Conveyor drive unit and method for operation thereof
US4828103A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 8, 1987 |
| Grant date | May 9, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 8, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G2203/044
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An improved conveyor drive unit with a method of operation thereof, which can be rapidly and easily mounted on a roller-type conveyor system and which, when arranged in series, can be sequentially stopped and restarted relative to predetermined parameters in the article flow along a conveyor path. In one embodiment, each drive unit has an arm which extends at a desired distance over an article conveyor path which can be tripped at the occurrence of accumulation. A pneumatic valve is operably coupled to the arm for releasing air into an actuating cylinder having operably coupled thereto a shifter rod. The shifter rod is axially displaced by the actuating cylinder which in turn releases a drive collar from a keyed sprocket of the pinion gears of a transfer mechanism or "module" of the conveyor system. When the drive collar is disengaged, the operation of transport mechanism or module is thus halted. When normal article flow is to be resumed, the drive collar is engaged to the sprocket and the transport mechanism or module is restarted. Instead of an arm operable coupled to the pneumatic valve, article sensing, counting and timing device operably coupled to solenoids are used in other…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.