GB2346357A

GB2346357A - Reciprocating overhead conveyor apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2346357A
Application number: GB9902605A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward Colin Duce
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-02-08
Filing date: 1999-02-08
Publication date: 2000-08-09
Also published as: GB9902605D0

Abstract

A suspended rail 12 is reciprocated to and fro to cause hangers 22 suspended therefrom to move to the left, in a conveying direction as shown by arrow 26. As the hangers are moved in the conveying direction the upper end of the hangers pass beneath a series of fingers 16 to cause the fingers to be raised about their pivots 40 and then fall. When the rail 12 moves in the opposite direction to that of arrow 26 the tops of the hangers 22 abut the fingers 16 causing the hangers to remain in position whilst allowing the rail to slide back beneath the hangers. The rail 12 may be reciprocated via a piston and cylinder arrangement (Figure 4). The rail 12 may be formed such that it may bend to pass around corners or form inclined sections. The rail 12 may be formed with a rubber strip on its upper surface to encourage the movement of the hanger up an inclined portion of the rail. Alternatively, the rail 12 may be formed with spaced depressions or notches on its upper surface which again encourage the hangers 22 to move with the rail.

Description

CONVEYOR APPARATS The present invention relates to conveyor apparatus, a means of operating a conveyor and to conveyor apparatus when including articles suspended therefrom. The present invention is particularly, although not exclusively, applicable to conveying hangers such as clothes hangers.

With known clothes hanger conveying apparatus a continuous drive member is included that includes a spiral groove.

The drive member is rotated and hangers supported in the grooves are caused to be moved laterally along the drive member. Such a drive mechanism though has significant disadvantages. One such disadvantage is that the hangers can only be spaced by the pitch distance of the spiral or multiples thereof. Consequently the hangers cannot be bunched up. A further disadvantage is that, should the drive power that rotates the drive member break down, the conveyor apparatus is effectively useless as the hangers cannot be slid easily along the drive member because of the spiral grooves. In addition the drive member cannot readily go around corners or up and down inclinations.

It is an object of the present invention to attempt to overcome at least some of the above disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the present invention conveyor apparatus includes suspension means arranged to convey articles suspended therefrom and reciprocating means arranged to cause the suspension means to reciprocate whereby, in use, articles that are suspended from the suspension means are conveyed in a first direction of reciprocation of the suspension means by the reciprocating means.

The apparatus may include latch means arranged, in use, to allow articles to pass when they are being conveyed by the suspension means in the first direction but to inhibit movement of articles when the conveyor is moving in a second direction, opposed to the first direction.

The latch means may comprise at least one pivotal member arranged to be caused to move about a pivot in one rotational direction by abutment of an article on the suspension means when the article is passing the pivotal member in the first direction and arranged to be abutted by the article when the suspension means are moving in the second direction. The pivotal member may be arranged to cooperate with the suspension means, for instance by resting on an upwardly facing surface of the suspension means. The pivot axis of the pivotable member may be arranged to be located more in the second direction than the portion of the pivotable member that is arranged to cooperate with the suspension means.

There may be a plurality of latch means located along the conveyor. The latch means may be spaced from each other by less of a distance than the extent of reciprocal movement of the suspension means.

Stop means may be operable from a first configuration in which articles are permitted to pass in the first direction and a second configuration in which articles are prevented from passing the stop means in the first direction. Operation of the stop means between the first and second configurations may be arranged to be effected by an operational member which may be pneumatically operated. The stop means may comprise the latch means.

The apparatus may be such that, in use, a plurality of articles may be arranged to be located between adjacent latch means. The arrangement made may be such that one article may be arranged to be suspended from a suspension means at spaced locations, which spaced locations may be further apart than the distance between adjacent latch means.

The conveyor may include guide means arranged to support the suspension means. The guide means may restrict lateral movement of the suspension means. The suspension means may extend above the guide means. In use, an article suspended from the suspension means may be arranged to extend around at least part of the guide means and may be arranged to extend downwardly beneath the guide means such that part of the article is arranged to be located under the guide means.

The apparatus may be such that, in use, an article may be arranged to extend around part of the guide means on both sides of the suspension means.

The guide means may be arranged to be connected to a member located at a higher elevation than the suspension means. That member may be the same member that the latch means are connected to. The guide means may be connected to that member by a portion that extends from another region of the guide means, laterally outwardly away from the guide means, and then upwardly to the member.

An end region of the suspension means may include a static support for articles to be conveyed on to. The suspension means may be arranged to reciprocate from a position in which the suspension means are largely co-extensive with the static support to a position in which the suspension means are less co-extensive. When the suspension means moves in the second direction the suspension means may be arranged to at least partially support articles previously solely supported by the static support. At this end region the latch means may be arranged to be held clear of the static support. The upper surface of the suspension means may be angled downwardly in the second direction at this end region. The end region of the suspension means may include a recess in an upper portion whereby, in use, articles are arranged to be moved in a first direction with the suspension means by engagement of the recess with article.

The reciprocating means may be located at an end region or an intermediate region of the suspension means. The reciprocating means may be located between two guide means. A common member may be arranged to provide support for any two or more of the guide means, reciprocating means or the latch means. The reciprocating member may include a pneumatic cylinder.

The suspension means may be arranged to undergo a change of direction along its length. The support means may be arranged to be reciprocated around such a change in direction. The suspension means may include a flexible section and the flexible section may be arranged to be biased towards a particular position such as a position in which it extends in a straight line and such biasing may be arranged to be provided by a resilient portion such as a steel portion or a steel strip.

The suspension means may comprise a plurality of segments and a gap between the segments that is going around on the inside of a change in direction may be arranged to at least partially close the gap between the segments.

The change in direction may comprise a bend, when viewed in plan which may either go to the left or the right. The change in direction may comprise moving upwardly or downwardly or both.

At least one of the segments may be arranged to move along an extent that is undergoing a greater change in direction than the change in direction at another extent during at least part of the reciprocating movement of that segment.

The top portion of the suspension means may be arranged to have articles suspended therefrom. Side portions of the suspension means may be arranged to have articles suspended therefrom and such side portions may comprise edge regions of the suspension means.

The suspension means include a series of depressions along its upper surface. The suspension means may include an abutment facing towards the first direction and may also include an inclined portion facing, from the abutment portion, upwardly in the first direction. The suspension means may include a resilient portion arranged to be depressed when an article is suspended therefrom. The resilient means may be spaced from a lower portion of the suspension means at at least one side of the suspension means.

The suspension means may comprise a bar which may have a section in the region of 20mm x 20mm and the suspension means may comprise steel.

The apparatus may include a feed in guide arranged to supply articles to the suspension means between the ends of the suspension means. Articles from the feed it guide may be arranged to be supplied on to the suspension means by sliding downwardly over a flap. The flap may be moveable to a slightly raised position when articles already on the suspension means are moved in the first direction beneath the flap.

The speed of reciprocating movement in the first and second directions may be substantially the same in both the first and second directions of movement.

Accordingly to a further aspect of the present invention a method of conveying suspended articles comprises reciprocating suspension means from which the articles depend from and causing articles to move in a first direction of the reciprocating movement.

The method may comprise inhibiting articles from moving in the second opposed direction of reciprocal movement.

The method may comprise adding articles from an end of the conveyor or at an intermediate portion of the conveyor.

The method may comprise selectively permitting articles to pass a particular location and selectively restraining articles from passing that location.

The method may comprise reciprocating the suspension means through guides and the method may comprise reciprocating the suspension means through guides that undergo a change in direction.

According to a further aspect of the present invention conveyor apparatus includes apparatus as herein referred to with articles suspended from the suspension means.

The present invention also includes a plurality of suspension means as herein referred to when at least one of the suspension means is supplying articles that are suspended therefrom to another suspension means.

The present invention includes any combination of the herein referred to features or limitations.

The present invention may be carried into practice in various ways but one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a hanger conveyor 10; Figure 2 is a schematic perspective sectional view of a rail 12 that is able to slide in a guide 14 including a finger 16; Figure 3 is a schematic side view of the upstream end of the conveyor 10; Figure 4 is a side view showing the mounting for a pneumatic cylinder 18 that powers the rail 12; Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of a bracket 20 that connects the cylinder 18 to the rail 12; Figure 6 is a schematic plan view of a modified section of the rail 20; Figure 7 is a side view of Figure 6; Figure 8 is a plan view of a part of the rail that travels through a bend; Figure 9 is a side view of a portion of the conveyor undergoing a change in elevation; Figure 10 to 12 are schematic perspective views of alternative types of rail; and Figure 13 is a schematic perspective view showing layers being added to the rail along the length of the rail.

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the conveyor 10 in which the rail 12 supports either single hangers 22 or an assembly 24 that includes two spaced arms that hang from the rail that are connected together at a lower end by a rod from which rod a series of separate hangers 22 are suspended.

In use, the rail is reciprocated to and fro. This reciprocal movement causes the hangers first to move to the left, as shown by arrow 26, in one direction of movement. In that direction of movement the upper end of the hangers pass beneath the series of fingers 16 by causing the fingers to be raised about their pivots 40.

When the rail moves in the opposite direction to that of the arrow 26, the tops of the hangers will abut the fingers 16 causing the hangers to remain in position whilst allowing the rail to slide back beneath the hangers.

The spacings between the fingers 16 is obviously less than the extent to which the rail reciprocates. In this respect the extent of reciprocal movement may be 500 mm or 350 mm, for example and the fingers 16 may be at spacings of 50 mm from each other. Each of the fingers 16 is pivotally connected to a fixed support 28 located above the rail 12 such that the hangers cause the fingers to move up slightly as the hangers pass underneath them.

However, any attempt by the hangers to move back in the opposite direction to that shown by the arrows 6 causes the top of the hangers to engage with the ends of the fingers 16 to bias the fingers into contact with the rail.

The materials of this rail and fingers are arranged such that the rail is able to slide beneath the finger 16, even when there is a slight biasing force urging the fingers into contact with the rail.

At periodic locations along the rail, plastic guides 14, shown in Figure 2, are provided that support the rail and thus allow the rail to reciprocate through those guides.

Each guide is held by a bracket 30. The bracket is connected to the opposite side of the support 28 to that of which the fingers 16 are connected. The bracket 30 extends downwardly from the support 28 and then horizontally to be located beneath the guide 14. The bracket is connected to the guide 14 by screws or other suitable fasteners and the hanger is connected to the support 28 by bolts or other suitable means.

It can be seen from Figure 2 that the hangers 22 are able to rest on the upper elongate edges of the rail 12 with the free end of the hook of the hanger projecting over one side of the guide and the other side of the hook curving round over the outside of the plastic guide 14 before its main stem 32 projects downwardly, substantially along the mid section of the rail 12.

The fingers 16 act along parts of the rail 12 that are not supported by any guide 14 as well as along parts of the rail that are supported by the guides 14.

It can be seen from Figure 2 that the guide 14 includes an upwardly facing channel in which the majority of the rail 12 resides, but with the rail 12 also projecting a short distance beyond the upper limit of that guide.

Figure 3 shows a similarly shaped guide 14 located at the beginning of the conveyor. A lead in slide 34 extends towards one end of the guide 14 such that hangers can move under gravity down the slide 34 to rest on the guide 14.

The rail 12 is shown, in solid lines, at the extreme left position of its reciprocatable movement. The rail though is able to slide to the right, to the position shown in dotted lines, in order to pick up rails that have arrived from the slide 34.

The end of the rail 12 includes a tapered upper surface 36 that is able to slide along and within the guide 14 and is also able to pick up the hangers without the risk of there being any flat edge of the rail, perpendicular to the direction of movement, that could abut and disturb the hangers. The rail 12 may include a notch 38 of less depth than the cross-section of the upper part of the hangers that could encourage the hangers to move to the left when the rail moves from the position shown in chain lines to the position shown in solid lines.

The fingers 16 at this end location include the normal pivot mounting 40. However, the bracket 41 that connects the finger pivot mountings to the fixed support 28 includes stops 42 associated with each finger. Each finger abuts the associated stop 42 to restrict movement in an anti-clockwise direction. The fingers may be arranged to be held just clear of the normal upper surface of the rail 12 such that the rail 12 can move to the right, beneath those fingers, without its movement being impaired and such that, when the rail moves back to the left, with hangers resting thereon, the hangers are able to be engaged by the fingers to cause them to remain in position whilst the rail 12 slides back to the right.

The cylinder 18 shown in Figure 4 is mounted on a bracket 44 that is secured to the support 28. The piston 46 of the cylinder is connected to the bracket 20 shown in Figure 5 through an opening 48. The bracket extends downwardly towards the rail but is spaced from the side of that rail to leave clearance for the hangers. Then the bracket extends horizontally, beneath the rail to which it is attached by a series of screws. Thus when the cylinder 46 reciprocates, so does the bracket 20 and so does the rail 12. The bracket 20 is mounted anywhere along the length of the conveyor providing the bracket is between the brackets 30 that support the guides and providing the bracket 20 would not move a sufficient distance to abut those guide brackets 30. Furthermore, the piston 18 can be mounted either way round as can the guides in order that hangers can be loaded from the left or right. This orientation is dependent upon the particular type of conveyor arrangement required.

Although the fingers 16 are only shown as extending part of the way along the guide rail 12, in practice, they extend to be coincident with the cylinder 18 and the piston 46 and beyond, to the right and left, when viewed in Figure 4.

The rail is also able to extend around curves and up and down inclines in the manner to be described below.

Figure 6 shows segments 50 that also perform the same function as the rail 12 and, in use, define a continuous path with the rail 12 and reciprocate with the rail. A steel strip 52 is placed along the side of the segments and is spot-welded to each segment such that, in the position shown in Figure 7, the segments are in abutment where they meet the spring steel, but each segment tapers downwardly away from the spring steel. The overall width of the segments and the spring steel is the same as the width of the main extent of the rail 12 and is also the same depth as the rail 12. In practice this may be, for instance, of a cross-section of 20 x 20 mm.

When the segments 50 are bent such that the gaps between the segments away from the steel strip tend to close up, then they may pass around corners such as the two shown in Figure 8 with each corner 54 being of 45 . A guide depending from the overhead support (which is correspondingly shaped to the turn) is formed to take up the position shown in Figure 8 such that, when the rail 12, and consequently the segments 50 are caused to reciprocate, the segments 50 flex with the steel strip as they move into, around and beyond the corner. The extent of the segments extends a sufficient distance beyond the corner to ensure that the fixed direction rail 12 is never moved to a position in which it abuts the curved part of the guide. The gaps between the segments open up and close appropriately as they reach the sharp portion of the guide turn or a straight section of the guide. The end segments are connected by brackets 56 to solid rails sections 12 beyond each end of the corners.

Figure 9 is a schematic side view of a conveyor showing a straight section of rail 12 to the left leading, to the right, to an upwardly inclined corner 56 and then to a corner 58 having a reverse direction of curvature. The guide 14 is shaped correspondingly with the corners 56 and 58 and extends around the complete extent of the section undergoing the changed elevation, between the corners and also slightly beyond the corners 56 and 58 along the straight sections of the rail 12 to ensure that the segments 50 are always sliding within a guided section.

The steel strip, in Figure 9, is secured to the topside of the rail. If desired, the segments at the corner 56 could have the steel strip on the underside, such that segments close up as they pass around that corner. Then a straight section of rail could extend up towards the other corner if before the segments for the corner 58 are connected with their steel strip being on the top side, as shown.

The friction coefficient and the speed of movement of the rail 12 of the segments 58 is such that the hangers are carried with the movement up a slope. Fingers act along the extent of the slope to prevent hangers returning.

Figure 10 shows a modified bar 12 that may be used along the complete extent of the conveyor or may only be used where the conveyor undergoes a change in inclination. The bar 12 includes, on its upper surface, a strip 60 of rubber of the same width as the majority of the width of the rail 12. The rail 12 though has radiused corners 62 such that when a hanger is suspended from the rail the side edges of the rubber strip 60 are depressed downwardly slightly whereby the hanger 22, shown in chain lines, is encouraged to move with the rail up the slope. Fingers ensure that the hangers move along the rubber section, as elsewhere.

Figure 11 shows a modified form of rail that can be used anywhere and on the extent of the conveyor. The rail 12 includes, in its upper surface, a series of spaced depressions 62 that again encourage the hangers 22 to move with the rail. The depth of the depressions though is less than the extent to which the hangers project above the rail thereby ensuring that fingers engage the hangers 22 when the rail slides in the reverse direction.

Figure 12 shows a further modification that can be made to the rail at any extent along its length. A series of notches 64 are provided with the notches including a ramped surface leading upwardly and forwardly in the direction of travel but with a back stop surface 66 that prevents the hangers from moving to the right, when viewed in the figure. Again the hangers project above the overall extent of the rail 12 to allow the fingers to effectively push the hangers up the ramp and along the main extent of the rail when the rail moves to the right when viewed in the figure.

It can be seen that the hangers progress along the conveyor upon reciprocation of the rail. Furthermore, the hangers can go around corners and up and down inclines.

If desired, a hanger can be manually pushed along the rail to accelerate the speed at which that particular hanger travels and also to pick up any other hangers in advance that may be contacted by the particular hanger that is being pushed to move a significant volume of hangers along, for instance towards a processing area.

Furthermore, it is possible to cause the hangers to stop at a particular location by operating a pneumatic plunger (not shown) that is secured to a bracket 30 along the length of the conveyor such that the plunger can either be in a retracted position, in which case hangers can pass unobstructed along the conveyor or an extended position in which the plunger comes across the top of the rail such that hangers abut the plunger and are prevented from moving further. A series of hangers can be pushed up to the protruding plunger or, alternatively, the normal reciprocating movement of the rail will cause hangers to gradually accumulate at the plunger.

It can be seen that the volume of hangers along the rail can vary from just a few or to a significant number whereby perhaps 15 hangers could be located between each finger.

It is also possible to feed hangers in to join midway along the extent of the rail. An arrangement for supplying such hangers is shown in Figure 13 in this arrangement a slide 68 of relatively shallow depth leads from one side of the rail 12 towards and then over the rail 12 in close proximity thereto such that hangers can move down the slide 68 and then down over a flap 70 to be supported by the rail 12. Hangers that are already on the rail 12, before the flap 70 are able to move beneath the flap, raising it slightly to accommodate their height.

The slide 68 can have hangers supplied manually and conveyed manually or under gravity. Alternatively, the slide 68 can have hangers supplied to it by a conveyor system according to the present invention at which the end of that conveyor system deposits the hangers onto the slide 68 from where they move down onto the rail 12 of the illustrated system.

It can be seen that the present system has amazing versatility in that hangers can be automatically conveyed by very simple means, either along a single conveyor system or along a complicated network of conveyor systems from one to the other with the conveyors going around corners and up and down elevations. Furthermore, should power for the rail be lost, for some reason, the conveyor is still able to operate under manual power by pushing the hangers along.

The rader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Conveyor apparatus including suspension means arranged to convey articles suspended therefrom and reciprocating means arranged to cause the suspension means to reciprocate whereby, in use, articles that are suspended from the suspension means are conveyed in a first direction of reciprocation of the suspension means by the reciprocating means.
2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 including latch means arranged, in use, to allow articles to pass when they are being conveyed by the suspension means in the first direction but to inhibit movement of the articles when the conveyor is moving in a second direction, opposed to the first direction.
3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 in which the latch means comprise at least one pivotal member arranged to be caused to move about a pivot in one rotational direction by abutment of an article on the suspension means when the article is passing the pivotal member in the first direction and arranged to be abutted by an article when the suspension means are moving in the second direction.
4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 in which the pivotal member is arranged to cooperate with the suspension means.
5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 in which the pivotal member is arranged to cooperate with the suspension means by resting on an upwardly facing surface of the suspension means.
6. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 5 in which the pivot axis of the pivotal member is arranged to be located more in the second direction than the portion of the pivotable member that is arranged to cooperate with an article.
7. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 6 including a plurality of latch means located along the conveyor.
8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 in which the latch means are spaced from each other by less of a distance than the extent of reciprocal movement of the suspension means.
9. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim including stop means operable from a first configuration in which articles are permitted to pass in the first direction and a second configuration in which articles are prevented from passing the stop means in the first direction 10.
10. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 9 in which operation of the stop means between the first and second configurations is arranged to be effected by an operational member.
11. Apparatus as claimed in either of Claims 9 or 10 when dependent upon any of Claims 2 to 8 in which the stop means comprise the latch means.
12. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 11 in which, in use, a plurality of articles are arranged to be located between adjacent latch means.
13. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which one article may be arranged to be suspended from the suspension means at spaced locations.
14. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 13 when dependent upon any of Claims 2 to 12 in which the spaced locations are further apart than a distance between adjacent latch means.
15. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim including guide means arranged to support the suspension means.
16. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 15 in which the guide means restrict lateral movement of the suspension means.
17. Apparatus as claimed in either of Claims 15 or 16 in which the suspension means extend above the guide means.
18. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 15 to 17 in which, in use, an article suspended from the suspension means is arranged to extend around at least part of the guide means.
19. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 18 in which, in use, an article suspended from the suspension means is arranged to extend around at least part of the guide means and is arranged to extend downwardly beneath the guide means such that part of an article is arranged to be located under the guide means.
20. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 15 to 19 in which, in use, an article is arranged to extend around part of the guide means on both sides of the suspension means.
21. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 15 to 20 in which the guide means are arranged to be connected to a member located at a higher elevation than the suspension means.
22. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 21 in which the member comprises the same member that the latch means are connected to.
23. Apparatus as claimed in either of Claims 21 or 22 in which the guide means are connected to that member by a portion that extends from another region of the guide means, laterally outwardly away from the guide means and then upwardly to the member.
24. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which an end region of the suspension means includes a static support for articles to be conveyed on to.
25. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 24 in which the reciprocation means are arranged to reciprocate from a position in which the suspension means are largely co extensive with the static support to a position in which the suspension means are less co-extensive.
26. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 24 or 25 in which, when the suspension means moves in the second direction, the suspension means are arranged to at least partially support articles previously solely supported by the static support.
27. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 26 in which, at this end region, the latch means are arranged to be held clear of the static support.
28. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 24 to 27 in which the upper surface of the suspension means are angled downwardly in the second direction at this end region.
29. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 24 to 28 in which the end region of the suspension means includes a recess in an upper portion whereby, in use, articles are arranged to be moved in a first direction with the suspension means by engagement of the recess with the article.
30. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the reciprocating means are located at an end region on the suspension means.
31. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 29 in which the reciprocating means are located at an intermediate region of the suspension means.
32. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 30 or 31 in which the reciprocating means are located between two guide means.
33. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which a common member provides support for any two or more of the guide means, reciprocating means or the latch means.
34. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the suspension means are arranged to undergo a change of direction along its length.
35. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 34 in which the suspension means are arranged to be reciprocated around such a change in direction.
36. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 34 and 35 in which the suspension means include a flexible section.
37. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 36 in which the flexible section is arranged to be biased towards a particular position.
38. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 37 in which the flexible section is biased towards a position in which it extends in a straight line.
39. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 38 in which the biasing is arranged to be provided by a resilient portion.
40. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 34 to 39 in which the suspension means comprise a plurality of segments.
41. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 40 in which a gap between the segments that is going around on the inside of the change in direction is arranged to at least partially close the gap between the segments.
42. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 34 to 41 in which the change in direction comprises a bend.
43. Apparatus as Claimed in Claim 42 in which the bend is inclined.
44. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 40 to 43 in which at least one of the segments is arranged to move along an extent that is undergoing a greater change in direction than the change in direction at another extent during at least part of the reciprocating movement of that segment.
45. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the top portion of the suspension means is arranged to have articles suspended from.
46. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which side portions of the suspension means are arranged to have articles suspended therefrom.
47. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 46 in which the side portions that are arranged to have articles suspended therefrom comprise edge regions of the suspension means.
48. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the suspension means includes a series of depressions along its upper surface.
49. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 48 in which the suspension means include an abutment facing towards the first direction.
50. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 49 in which the suspension means also include an inclined portion facing, from the abutment portion, upwardly in the first direction.
51. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the suspension means include a resilient portion arranged to be depressed by an article that is suspended therefrom.
52. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 51 in which the resilient means are spaced from a lower portion of the suspension means at at least one side of the suspension means.
53. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim including a feed-in guide arranged to supply articles to the suspension means between the ends of the suspension means.
54. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 52 in which articles from the feed-in guide are arranged to be supplied onto the suspension means by sliding downwardly over a flap.
55. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 54 in which the flap is movable to a slightly raised position when articles already on the suspension means are moved in the first direction beneath the flap.
56. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the speed of reciprocating movement in the first and second directions is substantially the same in both the first and second directions of movement.
57. Conveyor apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 or Figure 3 or Figure 4 or Figure 5 or Figure 6 or Figure 7 or Figure 8 or Figure 9 or Figure 10 or Figure 11 or Figure 12 or Figure 13 of the accompanying drawings.
58. A method of conveying suspended articles comprising reciprocating suspension means from which the articles depend from and causing articles to move in a first direction of the reciprocating movement.
59. A method as claimed in Claim 58 comprising inhibiting articles from moving in the second opposed direction of reciprocal movement.
60. A method as claimed in Claim 58 or 59 comprising adding articles from an end of the conveyor.
61. A method as claimed in any of Claims 58 to 60 comprising adding articles at an intermediate portion of the conveyor.
62. A method as claimed in any of Claims 58 to 61 comprising selectively permitting articles to pass a particular location and selectively restraining articles from passing that location.
63. A method as claimed in any of Claims 58 to 61 comprising reciprocating the suspension means through guides.
64. A method as claimed in Claim 62 comprising reciprocating the suspension means through guides that undergo a change in direction.
65. A method of conveying suspended articles substantially as herein described and with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 or Figure 3 or Figure 4 or Figure 5 or Figure 6 or Figure 7 or Figure 8 or Figure 9 or Figure 10 or Figure 11 or Figure 12 or Figure 13 of the accompanying drawings.
66. Conveyor apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 57 including articles suspended from a suspension means.
67. Conveyor apparatus including a plurality of suspension means in which each conveyor apparatus is as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 57 and in which the suspension means from one apparatus is arranged to supply articles that are suspended therefrom to another suspension means.