Pflow Industries, Inc.

Other

Deutsche Post Ag

Kelley Company, Inc.

Mark R Webster

Gene M Barth

Michael Reilly

Craig S Schmidt

Patrick J Kelnhofer

Jason Laib

Travis Cobb

August R Bergemann

Mark Veasy

David Konopacki

A vertical reciprocating conveyor that can be transported in a storage condition and assembled at a work facility in an operating condition. The vertical reciprocating conveyor includes a carriage assembly that is movable along a pair of spaced vertical rails of a support frame. The carriage assembly includes a pair of spaced uprights and a carriage deck designed to support material moved along the pair of spaced vertical rails of the support frame. The carriage deck is movable between an operating condition and a storage condition, where the carriage deck is perpendicular to the pair of spaced uprights in the operating condition and parallel to the pair of spaced uprights in the storage condition. The movement of the carriage deck allows the overall size of the vertical reciprocating conveyor to be reduced for shipping.

Hinged carriage deck for vertical reciprocating conveyor

A barrel elevator system for vertically moving barrels of liquid between a ground floor and any one of a number of floors at a warehouse for storage of the barrels. The barrel elevator system includes a support frame located in an elevator shaft and a series of cradle assemblies supported between a pair of lifting chains. A loading station is located on the ground floor for receiving barrels to be stored or for removing barrels after storage. Each floor includes a unloading station that allows barrels to be removed from the cradle for storage and returned to the cradles after storage. Each of the loading and unloading stations includes a shield assembly to restrict access to the elevator shaft. A rail section and handle are used to load and unload barrels from the cradles. The handle extends through the shield assembly for access by an operator.

Barrel elevator including shielded actuation mechanisms

A vertical lift conveyor for lifting materials between different vertical levels. The vertical lift conveyor includes a pair of spaced uprights and a carriage that moves vertically along the spaced uprights. The vertical lift conveyor includes a drive assembly including a drive motor coupled to a drive shaft. Each end of the drive shaft includes a first sprocket and a second sprocket that each engages one of a pair of lift chains. The first and second sprockets each include a plurality of teeth (N). The first and second sprockets are offset from each other 180/N&#xb0;. The offset between the first and sprockets creates sinusoidal velocity profiles for the two chains that are out of phase with each other. A connection block is used to connect the pair of lift chains to each side of the carriage combines the lift chain velocities into a linear vertical velocity for the carriage.

System for chain chordal action suppression

A moving floor system that includes a moving work surface to move work products from an upstream end to a downstream end. The moving work surface is formed from a plurality of individual carts joined to each other. The stack of carts is moved along upper support rails located at an upper level. When each individual cart reaches the downstream end, a downstream lift conveyor moves the individual cart from the upper level to a lower level. When at the lower level, each individual cart is returned from the downstream end to the upstream end. When each individual cart reaches the upstream end, an upstream lift conveyor returns the individual carts from the lower level to the upper level. An upper drive mechanism provides the motive force to move the stack of carts along the upper level at the working speed.

Moving floor system

The invention relates to an unload access system for an unit load device, comprising a framework, the framework delimiting a cargo space arranged on a ground load deck and the framework comprising an unload deck for unloading shipments out of the unit load device, whereby the unload deck is arranged distant above the ground load deck and extends in an offset plane adjacent to the cargo space, the unload deck comprises a movable platform, and the platform extends coplanar with the unload deck and is movable between a retracted position and a maximum extracted position, whereby in the maximum extracted position the platform overlaps at least partly the cargo space by extending into the cargo space and in the retracted position the platform does not overlap the cargo space.

Movable personnel platform for unloading a unit load device

A conveyor for moving a shopping cart between a first location and a second location. The conveyor including a movable conveyor that is adapted to engage and move the shopping cart along a path, and a gate assembly including a door that is movable between an open position allowing passage of the shopping cart along the path, and a closed position inhibiting passage of the shopping art along the path. The door is adapted to move from the closed position to the open position as the shopping cart approaches, and is adapted to move back to the closed position before the shopping cart has passed the door.

Shopping cart conveyor with gate assembly

A multi-level vehicle lift comprising a first platform mounted for movement between a lowered position and a raised position. A second platform is positioned below the first platform and is coupled to the first platform by a lift member such that movement of the first platform above a first raised position causes movement of the second platform. A third platform is positioned below the second platform and coupled to the first platform by a lift member such that movement of the first platform above a second raised position causes movement of the third platform A pit may be positioned below the platforms, and the lower-most platform is in the pit when the first platform is in the lowered position. Preferably, the pit is recessed into a ground surface, and an upper surface of the first platform is substantially flush with the ground surface when in the lowered position.

Multi-level vehicle lift

A shopping cart conveyor system is designed to shut the system down in the event that a shopping cart becomes jammed. The system includes a track operable to guide a shopping cart between a first location and a second location, and a drive assembly for moving a shopping cart along the track. The drive assembly includes engagement members movable relative to the track and operable to engage and move a shopping cart from the first location to the second location, and a drive motor (e.g., an electric motor) operable to provide movement to the engagement members. A force sensor detects a parameter (e.g., motor current) of the drive assembly corresponding with a force required to move the engagement members. A controller receives information regarding a frequency of change in the parameter and compares that information to a known value (e.g., a frequency of the engagement members). Preferably, the controller is programmed to stop the drive motor when the frequency of change of the parameter falls within a certain range of the parameter (e.g., frequency of the engagement members).

Jam sensor for shopping cart conveyor

A shopping cart conveyor system that moves a shopping cart from one location to another along a path. The system includes a frame, a track coupled to the frame, and a conveyor coupled to the frame and having an engagement member (e.g., multiple engagement members) adapted to engage a shopping cart. The engagement member is movable (e.g., pivotable) relative to the track from a first position, where the engagement member will engage and move the shopping cart along the path, and a second position, where the engagement member is capable of releasing engagement of the shopping cart. Preferably, the engagement member is biased toward the first position (e.g., by a resilient member). In one embodiment, the engagement member includes an engagement surface adapted to engage the shopping cart and defining an engagement angle between the engagement surface and a reference axis parallel to the path. In this embodiment, the engagement angle is acute when the engagement member is in the first position and is obtuse when the engagement member is in the second position.

Shopping cart conveyor system with pivoting lug

A shopping cart conveyor that inhibits the loading of a non-compliant shopping cart onto the conveyor. In one aspect, the invention provides a conveyor comprising a track operable to guide the shopping cart between a first location and a second location, a gate assembly including a door movable between a closed position inhibiting entry to the track and an open position allowing entry to the track, a lock for securing the door in the closed position, and a sensor (e.g., an ultrasonic sensor, an optical sensor, a radar sensor, an infrared sensor, an RFID reader, a magnetic sensor, and a mechanical sensor) positioned to detect the presence of a shopping cart. In another aspect, the conveyor is configured to move the gate from the closed position to the open position when the sensor detects the presence of a shopping cart. Preferably this is done using a drive mechanism coupled to the gate.

Shopping cart conveyor with gated access

A conveyor belt assembly including a flexible belt body with a plurality of spaced flexible teeth and at least one hardened tooth coupled to the belt body. The flexible belt body and flexible teeth comprise a resilient material. The hardened tooth comprises hardened plastic or metal. The flexible belt body also includes at least one reinforcing member within the belt body. A guide member is coupled to the flexible belt body and the hardened tooth to assist in transporting objects on the conveyor belt assembly. A pivotable clamping device clamps the ends of the belt body together to form a continuous belt. The clamping device clamps the reinforcing member to ensure a strong connection.

Belt attachment device and method

A support leg system for a dock leveler includes a support leg with a striker surface configured to engage a slider bar. When the striker engages the slider bar at a slow speed, the striker will slide down the slider bar and retract the support legs. However, when the striker engages the slider bar at a high rate of speed, the slider bar will deflect and cause the support legs to remain in a supporting position.

Support leg moving apparatus and method

An improved hydraulic drive mechanism for a vertical conveyor. The conveyor comprises a pair of upright supports or columns and a carriage to support a load or cargo is guided for vertical movement on the columns. The drive mechanism includes a pair of first hydraulic cylinder units and a pair of second hydraulic cylinder units that preferably have twice the length of the first cylinder units. The first or shorter cylinder units are connected between a movable cross beam and the carriage, while the second cylinder units are connected between the movable beam and the upper end of the frame. At a lower level both the first and second cylinder units are in an extended condition, while at an upper level both cylinder units are retracted.

Growing community of inventors

Colgate, WI, United States of America

Mark R Webster