Patent EP0345036A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0345036A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Off-loading conveying system
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1989-05-31
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-05-31
Abstract
Abstract Off-loading conveyors having endless roller chains (10) to which are mounted bow tie rollers (32) on rods (24) extending laterally from the chain. The bow tie rollers define concavities for receipt of product units (36) to be conveyed and off-loaded at an appropriate station. Off-loading elements (42) are mounted to the chains which include paddles (46) extending to between the bow tie rollers. The off-loading elements include levers (50) which cooperate with an actuation system to pivot the paddles through the concavities to remove product at appropriate stations.
Inventors
- 👤 Aaron James Warkentin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 13:50
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/74; B65G47/94; B65G47/96; B65G47/962; B65G47/965; B01; B01D; B01D63/00; B01D63/08; B01D63/082; B01D63/084; B65G17/00; B65G17/06; B65G17/061; B65G47/52; B65G2201/00; B65G2201/02; B65G2201/0202; B65G2201/0211
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
An off-loading conveyor comprising a support structure defining a conveying path; an endless chain mounted on said support structure to extend along said conveying path; support elements mounted to said chain, said support elements being mutually spaced apart and including support surfaces defining concavities between adjacent said support elements; off-loading elements mounted on said chain and including paddles fitting through said concavities between adjacent said support elements, each said paddle being pivotable about an axis substantially parallel to the path of travel of said chain, having a retracted position extending downwardly of said axis and facing a said concavity, and being aligned for passage from said retracted position through a said concavity.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
112 words
An off-loading conveyor comprising a support structure defining a conveying path; an endless chain mounted on said support structure to extend along said conveying path; support elements mounted to said chain, said support elements being mutually spaced apart and including support surfaces defining concavities between adjacent said support elements; off-loading elements mounted on said chain and including paddles fitting through said concavities between adjacent said support elements, each said paddle being pivotable about an axis substantially parallel to the path of travel of said chain, having a retracted position extending downwardly of said axis and facing a said concavity, and being aligned for passage from said retracted position through a said concavity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The off-loading conveyor of claim 1 wherein said support elements extend laterally from said chain.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The off-loading conveyor of claim 1 further comprising rods extending laterally from said chain and mounted thereto and said support elements including bow tie rollers rotatably mounted on said rods, respectively.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The off-loading conveyor of claim 1 further comprising U-shaped mounting bases each having legs extending to engage said chain and rods integrally formed with said bases, respectively, and extending laterally therefrom perpendicular to the path of travel of said chain, said support elements being mounted on said rods.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The off-loading conveyor of claim 1 further comprising rods extending through said chain and extending laterally from said chain in a first direction said supporting elements being mounted thereon, respectively.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The off-loading conveyor of claim 5 wherein said support elements include bow tie rollers rotatably mounted on said rods.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
141 words
An off-loading conveyor comprising a support structure defining a conveying path; an endless chain mounted on said support structure to extend along said conveying path; mounting bases positioned on said chain; rods extending laterally from said chain perpendicular to the path of travel of said chain; support elements mounted to said chain, said support elements being mutually spaced apart and including support surfaces defining concavities between adjacent said support elements, said support elements being mounted on said rods; off-loading elements mounted on said chain and including paddles fitting through said concavities between adjacent said support elements, each said paddle being pivotable about an axis substantially parallel to the path of travel of said chain, having a retracted position extending downwardly of said axis and facing a said concavity, and being aligned for passage from said retracted position through a said concavity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
141 words
An off-loading conveyor comprising a support structure defining a conveying path; an endless chain mounted on said support structure to extend along said conveying path; mounting bases positioned on said chain; rods extending laterally from said chain perpendicular to the path of travel of said chain; support elements mounted to said chain, said support elements being mutually spaced apart and including support surfaces defining concavities between adjacent said support elements, said support elements being mounted on said rods; off-loading elements mounted on said chain and including paddles fitting through said concavities between adjacent said support elements, each said paddle being pivotable about an axis substantially parallel to the path of travel of said chain, having a retracted position extending downwardly of said axis and facing a said concavity, and being aligned for passage from said retracted position through a said concavity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The off-loading conveyor of claim 7 wherein said rods are integrally formed with said bases, respectively.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The off-loading conveyor of claim 7 wherein each of said mounting base is U-shaped having legs extending to engage a link of said chain.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The off-loading conveyor of claim 7 wherein said support elements each include a bow tie roller mounted on said rod.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
The off-loading conveyor of claim 7 wherein a plurality of said mounting bases including pivot pins extending substantially parallel to the path of travel of said chain said paddles being mounted on said pivot pins, respectively.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
143 words
An off-loading conveyor comprising a support structure defining a conveying path; an endless chain mounted on said support structure to extend along said conveying path; support elements mounted to said chain, said support elements being mutually spaced apart and including support surfaces defining concavities between adjacent said support elements; off-loading elements mounted on said chain and including paddles fitting through said concavities between adjacent said support elements, each said paddle being pivotable about an axis substantially parallel to the path of travel of said chain, having a retracted position extending downwardly of said axis, being aligned for passage from said retracted position through a said concavity and having a concave surface facing said concavity in said retracted position, said concave surface including a diverging section and a converging section sequentially with increasing distance from said chain, said paddle surface having two upstanding ribs.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
143 words
An off-loading conveyor comprising a support structure defining a conveying path; an endless chain mounted on said support structure to extend along said conveying path; support elements mounted to said chain, said support elements being mutually spaced apart and including support surfaces defining concavities between adjacent said support elements; off-loading elements mounted on said chain and including paddles fitting through said concavities between adjacent said support elements, each said paddle being pivotable about an axis substantially parallel to the path of travel of said chain, having a retracted position extending downwardly of said axis, being aligned for passage from said retracted position through a said concavity and having a concave surface facing said concavity in said retracted position, said concave surface including a diverging section and a converging section sequentially with increasing distance from said chain, said paddle surface having two upstanding ribs.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The off-loading conveyor of claim 12 wherein said concave surface has two upstanding ribs at opposite lateral edges of said diverging section.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The off-loading conveyor of claim 13 wherein said two upstanding ribs are coextensive with the opposed lateral edges of said diverging section.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
70 words
A method for separating overly soft product units, comprising the steps of conveying said product units on a conveyor having concavities receiving the product units; exerting a preselected lateral impulse against each said product unit by a member which does not fully sweep through the associated concavity; collecting the product units off-loaded from the conveyor by said impulse step; separately collecting the product units not off-loaded by said impulse step.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
70 words
A method for separating overly soft product units, comprising the steps of conveying said product units on a conveyor having concavities receiving the product units; exerting a preselected lateral impulse against each said product unit by a member which does not fully sweep through the associated concavity; collecting the product units off-loaded from the conveyor by said impulse step; separately collecting the product units not off-loaded by said impulse step.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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