GB715283A - Improvements in or relating to continuous treatment chambers - Google Patents

Abstract

715,283. Step - by - step conveyers. S.B. ENGINEERING CO., Ltd. Nov. 13, 1952 [Nov. 13, 1951], No. 26553/51. Class 78 (1) Apparatus for the continuous treatment of articles in a chamber. e.g. a drying chamber, freezing chamber or annealing oven, comprises a series of article carriers 5, Fig. 10, means 8, 9, 10, 11 for propelling the rows A, B, C, D of carriers along horizontal paths arranged one above the other, means 24. 54 at the ends of the rows for transferring a carrier to the row below and means 36 for raising a carrier, which has completed the circuit of the chamber, to an unloading station. The carriers run on pairs of horizontal guide rails 4, Fig. 1, and between vertical rails 6, 6 and 6, mounted in a framework 1 within the chamber (not shown). Each carrier comprises end plates 39, Fig. 5, connected by stays 40, the lower pair of which support a platform 41. Grooves 42 in the end plates engage the guide rails. In a modified form of carrier (not shown) the platform 41 is replaced by an open-work mesh comprising a series of bent metal strips. The pushers 8, 9, 10, 11 and the support 36 are actuated by piston-and-cylinder mechanism 14, the stroke of which is equal to the width of a carrier end plate 39. The piston rod 15 is connected to a plate 16 provided with guide members 17 which engage rails 18. Rods 19, 20 connect the members 17 to guide members 21.carrying the fingers 10, 11. The pusher 8 is mounted on the plate 16, but the pusher 9 is attached to a plate 23 depending from the rod 19. The distance between the ends of the pushers 8, 9 is equal to twice the width of a carrier end plate. The supports 24 are mounted on a vertically movable plate 26 which is actuated by the piston rod 30 of a pneumatic cylinder 29 and is connected by links 31, 32, 33 and an arm 37 to the support 36. The lowering device 54 is actuated by the piston rod 50 of a pneumatic cylinder 49. If the piston rod 15 is actuated to move the carriers in the rows A, C to the left, the end carriers remote from the piston rod will be transferred to the supports 24 and when the piston rod 30 is actuated to lower these supports, they will be lowered to the level of the rows B, D. When the rod 15 moves to the right, these carriers will be pushed by the fingers 10, 11 into the rows and the rows moved to the right. The end carrier of the row B is pushed on to the support 54 which moves down to transfer it to row C. The end carrier of the row D passes on to the support 36 which moves upwards until 'the carrier comes into contact with the carrier previously raised. Plates 56 mounted on the guides 6 carry horizontal pneumatic cylinders 57, the piston rods 58 of which are forced towards each other to support the lowest carrier when the 'support 36 is lowered. Trip members 60 mounted on the upper guide 17 are operated by the movement of the piston 15 to actuate valves for the admission of air to the appropriate cylinders.