Variable speed conveyor

Claim 2

A transportation system comprising a supporting means for movement longitudinally along a predetermined path, a rotatable driving roller extending in a generally transverse direction of said path and having a surface with a diameter varying axially thereof, rail means having a width less than the axial length of said surface of the roller, said rail means being mounted on said supporting means for engaging different portions of said surface of said roller, means for constraining transverse movement of said supporting means, and means to change the driven speed of said supporting means by engagement of said rail means with said different portions of said surface at different axial positions along said roller.

Claim 3

A transportation system according to claim 1 wherein said driving roller is mounted for rotation about an axis extending transversely of said path, said surface of said driving roller being tapered from a larger diameter to a smaller diameter in a direction transversely of said path, said rail means further comprising a rail extending in a direction generally longitudinal of said path, said rail being canted so that one end is engageable with said surface of said driving roller having a smaller diameter and the other end is engageable with said surface of said driving roller having a larger diameter whereby the speed of said supporting means is varied according to the peripheral speed of said portions of said surface along the roller engaged by said rail.

Claim 4

A transportation system according to claim 2 wherein said supporting means comprises a load carrying platform and said means for constraining transverse movement including guide means and said rail being mounted on the underside of said platform for engagement with said portions of said surface of said driving roller over which said platform is moved

Claim 5

A transportation system according to claim 3 wherein said guide means is mounted on said platform and engageable with a longitudinal member extending along said path.

Claim 6

A transportation system according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of driving rollers like said driving roller disposed at spaced apart positions and in series along said path for simultaneous engagement of said rail means with two or more of said driving rollers.

Claim 7

A transportation system according to claim 5 wherein each of said driving rollers is rotated at a predetermined different driving speed, the surfaces of said rollers being tapered from a portion of greater diameter to a portion of smaller diameter providing portions on the same roller of different peripheral speed and portions of the same peripheral speed on adjacent rollers, and said rail means being mounted on said supporting means for engaging said driving rollers at said portions of the same peripheral speed whereby the slippage between said rail means and said driving rollers due to different driving speeds is minimized.

Claim 8

A transportation system according to claim 6 wherein each of said driving rollers is rotated at a progressively changing speed along said path and said rail means are mounted in a canted position for engagement with said portions of greater diameter of said rollers rotating at a slower speed and for engagement with said portions of smaller diameter of said rOllers rotating at a higher speed whereby the peripheral driving speed of said rollers will be the same.

Claim 9

A transportation system according to claim 7 wherein said means to constrain transverse movement of said supporting means includes guide means mounted on said supporting means.

Claim 10

A transportation system according to claim 8 wherein as said driving rollers of progressively changing speed move said supporting means along said path, the driven speed of said supporting means is changed as said canted rail means engages said rollers at different axial positions.

Claim 11

A transportation system according to claim 6 wherein said rail means extends longitudinally of said path and is mounted on said supporting means for movement transversely of said path for engagement with said rollers at different positions axially thereof to change the speed of said supporting means.

Claim 12

A transportation system according to claim 10 wherein said driving rollers are rotated at the same speed and said rail means is swingably mounted to move axially along said surfaces of said rollers to change the speed of said supporting means and means for moving said rail means to provide the desired speed change of said supporting means.

Claim 13

A transportation system according to claim 10 wherein said means for moving said rail means comprises a spreading member extending longitudinally of said path and slideably controlling the swinging movement of said rail means.

Claim 14

A transportation system according to claim 5 wherein said rail means includes a pair of rails extending longitudinally beneath said supporting means, and said means for constraining transverse movement of said supporting means further comprises the surfaces of said driving rollers being symmetrically tapered from the longitudinal center of said rollers toward the ends whereby said pair of rails in engagement with said rollers will guide said supporting means longitudinally along said path with lateral restraint.

Claim 15

A speed changing apparatus comprising a driven member movable longitudinally along a predetermined path, a driving roller extending in a generally transverse direction of said path and having a surface with a diameter varying axially thereof, rail means having a width less than the axial length of said surface of the roller, said rail means being mounted on said driven member for engagement with different portions of said surface axially along said driving roller, means to constrain transverse movement of said driven member and means to change the driven speed of said driven member by engagement of said rail means with said different portions of said surface along said roller.

Claim 16

A speed changing apparatus comprising a driven member movable longitudinally along a predetermined path, a driving roller extending in a generally transverse direction of said path and having a surface with a diameter varying axially thereof, rail means having a width less than the axial length of said surface of the roller, said rail means being mounted on said driven member for engagement with different portions of said surface axially along said driving roller, means to constrain transverse movement of said driven member and means to change the driven speed of said driven member by engagement of said rail means with said different portions of said surface along said roller.

Claim 17

A speed changing apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said apparatus further comprises a plurality of driving rollers like said driving roller disposed in spaced-apart positions for simultaneous engagement of said rail means with two or more of said driving rollers.

Claim 18

A speed changing apparatus according to claim 15 wherein each of said driving rollers is rotated at a predetermined different driving speed, the surfaces of said rollers being tapered from a portion of greater diameter to a portion of smaller diameter providing portions on the same roller of different peripheral speeds and portions of the same peripheral speeds on adjacent rollers and said rail means being mounted on said driven member for engaging said driving rollers at said portions of the same peripheral speed whereby the slippage between said rail means and said driving rollers due to different driving speeds is minimized.

Claim 19

A speed changing apparatus according to claim 16 wherein adjacent driving rollers are rotated at progressively changing speeds and said rail means are mounted in a canted position for engagement with said portions of greater diameter of said rollers rotating at a slower speed and for engagement with said portions of smaller diameter of said rollers rotating at a higher speed.