Patent · US Expired

Adjustable length conveyor system

US6215205A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
9References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 26, 1998
Grant dateApr 10, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 26, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB65H2801/93
  • WIPO fieldHandling
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A conveyor assembly and method for conveying and storing a strip material in a conveyor system that is subject to changes in length of the strip material due to intermittent operation includes an upper conveyor (16), an adjustable substantially horizontal center conveyor (22) for receiving the strip material (34) from the upper conveyor, and a lower conveyor (28) for receiving the associated strip material from the center conveyor. A computer (94) controls the movement and rotation of the center conveyor, and loop detecting apparatus on the center conveyor may also detect a loop (90) in the strip material carried by the center conveyor and thereby detecting changes in length of the strip material not predetermined by the computer. A servomechanism (100) activated by signals from the computer or the loop detecting apparatus moves the center conveyor in a substantially horizontal direction.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.