Construction for discharging articles from inclined storage lanes

Claim 2

A construction for the downstream end of an inclined article supporting lane along which the articles advance in a downstream direction under the control of a release having a gate movable between article stopping and releasing positions, wherein the improvement comprises: a framework for supporting the downstream end of the article supporting lane; at least one relEase including a frame supporting the gate, the release frame being carried by the framework and having portions on the upstream and on the downstream sides of the gate; and, the article supporting lane including an article supporting portion on the upstream side of the gate and an article exiting portion on the downstream side of the gate, said portions of the storage lane being respectively supported adjacent to the upstream and downstream sides of the gate by the upstream and downstream portions of the release frame and being supported by said framework at locations spaced from said sides of the gate.

Claim 3

A construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein the article supporting portion of the storage lane on the upstream side of the gate is terminated by article supporting roller means carried by the release frame and extending substantially the width of the article supporting lane.

Claim 4

A construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein the framework includes a pair of parallel frame members extending transversely of the article supporting lane in longitudinally spaced relation thereto, the release frame extending longitudinally between said frame members and having end portions supported thereby.

Claim 5

A construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said frame members and the end portions of the release frame are provided with interengageable surfaces which define the position of the release frame in a direction longitudinally of the article supporting lane and vertically with reference to the article supporting plane thereof.

Claim 6

A construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said frame members extend transversely to the article supporting lane a distance such that said frame members are capable of supporting a plurality of release frames.

Claim 7

A construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said portions of the release frame on the upstream and downstream sides of the gate are formed at least in part by a pair of release frame side members which extend longitudinally of the article supporting lane.

Claim 8

A construction as set forth in claim 6 wherein the framework includes a pair of frame members extending transversely to the article supporting lane and in longitudinally spaced relation thereto, said release frame side members each having end portions, and interfitting surfaces provided on the frame members and the end portions of the release frame side members to define the position of the release frame longitudinally of the article supporting lane and vertically with respect to the article supporting plane thereof.

Claim 9

A construction as set forth in claim 7 further including means carried by the release frame side members for movably supporting the gate.

Claim 10

A construction as set forth in claim 8 wherein the means for movably supporting the gate include a pair of transversely spaced gate supporting arms pivotally carried by the release frame, and means for rocking the gate supporting arms in unison to move the gate between article stopping and releasing positions.

Claim 11

A construction as set forth in claim 9 wherein the means for rocking each gate supporting arm includes a toggle link pivotally connected thereto, a second toggle link mounted on an axis extending between the release frame side members and pivotally connected to the first toggle link, means for rocking the toggle links in unison, and abutment means for locking the gate supporting arms in the locking position of the gate.

Claim 12

A construction as set forth in claim 9 wherein the gate is pivoted to the gate supporting arms on an axis extending transversely to the article supporting lane, and a control link is pivotally connected between the release frame and the gate for defining the position thereof about said pivotal axis.

Claim 13

A construction as set forth in claim 9 wherein the gate is provided with a stop face engageable by an article on the article supporting lane when the gate is in the stopping position, and with a roller mounted above the stop face, the roller being engageabLe with the underside of such article when the gate is moved to the releasing position.

Claim 14

A construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein the framework includes a pair of parallel frame members extending transversely to the article supporting lane and in longitudinally spaced relation thereto adjacent the discharge end thereof; the release frame including a pair of parallel, transversely spaced side members extending longitudinally of the article supporting lane and having end portions interfittingly engaging said transverse frame members, the transverse spacing between the side members of the release frame being less than the length of said transverse frame members so that a plurality of release frames can be supported thereby.

Claim 15

A construction as set forth in claim 13 further including means carried by a plurality of release frames for movably supporting the gate.

Claim 16

A construction as set forth in claim 14 wherein the means for movably supporting the gate include a pair of transversely spaced gate supporting arms pivotally carried by the release frames, and means for rocking the gate supporting arms in unison to move the gate between article stopping and releasing positions.

Claim 17

A construction as set forth in claim 15 wherein the gate is pivoted to the gate supporting arms on an axis extending transversely to the article supporting lane, and a control link is pivotally connected between at least one of the release frames and the gate for defining the position thereof about said pivotal axis, the control link as the gate is moved from the stopping to the releasing position being capable of imparting to the gate an initial component of motion in the downstream direction followed by a component of motion in the upstream direction as the gate moves below the article.

Claim 18

A construction as set forth in claim 15 wherein the means for rocking each gate supporting arm includes a toggle link pivotally connected thereto, a shaft supported on an axis extending between the pair of release frames, a second toggle link fixed to the shaft and pivotally connected to the first toggle link, and means carried by at least one of the release frames for rocking the shaft.

Claim 19

A construction as set forth in claim 17 wherein the means for rocking the shaft includes a solenoid supported by one of the release frames, and a crank fixed to the shaft and operatively connected with the solenoid.

Claim 20

A release device having a gate movable between article stopping and releasing positions for controlling the discharge of articles from the downstream end of an inclined article supporting lane, comprising: a release frame including a pair of parallel side members, transversely spaced a desired distance relative to the width of the article supporting lane; a pair of transversely spaced gate supporting levers pivotally carried by the frame side members, each gate supporting lever including a supporting arm portion and an actuating arm portion, and the gate having a stop face secured between the supporting arm portions; and means for rocking the gate supporting levers in unison to move the gate between article stopping and releasing positions, including a toggle link pivotally connected to the actuating arm portion of each lever, a pair of second toggle links mounted on an axis extending between the release frame side members and pivotally connected to the first toggle links, and means for rocking the toggle links.

Claim 21

A release device having a gate movable between article stopping and releasing positions for controlling the discharge of articles from the downstream end of an inclined article supporting lane, comprising: a release frame including a pair of parallel side members, transversely spaced a desired distance relative to the width of the article supporting lane; a pair of transversely spaced gate supporting levers pivotally carried by the frame side members, each gate supporting lever including a supporting arm portion and an actuating arm portion, and the gate having a stop face secured between the supporting arm portions; and means for rocking the gate supporting levers in unison to move the gate between article stopping and releasing positions, including a toggle link pivotally connected to the actuating arm portion of each lever, a pair of second toggle links mounted on an axis extending between the release frame side members and pivotally connected to the first toggle links, and means for rocking the toggle links.

Claim 22

A release device as set forth in claim 19 wherein the first toggle links and the actuating arm portions of the gate supporting levers are provided with interengageable abutment means which lock the gate supporting levers in the stopping position of the gate.

Claim 23

A release device as set forth in claim 19 wherein the gate includes a roller rotatably mounted above the stop face of the gate, the roller being engageable with the underside of an article on the article supporting lane when the gate is moved to the releasing position.

Claim 24

A Release device according to claim 19 wherein the gate is pivoted to the gate supporting levers, and a control link is pivotally connected between the release frame and the gate for defining the position thereof about said pivotal axis, the control link as the gate is moved from the stopping to the releasing position being capable of imparting to the gate an iniital component of motion in the downstream direction followed by a component of motion in the upstream direction as the gate moves below the article.

Claim 25

A release device according to claim 19 wherein the means for rocking the toggle links includes a solenoid supported by the release frame.

Claim 26

A release device according to claim 19 wherein the stop face of the gate is inclined upwardly and in the downstream direction relative to the article supporting lane when the gate is in the stopping position, the stop face in such position being closely adjacent to the downstream end of the article supporting lane.

Claim 27

A release device as set forth in claim 19 further including abutment means between the actuating arm portions of the gate supporting levers and the means for rocking said levers, said abutment means being capable of locking the gate supporting levers in the stopping position of the gate.

Claim 28

A release device as set forth in claim 19 wherein the gate supporting levers are transversely spaced a distance substantially equal to the width of the article supporting lane.

Claim 29

A release device as set forth in claim 26 wherein the gate includes a roller rotatably mounted above the stop face of the gate, the roller being engageable with the underside of an article on the article supporting lane when the gate is moved to the releasing position.

Claim 30

A release device as set forth in claim 19 further including a supporting roller rotatably carried between the release frame side members adjacent to the upstream side of the gate, the periphery of the supporting roller being adapted to be engaged by the underside of an article on the upstream side of the gate.

Claim 31

A release device as set forth in claim 28 wherein the supporting roller has a length substantially equal to the width of the article supporting lane.