GB2069439A - Apparatus for selectively directing loads from a single input conveyor to a plurality of output conveyors - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for selectively directing loads from a single input conveyor 2 to a plurality of output conveyors 4, 6, 8 comprises an endless conveyor 10 having an upper run extending longitudinally between the input and output conveyors, a plurality of article carriers 18 on the endless conveyor 10 each movable transversely on the conveyor, guides 80, 82 on the lower run of the conveyor for aligning each carrier 18 with the input conveyor 2 at the input end of the conveyor upper run, and a plurality of guides 32, 34, 36 each corresponding to one of the output conveyors 4, 6, 8 and each extending from the input end to the output end of the upper run of the conveyor 10 so as to guide article carriers 18 into alignment with the corresponding output conveyor. Each load carrier 18 carries a guide pin 20 positioned to engage the guides, the pin being capable of limited transverse movement relative to the load carrier in a slot 24, and each carrier is selectively guided into engagement with one or other of the guides 32, 34, 36 by means of a deflecting device 56 adapted to engage the guide pin 20 on each load carrier and move it transversely into a position to engage the selected guide. Since the deflecting device has to move only the pin 20 and not the whole load carrier, the selection is effected without shock loads on the load carriers. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for selectively directing loads from a single input conveyor to a plurality of output conveyors This invention relates to apparatus for selectively directing loads from a single input conveyor to a plurality of output conveyors.

The invention relates more particularly to such apparatus of the kind comprising an endless conveyor having an upper run extending longitudinally between the input and output conveyors, a plurality of article carriers on the endless conveyor each movable transversely on the conveyor so that it can take up a position aligned with the input conveyor or any one of the output conveyors, means for aligning each carrier with the input conveyor at the input end of the conveyor upper run, a plurality of guides on the conveyor each corresponding to one of the output conveyors and each extending from the input end to the output end of the upper run so as to guide article carriers in engagement therewith into alignment with the corresponding output conveyor at the output end of the upper run, and means for selectively guiding each carrier into engagement with one or other of the guides at the input end of the upper run. Such apparatus is referred to below as apparatus of the kind set forth.

Such apparatus is known, in which the means for selectively guiding each carrier into engagement with one or other of the guides comprises means for transversely deflecting each load carrier to the appropriate position immediately before the carrier engages the selected guide. This deflection must be carried out in a relatively short distance at the input end of the conveyor, so that a relatively high transverse acceleration of each load carrier is required. This means that the deflecting device must be capable of applying relatively high force to each load carrier, and can given rise to undesirable shock loads on the carriers.

It is the object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus of the kind set forth.

This invention consists in apparatus of the kind set forth, in which each load carrier has a guide pin positioned to engage the said guides, the pin being movable transversely relative to the load carrier between fixed limits, and the means for selectively guiding each carrier into engagement with one or other of the guides comprises a deflecting device adapted to engage the guide pin on each load carrier and move it transversely into a position to engage the selected guide, the maximum transverse movement of the guide pin caused by engagement with the deflecting device being not greater than the available movement of the guide pin between the said limits.

Preferably, the deflecting device comprises a block having a channel arranged to receive each guide pin, the channel converging in the direction of movement of the conveyor, the block being transversely movable between a number of positions each corresponding to one of the said guides.

Advantageously, each guide pin is movable in a transversely extending slot in a retaining member fixed to the load carrier.

Since the deflecting device has only to move each guide pin transversely to effect the necessary engagement of each load carrier with the selected guide, the guide pin moving relative to the load carrier, it has only to overcome the inertia of the relatively light pin. The selection is therefore effected without any shock loads on the load carriers.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a load directing apparatus in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a plan view on a larger scale of part of the apparatus of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a section on line Ill-Ill of Figure 2, and Figure 4 is an underneath plan view of a load carrier of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, apparatus is provided for selectively directing loads from an input conveyor 2 to three output conveyors 4, 6 and 8. The apparatus comprises a driven endless conveyor 10 having slats 1 2 connected at their ends to drive chains 14 in the manner of a conventional slat conveyor. The chains 14 are driven by an electric motor 1 6.

Mounted on each slat is a load carrier 1 8 in the form of a square section tube which embraces the slat and can slide along the slat. Each load carrier can thus take up a position in which it is aligned with the input conveyor 2 or any one of the output conveyors 4, 6 and 8.

Each load carrier is provided with a downwardly projecting guide pin 20. The pin 20 is retained by a retaining block 22 welded to the underside of the load carrier 1 8. The retaining block 22 is formed with a transversely extending slot 24 which is slightly curved, with the centre of curvature forward of the slat 12 in the direction of movement of the conveyor. The pin 20 projects through the slot 24 and is retained by a head 26 movable in a space 28 between the retaining block 22 and the load carrier 18, so that the pin 20 can move freely in the slot 24.

Beneath the upper run of conveyor 10 is a guide assembly consisting of three guides 32, 34 and 36. The middle guide 32 extends along the longitudinal axis of the conveyor 10 and is aligned with the axes of the input conveyor 2 and the central output conveyor 6. The guide 32 consists of two parallel guide members 38 and 40 spaced apart by a distance slightly greater than the diameter of guide pins 26 and fixed at such a height that the guide pins can engage the guide as the load carriers 18 move along the upper run of the conveyor. Thus load carriers whose guide pins are set, as described below, to engage between guide members 38 and 40 of the middle guide 32 are constrained to move along the centre line of the conveyor 10 towards the central output conveyor 6.

The left-hand guide 34 (looking in the direction of movement of the conveyor 10) extends from a point 42 near the longitudinal axis of the conveyor to a point 44 on the axis of the left-hand output conveyor 4, so that a load carrier 18 whose guide pin 20 engages the outer face of the guide 34 is moved transversely along its slat 1 2 as it moves along the upper run of the conveyor. Load carriers engaging guide 34 therefore move from a position aligned with the input conveyor 2 to a position aligned with the left-hand output conveyor 4.

The right-hand guide 36 similarly extends from a point near the longitudinal axis of conveyor 10 to a point aligned with the right-hand output conveyor 6, so that load carriers 18 whose pins 20 engage the guide 36 are moved from a position aligned with the input conveyor 2 to a position aligned with the right-hand output conveyor 8.

The three guides 32, 34 and 36 converge near the input end of the conveyor 10. The right-hand guide 34 and the member 38 of middle guide 32 are joined by a member 46 opposite faces of which converge to a vertical edge 48. The lefthand guide 36 and member 40 of guide 32 are similarly joined by a member 50 having opposite faces converging to an edge 52. A guide pin 20 aligned with the middle guide 32 thus needs to be deflected only a short distance to left or right to cause it to move into engagement with the lefthand guide 34 or right-hand guide 36 respectively.

A diverter mechanism 54 positioned at the input end of conveyor 10 comprises a diverter block 56 fixed to a bar 58 which is slidable transversely in guides 60 and 62. The diverter block 56 has a channel 64 defined by faces 66 and 68 which converge forwardly so that a guide pin 20 passing through channel 64 is guided into engagement with one or other of the guides 32, 34 and 36 depending on the transverse position of the diverter block 56. The diverter block 56 is movable by means of an air cylinder device 70 connected between the frame of conveyor 10 and bar 58. The device 70 consists of two doubleacting piston and cylinders devices 72 and 74 the cylinders of which are fixed to one another and the piston rods of which are connected respectively to the frame of conveyor 10 and to the bar 58.The diverter block can therefore be moved to one of three positions -- a left-hand position when both cylinders 72 and 74 are extended, a central position when one cylinder is extended and the other retracted, and a right-hand position when both cylinders are retracted. Two fixed converging guides 76 and 78 are positioned to the rear of the diverter mechanism 54 to ensure that the guide pin 20 of each load carrier 1 8 is on the longitudinal axis of the conveyor as it enters the channel 64 of diverter block 56. The mouth of channel 64 is wide enough to ensure that the pins 20 enter the channel in each position of the diverter block 56.

Immediately above the lower, return run of conveyor 10 are two guides 80 and 82 which converge towards the input end of the conveyor and are positioned so as to guide each load carrier to a position aligned with the input conveyor 2.

In operation of the apparatus, the conveyor 1 0 is continuously driven. As each load carrier 1 8 moves from the input end of the conveyor, its guide pin 20 enters the channel 64 of diverter block 56. If block 56 is in the central position the pin 20 continues moving linearly into the middle guide 32, and the load carrier continues moving along the ce. X line of the conveyor. If diverter block 56 is in the left-hand position, the pin 20 is displaced transversely by engagement with the face 56 of channel 64, so that the pin emerges from channel 64 on the left-hand side of guide member 46.The slot 24 in retaining plate 22 is long enough to accommodate this movement of the pin 20, so that the load carrier 1 8 is not moved transversely during the initial deflection of the pin 20, and the force between face 66 and pin 20 is only that required to overcome the inertia of the pin. The pin 20 then travels along the left-hand face of guide member 46 and engages the lefthand guide 34. The guide 34 joins guide member 46 through a smooth curve, so that as pin 20 moves along guide 34 its transverse component of velocity is increased gradually. During this movement the pin engages the left-hand end of slot 24, so that the load carrier is moved transversely. Owing to the smooth transition between guide member 46 and guide 34 the load carrier is moved transversely without the imposition of any shock load.

If the diverter block 56 is in the right-hand position, the pin 20 is deflected by the face 68 of channel 64 to the right-hand side of guide member 52. The pin then moves into engagement with right-hand guide 36, and engages the righthand end of slot 24 to move the load carrier 18 transversely.

Each load carrier 1 8 thus travels from a position aligned with input conveyor 2 to a position aligned with one or other of output conveyors 4, 6 or 8, depending on the setting of the diverter device 54.

During the lower, return run of conveyor 10, each load carrier is returned to a position aligned with input conveyor 2, by engagement of its pin 20 with one of the guides 80 and 82.

Loads are supplied to the apparatus on input conveyor 2. As each load moves onto the conveyor 10, the diverter device 54 is positioned so that the group of load carriers on which the load is supported moves into engagement with the appropriate guide so that the load is carried to the selected output conveyor. The conveyor may be programmed, for example, to transfer loads ip a predetermined sequence to output conveyors 4, 6 and 8, or to transfer loads to a selected one of the output conveyors in accordance with a measurement of the weight, for example, of each load as it moves along the input conveyor 2.

Claims (9)

1. Apparatus for selectively directing loads from a single input conveyor to a plurality of output conveyors, comprising an endless conveyor having an upper run extending longitudinally between the input and output conveyors, a plurality of article carriers on the endless conveyor each movable transversely on the conveyor so that it can take up a position aligned with the input conveyor or any one of the output conveyors, means for aligning each carrier with the input conveyor at the input end of the conveyor upper run, a plurality of guides on the conveyor each corresponding to one of the output conveyors and each extending from the input end to the output end of the upper run so as to guide article carriers in engagement therewith into alignment with the corresponding output conveyor at the output end of the upper run, and means for selectively guiding each carrier into engagement with one or other of the guides at the input end of the upper run, in which each load carrier has a guide member positioned to engage the said guides, the guide member being capable of limited transverse movement relative to the load carrier, and the means for selectively guiding each carrier into engagement with one or other of the guides comprises a deflecting device adapted to engage the guide member on each load carrier and move it transversely into a position to engage the selected guide without effecting transverse movement of the load carrier.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the guide member is a vertically disposed guide pin movable transversely relative to the load carrier between fixed limits, the transverse movement of the guide pin caused by engagement with the deflecting member being not greater than the available movement of the guide pin between the said limits.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the guide pin is movable in a transversely extending slot in a retaining member fixed to the load carrier.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the slot is slightly curved, with the centre of curvature lying forward of the load carrier in the direction of movement of the load carrier.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, in which the slot is formed in a horizontal flat plate forming part of the retaining member and the guide pin has an enlarged head which is trapped between the flat plate and a surface of the load carrier above the flat plate.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the deflecting device comprises a block having a channel arranged to receive each guide pin, the channel converging in the direction of movement of the conveyor, the block being transversely movable between a number of positions each corresponding to one of the said guides.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the block is movable between three positions by means of two piston and cylinder devices connected between the block and a frame of the machine so that the block takes up a first position when both devices are retracted, a second positon when one device is retracted and the other extended, and a third position when both devices are extended.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the endless conveyor is a slat conveyor and each article carrier comprises a squaresection tube slidable on a respective slat of the conveyor.

9. Apparatus for selectively directing loads from a single input conveyor to a plurality of output conveyors, constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.