Rapistan Systems Advertising Corp.

Frank-Peter Schaum

Artemio Affaticati

Wynn M Pelak

Michael Thane McGettigan

Keith W Anderson

Le Roy Lubbers

David M LaFleur

A conveyor system, and method of controlling the conveyor system, includes providing a conveying surface, at least one motor propelling the conveying surface and a plurality of lower-level controllers. At least one of the lower-level controllers adapted to control the at least one motor. An upper-level controller is provided in communication with the plurality of lower-level controllers. The upper-level controller is adapted to send communications to the lower-level controllers for controlling the at least one motor. A communications bus is provided that carries the communications between the upper-level controller and the lower-level controllers. The upper-level controller is adapted to automatically assign each lower-level controller a unique communications address. The unique communications address enables the upper-level controller to send messages over the communications bus to individual ones of the lower-level controllers.

Integrated conveyor bed

An adjustable length conveyor bed includes conveyor sections that are movably positioned relative to one another and that include at least one belt support or roller at an upper portion of the respective sidewalls. A fixed roller support is mounted to one section and has a fixed roller rotatably mounted thereto. A continuous belt is reeved along a belt routing path around the rollers and defines a conveying surface at and along the support rollers. A guide roller is movable with the other section and relative to the fixed roller to maintain a generally constant tension in the belt as the conveyor bed is adjusted. The sections are movable relative to one another and securable at a desired degree of extension by securing the other section relative to the fixed roller support.

Adjustable length conveyor bed

An adjustable assembly is configured to accommodate angular adjustment between adjacent belted conveyor sections. The adjustable assembly functions to position the belted conveyor sections so that one of the rollers of one belted conveyor section is aligned with the rollers of the other belted conveyor section in a direction of conveyance of the conveyor sections. The rollers are aligned such that an article on the belt of the upstream belted conveyor section does not substantially engage the aligned roller of the downstream belted conveyor section as the article is moved from the upstream belt onto the downstream belt. The adjustable assembly may provide a smooth transition between the conveyor sections throughout a range of angular adjustment of the adjustable assembly.

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Grand Rapids, MI, United States of America

Frank-Peter Schaum