Conveyor apparatus

Claim 2

A live roller conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers mounted on said frame to define a pass line along which acticles supported on said rollers are transported, a drive shaft, a plurality of axially aligned individual driven shafts concentrically disposed with respect to said drive shaft, clutch means for individually and selectively connecting and disconnecting said drive shaft to said driven shaft for selective transmission of power from said drive shaft to said individual driven shafts, said drive shaft being connected to said individual driven shafts only when power is being transmitted from said drive shaft to said individual driVen shafts, said driven shafts having an axis generally parallel to said pass line and being drivably connected to said rollers by a plurality of driven belts located along the axis of said driven shafts, whereby said drive shaft can be continuously rotatated and in engagement with selected driven shafts to which power transmission is desired and engagement between said rotating drive shaft and selected driven shafts avoided when power transmission to said selected driven shafts is not desired.

Claim 3

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said driven shafts include a plurality of grooves around which each of said resilient belts is mounted.

Claim 4

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said driven shafts are provided with slip bushings around which each of said drive belts is mounted.

Claim 5

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said clutch means comprises an idler clutch having an idler roller which is selectively simultaneously engageable with said drive and driven shafts transmission of power from said drive shaft to said drive shafts.

Claim 6

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said idler clutch is mounted to said frame and pivotable about a fixed axis into a first power transmitting position wherein said idler roller simultaneously engages said drive and driven shafts and a second power disconnecting position wherein said idler roller is separated from at least one of said drive and driven shafts, and idler clutch including first means urging it into said first position and selectively actuated second means which moves said idler clutch into said second position.

Claim 7

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said second means is pneumatically actuated.

Claim 8

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said second means is electrically actuated.

Claim 9

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said clutch means is a sliding clutch which includes a slidable clutch drive member co-rotatable with said drive shaft having an end face which is selectively engageable with the end face of a clutch driven member fixed to said driven shaft.

Claim 10

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the end face of said slidable clutch drive member and the end face of said clutch driven member are provided with surfaces characterized by a high coefficient of friction for effecting controlled transmission of torque when said clutch drive and driven end faces are in engagement with each other.

Claim 11

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the end face of said slidable clutch drive member and the end face of said clutch driven member are respectively provided with a plurality of matable projections and detents for effecting the transmission of torque through said clutch means when said clutch drive and driven end faces are in engagement with each other.

Claim 12

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said clutch means comprises a toothed clutch roll mounted to said frame and pivotable about a fixed axis into a first power transmitting position wherein said toothed clutch roll is simultaneously in engagement with complementary toothed wheels on said drive and driven shafts, said toothed clutch roll also being pivotable into a second power disconnecting position wherein it is separated from at least one of said drive and driven toothed wheels.

Claim 13

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said toothed clutch roll has an outer surface composed of an elastomer material.

Claim 14

A live roller zero conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said toothed wheels on said drive and driven shafts are composed of an elastomer material.

Claim 15

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said clutch means conprises an idler clutch having an idler roller mounted to support bracket which is pivotable about a first axis to bring said iDler roller into a first power transmitting position wherein said idler roller simultaneously engages power transmitting and power receiving rollers on said drive and driven shafts and a second power disconnecting position wherein said idler roller is separated from at least one of said power transmitting and power receiving rollers, said idler roller including a centrally disposed and outwardly extending axle which is received within elongated slots in said support bracket, whereby the axle of said idler roller is adapted to slide in said elongated slots to provide movement of said idler roller with respect to said support bracket enabling said idler roller to be self-centering for facilitating the proper seating thereof with said power transmitting and power receiving rollers.

Claim 16

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein the outer surfaces of said idler, power transmitting and power receiving rollers are provided with teeth which are adapted to be in mesh engagement when said clutch is in a power transmitting position.

Claim 17

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said clutch means includes means for imparting a braking action to the driven shaft associated therewith when said clutch means is in a disengaged position.

Claim 18

A live roller conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers mounted on said frame to define a pass line along which articles supported on said rollers are transported, said rollers being generally transversely aligned with respect to said pass line, a drive shaft having an axis generally parallel to said pass line, a plurality of axially aligned driven shafts generally parallel to said drive shaft, said driven shafts being independently rotatable with respect to each other, a clutch means associated with each of said driven shafts and engageable with both said drive shaft and associated driven shaft for selectively and independently connecting and disconnecting said drive shaft to the driven shaft associated with said clutch means, said rollers being drivably connected to said driven shafts by individual resilient belts, each of said driven shafts being receive within mounting supports which permit the rotation and selective removal thereof, said driven shafts being retained in said mounting supports by forces exerted thereagainst by said resilient belts, whereby quick removal of said driven shafts is facilitated.

Claim 19

A live roller conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers mounted on said frame to define a pass line along which articles supported on said rollers are transported, said rollers being generally transversely aligned with respect to said pass line, a drive shaft having an axis generally parallel to said pass line, a plurality of axially aligned driven shafts generally parallel to said drive shaft, said driven shafts being independently rotatable with respect to each other, a clutch means associated with each of said driven shafts and engageable with both said drive shaft and associated driven shaft for selectively and independently connecting and disconnecting said drive shaft to the driven shaft associated with said clutch means, said rollers being drivably connected to said driven shafts by individual resilient belts, each of said driven shafts being receive within mounting supports which permit the rotation and selective removal thereof, said driven shafts being retained in said mounting supports by forces exerted thereagainst by said resilient belts, whereby quick removal of said driven shafts is facilitated.

Claim 20

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said driven shafts include a plurality of grooves around which each of said resilient belts is mounted.

Claim 21

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said driven shafts are provided with slip bushings around which each of said drive belts is mounted.

Claim 22

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said clutch means comprises an idler clutch having an idler roller whch is selectively simultaneously engageable wth said drive and driven shafts for transmission of power from said drive shaft to said driven shafts.

Claim 23

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein said idler clutch is mounted to said frame and pivotable about a fixed axis into a first power transmitting position wherein said idler roller simultaneously engages said drive and driven shafts and a second power disconnecting position wherein said idler roller is separated from at least one of said drive and driven shafts, said idler clutch including first means urging it into said first position and selectively actuated second means which moves said idler clutch into said second position.

Claim 24

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein said second means is pneumatically actuated.

Claim 25

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein said second means is electrically actuated.

Claim 26

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein aid clutch means comprises a toothed clutch roll mounted to said frame and pivotable About a fixed axis into a first power transmitting position herein said toothed clutch roll is simultaneously in engagement with complementary toothed wheels on said drive and driven shafts, said toothed clutch roll also being pivotable into a second power disconnecting position wherein it is separated from at least one of said drive and driven toothed wheels.

Claim 27

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 24 wherein said toothed clutch roll has an outer surface composed of an elastomer material.

Claim 28

A live roller zero conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 24 wherein said toothed wheels on said drive and driven shafts are composed of an elastomer material.

Claim 29

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said clutch means comprises an idler clutch having an idler roller mounted to a support bracket which is pivotable about a first axis to bring said idler roller into a first power transmitting position wherein said idler roller simultaneously engages power transmitting and power receiving rollers on said drive and driven shafts and a second power disconnecting position wherein said idler roller is separated from at least one of said power transmitting and power receiving rollers, said idler roller including a centrally disposed and outwardly extending axle which is received within elongated slots in said support bracket, whereby the axle of said idler roller is adapted to slide in said elongated slots to provide movement of said idler roller with respect to said support bracket enabling said idler roller to be self-centering for facilitating the proper seating thereof with said power transmitting and power receiving rollers.

Claim 30

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 27 wherein the outer surfaces of said idler, power transmitting, and power receiving rollers are provided with teeth which are adapted to be in mesh engagement when said clutch is in a power transmitting position.

Claim 31

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said clutch means includes means for imparting a braking action to the driven shaft associated therewith when said clutch means is in a disengaged position.

Claim 32

A live roller accumulation zero pressure conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers carried by said frame to define a pass line along which articles carried on said rollers are conveyed, said rollers being generally aligned transversely to said pass line, said drive shaft being mounted below said pass line and generally parallel thereto, a plurality of axially aligned individual driven shafts being independently mounted to said frame for independent rotation with respect to the other driven shafts axially aligned therewith, clutch means associated with each of said driven shafts, said clutch means being adapted to selectively connect and disconnect said drive shaft to the driven shaft associated therewith for selective transmission of power from said driven shaft to said individual driven shafts, said drive shaft being connected to said individual driven shafts only when power is being transmitted from said drive shaft to said individual drive shafts, a first sensing means for detecting the presence of an article at a first location on said conveyor apparatus, a second sensing means adapted to detect the presence of an article at a second location on said conveyor apparatus upstream from said first location, a given driven shaft being drivably connected to a given group of rollers located upstream of said second location, control means operatively connected to the clutch means associated with said given driven shaft, said first and second sensing means being operatively connected to said control means and adapted to actuate the control means when objects being conveyed on said conveyor are simultaneously present at said first and second locations, whereby power to said given group of rollers will be discontinued by disengagement of said clutch means for maintaining a predetermined spaCing between said articles which are transported along said pass line on said conveyor apparatus and said drive shaft can be continuously rotated and in engagement only with selected driven shafts to which power transmission is desired and engagement between said rotating drive shaft and selected driven shafts avoided when power transmission to said selected driven shafts is not desired.

Claim 33

A live roller accumulation zero pressure conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers carried by said frame to define a pass line along which articles carried on said rollers are conveyed, said rollers being generally aligned transversely to said pass line, said drive shaft being mounted below said pass line and generally parallel thereto, a plurality of axially aligned individual driven shafts being independently mounted to said frame for independent rotation with respect to the other driven shafts axially aligned therewith, clutch means associated with each of said driven shafts, said clutch means being adapted to selectively connect and disconnect said drive shaft to the driven shaft associated therewith for selective transmission of power from said driven shaft to said individual driven shafts, said drive shaft being connected to said individual driven shafts only when power is being transmitted from said drive shaft to said individual drive shafts, a first sensing means for detecting the presence of an article at a first location on said conveyor apparatus, a second sensing means adapted to detect the presence of an article at a second location on said conveyor apparatus upstream from said first location, a given driven shaft being drivably connected to a given group of rollers located upstream of said second location, control means operatively connected to the clutch means associated with said given driven shaft, said first and second sensing means being operatively connected to said control means and adapted to actuate the control means when objects being conveyed on said conveyor are simultaneously present at said first and second locations, whereby power to said given group of rollers will be discontinued by disengagement of said clutch means for maintaining a predetermined spaCing between said articles which are transported along said pass line on said conveyor apparatus and said drive shaft can be continuously rotated and in engagement only with selected driven shafts to which power transmission is desired and engagement between said rotating drive shaft and selected driven shafts avoided when power transmission to said selected driven shafts is not desired.

Claim 34

The live roller accumulation zero pressure conveyor apparatus of claim 30 wherein said clutch means includes means for imparting a braking action to the driven shaft associated therewith when said clutch means is in a disengaged position.

Claim 35

The live roller accumulation zero pressure conveyor apparatus of claim 30 wherein each of said driven shafts is concentrically disposed around said drive shaft.

Claim 36

The live roller accumulation zero pressure conveyor apparatus of claim 30 wherein each of said driven shafts is received in mounting supports which permit the rotation and selective independent removal thereof, said driven shafts being retained in said mounting supports by forces exerted by a plurality of resilient belts which drivably connect said rollers with said driven shafts, whereby quick removal of said driven shafts is facilitated.

Claim 37

A live roller conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers mounted on said frame to define a pass line along which articles supported on said rollers are transported, a drive shaft, a plurality of axially aligned driven shafts concentrically disposed with respect to said drive shaft, clutch means for individually and selectively transmitting power from said drive shaft to said plurality of driven shafts, said clutch means comprising an idler clutch having an idler roller mounted to a support bracket which is pivotable about a first axis to bring said idler roller into a first power transmitting position wherein said idler roller simultaneously engages power transmitting and power receiving rollers on said drive and driven shafts and a second power disconnecting position wherein said idler roller is separated from at least one of said power transmitting and power receiving rollers, said idler roller including a centrally disposed and outwardly extending axle which is received within elongated slots in said support bracket, whereby the axle of said idler roller is adapted to slide in said elongated slots to provide movement of said idler roller with respect to said support bracket enabling said idler roller to be self-centering for facilitating the proper seating thereof with said power transmitting and power receiving rollers, said driven shafts having an axis generally parallel to said pass line and being drivably connected to said rollers by a plurality of drive belts located along the axis of said driven shafts.

Claim 38

A live roller conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers mounted on said frame to define a pass line along which articles supported on said rollers are transported, a drive shaft, a plurality of axially aligned driven shafts concentrically disposed with respect to said drive shaft, clutch means for individually and selectively transmitting power from said drive shaft to said plurality of driven shafts, said clutch means comprising an idler clutch having an idler roller mounted to a support bracket which is pivotable about a first axis to bring said idler roller into a first power transmitting position wherein said idler roller simultaneously engages power transmitting and power receiving rollers on said drive and driven shafts and a second power disconnecting position wherein said idler roller is separated from at least one of said power transmitting and power receiving rollers, said idler roller including a centrally disposed and outwardly extending axle which is received within elongated slots in said support bracket, whereby the axle of said idler roller is adapted to slide in said elongated slots to provide movement of said idler roller with respect to said support bracket enabling said idler roller to be self-centering for facilitating the proper seating thereof with said power transmitting and power receiving rollers, said driven shafts having an axis generally parallel to said pass line and being drivably connected to said rollers by a plurality of drive belts located along the axis of said driven shafts.

Claim 39

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 34 wherein the outer surfaces of said idler, power transmitting and power receiving rollers are provided with teeth which are adapted to be in mesh engagement when said clutch is in a power transmitting position.

Claim 40

A live roller conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers mounted on said frame to define a pass line along which articles supported on said rollers are transported, a drive shaft, a plurality of axially aligned driven shafts concentrically disposed with respect to said drive shaft, clutch means for individually and selectively transmitting power from said driven shaft to said plurality of driven shafts, said clutch means including means for imparting a braking action to the driven shaft associated therewith when said clutch means is in a disengaged position, said driven shafts having an axis generally parallel to said pass line and being drivably connected to said rollers by a plurality of drive belts located along the axis of said driven shafts.

Claim 41

A live roller conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers mounted on said frame to define a pass line along which articles supported on said rollers are transported, a drive shaft, a plurality of axially aligned driven shafts concentrically disposed with respect to said drive shaft, clutch means for individually and selectively transmitting power from said driven shaft to said plurality of driven shafts, said clutch means including means for imparting a braking action to the driven shaft associated therewith when said clutch means is in a disengaged position, said driven shafts having an axis generally parallel to said pass line and being drivably connected to said rollers by a plurality of drive belts located along the axis of said driven shafts.

Claim 42

A live roller conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers mounted on said frame to define a pass line along which articles supported on said rollers are transported, said rollers being generally transversely aligned with respect to said pass line, a drive shaft having an axis generally parallel to said pass line, a plurality of axially aligned driven shafts generally parallel to said drive shaft, said driven shafts being independently rotatable with respect to each other, a clutch means associated with each of said driven shafts and engageable with both said drive shaft and associated driven shaft for selectively and independently transmitting power from said driven shaft to said associated driven shaft, said clutch means comprising an idler clutch having an idler roller mounted to a support bracket which is pivotable about a first axis to bring said idler roller into a first power transmitting position wherein said idler roller simultaneously engages power transmitting and power rollers on said drive and driven shafts at a second power disconnecting position wherein said idler roller is separated from at least one of said power transmitting and power receiving rollers, said idler roller including a centrally disposed and outwardly extending axle which is received within elongated slots in said support bracket, whereby the axle of said idler roller is adapted to slide in said elongated slots to provide movement of said idler roller with respect to said support bracket enabling said idler roller to be self-centering for facilitating the proper seating thereof with said power transmitting and power receiving rollers, and rollers being drivably connected to said driven shafts by individual resilient belts, each of said driven shafts being received within mounting supports which permit the rotation and selective removal thereof, said driven shafts being retained in said mounting supports by forces exerted thereagainst by said resilient belts, whereby quick removal of said driven shafts is facilitated.

Claim 43

A live roller conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers mounted on said frame to define a pass line along which articles supported on said rollers are transported, said rollers being generally transversely aligned with respect to said pass line, a drive shaft having an axis generally parallel to said pass line, a plurality of axially aligned driven shafts generally parallel to said drive shaft, said driven shafts being independently rotatable with respect to each other, a clutch means associated with each of said driven shafts and engageable with both said drive shaft and associated driven shaft for selectively and independently transmitting power from said driven shaft to said associated driven shaft, said clutch means comprising an idler clutch having an idler roller mounted to a support bracket which is pivotable about a first axis to bring said idler roller into a first power transmitting position wherein said idler roller simultaneously engages power transmitting and power rollers on said drive and driven shafts at a second power disconnecting position wherein said idler roller is separated from at least one of said power transmitting and power receiving rollers, said idler roller including a centrally disposed and outwardly extending axle which is received within elongated slots in said support bracket, whereby the axle of said idler roller is adapted to slide in said elongated slots to provide movement of said idler roller with respect to said support bracket enabling said idler roller to be self-centering for facilitating the proper seating thereof with said power transmitting and power receiving rollers, and rollers being drivably connected to said driven shafts by individual resilient belts, each of said driven shafts being received within mounting supports which permit the rotation and selective removal thereof, said driven shafts being retained in said mounting supports by forces exerted thereagainst by said resilient belts, whereby quick removal of said driven shafts is facilitated.

Claim 44

A live roller conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 37 wherein the outer surfaces of said idler, power transmitting and power receiving rollers are provided with teeth which are adapted to be in mesh engagement when said clutch is in a power transmitting position.

Claim 45

A live roller conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers mounted on said frame to define a pass line along which articles supported on said rollers are transported, said rollers being generally transversely aligned with respect to said pass line, a drive shaft having an axis generally parallel to said pass line, a plurality of axially aligned driven shafts generally parallel to said drive shaft, said driven shafts being independently rotatable with respect to each other, a clutch means associated with each of said driven shafts and engageable with both said drive shaft and associated driven shaft for selectively and independently transmitting power from said drive shaft to said driven shaft, said clutch means including means for imparting a braking action to the driven shaft associated therewith when such clutch means is in a disengaged position, said rollers being drivably connected to said driven shafts by individual resilient belts, each of said driven shafts being received within mounting supports which permit rotation and selective removal thereof, said driven shafts being retained in said mounting supports by forces exerted thereagainst by said resilient belts, whereby quick removal of said driven shafts is facilitated.

Claim 46

A live roller conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers mounted on said frame to define a pass line along which articles supported on said rollers are transported, said rollers being generally transversely aligned with respect to said pass line, a drive shaft having an axis generally parallel to said pass line, a plurality of axially aligned driven shafts generally parallel to said drive shaft, said driven shafts being independently rotatable with respect to each other, a clutch means associated with each of said driven shafts and engageable with both said drive shaft and associated driven shaft for selectively and independently transmitting power from said drive shaft to said driven shaft, said clutch means including means for imparting a braking action to the driven shaft associated therewith when such clutch means is in a disengaged position, said rollers being drivably connected to said driven shafts by individual resilient belts, each of said driven shafts being received within mounting supports which permit rotation and selective removal thereof, said driven shafts being retained in said mounting supports by forces exerted thereagainst by said resilient belts, whereby quick removal of said driven shafts is facilitated.

Claim 47

A live roller accumulation zero pressure conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers carried by said frame to define a pass line along which articles carried on said rollers are conveyed, said rollers being generally aligned transversely to said pass line, said drive shaft being mounted below said pass line and generally parallel thereto, a plurality of axially aligned driven shafts generally parallel to said drive shaft, each of said driven shafts being independently mounted to said frame for independent rotation with respect to the other driven shafts axially aligned therewith, clutch Means associated with each of said driven shafts, said clutch means being adapted to selectively transmit power from said drive shaft to the driven shaft associated therewith, said clutch means including means for imparting a braking action to the driven shaft associated therewith when said clutch means is in a disengaged position, a first sensing means for detecting the presence of an article at a first location on said conveyor apparatus, a second sensing means adapted to detect the presence of an article at a second location on said conveyor apparatus upstream from said first location, a given driven shaft being drivably connected to a given group of rollers located upstream of said second location, control means operatively connected to the clutch means associated with said given driven shaft, said first and second sensing means being operatively connected to said control means and adapted to actuate the control means when objects being conveyed on said conveyor are simultaneously present at said first and second locations, whereby power to said given group of rollers will be discontinued by disengagement of said clutch means for maintaining a predetermined spacing between said articles which are transported along said pass line on said conveyor apparatus.

Claim 48

A live roller accumulation zero pressure conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of rollers carried by said frame to define a pass line along which articles carried on said rollers are conveyed, said rollers being generally aligned transversely to said pass line, said drive shaft being mounted below said pass line and generally parallel thereto, a plurality of axially aligned driven shafts generally parallel to said drive shaft, each of said driven shafts being independently mounted to said frame for independent rotation with respect to the other driven shafts axially aligned therewith, clutch Means associated with each of said driven shafts, said clutch means being adapted to selectively transmit power from said drive shaft to the driven shaft associated therewith, said clutch means including means for imparting a braking action to the driven shaft associated therewith when said clutch means is in a disengaged position, a first sensing means for detecting the presence of an article at a first location on said conveyor apparatus, a second sensing means adapted to detect the presence of an article at a second location on said conveyor apparatus upstream from said first location, a given driven shaft being drivably connected to a given group of rollers located upstream of said second location, control means operatively connected to the clutch means associated with said given driven shaft, said first and second sensing means being operatively connected to said control means and adapted to actuate the control means when objects being conveyed on said conveyor are simultaneously present at said first and second locations, whereby power to said given group of rollers will be discontinued by disengagement of said clutch means for maintaining a predetermined spacing between said articles which are transported along said pass line on said conveyor apparatus.