Conveyor trolley with camming heads

Claim 1

In a conveyor trolley system in which a series of loadcarrying trolleys are movable in rolling suspension frOm an overhead monorail track, an improved system which includes: a series of trolleys, each of which has a longitudinal dimension along a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to straight line portions of said track, said longitudinal dimension being limited to a predetermined maximum for any single trolley; a monorail track including curved portions restricted to a predetermined range of curvature related to said maximum longitudinal dimension for a single trolley to limit the range of turning angle between longitudinal axes of two successive trolleys in pushing engagement with each other; and each of said trolleys in said series of trolleys including; a carrier member extending along the longitudinal axis of said trolley; a pair of trolley head assemblies carrying said carrier member in rolling suspension from said track, said pair comprising a leading head and a trailing head at the leading and trailing ends, respectively, of said carrier, each of said head assemblies including: a series of two rollers rolling on the upper surface of said track, said rollers having bearing axes transverse to said track, said roller axes defining a horizontal roller axis plane spaced above said track; a body in which said two roller members are rotatably mounted, said body overhanging said rollers, said body including coupling cam surfaces for making smooth pushing engagement between successive trolleys on said track; a hanger disposed to one side of said track and extending vertically from said carrier to an elevation above said roller axis plane; a vertical hanger swivel for connecting the lower end of said hanger to said carrier and permitting said hanger to swivel about a vertical hanger axis; a horizontal body swivel for connecting the upper end of said hanger to said body at an elevation above said roller axis plane and permitting said body to swivel with respect to said hanger about a horizontal body axis transverse to said track and midway between said roller axes; and a skirt cam integral with said body and extending downwardly adjacent the side of said track opposite the side at which said hanger is disposed, said skirt cam having a wall surface adjacent said track, which wall surface smoothly diverges downwardly away from the side of said track in both leading and trailing directions to inhibit derailment of said trolley head assembly while permitting accommodation of said assembly to said predetermined track curvature.