Mid-west Conveyor Company, Inc.

Mid-west Conveyor, Inc.

Darrel D Hespe

Gareth D Summa

David L Summa

Gerard Schaller

Thierry Jean-Amans

The present invention is directed to a seal crossover system which includes two seal plates adjacent to slot crossover portions of separate respective conveyor loops as they diverge (or converge) past a switch in a power and free conveyor system. The seal plates are driven by respective pneumatic cylinders which are pneumatically linked to a switch cylinder such that the seal plates are automatically extended or retracted depending upon the condition of the switch. Thus a respective slot crossover portion of each conveyor loop is selectively and alternately sealed or opened to allow unimpeded passage of a load carriage and a drive trolley, respectively.

Automatic seal crossover system for power and free conveyor on-floor

A power and free conveyor transfer system includes a number of drive trolleys operating within a free track and being selectively propelled by endless drive chains within a vertically aligned power track. Each drive trolley includes a trolley housing body to which are rigidly attached a pair of downwardly extending lateral arms, each with a rearward facing drive surface. A pivotable drive member is attached to the front end of the trolley housing and extends backward and downward between the lateral arms with a drive dog forming a portion thereof. The drive trolley design facilitates transfer of each drive trolley between non-synchronous delivering and receiving power tracks in a conveyor transfer zone. Within the transfer zone, the delivering and receiving power tracks are at different elevations and approach each other from a relatively large angle to minimize the potential for mechanical interference or jamming.

Power and free conveyor transfer system

An automatic stabilizing unit for a free trolley and a load carriage in an inverted power and free conveyor system is connected to the free trolley. The stabilizing unit includes a stabilizer actuator which extends above a free track containing the free trolley from beneath the floor of a building which houses the conveyor, and a stabilizing gear mounted on the load carriage. At locations in an assembly plant, such as robotic welders or riveting stations where load shifting tolerances are critical, there must be additional stabilization of the load carriage. At these locations, stabilizing rails are positioned on top of the free track in line with stabilizing trucks on the stabilizing actuator. When the stabilizing trucks contact the rails, the trucks are urged upward, pushing an attached piston upward against a spring which causes a pair of stabilizing wheels on the stabilizing gear to rotate downward into contact with the factory floor, thus stabilizing the carriage only when needed.

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Olathe, KS, United States of America

Darrel D Hespe