Conveyor assembly

Claim 2

A conveyor assembly for moving a vehicle along a predetermined travel path comprising: a conveyor means, means for driving said conveyor means through a continuous path, a portion of the conveyor means path being generally parallel to said travel path; at least one carriage carried by said conveyor means, a puller unit carrying a generally horizontally extending wheel engaging member for engaging the rear portion of one of the vehicle wheels and pulling the vehicle forwardly along said travel path when said conveyor means is being driven; means pivotally mounting said puller unit on said carriage for pivotal movement of said puller unit relative to said carriage, about both a generally horizontal axis and a generally vertical axis, between an extended position where said wheel engaging member extends generally perpendicular to said portion of said conveyor means path for engaging a vehicle wheel and a retracted position where said said wheel engaging member is remotely located from the vehicle wheel and extends generally parallel to said portion of said conveyor means path; and means on said carriage for releasably locking said puller unit in said extended position, said locking means being operable to release said puller unit and permit said puller unit to be moved toward said retracted position when a lifting force is applied on said wheel engaging member.

Claim 3

A conveyor assembly according to claim 1 wherein said wheel engaging member is an elongated roller; and said conveyor assembly includes means for rotatably mounting said roller on said puller unit.

Claim 4

A conveyor assembly according to claim 2 including means for mounting said conveyor means on a floor with the plane of the conveyor means path being generally horizontal and vertically spaced above the floor.

Claim 5

A conveyor assembly according to claim 2 wherein said puller unit includes a generally horizontal member which extends toward said conveyor means when said puller unit is in said extended position; and said locking means includes a locking bracket on said carriage having a forwardly open and rearwardly extending guideway for receiving the inner end portion of said puller unit member, said guideway having a rearwardly and downwardly inclined camming surface, an enlarged slot portion located behind said camming surface, and a detent located at the juncture of said camming surface and said enlarged slot portion whereby said member inner portion rides along said guideway camming surface and reaches a locked position in said enlarged slot portion behind said detent when said puller unit is moved to said extended position and whereby said member inner portion is moved downwardly from behind said detent and is free to move forwardly through said guideway and thereby permit said puller unit to be moved toward said retracted position when a lifting force is applied on said roller.

Claim 6

A conveyor assembly according to claim 2 including a wheel located adjacent the inner end of said roller; and an elongated guide means which is spaced outwardly from and extends generally parallel to said conveyor means path and on which said wheel rides when said puller unit is in said extended position.

Claim 7

A conveyor assembly according to claim 2 including an entrance end; an exit end; actuator means located near said entrance end for selectively moving said puller unit from said retracted position to said extended position; and means located near said exit end for unlocking said puller unit from said locking means and moving said puller unit from said extended position to said retracted position.

Claim 8

A conveyor assembly according to claim 2 wherein said roller is rotatably mounted on a support bracket; and said means for pivotally mounting said puller unit on said carriage includes a pivot block means pivotally mounting said pivot block on said carriage for pivotal movement of said pivot block relative to said carriage about a generally vertical axis, and means pivotally mounting said support bracket on said pivot block for pivotal movement of said support bracket relative to said pivot block about a generally horizontal axis.

Claim 9

A conveyor assembly according to claim 6 wherein said puller unit includes a support bracket which carries said roller and which is mounted on said carriage by said pivotal mounting means; and said actuator means includes cam follower means adapted to be selectively moved into the path of and engage said support bracket when said puller unit is in said retracted position and thereby move said puller unit to said extended position during continued forward movement of said puller unit.

Claim 10

A conveyor assemblY according to claim 6 wherein said unlocking means includes an upwardly inclined member over which the outer portion of said roller rides to provide a lifting force for unlocking said puller unit member from said locking means and means located in the path of said roller and forward of said inclined member for engaging said roller and thereby moving said puller unit to said retracted position during continued forward movement of said puller unit.

Claim 11

A conveyor assembly for moving a vehicle along a predetermined travel path comprising a conveyor chain, means for driving said conveyor chain through a continuous path, a portion of the conveyor chain path being generally parallel to the intended vehicle travel path; means for mounting said conveyor chain on a floor with the plane of the conveyor path being generally horizontal and vertically spaced above the floor; at least one carriage carried by said conveyor chain, a puller unit carrying a generally horizontally extending, elongated roller means rotatably mounted on said puller unit for engaging the rear portion of one of the vehicle wheels and pulling the vehicle forwardly along said travel path when said conveyor chain is being driven; means pivotally mounting said puller unit on said carriage for pivotal movement of said puller unit relative to said carriage, about both a generally horizontal axis and a generally vertical axis, between an extended position where said roller extends generally perpendicular to said portion of said conveyor path and a retracted position where said roller is remotely spaced from the vehicle wheel and extends generally parallel to said portion of said conveyor path; a generally horizontal member on said puller unit which extends toward said conveyor chain when said puller unit is in said extended position; and a locking bracket on said carriage having a forwardly open and rearwardly extending guideway for receiving the inner end portion of said puller unit member, said guideway having a rearwardly and downwardly inclined camming surface, an enlarged slot portion located behind said camming surface, and a detent located at the juncture of said camming surface and said enlarged slot portion whereby said member inner portion rides along said guideway camming surface and reaches a locked position in said enlarged slot portion behind said detent, when said puller unit is moved to said extended position, and whereby said member inner portion is moved downwardly from behind said detent and is free to move forwardly through said guideway and thereby permit said puller unit to be moved toward said retracted position, when a lifting force is applied on said roller.

Claim 12

A conveyor assembly for moving a vehicle along a predetermined travel path comprising a conveyor chain, means for driving said conveyor chain through a continuous path, a portion of the conveyor chain path being generally parallel to the intended vehicle travel path; means for mounting said conveyor chain on a floor with the plane of the conveyor path being generally horizontal and vertically spaced above the floor; at least one carriage carried by said conveyor chain, a puller unit carrying a generally horizontally extending, elongated roller means rotatably mounted on said puller unit for engaging the rear portion of one of the vehicle wheels and pulling the vehicle forwardly along said travel path when said conveyor chain is being driven; means pivotally mounting said puller unit on said carriage for pivotal movement of said puller unit relative to said carriage, about both a generally horizontal axis and a generally vertical axis, between an extended position where said roller extends generally perpendicular to said portion of said conveyor path and a retracted position where said roller is remotely spaced from the vehicle wheel and extends generally parallel to said portion of said conveyor path; a generally horizontal member on said puller unit which extends toward said conveyor chain when said puller unit is in said extended position; and a locking bracket on said carriage having a forwardly open and rearwardly extending guideway for receiving the inner end portion of said puller unit member, said guideway having a rearwardly and downwardly inclined camming surface, an enlarged slot portion located behind said camming surface, and a detent located at the juncture of said camming surface and said enlarged slot portion whereby said member inner portion rides along said guideway camming surface and reaches a locked position in said enlarged slot portion behind said detent, when said puller unit is moved to said extended position, and whereby said member inner portion is moved downwardly from behind said detent and is free to move forwardly through said guideway and thereby permit said puller unit to be moved toward said retracted position, when a lifting force is applied on said roller.

Claim 13

A conveyor assembly according to claim 10 wherein said roller is rotatably mounted on a support bracket; and said means for pivotally mounting said puller member on said carriage includes a pivot block, means pivotally mounting said pivot block on said carriage for pivotal movement of said pivot block relative to said carriage about a generally vertical axis, and means pivotally mounting said support bracket on said pivot block for pivotal movement of said support bracket relative to said pivot block about a generally horizontal axis.

Claim 14

A conveyor assembly according to claim 11 including an entrance end; an exit end; a cam follower means located near said entrance end and adapted to be selectively moved into the path of and engage said support bracket when said puller unit is in said retracted position and thereby move said puller unit to said extended position during continued forward movement of said puller unit; an upwardly inclined member located near said exit end and over which the outer portion of said roller rides to provide a lifting force on said roller for unlocking said puller unit from said locking bracket; and means located in the path of said roller and forward of said inclined member for engaging said roller and thereby moving said pulleR unit to said retracted position during continued forward movement of said puller unit.