Pressure relieved trolley stop for conveyors

Claim 2

A stop for conveyors, said stop having an article engaging tongue, means mounting said tongue both for lateral movement and for reciprocation between extended article engaging and retracted article disengaging positions; locking means movable between locked and unlocked positions; said locking means in locked position engaging said tongue and holding said tongue against lateral movement and in unlocked position disengaging said tongue; means for shifting said locking means into locked position as said tongue is shifted to extended position and for shifting said locking means into unlocked position before said tongue is retracted whereby said tongue may shift laterally before said tongue is retracted.

Claim 3

A stop for conveyors as described in claim 1 further characterized in that a lost motion connection is provided between said locking means and said tongue for effecting sequential shifting of said locking means and said tongue.

Claim 4

A stop for conveyors as described in claim 2 further characterized in that said means for shifting said locking means includes a spring for biasing said locking means and tongue into extended position and a prime mover for shifting said locking means and tongue into retracted position.

Claim 5

A stop for conveyors, said stop having an article engaging tongue, said tongue having a forward article engaging end and a rearward end; means mounting said tongue both for lateral pivotal movement of said forward end and for reciprocation between extended article engaging and retracted article disengaging positions; locking means movable between locked and unlocked positions; said locking means in locked position engaging said tongue and holding said forward end thereof against pivotal movement and in unlocked position disengaging said tongue; means for shifting said locking means into locked position as said tongue is shifted to extended position and for shifting said locking means into unlocked position before said tongue is retracted whereby said tongue may pivot before said tongue is retracted.

Claim 6

A stop for conveyors, said stop having an article engaging tongue, said tongue having a forward article engaging end and a rearward end; means mounting said tongue both for lateral pivotal movement of said forward end and for reciprocation between extended article engaging and retracted article disengaging positions; locking means movable between locked and unlocked positions; said locking means in locked position engaging said tongue and holding said forward end thereof against pivotal movement and in unlocked position disengaging said tongue; means for shifting said locking means into locked position as said tongue is shifted to extended position and for shifting said locking means into unlocked position before said tongue is retracted whereby said tongue may pivot before said tongue is retracted.

Claim 7

A stop for conveyors, said stop having a base frame and an anchor member mounted thereon for reciprocal movement, a tongue mounted on said anchor member for reciprocal movement between extended and retracted positions, the forward end of said tongue in extended position being adapted to engage and arrest articles on the conveyor, said stop characterized in that means are provided for securing the rearward end of said tongue to said anchor frame for pivotal movement laterally thereof; lock means shiftable between locked and unlocked positions; means connected to said lock means for shifting said lock means between its positions and means for reciprocating said tongue; means for sequentially timing the operation of said lock means and said tongue whereby said lock means is shifted into locked position before said tongue is shifted to extended position and said lock means is shifted to unlocked position before said tongue is shifted to retracted position; said lock means in locked position holding said tongue against lateral pivotal movement.

Claim 8

A stop for conveyors, said stop having a base frame and an anchor member mounted thereon for reciprocal movement, a tongue mounted on said anchor member for reciprocal movement between extended and retracted positions, the forward end of said tongue in extended position being adapted to engage and arrest articles on the conveyor, said stop characterized in that means are provided for securing the rearward end of said tongue to said anchor frame for pivotal movement laterally thereof; lock means shiftable between locked and unlocked positions; means connected to said lock means for shifting said lock means between its positions and means for reciprocating said tongue; means for sequentially timing the operation of said lock means and said tongue whereby said lock means is shifted into locked position before said tongue is shifted to extended position and said lock means is shifted to unlocked position before said tongue is shifted to retracted position; said lock means in locked position holding said tongue against lateral pivotal movement.

Claim 9

A stop for conveyors as described in claim 5 further characterized in that a first lock means engaging member is mounted on said tongue and a second lock engaging member is fixedly secured to said anchor member; said lock means in locked position being seated between said first and second members for holding said tongue and said first member against movement toward said second member.

Claim 10

A stop for conveyors as described In claim 6 further characterized in that said lock means has a forward portion, said portion being wedge-shaped to cam said first and second members apart.

Claim 11

A stop for conveyors as described in claim 7 further characterized in that said first and second members are rotatably mounted and are of hardened, indentation resistent material having a low coeffecient of friction surface to facilitate the engagement and disengagement of said forward end of said lock means.

Claim 12

A stop for conveyors as described in claim 5 further characterized in that a first lock means engaging member is mounted on said tongue and a pair of second lock engaging members are fixedly secured to said anchor member, said second locking engaging members being spaced apart laterally of said anchor member whereby said first lock engaging member can pass between them; said lock means having a pair of arms forming a bifurcated cam portion, said arms, when said lock is in locked position receiving said first lock member between them and engaging both of said second lock members for holding said tongue and first lock member against lateral pivotal movement; said arms when said lock means is in unlocked position being disengaged from both said first and second members.

Claim 13

A stop for conveyors as described in claim 5 further characterized in that said lock means is a plate seated upon said tongue and slidable lengthwise thereof; said plate having a slot elongated lengthwise thereof for receiving therethrough said means securing the rearward end of said tongue, the length of said slot being such as to permit said plate limited movement relative to and lengthwise of said tongue; means resiliently biasing said plate forwardly toward locked position; a prime mover and means connecting said prime mover to said plate for restraining said plate against forward movement; control means for said prime mover intermittently actuating said prime mover to alternately shift said connecting means between tongue extended and tongue retracted positions.

Claim 14

A stop for conveyors as described in claim 10 further characterized in that said securing means is a pin and plate shifts said tongue into extended position after the rearward end of said slot engages said pin and said plate has shifted in locked position and said plate shifts said tongue into retracted position after the forward end of said slot engages said pin and said plate has shifted into unlocked position.

Claim 15

A stop for conveyors as described in claim 11 further characterized in that said connecting means in a linkage one end of which engages said plate; said linkage having a lost motion connection permitting said linkage to shift to tongue extended position without corresponding movement of said plate on said tongue.

Claim 16

A stop for conveyors as described in claim 12 wherein said prime mover is an electric motor; a cam operatively connected to and rotated by said motor; said linkage having a drive bar and a control link; one end of said control link being pivotally mounted and the other end thereof engaging said plate; said lost motion connection being between said drive bar and said control link.

Claim 17

A stop for conveyors as described in claim 13 wherein a pair of switches are provided in the electrical supply for said motor; said switches being mounted for alternate actuation by said cam, one when said tongue is in extended position and the other when said tongue is in retracted position.

Claim 18

A stop for conveyors, said stop having a base frame and an anchor member mounted thereon for reciprocal movement, a tongue mounted on said anchor member for reciprocal movement between extended and retracted positions, the forward end of said tongue in extended position being adapted to engage and arrest articles on the conveyor, said stop characterized in that said tongue having a stop arm and a holding arm, lock means seated between said arms; said lock means being movable lengthwise with respect to said arms between a locked position and an unlocked posiTion, said lock means in locked position holding said stop and holding arms apart and in unlocked position releasing said stop arm for pivotal movement toward said holding arm, means for sequentially shifting said lock means into locked position and then said tongue into extended position and for sequentially shifting said lock means into unlocked position and then said tongue into retracted position.

Claim 19

A stop for conveyors, said stop having a base frame and an anchor member mounted thereon for reciprocal movement, a tongue mounted on said anchor member for reciprocal movement between extended and retracted positions, the forward end of said tongue in extended position being adapted to engage and arrest articles on the conveyor, said stop characterized in that said tongue having a stop arm and a holding arm, lock means seated between said arms; said lock means being movable lengthwise with respect to said arms between a locked position and an unlocked posiTion, said lock means in locked position holding said stop and holding arms apart and in unlocked position releasing said stop arm for pivotal movement toward said holding arm, means for sequentially shifting said lock means into locked position and then said tongue into extended position and for sequentially shifting said lock means into unlocked position and then said tongue into retracted position.

Claim 20

A stop for conveyors as described in claim 15 wherein a lost motion connection is provided between said lock means and said tongue for effecting said sequential operation.

Claim 21

A stop for conveyors as described in claim 16 wherein a lock engaging member if fixedly secured to each of said stop and holding arms and said lock means has a bayonet portion mounted thereon for travel between and engagement of said lock engaging members; a bar on said lock means rearwardly of said bayonet portion engageable with said lock engaging means for shifting said tongue into extended position after said bayonet has engaged said lock engaging means.

Claim 22

A stop for conveyors as described in claim 17 wherein said shifting means includes a spring secured to said lock means for resiliently biasing said lock means into locked position and said tongue into extended position and a prime mover and linkage connected to said lock means for retracting both said lock means and said tongue against the bias of said spring.

Claim 23

A stop for conveyors, said stop having a tongue and means for reciprocating said tongue between extended and retracted positions, said tongue in extended position projecting into the path of articles on the conveyor and restraining their forward movement, the improvement in said stop comprising: said tongue having a forward end and a rearward end, said forward end being the article engaging portion thereof; a pivot member pivotally mounting the rearward end of said tongue whereby the forward end of said tongue can shift in the direction of movement of articles on the conveyor; lock means for pivoting said tongue into an upstream position with respect to the direction of movement of articles on the conveyor and locking said tongue against pivotal movement when said tongue is in extended position; means for sequentially disengaging said lock means to free said tongue for pivotal movement and retracting said tongue.

Claim 24

A stop for conveyors, said stop having a tongue and means for reciprocating said tongue between extended and retracted positions, said tongue in extended position projecting into the path of articles on the conveyor and restraining their forward movement, the improvement in said stop comprising: said tongue having a forward end and a rearward end, said forward end being the article engaging portion thereof; a pivot member pivotally mounting the rearward end of said tongue whereby the forward end of said tongue can shift in the direction of movement of articles on the conveyor; lock means for pivoting said tongue into an upstream position with respect to the direction of movement of articles on the conveyor and locking said tongue against pivotal movement when said tongue is in extended position; means for sequentially disengaging said lock means to free said tongue for pivotal movement and retracting said tongue.

Claim 25

In combination, a conveyor having an article supporting track along which articles are transported and a stop, said stop having a tongue and means for reciprocating said tongue between extended and retracted positions, said tongue in extended position projecting into the path of articles moving along said track and in retracted position being withdrawn from said track, said combination characterized in that means are secured to said conveyor for mounting said tongue both for lateral movement and for reciprocation between extended and retracted positions; locking means movable between locked and unlocked positions, said locking means in locked position engaging said tongue and holding said tongue against lateral movement in the direction of movement of articles on said track, and in unlocked position disengaging said tongue and fixing it for lateral movement; means for shifting said locking means into locked position and then shifting said tongue into extended position and for shifting said locking means into unlocked position then retracting said tongue whereby said tongue can disengage articles on said track before it is retracted.

Claim 26

In combination, a conveyor having an article supporting track along which articles are transported and a stop, said stop having a tongue and means for reciprocating said tongue between extended and retracted positions, said tongue in extended position projecting into the path of articles moving along said track and in retracted position being withdrawn from said track, said combination characterized in that means are secured to said conveyor for mounting said tongue both for lateral movement and for reciprocation between extended and retracted positions; locking means movable between locked and unlocked positions, said locking means in locked position engaging said tongue and holding said tongue against lateral movement in the direction of movement of articles on said track, and in unlocked position disengaging said tongue and fixing it for lateral movement; means for shifting said locking means into locked position and then shifting said tongue into extended position and for shifting said locking means into unlocked position then retracting said tongue whereby said tongue can disengage articles on said track before it is retracted.