Conveyor diverter mechanism

Claim 2

A diverter for use with an endless belt type conveyor, said diverter comprising a blade member arranged to be positioned atop and transversely of said conveyor in a position to intercept the objects carried by said conveyor, means for pivotally mounting one edge of said blade member, and lift means operatively connected to said blade member at a position spaced transversely of said member from said pivotal mounting means for moving said member between a first position wherein it lies generally in the plane of said conveyor so as to permit said objects to pass thereover and a second position wherein it is pivoted upwardly about said one edge into a position to block the paths of said objects on said conveyor and divert said objects from said conveyor.

Claim 3

A diverter according to claim 1 wherein said blade member has a cross sectional configuration of an arcuate segment wherein in said first position a flat lower surface of said blade member lies adjacent to said conveyor and an arcuate upper surface of said blade provides a low barrier over which said objects can pass.

Claim 4

A diverter according to claim 2 wherein said blade member includes a covering of a low friction material.

Claim 5

A diverter according to claim 1 wherein said means for pivotally mounting said blade member comprises a pair of plates, means for clamping one pair of adjacent edges of said plates together to releasably secure one end of said blade member therebetween, a hinge connected to at least one of the other pair of adjacent edges of said plates, and means for mounting said hinge adjacent to and generally in the plane of said conveyor so that said blade member extends across said conveyor.

Claim 6

A diverter according to claim 4 wherein said means for mounting said hinge comprises a frame member having three connected wall portions defining a generally triangularly shaped cross section, said hinge being mounted upon one of said wall portions and in alignment therewith so that said blade member extends at an acute angle with the adjacent side of the conveyor and in the upstream direction on said conveyor, and means for mounting one of the other wall portions of the frame member to the side of the conveyor.

Claim 7

A diverter according to claim 1 wherein said means for pivotally mounting said blade member is positioned adjacent to and laterally of said conveyor, said pivotal mounting means being positioned so that said blade member extends at an acute angle with the adjacent side of the conveyor and in the upstream direction on said conveyor.

Claim 8

A diverter according to claim 1 including a frame member for mounting one end of said blade member adjacent to and laterally of said conveyor, said lift means being mounted on said frame member and including a solenoid.

Claim 9

A diverter according to claim 7 wherein said lift means comprises a chain operatively connected to said blade member, said solenoid being operatively attached to said chain so as to cause the end connected to the blade member to move upwardly upon the actuation of the solenoid to thereby move said blade member into its said second position, and spring means attached between said blade member and said frame member for returning said blade member to its said first position upon deactuation of said solenoid.

Claim 10

A diverter according to claim 8 wherein said means for pivotally mounting said blade member comprises a pair of plates, means for clamping one pair of adjacent edges of said plates together to releasably secure one end of said blade member therebetween, a hinge connected to at least one of the other adjacent edges of said plates, and means for mounting said hinge upon said frame member, said chain being attached to said one pair of adjacent edges of said plates.

Claim 11

A diverter for use with an endless belt type conveyor, said diverter comprising a blade member, a frame member having three connected wall portions defining a generally triangularly shaped cross section, means for pivotally mounting one end of said blade member upon one of said wall portions so that the blade member extends generally in the plane of said one wall portion, said pivotal mounting means being attached to the blade member so as to cause pivotal movement about one edge of said blade member, lift means mounted on said frame member and operatively connected to said blade member at a position spaced transversely of the blade member from said one edge thereof in order to pivot said blade member about said one edge between an unactuated position wherein said blade member lies in a generally flat position in the plane of said conveyor and an actuated position wherein the blade member lies generally in a plane at an angle with the plane of the conveyor to block the movement of articles upon said conveyor, means for selectively mounting one of the other of said wall portions upon the side of said conveyor so as to position said blade member transversely of said conveyor and at an acute angle thereto, and means for actuating said lift means to move said blade member between the actuated and unactuated positions.

Claim 12

A diverter for use with an endless belt type conveyor, said diverter comprising a blade member, a frame member having three connected wall portions defining a generally triangularly shaped cross section, means for pivotally mounting one end of said blade member upon one of said wall portions so that the blade member extends generally in the plane of said one wall portion, said pivotal mounting means being attached to the blade member so as to cause pivotal movement about one edge of said blade member, lift means mounted on said frame member and operatively connected to said blade member at a position spaced transversely of the blade member from said one edge thereof in order to pivot said blade member about said one edge between an unactuated position wherein said blade member lies in a generally flat position in the plane of said conveyor and an actuated position wherein the blade member lies generally in a plane at an angle with the plane of the conveyor to block the movement of articles upon said conveyor, means for selectively mounting one of the other of said wall portions upon the side of said conveyor so as to position said blade member transversely of said conveyor and at an acute angle thereto, and means for actuating said lift means to move said blade member between the actuated and unactuated positions.

Claim 13

A diverter according to claim 10 wherein said blade member has a cross sectional configuration of an arcuate segment with a flat surface adapted to overlie the conveyor in the unactuated position of the blade member and an arcuate surface adapted to block the movement of said articles upon the conveyor in the actuated position of the blade member.

Claim 14

A diverter according to claim 11 wherein said blade member includes a covering of a low friction material.

Claim 15

A diverter according to claim 11 wherein said means for pivotally mounting said blade member comprises a flat plate underlying said flat surface of the blade member in its unactuated position, a cover plate having an arcuate portion adapted to overlie the blade member in its unactuated position and a flat portion, means for releasably clamping said flat portion of the cover plate to said flat plate to releasably secure the blade member therebetween, and a hinge connected to at least one plate of one adjacent pair of edges of said flat plate and said cover plate for pivotally mounting said plates to said frame member.

Claim 16

A diverter according to claim 13 wherein said lift means includes a chain connected at one end thereof to one of said plate members in the area where they are releasably clamped together, and said means for actuating said lift means includes a solenoid connected to said chain so as to cause said one end thereof to be elevated upon actuation of said solenoid.