-conveying run and from one another across the width of the egg conveying run.
3. An egg conveyor as claimed in Claim 2 in which the tufts are staggered in one row with respect to an adjacent or near row, thereby to ensure that each of the eggs, which will be distributed on the eggconveying run in a random manner, will be engaged by a plurality of tufts in succession during the passage of the egg between the input and output ends of the conveyor.
4. An egg conveyor as claimed in Claims 2 or 3 in which the tufts of bristle-like elements are supported at their upper ends on a backing member extending longitudinally above the egg-conveying run and adjustable toward and away from the upper surface of the egg-conveying run.
5. An egg conveyor as claimed in Claim 4 including a channel-like stationary casing arranged to be mounted in an inverted manner over the egg-conveying run and to support the brush within the inverted channel with the backing member of the brush secured beneath the base of the casing, which will be uppermost in use, the backing member being adjustable toward and away from the base of the casing.
6. An egg conveyor as claimed in Claim 5 in which the channel-shaped casing together with the brush is detachable from
fixed structure of the conveyor.
7. An egg conveyor as claimed in any preceding Claim in which the endless conveyor band is of the type comprising a pair of parallel endless chains supporting between them slats extending transversely of the chains and spaced apart parallel to each other along the length of the chains.
8. An egg conveyor constructed and arranged substantially as described herein and shown in Figure 3-5 of the accompanying drawings.
GB1640378A 1978-05-30 1978-05-30 Egg conveyors Expired GB1585324A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1640378A GB1585324A (en) 1978-05-30 1978-05-30 Egg conveyors

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1640378A GB1585324A (en) 1978-05-30 1978-05-30 Egg conveyors

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GB1585324A true GB1585324A (en) 1981-02-25

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GB1640378A Expired GB1585324A (en) 1978-05-30 1978-05-30 Egg conveyors

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4476972A (en) * 1981-09-09 1984-10-16 Kliklok Corporation Method and apparatus for turning filled cartons with positive assist
US4867298A (en) * 1988-07-29 1989-09-19 Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation Conveyor system for planar panel
EP0572097A1 (en) * 1992-05-27 1993-12-01 Mafo Howden B.V. Washing device
FR2714364A1 (en) * 1993-12-28 1995-06-30 Thieriot Didier Equipment to regularise high speed flow of conveyed objects used esp. for high speed sorting of postal packages

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4476972A (en) * 1981-09-09 1984-10-16 Kliklok Corporation Method and apparatus for turning filled cartons with positive assist
US4867298A (en) * 1988-07-29 1989-09-19 Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation Conveyor system for planar panel
EP0572097A1 (en) * 1992-05-27 1993-12-01 Mafo Howden B.V. Washing device
FR2714364A1 (en) * 1993-12-28 1995-06-30 Thieriot Didier Equipment to regularise high speed flow of conveyed objects used esp. for high speed sorting of postal packages

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PS Patent sealed
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee