Lasalle Machine Tool, Inc.

Douglas D Wiknich

Michael J Peabody

A shuttle type accumulating conveyor adapted to advance articles located behind an empty station to their next successive stations. The conveyor comprises an elongated support along which the stations are longitudinally spaced apart, a transfer bar movable forwardly and rearwardly longitudinally of the elongated support, pusher type feed units and feed unit setting assemblies mounted on the transfer bar and actuator assemblies for moving the feed units to feed positions so that upon an initial rearward movement of the transfer bar from a start position all feed units behind an empty station are moved to their feed positions. The transfer bar is then moved forward a distance substantially greater than the distance between stations to advance articles from station to station. Binding of the drive mechanism due to the prolonged travel of the transfer bar, during which feed unit setting assemblies contact actuator assemblies, is prevented by cooperating recess and pivot means on the actuator assemblies. Knockdown means are provided to move all feed units out of their feed positions before the start of a work cycle.

Accumulating conveyor

An accumulating conveyor adapted to advance articles from station to station comprising an elongated support along which the stations are longitudinally spaced apart, a transfer bar movable forwardly and rearwardly longitudinally of the elongated support, independently movable feed units on the transfer bar, and means for moving the feed units to feed positions so that upon an initial rearward movement of the transfer bar from a start position all feed units behind an empty station are moved to their feed positions. A work transfer cycle then is completed by moving the transfer bar forwardly to advance the articles behind the empty station to their next adjacent stations and then returning the transfer bar to its start position. Sensor assemblies corresponding to the stations operate to sense empty stations and means including a connecting chain are operable in response to sensing of an empty station to provide for a connection of all sensor assemblies to the rear of the empty station and consequent advance of all articles to the rear of the empty station when the transfer bar is next moved forwardly.

An accumulating conveyor comprising an elongated support along which a plurality of articles are movable through a series of longitudinally spaced apart stations, a transfer bar movable up and down and back and forth with respect to the elongated support, independently movable feed members pivotally mounted on the transfer bar at spaced apart positions corresponding with the spacing between the stations, a plurality of feed member setting units operatively associated with the feed members, flexible connecting means connecting adjacent ones of the feed member setting units, and sensing means at each station for sensing the absence of an article. When there is an unoccupied station, an initial upward movement of the transfer bar from a start position actuates the feed setting unit that is associated with the feed member at the station next following the empty station to move the feed member thereat to a feed position. The flexible connecting means acts in response to movement of the feed member setting unit associated with the feed member at the station next following the empty station to actuate the remaining feed member setting units to move their associated feed members to the feed positions. After all feed members behind an empty station are set in their feed positions, the transfer bar is moved to advance the feed members to the next station. It then is lowered and returned to the start position.

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Holly, MI, United States of America

Douglas D Wiknich