Accumulator
US5253744A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 13, 1992 |
| Grant date | Oct 19, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 13, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G47/5154
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Surge control or accumulator apparatus and corresponding method include a relative downstream shift operation of a particular distance in combination with stopping the inflow of products at a particular upstream point such that product shear points are positively eliminated for accumulator product removal operations. An infeed stop mechanism traps the leading edge of an appropriate package while permitting other packages to be advanced beyond known shear points during the downstream shift operation. The infeed stop mechanism uses a slidable stop plate and upstream therefrom a wedge shaped guide member to cooperatively trap the leading edge of an approaching product in a pinchless operation, i.e., without applying clamping force to such product or to other products permitted to pass by the slidable stop plate. An outfeed mechanism includes an adjustable downstream shift feature for controllably shifting a row of products to be removed from a conveyor. The adjustable amount of downstream shift is related to the nominal length of individual products advancing along the conveyor and an additional predetermined distance added thereto. By shifting products downstream, for example, by abo…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.