Patent US3818840A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3818840A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Power and free conveyor system
Assignee: Jervis B Webb Co
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Filing: 1972-11-15
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Granted: 1974-06-25
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Expires: 1992-11-15
Abstract
Abstract A power and free conveyor system having a plurality of carriers which circulate on a carrier supporting track from a loading station to an unloading station and return, each carrier having a driving dog releasably engageable by one of a plurality of pushers of a propelling member supported on an adjacent track. Along the forwarding portion of the system extending from the loading station to the unloading station, the carriers are employed in pairs, each pair comprising a forward carrier and a rearward carrier to which the load is attached and which operator as a unit in the conveyance of the load. Engagement between a pusher and the driving dog of the rearward carrier of a pair is prevented along this forwarding portion of the system, alternate arrangements being disclosed for this purpose. An operative relationship between the pushers and the driving dog of each rearward carrier of a pair is provided for along the return portion of the system from the unloading to the loading station so that the carriers can be individually propelled and controlled as desired.
Inventors
- 👤 C Dehne
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 19:23
CPC Classifications
B; B61; B61B; B61B10/00; B61B10/02; B61B10/025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
221 words
A conveyor system including a plurality of carriers supported on a carrier track, each carrier having a driving dog engageable by one of a plurality of pushers of a propelling member supported on a track adjacent to the carrier track; wherein the improvement comprises: a loading station at which a load is attached to and connects a pair of carriers to form a load carrying unit, one of the pair of carriers being a forward carrier and the other of the pair of carriers being a rearward carrier; an unloading station at which the load is detached from the pair of carriers, the carrier track including a forwarding portion extending from the loading station to the unloading station and a return portion extending from the unloading station to the loading station; and, means operative beginning at the loading station for preventing the driving dog of the rearward carrier of the load carrying unit from being engaged by any of the pushers during at least a portion of the travel of the load carrying unit from the loading station to the unloading station and for returning the driving dog of said rearward carrier to engageable relation with one of the pushers at the unloading station whereby the pair of carriers can be individually propelled along the return portion of the carrier track.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
221 words
A conveyor system including a plurality of carriers supported on a carrier track, each carrier having a driving dog engageable by one of a plurality of pushers of a propelling member supported on a track adjacent to the carrier track; wherein the improvement comprises: a loading station at which a load is attached to and connects a pair of carriers to form a load carrying unit, one of the pair of carriers being a forward carrier and the other of the pair of carriers being a rearward carrier; an unloading station at which the load is detached from the pair of carriers, the carrier track including a forwarding portion extending from the loading station to the unloading station and a return portion extending from the unloading station to the loading station; and, means operative beginning at the loading station for preventing the driving dog of the rearward carrier of the load carrying unit from being engaged by any of the pushers during at least a portion of the travel of the load carrying unit from the loading station to the unloading station and for returning the driving dog of said rearward carrier to engageable relation with one of the pushers at the unloading station whereby the pair of carriers can be individually propelled along the return portion of the carrier track.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
116 words
A conveyor system according to claim 1 wherein the means for preventing the driving dog of the rearward carrier from being engaged by any of the pushers comprises the provision of a lesser extent of driving engagement between a pusher and the driving dog of the rearward carrier than between a pusher and the driving dog of the forward carrier at a normal spacing between the carrier and propelling member tracks, and a greater than normal spacing between said tracks is established beginning at the loading station, at which greater spacing the driving dog of the rearward carrier is not engageable by a pusher, said tracks being returned to the normal spacing at the unloading station.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
A conveyor system according to claim 1 wherein the driving dog of the rearward carrier is movable to a non-engageable position relative to a pusher, and the means for preventing the driving dog of the rearward carrier from being engaged by any of the pushers comprises a latch device on the rearward carrier for retaining the driving dog thereof in the non-engageable position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
69 words
A conveyor system according to claim 3 wherein the driving dog of the rearward carrier includes a pin operatively associated therewith, the latch device being movably mounted on the carrier and having a cam surface engageable with the pin, and means for moving the latch device into engagement with the pin whereby the cam surface of the latch device produces movement of the driving dog to the non-engageable position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A conveyor system according to claim 4 wherein the means for moving the latch device includes a follower secured to the latch device and engageable with a cam mounted adjacent to the carrier supporting track.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A conveyor system according to claim 1 wherein the means for preventing the driving dog of the rearward carrier from being engaged by any of the pushers is responsive to the attachment of the load to the rearward one of the carriers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
142 words
A conveyor system according to claim 1 wherein the rearward one of the carriers includes a trolley having a driving dog mounted thereon for movement between engageable and non-engageable positions relative to the pushers, and the means for preventing the driving dog of the rearward carrier from being engaged by any of the pushers comprises a load hangar secured to the trolley, a load carrying member movably mounted on the load hangar, yieldable means normally urging the load carrying member to an unloaded position and permitting movement of the load carrying member to loaded position in response to the attachment of a load to the rearward one of the carriers, and a connection from the load carrying member to the driving dog capable of moving the driving dog to the non-engageable position when the load carrying member moves to said loaded position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
A conveyor system according to claim 7 wherein the load hangar is provided with an abutment, the load carrying member including a sleeve slidably engaging the load hangar, and said yieldable means comprises a compression spring interposed between the sleeve and the abutment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
A conveyor system according to claim 7 wherein the connection from the load carrying member to the driving dog permits movement of the driving dog to the non-engageable position when the load carrying member is in said unloaded position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
72 words
A conveyor system according to claim 1 wherein a carrier stop is provided at the loading station for arresting movement of the forward carrier of a pair, the carrier stop being located a distance beyond a location where said means becomes operative for preventing the driving dog of the rearward carrier from being engaged by any of the pushers, said distance being at least equal to the maximum length of the load.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3229645A
Cited
US3640226A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-24 | 1977-12-24 | 1978-06-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-24 | 1981-12-24 | 1982-06-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-24 | 1985-12-24 | 1986-06-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |