US2983393A - Garment conveyor - Google Patents

Description

y 1961 R. E. CAMPBELL ErAL 2,983,393

GARMENT CONVEYOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 3, 1958 o n Kw M 8 0 LI- m yi H j. m m I%I%\ F? W ,2 M Z M I Zl. 5 N V a mm w 9 N ll Z m M w T A 52: 7 1 mm 4 mm\ May 9, 1961 I R. E. CAMPBELL ETAL 2,933,393

GARMENT CONVEYOR Filed March 3, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 37 Bob INVENTOR.

AoLL/N E. CAMPBELL BY Hnaer D. Foes/=- y 1961 R. E. CAMPBELL ETAL 2,983,393

GARMENT CONVEYOR Filed March 3, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

INVENTOR. Eon/1v E. Cxm asu y HAPPY D. F0885 y 1961 R. E. CAMPBELL ETAL 2,983,393

GARMENT CONVEYOR .5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 5, 1958 INVENTOR. F0441 E. (kw/P554; 1 /422) 0. F023:

United States Patent 9 2,983,393 GARMENT CONVEYOR Rollin E. Campbell, Anderson, Ind, and Harry D. Forse,

220 Woods'Road, Anderson, 1114].; said Campbell assignor to said Forse Filed Mar. 3,1958, ser. No. 718,891

13 Claims. c1. sis-16.4

The present invention relates to conveyors and, more specifically, to conveyors. for laundry and dry cleaning establishments.

In order to facilitate the handling of garments to be cleaned and of the cleaned garments, it is known to employ conveyorswhich have anendless track with hanger bracket assemblies movable on said track. These hanger bracket assemblies are provided with openings for redrag on the floor while on the other hand the operator of the conveyor can easily suspend the respective hanger in or remove the same from the hanger bracket assembly.

Inasmuch as conveyors of the above mentioned type, in order to be of any practical use, have to be able to handle a considerable quantity of garments, they must be equipped with a relatively long track, which means that considerable new space is required for such conveyors. Inasmuch as dry cleaning establishments as a rule also comprise a laundry department and, therefore, require considerable floor space for storing the cleaned packaged laundry for pickup by the customer, it stands to reason that the total floor space required for a dry cleaning and laundry establishment is considerable and greatly affects the facilities and overhead of a dry cleaning and laundry establishment.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a garment conveyor for garments such as dresses, blouses, suits and the like, which, without requiring more floor space, will also be able simultaneously with and additionally to the handling of garments of the above mentioned type to handle and convey cleaned packaged laundry.

It is another object of this invention to provide 'a conveyor equipped both with facilities for suspending garments and with shelves for supporting Washed laundry ready for pickup by the customer, in which the garments as well as the washed laundry can easily be reached by the operator of the conveyor from the floor, while the conveyor will be able to support as great a number of Fig. 1 is a partial view of a conveyor according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 illustrates a top view of the drive for the conveyor.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the structure shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 illustrates partly in side view and partly in section the control mechanism which will make it possible to stop the conveyor at pre-selected points.

Fig. 5 illustrates a side view of a shelf assembly orlaundry basket according to the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a view of Fig. 5 seen in the direction of the l horizontal arrow in Fig. 5, a portion of the shelf assembly I being omitted for the sake of clarity.

Fig. 7 is a side view of the tiltable suspension for the laundry basket or shelf invention. n n

Fig. 8 is a front view of the dial of the pre-selectorand stopping mechanism with a portion broken out of the dial to show the mechanism therebehind.

Fig. 9 illustrates a side view and partially a section of the pre-selector and stopping mechanism of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a rear view of the bottom portion of the shelf assembly shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 11 shows partly in section the locking system for locking the shelf assembly in its elevated position.

Fig. 12 is a front view and partly a section of the top portion of the shelf assembly of Fig. 5.

General arrangement The primary feature of the present invention consists in that on top of the hanger bracket assemblies or on top of the track there are arranged shelf assemblies or laundry baskets which are so suspended that they can easily be grasped by an operator standing in front thereof and can be pulled down to such an extent that the operator can reach all of the shelves of the respective laundry: basket without leaving the floor. In conformity with a preferred form of the present invention, the said laundry baskets or shelf assemblies are under 'the action of springs which normally hold the laundry baskets stationary in their lifted-up position but which will not exert' any material counter force to the operators effort in pulling the basket down into easy reach of the operator.

While the shelf assemblies or laundry baskets may be of difierent convenient type, according to a highly advantageous structure of the present invention, the laundry baskets are made of individual rods so as to be of light weight with the shelves detachably mounted on supports garments as is customary with a conveyor of the floor space involved.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a conveyor of the type set forth in the preceding para-' connected to said rods. Thus, if it is necessary to support a high package on a laundry basket, all that has to be done is to remove one or the other shelf therefrom so as not to interfere with the height of the respective basket to be supported by the respective shelf assembly.

According to a further feature of the invention, each of the laundry baskets or shelf assemblies is supported by a hanger bracket assembly so as to move in unison therewith. Thus, while the hanger bracket assemblies move along the respective track of the garment conveyor, they carry along the shelf assemblies respectively mounted thereon. In this Way it is, for instance, possible to place the garments of a customer on a hanger bracket assembly and to place the laundry of the same customer in the laundry basket or shelfassembly directly above said lastv mentioned hanger bracket assembly. This considerably facilities the'handling of the respective 'customers goods and the picking up of said goods by the respective customer. This will also facilitate the entire service.

In order further to facilitate and to speedup the handling and in particular the pickup of the respective goods by the customer, .the drive for the conveyor according to the present invention has associated therewith a selector mechanism which carries a dial with a plurality assembly according to the of numbers or letters corresponding to numbers or letters on each of said hanger bracket assemblies. If the operator is given a list of the names of the customers whose garments and/or laundry are on the conveyor together with a list of the numbers or letters of the respective hanger bracket assembliescarrying the customers goods, the operator is able to adjust the pre-selector in such a way that the conveyor will come to a stop when the respective hanger bracket assembly and/or shelf is directly adjacent the operator. In this way, the operator is able to hand out the respective garments and/or laundry without leaving her place. If desired, the laundry baskets or shelf assemblies may have, letters or numbers dificrent from those of the hanger bracket: assemblies if customers have only garments but no laundry, or vice versa, to pick up. The pre-selector will then be equipped with corresponding numbers or letters so that: it will still be, possible by mere actuation of the pie-selector to. bring the respective desired shelf assembly and hanger bracket assembly to a stop in front of'the operator.

Structural arrangement Referring now to the drawings in detail and Fig. 1 thereof in particular, the arrangement shown therein comprises stands or supports 21 each of which has a foot 22 (one only being shown) with arms 23. Each arm has connected thereto a sleeve 24 threaded on the inside thereof and engaged by a correspondingly threaded bolt with head 25 for adjustment of the level of said arms so as to be able to adjust the stands 21 in conformity with the level of the floor. The stands 21 support an endless track generally designated .26 on which are movably mounted a plurality of serially arranged hanger bracket assemblies generally designated 27. Each of said hanger bracket assemblies carries a basket support assembly generally designated 28 on which is tiltably suspended a shelf assembly or basket 29 which can selectively be lowered from its position above the respective bracket assembly downwardly to such an extent that the goods thereon will be within easy reach of the operator.

Construction of hanger bracket assembly The hanger bracket assembly generally designated 27 comprises a hanger bracket 30 of a somewhat blunted V- shap'e. More specifically, the hanger bracket comprises a substantially vertical portion 30a with longitudinal openings 30b therein (Fig. 3) and also comprises a substantially horizontal portion 390 with horizontally extending openings 38d. The openings 30d are respectively aligned with the openings 30b. The openings 3% and 30d serve for receiving the hook of a hanger (see Figs. 1 and More specifically, while an opening Stlb receives the rear portion of the hanger hook, the respective adjacent opening 30d receives the front portion of said hanger hook.

Each hanger bracket 30 furthermore comprises a downwardly inclined wall 36s the lower end of which merges with a horizontal portion 303. Similarly, the upper end of the vertical wall 30a merges with an upwardly inclined portion 30g which is provided with a groove-like depression 3% and merges with a substantially horizontal portion 30i. The groove-like depression 36h is provided with a slot 30f (Fig. 11)

Connected to the lower horizontal portion 30 of the bracket 30, for instance by spot welding, is a flat bar or link 31. Similarly, a flat bar or link 32 is connected to the substantially horizontal portion 3% of the bracket 30. The fixed link 31 has at each of its ends a bore (not shown) through which extends a bolt 33 having pivotally connected thereto one end of a link 34 the other end of which is pivotally connected to the adjacent bolt 33 of the adjacent bracket 3%. In this way all brackets are linked to each other. The bolt 33 has furthermore preferably rotatably arranged thereon a ring 35 for a purpose which will be explained further below. Likewise mounted on bolt 33 is a stirrup 36 carrying two space rollers 37, 38

.in its normal or rest position.

for rolling engagement with the two. endless rails 26a, 26b forming the track 26. Preferably each of the rollers 37, 33 is composed of two portions 37a, 37b, 38a, 38b as will be particularly clearly seen from Fig. 3. The upper end of the stirrup 36 is connected to a bolt 39 which supports a similar construction as the bolt 33 and extends through the substantially horizontal portion 30i of the bracket 39, a ring 40,, a linkv 41 and. the flat bar or fixed link 32. That end of link 41 which'is remote from the just described bolt 39 is pivotally connected to' the adjacent corresponding bolt 39 of the, adjacent hanger bracket 30.

Basket assembly Each of the basket assemblies as shown. in Figs. 1 and 5 comprises a supporting member or bottom tube 42 which extends through the portions 30i and 30 of the respective hanger bracket supporting said bottom tube 42. The bottom tube 42 is connected to the respective bracket in any convenient manner for instance by welding or by clamping rings. In order to connect the lower tube 42 to the hanger bracket *30 so that the tube 42 cannot rotate relative thereto, the tube 42 has fixedly connected thereto a hook-shaped member 43 which engages a corresponding opening (not shown) in the top portion 391' of the bracket 30. The upper end of the bottom tube 42 carries a pivot 44 pivotally supporting an upper tube 45 with a bent upper portion 45a. The arrangement is such that the upper tube 45 is continuously urged to assume the position shown in Fig. 5. T 0 this end, the lower tube 42 has connected thereto a bracket 46 engaged by one end of a tension spring 47 the upper end of which engages a bracket 48 connected in any convenient manner for instance by welding to the upper tube 45. The spring 47 continuously urges the upper tube 45 to tilt in. counter-clockwise direction. The free end of the bent upper portion 45a has connected thereto a tube" 49. The ends of the tube 49 are arranged pivotally to receive studs or trunnions 50- arranged at the upper end of the basket generally designated 29. While the basket itself may be of any convenient structure, according to the drawings showing a preferred structure the basket is designed as a wire basket. More specifically, each basket comprises a base wire frame portion 52 and a top wire frame portion 53. The said top and bottom frame portions are interconnected by vertical wires 54, 55, 56. According to the specific showing in the drawing, the front wires 55 are integral with the top frame portion 53. The vertical rear wires 56 extend downwardly somewhat further than the wires 54 and 55 and additionally are respectively bent toward opposite sides so as to form bent portions 56a which are substantially in alignment with each other. The arrangement is such that when the basket is suspended by means of the studs or trunnions 50 in the upper tube 45, the said bent portions 56a will be parallel to the groove-like depression 30h which latter will-receive the bent wire portions 56a when the respective basket is The vertical wires are furthermore connected to each other by horizontal stirrupshaped wires 57 which serve as shelf supports for removable shelves 58, 59. These shelves may be of any convenient structure preferably as. illustrated in Fig. 5. According to the specific structure shown in Fig. 5, each of the shelves comprises a substantially rectangularly shaped wire with the front end slightly tilted upwardly (see right.- hand side of the shelves shown in Fig. 5). The front and rear ends of the shelves are furthermore interconnected by a plurality of thin wires 58a, 59a. Below the wires 53a, 59athere is a transverse wire 60 which extends slightly beyond the sides of the shelves and in downward direction. The transverse wire 60 is so located that when the respective shelf is mounted on the shelf support, the downwardly protruding portions 60a of the-wire 60 will engage the adjacent wires of the shelf support and will engage from behind the vertical wires of the basket. In

this way, the shelf will be properly clamped upon' the respective shelf support. In order to prevent an accidental lifting of the shelf from the respective shelf support, eachrshelf is additionally provided with a hook 61 at the rear end thereof which catches beneath a horizontal rear wire of the shelf support. This firmly secures the respective shelf on the basket. The lowermost removable shelf 59 differs from the other shelf 58 merely in that the hook 61 of the shelves 58 is replaced by a hook-shaped loop 62 through which extends a latch rod 63 having a handle 63a. Therod '63 furthermore extends through aloop 64 which is connected to the transverse wire 60 of the lower shelf. That portion 63b of the latch rod 63 which extends through the hook-shaped loop 62 is bent so as to be sub stantially parallel to the handle 63a for locking engagement with the slot 30 in the respective hanger bracket 30 (see Fig. 11). The slot 30f is symmetrically arranged ,withregard to the latch rod 63 and has a length slightly longer than twice the length of the bent portion 63b so that the latter can be swung into the slot from either side. When the bent portion 63b is in its vertical position, it extends through the slot 301' and thereby firmly latches or locks the basket to the respective hanger bracket.

Conveyor drive 'The drive for'the conveyor according to the present invention substantially comprises an electric motor 65, preferably a reversible motor so as to be able to drive the conveyor in either direction. The motor 65 has a motor shaft 66 to which is keyed a pulley 67. The pulley 67 is drivingly connected to a pulley 68 by means of a belt 69. The pulley 68 is keyed to a shaft 70 which is rotatably journalled in bearings (not shown) within a tubular member 71 connected to a frame structure F (Fig. 4) which supports the endless track and is itself supported by the stands 21. Also keyed to the shaft 70 is a pulley 72 which through a belt 73 drives a' pulley 74 keyedto a shaft 75. The shaft 75 is journalled in bearings 76 (one only being shown) which are connected to a tubular member 77 surrounding'the shaft 75. The tubular member 77 is adjustably journalled in the frame structure F supported by the stands 21 in order to allow the proper tensioning of the belt 73. To this end, the said frame structure F is provided with brackets 78 and adjusting bolts 79. It is, of course, understood that the adjustment of the tubular member 77 and thereby the bearings 76 and pulley 74 may also be elfected in any other convenient manner. Keyed to the upper end of the shaft 75 is a sprocket'80 (Fig. 3) whichby means of a chain 81 is drivingly connected to a sprocket =82. The sprocket 8-2 is keyed to a shaft 83 which has keyed thereto two substantially identical discs or wheels 84 and 85. Each of said discs is provided with recesses 86 (see Fig. 2) for engagement with the rings 35. It will thus be evident that when the discs or wheels 84, 85- are rotated, their recesses 86 will engage the respective adjacent rings 35 and thereby will move said rings and through the intervention of the respective stirrup '36 will move the respective bracket 30 over the rounded track portion at the adjacent end of the conveyor. Inasmuch as the other bracket assemblies are connected with the respective bracket assembly moving over the just mentioned rounded track portion, all of the bracket assemblies will be moved.

Drive control In order to make it possible for an operator to remove from the conveyor or place on the conveyor garments and laundry from one and the same service spot or station, it-is necessary that the operator be able to control the drive of the conveyor in such a way that the respective hanger bracket assembly and/ or the respective basket assembly to be loaded or unloaded will always stop precisely at the, same station, i.e. at the place of the operator. To this end, all hanger brackets and, if desired, also all baskets are numbered which numbers also appear in identicalsequence on a control dial. In conformity with the showing in Fig. 1,: the hanger brackets are consecutively numbered from 1 to 20 (onlythe figures 5 to 14 are visible), and corresponding numbers appear on the control dial 87. Each number on the control dial has associated therewith. a bore 88 adapted to receive a contact breaking pin 89 forcooperation with micro-switches 90, 91 of any standard type depending on whether the dial rotates in clockwise direction or in counter-clockwise direction. The micro-switches are electrically connected with electric motor 65. The control dial 87 is drivingly connected to the shaft (Fig. 4) through a flexible shaft 92 and a gear train 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98 and shaft 99. The gear train is enclosed in a housing 100 supported by a. stand 101. Thus, if it is desired tostop the conveyor in such away that when the conveyor stops, a certainbracket assembly for instance bracket assembly 5, will be adjacent the operator, it is merely necessary to place the contact breaking pin 89 in the bore 88 associated with the number 5 on the control dial 87. The dial Will then rotate with the shaft 75 and, consequently, also the contact breaking pin 89 will rotate with the dial 87. c The transmission ratio between the conveyor belt drive and the drive for the dial 87 is suchthat when the conveyor has made a completeturn, also the dial 87 has made a complete turn. Furthermore, the numbers and the holes pertaining thereto on the dial are coordinated with the correspondingly numbered hanger brackets in such a way that when the contact breaking pin breaks the contact of the respective micro-switch, the hanger assembly corre sponding in number to the number of the bore on the dial through which the breaking pin extends will be adjacent the operator. Thus, assuming the above example that thebreaking pin is placed through the hole 88 associated with the number 5 on the dial, the breaking pin will break the contact for the driving motor when the bracket as-' sembly Sis adjacent the operator. It is a matter of courseously. The housing 100 furthermore carries a forward switch F adapted when actuated to start the motor 65 in forward direction. Finally, there is provided a rearward switch R likewise electrically connected with the motor 65 and adapted when actuated to start the motor in rearward direction. The starting of the motor in rearward direction and thereby the rotation of the conveyor in rearward direction is sometimes advantageous with regard to the saving of time if, for instance, following the position shown in "Fig. 1, the hanger bracket assembly 6 or 7 is to be moved into a position adjacent the operator. If the conveyor could move only forwardly, the conveyor would under such circumstances have to make almost a complete turn, whereas if the conveyor can be moved in rearward direction the conveyor has to be moved only by the length of one or two hanger brackets respectively. 7

Operation Assuming that a garment 103 on a bracket 5 is at a station occupied by the bracket 14 in Fig. l and that some laundry pertaining to the owner of the garment 103 is on a basket 51 above the bracket 5. In order to move the garment 103 and the basket on top thereof to the service station i.e. the station where the operator is located, the operator places the breaking pin into the bore 88 associated with the number 5 on the dial 87 and then presses the push button F; The conveyor will then begin its movement and will, as indicated above, due to the breaking of the micro-switch by the breaking pin 89 come to a standstill when the hanger bracket assembly has ae'ease's reached the service station as shown in Fig. 1. The operator then can easily remove the garment 103. In order now to remove the laundry assumed to be on one of the shelves 58, 59, the operator first turns the handle 63a by about 90 degrees so as to release the bent portion 63b from the slot 301'. Thereupon the operator while still grasping the handle 63a pulls the basket toward herself {against the thrust of the spring 47. The spring 47 is so dimensioned that only a slight effort is necessary to pull the basket toward the operator. The operator pulls the basket downwardly so that the respective shelf will be in easy reach of her whereupon she removes the respective laundry from the shelf. Thereupon she pushes the basket upwardly again aided by the spring 4-7 and rests the outwardly bent ends 56a in the groove-like depression h of the respective hanger bracket, in this specific example, hanger bracket 5. Finally, the operator turns the handle 6311 so as to cause the bent portion 63b to enter the slot 30f and to assume a vertical position thereby firmly locking the basket upon the basket assembly pertaining thereto.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular construction shown in the drawings but also comprises any modifications Within-the scope of the appended claims.

Thus, for instance, the tiltable arm may also be replaced by two arms straddling the basket and pivotally connected thereto. Furthermore, the pivotal connection of the tiltable arm or arms with the basket need not necessarily be at the top of the basket but can also be at a lower level of the basket as long as it is above the center of gravity thereof. Also the hanger brackets may be of different shape. For instance, the depression 30h may be omitted, and the hook 63b may engage another portion of the hanger bracket for locking the bracket in its elevated position.

What we claim is:

1. In combination in a garment conveyor: elevated endless track means, a plurality of carriages having hanger receiving and supporting means for receiving and supporting hangers for garments to be suspended thereon, said carriages being movably mounted on said track means, supporting members mounted on said conveyor for movement with said carriages, each of said supporting members including tiltable means, and shelf assemblies respectively supported by said tiltable means and normally held in elevated position above the level of said hanger receiving and supporting means, each of said tiltable means being tiltable individually to lower the respective shelf assembly supported thereby from the elevated position thereof' 2. In combination: endless track means, supports supporting said track means and holding the same in elevated position, a plurality of carriages movably mounted on said track means and arranged in series with regard to each other, link means interconnecting said carriages so as to move all carriages at one and the same time, each of said carriages having hanger receiving means for receiving and supporting hangers and garments suspended thereon, a plurality of supporting members respectively arranged for movement with said carriages and normally located above said carriages, each of said supporting members including tiltable means normally occupying a substantially upright position, spring means respectively connected to said supporting members and continuously urging said tlitablemeans to occupy the upright position thereof, and a plurality of shelf assemblies supported by said tiltable means, each of said tiltable means being tiltable away from its upright position to lower the respective shelf assembly supported thereby to a lower level.

3. In combination in a garment conveyor: endless track means, supports supporting said track means and holding the same in elevated position, a plurality of serially arranged interconnectedcarriages movably mounted on said track means, driving means for moving said carriages Qnsaid'trackmeans, eachofsaid carriages having; hanger:

receiving means for receiving and supporting hangers ing members respectively supported by said conveyor at a level above said carriages and normally extending upwardly from saidcarriages, each of said supporting members including tiltable means, spring means respectively, connected to said supporting members and continuously urging said tiltable means to occupy a substantially upright position, a plurality of shelf assemblies supported by said tiltable means and normally occupying an elevated position higher than said carriages, each of said tiltable, means being tiltable away from its upright position to lower the respective shelf assembly supported thereby to a lower level, and a plurality of locking means for respectively and selectively locking said shelf assem bliss in their elevated position or releasing the same therefrom.

4. 'In combination in a garment conveyor: elevated endless track means, a plurality of serially arranged interconnected carriages mounted on said track means and movable together thereon, said carriages being adapted to receive and support hangers for garments to be suspended thereon, a plurality of first supporting members respectively carried by said carriages for movement therewith, a plurality of second supporting members respectively pivotally connected to said first supporting members, a plurality of spring means respectively connected to said first supporting members and the respective adjacent second supporting members and continuously urging said second supporting members to occupy a substantially upright position, a plurality of basket means tiltably supported by said second supporting members, said basket means normally occupying an elevated position and resting on the respective carriage pertaining thereto, each of said basket means being individually tiltable downwardly away from said elevated position, motor means for moving said carriages along said track means, and control means adapted to be set selectively for stopping said motor means in response to any of said carriages reach ing a certain predetermined position to thereby stop the respective carriage with the basket means pertaining thereto in said position.

5. An arrangement according to clainr4, in which, said motor means is a reversible'electric motor for selectively moving said carriages in either direction.

6. An arrangement according to claim 4, which includes pre-settable interrupter means electrically connected to said motor means for stopping said motor means in response to any one of said carriages reaching a certain pre-selected. position.

7. In combination with a garment conveyor having a plurality of carriages movable on an elevated track: a plurality of supporting means respectively carried by said carriages and including tiltable means, a plurality of spring means respectively connected to said tiltable means and continuously urging the same to occupy a substantial upright position, a plurality of shelf assemblies respectively pivotally supported by said tiltable means, each of said shelf assemblies being individually tiltable downwardly parallel to itself about said carriages whenever desired and comprising a plurality of shelves arranged in spaced superimposed relationship to each other.

8. An arrangement according to claim 7, in which each of said supporting means includes an upright mounted on and connected to the respective carriage and also includes a tiltable arm having one end portion pivotally connected to said upright and having its other end portion pivotally connected to the respective shelf assembly.

9. In combination with a garment conveyor having a plurality of hanger brackets movable on an elevated track: a plurality of supporting means respectively carried. by said hanger brackets and including tiltable means, a plurality of spring means respectively connected to said tiltable means and continuously urging the sameto occupy a substantiallyupri'ght position, a plurality of shelf assemblies respectively pivotally supported by said tiltable means, each of said shelf assemblies being individually tiltable downwardly parallel to itself and comprising a plurality of shelves arranged in spaced superimposed relationship to each other, and a plurality of locking means respectively supported by the lower end of said shelf assemblies and operable selectively to engage the respective adjacent one of said hanger brackets to thereby prevent tilting of the respective shelf assembly downwardly while preventing the bottom portion of the respective shelf assembly from swinging outwardly when passing through a curve or to disengage the respective adjacent hanger bracket to thereby make said locking means ineffective and allow downward tilting of the respective shelf assembly.

10. An arrangement according to claim 9, in which each of said shelf assemblies comprises a wire frame and a plurality of shelves of spaced wires supported in vertically spaced arrangement by said frame and individually detachable therefrom, each of said shelves being provided with hook-shaped wire portions for detachable engagement with wire portions of said wire frame for selectively firmly securing said shelves to or detaching the same from said frame.

11. In combination in a conveyor for laundry and dry cleaning establishments: an endless track, supporting means supporting said track at an elevated level, a plurality of carriages having hanger receiving and supporting means for receiving and supporting hangers for garments to be suspended thereon, said carriages being movably mounted on said track means and extending laterally outwardly of said track in cantilever manner, said hanger receiving and supporting means being located near the outer ends of said carriages, a plurality of supporting members mounted on said carriages for movement therewith, each of said supporting members including tiltable means, and a plurality of shelf assemblies respectively supported by said tiltable means and normally held in elevated position above the level of said hanger receiving and supporting means, each of said tiltable means being tiltable individually to lower the respective shelf assembly supported thereby substantially parallel to itself from the elevated position thereof.

12. In combination in a garment conveyor: elevated endless track means, a plurality of serially arranged interconnected carriages mounted on said track means and movable together thereon, said carriages being adapted to receive and support hangers for garments to be suspended thereon, a plurality of first supporting members respectively carried by said carriages for movement therewith, a plurality of second supporting members respecdetermined position to thereby stop the respective carriage with the support means pertaining thereto in said position.

13. In combination in a garment conveyor: elevated endless track means, a plurality of serially arranged interconnected carriages mounted on said track means and movable together thereon, said carriages being adapted to receive and support hangers for garments to be suspended thereon, a plurality of first supporting members respectively carried by said carriages for movement therewith, a plurality of second supporting members respectively connected to and above said first supporting members, a plurality of shelf assemblies respectively supported by said second supporting members, said shelf assemblies normally occupying an elevated position above said first supporting members and resting on the respective carriage pertaining thereto, each of said shelf assemblies being individually movable downwardly parallel to itself away from said elevated position, motor means for moving said carriages along said track means, and control means adapted to be set selectively for stopping said motor means in response to any of said carriages reaching a certain predetermined position to thereby stop the respective carriage with the shelf assembly pertaining thereto in said position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 608,259 Heverly Aug. 2, 1898 803,274 Deaver Oct. 31, 1905 1,203,815 Torrison Nov. 7, 1916 1,953,255 Patten Apr. 3. 1934 2,194,951 Milani Mar. 26, 1940 2,471,711 Altenpohl May 31, 1949 2,512,643 Hannon June 27, 1950 2,634,851 Steinhoft Apr. 14, 1953 2,704,993 Davis Mar. 29, 1955 2,732,584 Bishop Ian. 31, 1956 2,778,504 Byrne Ian. 22, -7

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