Storage conveyor

Claim 2

Conveyor mechanism comprising a frame, having extending along a length thereof in parallel relation spaced-apart side rails and a center rail positioned between the side rails, an endless conveyor means movably supported on the center rail for movement along an endless path having a horizontally extending upper carrying run, a plurality of long shafts drive connected between the ends thereof at spaced intervals on the conveyor means, a plurality of short shafts drive connected between the ends thereof at spaced intervals on the conveyor means, one of the short shafts being positioned between adjacent long shafts, the short and long shafts having the axes thereof both parallel to each other and extending horizontally in directions normal to the path of movement of the conveyor means, each of the shafts having an article supporting roller mounted thereon adjacent each of its opposite ends for free rotation about the axis of the shaft at opposite sides of the conveyor means, the rollers on the short adjacent shafts being arranged in circumferentially overlapping relation with the rollers in the long shafts so as to support the elongate rodlike articles being conveyed in parallel relationship with the shafts, certain ones of the short shafts also having journaled at the opposite ends thereof support rollers positioned so as to be revolvable on the side rails.

Claim 3

Conveyor mechanism comprising a frame having extending along a length thereof in parallel relation spaced-apart side rails extending along a length thereof and a center rail positioned between the side rails and also extending along a length thereof, an endless conveyor chain movably supported on the center rail for movement along an endless path, a plurality of alternately long and short shafts disc connected between the ends thereof to the chain at uniformly spaced intervals, then along with the axes thereof both parallel to each other and normal to the path of movement of the chain, each of the shafts having an article supporting roller mounted thereon adjacent each of its opposite ends for free rotation about the axis of the shaft at opposite sides of the chain, the rollers on the short shafts being arranged is circumferentially overlapping relation with the rollers on the long shafts so as to support the elongate rodlike articles being conveyed in parallel relationship to the shafts, certain ones of the short shafts also having at the opposite ends thereof bearing means revolvable on the side rails to provide support therefor.

Claim 4

Conveyor mechanism comprising a frame having extending along a length thereof in parallel relation spaced-apart side rails extending along a length thereof and a center rail positioned between the side rails and also extending along a length thereof, an endless conveyor chain movably supported on the center rail for movement along an endless path, a plurality of alternately long and short shafts disc connected between the ends thereof to the chain at uniformly spaced intervals, then along with the axes thereof both parallel to each other and normal to the path of movement of the chain, each of the shafts having an article supporting roller mounted thereon adjacent each of its opposite ends for free rotation about the axis of the shaft at opposite sides of the chain, the rollers on the short shafts being arranged is circumferentially overlapping relation with the rollers on the long shafts so as to support the elongate rodlike articles being conveyed in parallel relationship to the shafts, certain ones of the short shafts also having at the opposite ends thereof bearing means revolvable on the side rails to provide support therefor.

Claim 5

Article handling apparatus for conveying elongate rodlike articles in a direction normal to their longitudinal axes comprising a frame, an endless conveyor means mounted on said frame for movement along an endless path having a horizontally extending upper carrying run, a plurality of shafts mounted at uniformly spaced intervals on the conveyor means with the axes of the shafts extending horizontally in directions normal to the path of movement of the conveyor means, each of the shafts having a pair of rollers mounted thereon one adjacent each of its opposite ends free rotation about the axis of the shaft at opposite sides of the conveyor means, the rollers on adjacent shafts being transversely offset and circumferentially overlapped with each other to cooperatively support the articles being conveyed upon the rollers on adjacent shafts, means for driving the conveyor means in continuous movement to convey the articles along the carrying run to the discharge end thereof, and gate means on the frame adjacent the discharge end of said carrying run selectively movable from a retracted position clear of the path of articles supported on the rollers to a restraining position in the path of movement of articles supported on the rollers to hold the articles against conveying movement, the rollers on the shafts rolling freely beneath the articles to accommodate continual movement of the conveyor means when the articles are restrained by the gate means.

Claim 6

Article handling apparatus for conveying elongate rodlike articles in a direction normal to their longitudinal axes comprising a frame, an endless conveyor means mounted on said frame for movement along an endless path having a horizontally extending upper carrying run, a plurality of shafts mounted at uniformly spaced intervals on the conveyor means with the axes of the shafts extending horizontally in directions normal to the path of movement of the conveyor means, each of the shafts having a pair of rollers mounted thereon one adjacent each of its opposite ends free rotation about the axis of the shaft at opposite sides of the conveyor means, the rollers on adjacent shafts being transversely offset and circumferentially overlapped with each other to cooperatively support the articles being conveyed upon the rollers on adjacent shafts, means for driving the conveyor means in continuous movement to convey the articles along the carrying run to the discharge end thereof, and gate means on the frame adjacent the discharge end of said carrying run selectively movable from a retracted position clear of the path of articles supported on the rollers to a restraining position in the path of movement of articles supported on the rollers to hold the articles against conveying movement, the rollers on the shafts rolling freely beneath the articles to accommodate continual movement of the conveyor means when the articles are restrained by the gate means.

Claim 7

Article handling apparatus for conveying elongate rodlike articles in a direction normal to their longitudinal axes comprising a frame having extending along a length thereof in parallel relation spaced-apart side rails and a center rail between the side rails, an endless conveyor chain movably supported on the center rail for movement along an endless path having a horizontally extending upper carrying run, a plurality of alternately long and short shafts drive connected to the chain at uniformly spaced intervals along the chain with the axes of the shafts being both parallel to each other and extending normal to the path of movement of the chain, each of the shafts having an article supporting roller mounted thereon adjacent each of its opposite ends for free rotation about the axis of the shaft at opposite sides of the chain, the rollers on short shafts being arranged in circumferentially overlapping relation with the rollers on the long shafts, so as to support the elongate rodlike articles being conveyed in parallel relationship to the shafts, certain ones of the short shafts also having at the opposite ends thereof bearing means revolvable on the side rails to provide support therefor, means for driving the chain in continuous movement to convey the articles along the carrying run to a discharge end thereof, and gate means positioned relative to the frame adjacent the discharge end of the carrying run selectively movable from A retracted position clear of the path of articles to a restraining position in the path of movement of articles supported on the rollers to hold the articles against conveying movement, the rollers on the shafts rolling freely beneath the articles to accommodate continual movement of the chain when the articles are restrained by the gate means.

Claim 8

Article handling apparatus for conveying elongate rodlike articles in a direction normal to their longitudinal axes comprising a frame having extending along a length thereof in parallel relation spaced-apart side rails and a center rail between the side rails, an endless conveyor chain movably supported on the center rail for movement along an endless path having a horizontally extending upper carrying run, a plurality of alternately long and short shafts drive connected to the chain at uniformly spaced intervals along the chain with the axes of the shafts being both parallel to each other and extending normal to the path of movement of the chain, each of the shafts having an article supporting roller mounted thereon adjacent each of its opposite ends for free rotation about the axis of the shaft at opposite sides of the chain, the rollers on short shafts being arranged in circumferentially overlapping relation with the rollers on the long shafts, so as to support the elongate rodlike articles being conveyed in parallel relationship to the shafts, certain ones of the short shafts also having at the opposite ends thereof bearing means revolvable on the side rails to provide support therefor, means for driving the chain in continuous movement to convey the articles along the carrying run to a discharge end thereof, and gate means positioned relative to the frame adjacent the discharge end of the carrying run selectively movable from A retracted position clear of the path of articles to a restraining position in the path of movement of articles supported on the rollers to hold the articles against conveying movement, the rollers on the shafts rolling freely beneath the articles to accommodate continual movement of the chain when the articles are restrained by the gate means.

Claim 9

Article handling apparatus for conveying elongate rodlike articles in a direction normal to their longitudinal axes comprising a frame having extending along a length thereof in parallel relation spaced-apart side rails and a center rail positioned between the side rails, an endless conveyor means movably supported on the center rail for movement along an endless path having a horizontally extending upper carrying run, a plurality of long shafts drive connected between the ends thereof at spaced intervals on the conveyor means, a plurality of short shafts drive connected between the ends thereof at spaced intervals on the conveyor means, one of the short shafts being positioned between adjacent long shafts, the short and long shafts having the axes thereof both parallel to each other and extending horizontally in directions normal to the path of movement of the conveyor means, each of the shafts having an article supporting roller mounted thereon adjacent each of its opposite ends for free rotation about the axis of the shaft at opposite sides of the conveyor means, the rollers on the short shafts being arranged in circumferentially overlapping relation with the rollers on the long shafts so as to support the elongate rodlike articles being conveyed in parallel relationship with the shafts, certain ones of the short shafts also having journaled at the opposite ends thereof support rollers positioned so as to be revolvable on the side rails means for driving the conveyor means in continuous movement to convey the articles along the carrying run to the discharge end thereof, and gate means on the frame adjacent the discharge end of the carrying run selectively movable from a retracted position clear of the path of articles to a restraining position in the path of movement of articles supported on the rollers to hold the articles against conveying movement, the rollers on the shafts rolling freely beneath the articles to accommodate continual movement of the conveyor means when the articles are restrained by the gate means.

Claim 10

Article handling apparatus for conveying elongate rodlike articles in a direction normal to their longitudinal axes comprising a frame having extending along a length thereof in parallel relation spaced-apart side rails and a center rail positioned between the side rails, an endless conveyor means movably supported on the center rail for movement along an endless path having a horizontally extending upper carrying run, a plurality of long shafts drive connected between the ends thereof at spaced intervals on the conveyor means, a plurality of short shafts drive connected between the ends thereof at spaced intervals on the conveyor means, one of the short shafts being positioned between adjacent long shafts, the short and long shafts having the axes thereof both parallel to each other and extending horizontally in directions normal to the path of movement of the conveyor means, each of the shafts having an article supporting roller mounted thereon adjacent each of its opposite ends for free rotation about the axis of the shaft at opposite sides of the conveyor means, the rollers on the short shafts being arranged in circumferentially overlapping relation with the rollers on the long shafts so as to support the elongate rodlike articles being conveyed in parallel relationship with the shafts, certain ones of the short shafts also having journaled at the opposite ends thereof support rollers positioned so as to be revolvable on the side rails means for driving the conveyor means in continuous movement to convey the articles along the carrying run to the discharge end thereof, and gate means on the frame adjacent the discharge end of the carrying run selectively movable from a retracted position clear of the path of articles to a restraining position in the path of movement of articles supported on the rollers to hold the articles against conveying movement, the rollers on the shafts rolling freely beneath the articles to accommodate continual movement of the conveyor means when the articles are restrained by the gate means.

Claim 11

The apparatus described in claim 3 wherein the gate means is also operative to allow selected quantities of the articles to pass.

Claim 12

The apparatus described in claim 6 wherein the gate means includes a pair of stops, one stop being proximate and the other remote from the discharge end of the carrying run, selectively operable means for simultaneously maneuvering one stop to the restrained position and the roller stop to the retracted position so that the articles can be stopped and also so that when the remote stop is maneuvered to the restraining position the other stop in being maneuvered to the retracted position permits the article restrained between the stops to pass.

Claim 13

The apparatus described in claim 5 wherein the gate means includes a pair of stops, one stop being proximate and the other stop remote from the discharge end of the carrying run, selectively operable means for simultaneously maneuvering one stop to the restraining position and the other stop to the retracted position so that articles can be stopped and also so that a certain number of articles can be entrapped between the stops and allowed to separately pass.