US1855767A - Conveyer - Google Patents

Description

April 26, 1932. J. .1. NEUMAN 1,855,767

CONVEYER Filed Dec. 51, 1929 INVENTOR q L 4m ATTORN Y Patented Apr. 2 6, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v Application filed December 81, 1829. Serial No. 417,611.

This invention relates to conveyers, and more particularly to means associated with the conveyer for maintaining a properly spaced relation between articles being con- 5 veyed or transported thereby as the articles approach a counting or recording device whereby an accurate record of the number of articles transported by the conveyer during any predetermined period of time may be bodiment of the invention, I provide movable retarding members at opposite sides of the conveyer, and electrical means automatically controlled by two adjacent bags or containers on the moving conveyer for actuating said members and causing the same to exert a retarding or holding pressure against the rear bag or container to hold the same relatively stationary while the advance bag or container is in engagement with the actuating means of the counter or recorder.

It is a further general object of my invention to provide a recording or counting means for bags, cartons, or other articles which may be readily mounted and arranged in operative relation with various types of article conveyers, and which is of such construction that the several parts of the mechanism will be efiicient and reliable in operation whereby an accurate record may be obtained.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved conveyer and the several parts associated therewith as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings, wherein I have shown one simple and practical embodiment of the in- 60 vention, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a section of a conveyer equipped with my resent improvements and showing a single ag thereon engaged with the counter actuating means;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing two bags or containers upon the conveyer and illustrating the relative positions of the parts after the separate circuit closing switches have been actuated by the respective articles or containers and with the movable retarding members pressed into holding engagement against opposite sides of the rear container;

Fig. 3 1s a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the circuit of the operating solenoids for the retarding members.

Referring in detail to the drawings, for

purposes of illustration, I have shown a portion of the upper stretch of the conveyer belt 5 supported upon suitably spaced rollers 6 j ournalled at their opposite ends in the frame bars 7 At a suitable point in the length of the conveyer an odometer or other form of recorder generally indicated at 8 is mounted upon one of the framebars 7 and is provided with an inwardly projecting operating rod 9 suitably connected to the free end of a plate 10 pivotally mounted at its other end as at 11 upon the inner side of the frame bar.

In longitudinally spaced relation from the plate 10, a similar plate 12 is also pivotally mounted at one of its ends as at 13 on the frame bar 7. These plates are normally yieldingly held in an obliquely inclined position extending across the conveyer belt 5 as shown at the left of Fig. 1 of the drawings. Any suitable means may be provided for yieldingly holding the plates in this normal position, and in the present instance, I have shown a contractile coil spring 14 suitably attached at one of its ends to the free end of a curved arm 15 which is secured at its other end to the plate 10 or 12.

There is also associated with each of the plates 10 and 12 a suitable form of switch indicated at 16, the movable element of each switch being connected to one of the arms 15 by a second contractile spring 17.

Between the plates 10 and 12, an article retarding member 18 is movably mounted upon each of the frame bars 7 As herein shown, these members are in the form of metal plates pivoted at one of their ends as at 19 upon the frame bars and yieldingly held by suitable springs shown at 20 in a slightly inclined position extending longitudinally over the conveyor belt, and in bearing contact against the inner ends of the cores 22 of solenoids v21.

Upon reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings, it will be seen that the windings of the solenoids 21 are connected by suitable conductors indicated at 23 in an electrical circuit supplied with current from the negative and positive feed wires 24 and 25 respectively. In this circuit, the normally open switches 16 are interposed.

From the above description, it will be understood that the retarding members or plates 18 being normally disposed in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, permit of the free passage therebetween of the bag, carton, or other article on the moving conveyer. The article upon striking the free end of the plate 10, presses the same outwardly thereby actuating the rod 9 to operate the counter or odometer 8. Of course, at the same time, the switch 16 associated with this plate 10, will be closed, but the circuit of the solenoids 21 will remain open, as the switch 16 in said circuit is still in its open position. Assuming however, that there are two bags or containers positioned on the conveyer belt in close relation to each other, it will be apparent that if the forward end of the rear bag or container strikes the plate 12 before the forward or advance bag has moved out of contact with the plate 10, the second or rear switch 16 will also be closed. Thereupon the energizing circuit for solenoids 21 is completed, and the cores 22 of these solenoids are simultaneously moved inwardly, thus pressing or forcing the plates 18 inwardly against the action of the springs 20 and into engagement against opposite sides of the bag or container. The frictional pressure of these members 18 against the container is suflicient to hold said container stationary as long as the solenoid circuit remains closed while the travel of the conveyer belt continues,and the forward or advance container is moved beyond the plate 10. Therefore, after this advanced bag has been counted or registered upon the odometer 8, the spring 14 will contract, returning plate 10 to its normal position and opening the switch 16-associated therewith. The circuit for solenoids 21 is thus broken, and the springs 20 thereby permitted to act and return plates 18 to their normal positions so that the bag or container which was held the plant can thereby is released. This bag is then moved by the conveyer and in turnwill actuate the counter or odometer 8. In this manner, it will be seen that a proper spacing will be maintained between successive bags transported by the conveyer so that each individual bag will be counted or registered, and it will not be possible for two of the bags or containers to engage the operating plate 10 for the counter at the same time. Accordingly, a very accurate record of the output of be obtained.

I have found the device as above described particularly desirable for use in connection with conveyers for containers of cloth or fabric of large size in which sugar and similar commodities are packed. However, it is also possible that my invention may be found advantageous for use in connection with containers or articles of various other forms and sizes whereby the desired accurate record or count of the factory output over a predetermined period of time may be automatically obtained. Also the invention may be employed for other purposes than to insure an accurate automatic count or record of the articles transported by the conveyer. Thus, for instance, my present improvements might be utilized in connection with assembly line conveyers, where it is desirable to momentarily hold the individual articles stationary while certain parts are being connected therewith or operations performed, and without interrupting the travel of the conveyer.

It will also be understood that the particular forms of switches, and the specific construction and arrangement of the article engaging means whereby these switches are operated, as herein described, is merely suggestive, and various other alternative forms of switches. and actuating means therefor may be provided. Likewise the other features of my present invention are susceptible of more or less modification in the form, proportion and relative arrangement of the several parts, and the privilege is therefore, reserved of resorting to all such legitimate changes therein as may be fairly incorporated in the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination with a movable article conveyer, retarding devices arranged at opposite sides of the conveyor and normally permitting of the uninterrupted movement of the articles on the conveyer, and means for engaging said devices withthe opposite sides of an article on the conveyer to retard the movement thereof without interrupting the travel of the conveyer, said means including devices spaced forwardly and rearwardly from the retarding devices adapted to be engaged and actuated respectively by the article to be retarded,

nouns? and an article on the conveyer inadvance thereof.

2. In combination with a-movable article conveyer, retarding devices arranged at o posite sides of the conveyer and normal y permitting of the uninterrupted movement of the articles on the conveyer, and means veyer in advance thereof, and means for restoring said retarding devices to normal position to release the article engaged thereby after the other article has been moved by the conveyer out of engagement with the device actuated by the latter article.

3. In combination with a onveyer, retarding devices mounted at opposite sides of the conveyer for movement into engagement with an article thereon to retard the movement of said article, electrically controlled means cooperating with each of said devices to move the same into engagement with said article, a circuit for said electrically controlled means, and normally open switches in said circuit spaced apart longitudinally of the conveyer at one side thereof, and means associated with each switch for engagement by the article to be retarded and the article in advance thereof respectively, to thereby close said circuit and engage said retarding devices with the rear article on the conveyer while permitting of the continued movement of the advance article with said conveyer.

4. In combination with a conveyer, retarding devices mounted at opposite sides of the conveyer for movement into engagement with an article thereon to retard the movement of said article, electrically controlled means cooperating with each of said devices to move the same into engagement with said article, a circuit for said electrically controlled means, and normally open switches .in said circuit spaced a art longitudinally of the conveyer at one side thereof, means associated with each switch for engagement by the article to be retarded and the article in advance thereof respectively, to thereby close said circuit and engage said retarding devices with the rear article on the conveyer while permitting of the continued movement of the advance article with said conveyer, and means for restoring said retarding devices to normal position after the advance article has moved out of contact with the switch actuating means engaged thereby to open said circuit.

5. In combination with a conveyer and an .5 article counting device arranged at one side of said conveyor, article retarding devices Y mounted at opposite sides of the conveyor and spaced longitudinally from the counter, electrically controlled means for operatin said devices and engaging the same with t e 0pposite sides of an article on the conveyor to retard movement thereof, a movable member mounted at one side of the conveyor in advance of said retarding devices and operatively connected with the counter, said member extending over the conveyor for engagement by an article thereon, a circuit for said electrically controlled operating means for the retardin devices, and a normally open switch in said circuit operatively connected with said movable member and moved to circuit closing position upon en agement of said member by an article on t e conveyor whereby said retarding devices are engaged with the next article on the conveyer in the rear of said first named article so as to retard movement of said rear article without interrupting the continued movement of the advance article with the conveyer.

6. In combination with a movable conveyer and an article counting device, movable article retarding means spaced from said counting device, means for operating said retarding means to engage the same with an article on the conveyor, and means for automatically actuating said operating means including devices movably mounted at one side of the conveyer and spaced forwardly and rearwardly from the retarding means and adapted to be respectively engaged and actuated by spaced articles on the conveyer, said forward device engaged by the advance article on the conveyer being operatively connected with said counting device whereby the latter is actuated.

7. In combination with a conveyer, movable article retarding means to engage and retard movement of an article with the conveyer, electrically controlled operating means for said article retarding means and a circuit therefor, independent normally open switches in said circuit, and means for closing said switches, including independently operable members movably mounted in forwardly and rearwardly spaced relation from the article retarding means and rojecting over the conveyer, said members being operatively connected with the respective switches and adapted to be engaged and respectively actuated by separate articles on the conveyer whereby said circuit isclosed to operate said retarding means and engage the same with the rear article on the conveyer while permitting of the uninterrupted continued movement of the advance article on the conveyer.

8. In combination with a movable conveyer, means for retarding movement of an individual article on the conveyer, and means for actuating said retarding means including spaced movable members projecting into the Ill path of movement of the articles on the conveyer to be engaged and operated resgectivel by adjacent articles, and means ren ered e fective by the conjoint 0 ration of said members whereby said retar ing means is enga ed with the rear article to hold the same r latively stationar and thereby increase the space between t e adjacent articles without interrupting the movement of the conveyor.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have si5ned my name hereto.

J AC B J. NEUMAN.

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