US3642117A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Article positioning apparatus for roller conveyors
Assignee: Conveyor Systems Inc
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Filing: 1970-01-15
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Granted: 1972-02-15
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Expires: 1990-01-15
Abstract
Abstract An article positioning apparatus is provided for a roller conveyor system to enable one selected side surface of each of a plurality of articles moving longitudinally in spaced relation along a conveyor to be located precisely, and with repeatable accuracy, adjacent a code reader sensitive to indicia positioned on said side surface of each of the articles. The article positioning apparatus in its preferred form includes a plurality of driven rollers which are adapted to be moved in unison while an article is still moving longitudinally therealong in a direction transverse to the conveyor, thereby to shift said one selected side surface of the article into abutting relation to article guide means positioned parallel to the path of travel of the article. The code reader, in response to the indicia on the side surface of the article, activates an article ejection mechanism which quickly moves the article off the conveyor at a selected discharge station.
Inventors
- 👤 Harold S Burt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 02:16
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/74; B65G47/82; B65G13/00; B65G47/22; B65G47/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
329 words
In a conveyor system having driven conveyor means upon which articles are supported and conveyed longitudinally along a given path, article positioning apparatus adapted to form part of said path of said conveyor system, said article positioning apparatus comprising continuously driven article supporting and driving means for supporting and frictionally engaging the bottom of each article thereon and moving the same from an inlet to an outlet end thereof, article abutment means at one side of the article supporting and driving means which abutment means has article positioning points along a line parallel to the given path along which the article is being conveyed, said article supporting and driving means being mounted for bodily lateral movement toward and away from said article abutment means and normally having a first given initial position when initially receiving an article, and means for shifting said article supporting and driving means from said first given initial position toward said article abutment means to an extreme position to bring the side surface of an article being conveyed along said given path into sliding engagement with the article abutment means while the continuously driven article supporting and driving means feed the article longitudinally along said path, a conveyor section associated with said article positioning apparatus and onto which the positioned articles are discharged, said conveyor section having a number of discharge stations at which articles are to be selectively discharged depending on coded information placed on a given area of each article bearing a definite relationship to the side thereof nearest said abutment means, code reading means in front of each discharge station which is responsive to a code identifying the adjacent discharge station of a positioned article, which code is present on said given area of an article positioned against said abutment means, and means for discharging an article at a discharge station when the adjacent code reading means reads a code on an article indicating that the article is to be discharged thereat.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
329 words
In a conveyor system having driven conveyor means upon which articles are supported and conveyed longitudinally along a given path, article positioning apparatus adapted to form part of said path of said conveyor system, said article positioning apparatus comprising continuously driven article supporting and driving means for supporting and frictionally engaging the bottom of each article thereon and moving the same from an inlet to an outlet end thereof, article abutment means at one side of the article supporting and driving means which abutment means has article positioning points along a line parallel to the given path along which the article is being conveyed, said article supporting and driving means being mounted for bodily lateral movement toward and away from said article abutment means and normally having a first given initial position when initially receiving an article, and means for shifting said article supporting and driving means from said first given initial position toward said article abutment means to an extreme position to bring the side surface of an article being conveyed along said given path into sliding engagement with the article abutment means while the continuously driven article supporting and driving means feed the article longitudinally along said path, a conveyor section associated with said article positioning apparatus and onto which the positioned articles are discharged, said conveyor section having a number of discharge stations at which articles are to be selectively discharged depending on coded information placed on a given area of each article bearing a definite relationship to the side thereof nearest said abutment means, code reading means in front of each discharge station which is responsive to a code identifying the adjacent discharge station of a positioned article, which code is present on said given area of an article positioned against said abutment means, and means for discharging an article at a discharge station when the adjacent code reading means reads a code on an article indicating that the article is to be discharged thereat.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The article positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said article supporting and driving means comprises longitudinally spaced driven rollers with a high-friction material covering the same.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
107 words
The article positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein there is provided means for controlling said shifting means including article sensing means responsive to the passage of at least an appreciable length of the article onto said article positioning section for actuating said shifting means bodily to move said article supporting and driving means from said given initial position to a position where the article engages said article abutment means and responsive to the movement of a positioned article off of the article supporting and driving means for resetting the position of said shifting means to return said article supporting and driving means to said given initial position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
106 words
The article positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the conveyor system is to convey articles having varying dimensions in a direction lateral of the path of movement of the articles on said conveyor system, said shifting means of the article positioning apparatus effecting bodily movement of said article supporting and driving means thereof to an extent to move any article with the shortest dimension extending in said lateral direction and positioned anywhere along the width of the article positioning apparatus, the article supporting and driving means slipping beneath an article supported thereon when such article is pushed against said abutment means before reaching said extreme position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
70 words
The article positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the article supporting and driving means extends to said abutment means when in said initial position and is of a size to receive articles of varying size, and said abutment means has openings for receiving said article supporting and driving means when it is moved toward said abutment means into said extreme position where the same extends laterally beyond the abutment means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The article positioning apparatus of claim 5 wherein said article supporting and driving means are longitudinally spaced driven rollers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
99 words
The article positioning apparatus of claim 1 wherein said adjacent conveyor section includes longitudinally spaced driven rollers having wear resistant surfaces with a coefficient of friction sufficient to drive the articles longitudinally of the conveyor section, said article supporting and driving means are longitudinally spaced driven rollers having different surfaces than said wear resistant surfaces of the rollers of said adjacent conveyor section which different surfaces have a coefficient of friction substantially greater than the same to prevent slippage between the article and the rollers when the rollers are moved by said shifting means laterally toward said abutment means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
109 words
The article positioning apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of said rollers is mounted on a drive shaft for rotation therewith, each of said drive shafts extending beyond both ends of its associated roller and transversely movable therewith, an elongated key means on each of said drive shafts extending from one end of its associated roller, and stationary drive means engaging said drive Shaft in the region of said key means so that said drive shaft and said key means freely moves through said drive means, said drive means including means for slidably receiving said key means to continuously drive said rollers while in the transversely displaced positions thereof.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2786675A
Cited
US3029923A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-02-14 | 1975-08-16 | 1976-02-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-02-14 | 1979-08-16 | 1980-02-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-02-14 | 1983-08-16 | 1984-02-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |