Fki Industries, Inc.

Fki Industries, Inc., Mathews Conveyor Division

Mark W Henson

Gordon K Sapp

Floyd Robertson, Jr

Arlo S Bromley

A conveyor system especially suitable for transfer and spacing of articles in a smooth distortion-free manner and controlled acceleration/deceleration is provided. An endless transfer belt is driven by an endless drive belt selectively engaging the lower return run thereof. An actuator assembly including a pneumatic motor lifts a pressure roller mounted in a cradle to provide the driving function in response to one or more controllers. A plurality of transfer belt modules, all driven by the single drive belt, are aligned to form an accumulation conveyor system for establishing zero pressure between the articles. Each transfer run is supported and guided along a flat plate to provide the smooth conveying surface and to steady the articles. In the related method, the drive belt selectively drives the transfer belt or belts of the single or modular conveyors by lifting the driving run into engagement with the return run. The spacing of the articles is controlled by the one or more controllers.

Modular accumulator conveyor system

In a sortation conveyor system, a main conveyor is provided with an improved transport surface that permits the substantially frictionless movement of articles in a transverse direction relative to the forward motion of the conveyor. The transport surface includes a plurality of twin slats alternating with transverse roller assemblies which support a plurality of anti-friction rollers. Both the slats and the roller assemblies are carried by side chains. The anti-friction rollers are mounted such that the upper radial surface of each extends above the twin slats for supporting the articles being conveyed. Diverters held captive on the slats slide across the surface and direct articles in a transverse direction while supported on the anti-friction rollers, this permitting substantially frictionless movement of articles to a lateral takeaway conveyor.

Sortation conveyor system for high friction articles

A gravity conveyor system is disclosed including a device for actively stopping the rotation of the conveyor rollers following disengagement with a conveyed article after it passes thereover and in advance of a next succeeding article. This allows each article to accelerate an engaged roller from a rest position so that precise transport control is effected without the use of positive drive mechanisms. Accurate control for throughput and accumulation results from cooperation between brake assemblies associated with each conveyor roller, a sensor assembly and a pneumatic control assembly, each combination of which acts in an operational zone. The rotation of the rollers is preferably stopped as a function of the sensed position of articles along the system. The pneumatic control assembly further includes a logic control mechanism that operates to selectively control the application of braking action either momentarily to allow continued controlled throughput or for a prolonged period of time to allow controlled accumulation. The gravity control system acts to practice a method for controlling the transport of articles without positive drive assistance in reliance on stopping the rotation of the rollers after an article has passed thereover and in advance of a next succeeding article. The apparatus and method further provide a device for stopping articles at the discharge point of the conveyor system without the need for extraneous stop mechanisms.

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Danville, KY, United States of America

Mark W Henson