Conveyor systems

Claim 1

A conveying system for conveying a succession of articles in a step-by-step manner comprising a conveyor providing a fixed path, a succession of stations arranged along the fixed path, receiving means at each station for receiving and supporting an article lowered onto the receiving means, the conveyor comprising a succession of conveying elements arranged along the path, means for simultaneously reciprocating the elements each between a pair of adjacent stations, means for raising each element when at the first station of its pair and for lowering the element when at the second station of the pair, in which conveyor system the operation of the conveyor is such that each element when at its first station of its pair rises to lift an article off the receiving means at that station, then advances carrying the article to the second station of the pair where it descends to lower the article onto the receiving means at the second station, the element then returning to its firsT station into position to lift from the receiving means thereof an article deposited thereon by the preceding element in the succession, the said elements consisting of lever arms, and said reciprocating means comprising a reciprocable bar extending lengthwise of the succession to which the lever arms are pivoted for up and down movement of the free ends thereof, a lever strut extending downwardly and rearwardly, considered in the direction of carrying of the articles, being provided on each lever arm, and said system including a second lengthwise reciprocable bar having notches in which the lower ends of the struts are engageable, there being a lost-motion driving connection from the second bar to the first, whereby during the first part of the forward motion of the second bar, the notches advance relative to the first bar to move the struts to raise the elements, the two bars then move together during the remainder of the forward motion carrying the raised elements to their second stations, and during the first part of the return motion of the second bar the notches move relative to the first bar causing the struts to lower the elements and the two bars then return to their first position carrying the lowered elements to their first stations.