Simplimatic Engineering Company

Rexnord Gmbh

Danville Automation Holdings LLC

James F Murphy, Jr

John A Wiseman

Roger H Schroeder

William G Hodlewsky

Richard A Smith

Mark E Mekanik

Modular conveyor beam assembly

A chain for use in an article carrying conveyor includes a plurality of interconnected molded plastic chain link assemblies each having a planar top plate. A plurality of upper and lower tabs formed along the lower portions of the chain link assemblies function to guide the chain relative to a pair of guide rails of the conveyor frame while permitting free removal of the chain link assemblies from the guide rails at selected areas along the length of the conveyor and also restraining the chain between the guide rails at other portions of the conveyor such as at curves or vertical bends.

Article carrying chain having free tab

A set of rail facing strips is provided for use with an article carrying conveyor system, the facing strip set comprising a rail facing member for affixing to opposing conveyor guide rails for establishing at least one section of said conveyor where a conveyor chain is relatively freely removable from the conveyor raceway in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of said conveyor, said rail facing member being characterized by a first leg for covering at least a pair of outer surfaces of said guide rail, said facing member also having a second leg joined to said first leg at substantially a right angle thereto, said second leg for extending into said raceway and substantially covering inner edges of said guide rails, said second leg being dimensioned and shaped along its length so as to clear a channel formed in said chain, whereby said second leg permits said body to move transversely out of said raceway without inner tabs found in said chain engaging a portion of said second leg to retain said chain in said raceway, the facing strip set further comprising a modified rail facing member for establishing at least one section where said chain is lockingly retained in said raceway by extending into said channel to retain said leg in said raceway.

Article carrying conveyor and wearstrip set therefor

A method is provided for conveying a series of articles along a conveyor path freely disposed on a conveyor surface while maintaining protective article-to-article separation. The method comprises the steps of introducing each article one at a time in a series to the conveyor surface, alternating the introducing of the articles with introduction to the conveyor surface of at least one relatively noncompressible and inelastic spacer freely disposed between adjacent articles in the series for separating the adjacent articles from each other, and conveying the series of articles alternated with the spacer on either side thereof along the conveyor, the articles being free to contact the spacer but not any other article in the series.

Apparatus and method for separating articles on a conveyor

A device is provided for unloading parts from a plurality of stacked trays. The device includes a receiving station with an elevator for lifting a topmost tray to a predetermined position; a temporary holder for the topmost tray while the elevator lowers the remaining trays a preselected distance; a conveyor for moving from an initial position to below the topmost tray; the temporary holder further for releasing the topmost tray onto the conveyor for conveying to an unloading station; an unloader disposed above the topmost tray to unload it; an additional elevator for receiving the topmost tray after unloading; and the conveyor further for returning to the initial position to receive the next topmost tray.

Dunnage handling system

A device is provided for conveying a workpiece along a conveyor path having spaced therealong at least two workstations to present the workpiece in seriatim to the workstations in at least two positional orientations as required for each particular workstation. The device comprises a base for being transported along said path from a first workstation to a next successive workstation along the path, a member mounted on the base for nesting the workpiece in a positional orientation with respect to the base to present the workpiece to each of the workstations, and at least one device for repositioning the nesting member from one position to at least a second position.

Multiple position, conveyor mountable workpiece carrier

An article carrying chain includes a plurality of interconnected molded plastic chain link assemblies each having a planar top plate. The chain link assemblies are interconnected so as to permit articulation between adjacent links around orthogonal axes. The potential for wear or breakage between adjacent links is reduced by beveling at least one of the mating edges between the top plates of adjacent links. Product kick-up is avoided by rounding the upper surface of each top plate along its leading and trailing edges. The underside of each link assembly is shaped so as to be engageable by either side of a sprocket tooth to thereby permit the sprocket to drive the chain in either of two directions. A plurality of upper and lower tabs formed along the lower portions of the chain link assemblies function to stabilize the chain relative to a pair of glide rails while permitting free removal of the chain link assemblies from the guide rails.

Growing community of inventors

Lynchburg, VA, United States of America

James F Murphy, Jr