US3554353A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Adjustable lane guides
Assignee: Newfrey LLC
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Filing: 1968-09-18
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Granted: 1971-01-12
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Expires: 1988-09-18
Abstract
Abstract A plurality of laterally adjustable lane guides are mounted on a rectangular frame, which frame is itself adjustable laterally on fixed posts adjacent the sides of a conveyor. A pair of crossshafts rotatably mounted in the frame threadably receive left and right hand nuts adjacent their respective end portions, which nuts carry the outside lane guides so that rotation of the shafts moves both guides toward or away from one another. Additional lane guides slidably mounted on unthreaded intermediate portions of these cross-shafts are separated from one another by coil springs to assure that they remain equally spaced from one another as the cross-shafts are so rotated.
Inventors
- 👤 John L Raudat
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 16:19
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G21/00; B65G21/20; B65G21/2045; B65G21/2063; B65G21/2072; B65G2201/00; B65G2201/02; B65G2201/0235; B65G2201/0244
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
A device for guiding articles as they are advanced by a belt type conveyor, said device comprising fixed means supported above the conveyor, at least one cross-shaft rotatably supported in said fixed means and extending across the conveyor, said crossshaft having left- and right-hand threaded portions, two outside land guides for maintaining the articles in lanes on the conveyor, threaded nut means for supporting said outside lane guides from said cross-shaft so that rotation of said cross-shaft in one direction increases the lateral spacing between said outside lane guides and rotation in the opposite direction decreases such spacing, collar means slidably supported on unthreaded portions of said cross-shaft intermediate said right and left hand threaded portions thereof, at least one additional lane guide supported by said collar means and located between said outside lane guides, and spring means between each said lane guide and said lane guide adjacent thereto for maintaining said lane guides in equidistantly spaced relation.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
158 words
A device for guiding articles as they are advanced by a belt type conveyor, said device comprising fixed means supported above the conveyor, at least one cross-shaft rotatably supported in said fixed means and extending across the conveyor, said crossshaft having left- and right-hand threaded portions, two outside land guides for maintaining the articles in lanes on the conveyor, threaded nut means for supporting said outside lane guides from said cross-shaft so that rotation of said cross-shaft in one direction increases the lateral spacing between said outside lane guides and rotation in the opposite direction decreases such spacing, collar means slidably supported on unthreaded portions of said cross-shaft intermediate said right and left hand threaded portions thereof, at least one additional lane guide supported by said collar means and located between said outside lane guides, and spring means between each said lane guide and said lane guide adjacent thereto for maintaining said lane guides in equidistantly spaced relation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A device as defined in claim 1 including two cross-shafts rotatably supported in longitudinally spaced relation in said fixed means, each of said cross shafts having corresponding left-and right-hand threaded portions, and threaded nut means associated with each of said cross-shafts for supporting said lane guides.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as defined in claim 2 and further characterized by means for rotating both cross-shafts in unison with one another to adjust the spacing between said lane guides.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
A device as defined in claim 1 wherein a plurality of additional lane guides are provided between said outside lane guides, and wherein collar means are provided for slidably supporting said additional guides, said spring means being provided between all of said guides to permit adjusting the spacing between all of said guides by rotating said cross-shafts.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device as defined in claim 4 wherein said fixed means comprises support posts adjacent the sides of the conveyor, and frame means adjustably mounted to said support means to allow collective lateral adjustments to all of said lane guides with respect to the conveyor.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
200 words
A device for guiding articles as they are advanced by a conveyor, said device comprising a frame assembly including a frame supported above the conveyor and at least one cross-shaft supported for axial rotation by said frame and extending transversely of the conveyor, two longitudinally extending outside lane guides supported by said frame assembly for transverse movement relative to the conveyor and to each other, drive means for simultaneously moving said outside lane guides generally toward and away from each other respectively in response to rotation of said cross-shaft in one and the opposite direction and for retaining said outside lane guides in fixed position relative to said frame assembly, at least one additional longitudinally extending lane guide supported by said frame assembly between said outside lane guides for movement relative thereto in said transverse direction, said one lane guide being movable relative to said cross-shaft and said outside lane guides independently of rotation of said cross-slide, and resilient means for maintaining said lane guides in equidistantly spaced relation to each other, said additional lane guide being movable in a generally transverse direCtion relative to said outside lane guides when said outside lane guides are retained in said fixed position.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
200 words
A device for guiding articles as they are advanced by a conveyor, said device comprising a frame assembly including a frame supported above the conveyor and at least one cross-shaft supported for axial rotation by said frame and extending transversely of the conveyor, two longitudinally extending outside lane guides supported by said frame assembly for transverse movement relative to the conveyor and to each other, drive means for simultaneously moving said outside lane guides generally toward and away from each other respectively in response to rotation of said cross-shaft in one and the opposite direction and for retaining said outside lane guides in fixed position relative to said frame assembly, at least one additional longitudinally extending lane guide supported by said frame assembly between said outside lane guides for movement relative thereto in said transverse direction, said one lane guide being movable relative to said cross-shaft and said outside lane guides independently of rotation of said cross-slide, and resilient means for maintaining said lane guides in equidistantly spaced relation to each other, said additional lane guide being movable in a generally transverse direCtion relative to said outside lane guides when said outside lane guides are retained in said fixed position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
A device defined in claim 6, wherein said lane guides are supported on said cross-shaft and said one lane guide is supported thereon for sliding movement relative thereto and said resilient means comprises a plurality of springs, each of said springs acting between one of said lane guides and another of said lane guides adjacent thereto.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device as defined in claim 6, including means for releasably locking said one lane guide against movement relative to said outside lane guides.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
A device as defined in claim 6, including adjustable stop means associated with said frame assembly and transversely adjustable relative to said frame assembly and the conveyor for selectively limiting movement of said outside lane guides in response to rotation of said cross-shaft in said opposite direction--.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1501285A
Cited
US2951574A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-01-11 | 1974-07-13 | 1975-01-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-01-11 | 1978-07-13 | 1979-01-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-01-11 | 1982-07-13 | 1983-01-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |