Parts conveyor pallet and means for supporting same on an initial pair of rails and switching same to a second pair of rails

Abstract

Abstract A pallet for conveying parts through a succession of work stations. The primary support for the pallet comprises a pair of vertically aligned tubular rails. The pallet is support on these rails by a pair of upper rollers mounted on said pallet and riding on the upper rail and a pair of lower rollers mounted on said pallet and riding on the lower rail along with a third pair of intermediate or clamping rollers, shiftably mounted on said pallet, which cooperates with the upper rollers to clamp the pallet to the upper rail. In this manner the pallet is cantilevered from the top rail. The pallet is driven by means of a downwardly extending arm having a spring loaded friction plate which frictionally engages the top of a flat segmented (crescent) chain disposed beneath the pallet and continuously driven by conventional means. The first mentioned rails are disposed in a continuous path. Each work station is mounted to one side of said path. For each work station there is a side pair of vertically aligned rails extending closely adjacent to and parallel to said first mentioned rails a relatively short distance, then leaving said first mentioned rails to lead to a said work station, and then extending back to said first mentioned rails wherein said side pair of rails is again closely adjacent to and parallel to said first mentioned rails a relatively short distance. A second chain, like the chain first described and running at the same speed thereof, is positioned beneath said side pair of rails at the same level as said first chain. The said plate extends beyond said first chain a distance sufficient to engage said second chain when said pallet is brought into proximity with said side pair of rails. Said pallet has mounted thereon a second pair of upper rollers, and a second pair of lower rollers, disposed to engage said side pair of rails when the pallet is brought to that position wherein the side pair of rails is parallel to said first mentioned rails. At this last mentioned point means are actuated to disengage said third pair of rollers from clamping engagement with said first mentioned upper rail while immediately causing a similar pair of clamping rollers to engage the upper of said side pair of rails whereby said pallet is then cantilevered from said side pair of rails by virtue of said second pair of upper rollers, said similar pair of clamping rollers and said second pair of lower rollers. Continued movement of the chains will cause the pallet to move along on the side rails to the work station. Similarly the pallet may be placed back on the first mentioned rails when the side rails are parallel thereto and means are actuated to again reverse the positions of said first mentioned, and said similar, clamping rollers.

Inventors

• 👤 G Lott
• 👤 F Little

Bibliographic Details