Laitram, LLC

Hartness International, Inc.

Other

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Paul L Horton

David W Bogle

John C Hawkins, Jr

Joseph M DePaso

Mark W Davidson

William R Hartness, Iii

Christopher G Greve

Joseph M Depaso

Dorian F Steeber

Olivier P Duterte

Christopher J Verdigets

R Scott Dailey

Ronald M O'Connor

Richard M Klein

John J Carbone

Timothy J Hicks

Richard J Sofranec

Sandra A Christiana

Olivier Duterte

An apparatus for diverting a stream of articles, the apparatus including a first conveyor belt conveying a stream of articles along a conveying surface, a second conveyor belt disposed parallel to the first conveyor belt and having a conveying surface, and a carrier arranged to travel along a path parallel to the first and second conveyor belts. A first drive mechanism drives the first conveyor belt at a first speed in a first direction, and a second drive mechanism drives the second conveyor belt at a second speed in a second direction opposite to the first direction. A diverter element is affixed to the carrier and extends across at least a portion of the conveying surfaces of the first and second conveyor belts to divert articles in the stream on the first conveyor belt onto the second conveyor belt. A differential drive mechanism drives the carrier at a speed and in a direction that depend on the first speed and the second speed. The differential drive mechanism includes a first rotating member receiving input based on the speed of the first conveyor belt, a second rotating member receiving input based on the speed of the second conveyor belt, and a differential gear arrangement operationally connected to the first and second rotating members.

Apparatus for diverting a stream of articles

Apparatus is disclosed for diverting a stream of articles, the apparatus including a framework, a first conveyor supported in the framework and conveying stream of articles along a first conveying surface, and a second conveyor supported in the framework parallel to the first conveyor and having a second conveying surface. A first drive mechanism drives the first conveyor at a first speed in a first direction, and a second drive mechanism drives the second conveyor at a second speed in a second direction opposite to the first direction. A carrier is arranged to travel along a path parallel to the first and second conveyors, and a diverter element is affixed to the carrier and extending across at least a portion of the conveying surfaces of the first and second conveyors to divert articles in the stream on the first conveyor to the second conveyor. A carrier drive mechanism is operatively configured to drive the carrier along the path at a speed and in a direction that depends on the first speed and the second speed. The carrier drive mechanism is disposed in a stationary position with reference to the framework. A controller calculates a differential speed corresponding to the difference in first and second speeds of the first and second conveyors respectively, and for controlling the carrier drive mechanism for driving the carrier at the differential speed.

Apparatus for diverting a stream of articles from one conveyor to another parallel conveyor moving in an opposite direction in a conveyor bed. A diverter element is attached to a carrier that is driven along a path parallel to the two conveyors by a differential drive mechanism coupled to the drive mechanisms of the two conveyors. The differential drive mechanism responds to the difference in the speeds of the two conveyor drive mechanisms to drive the carrier and position the driver element along the parallel conveyors. The diverter element extends at least partway across the widths of the two conveyors to guide articles on one conveyor to the other. In a preferred version, the carrier is an endless conveyor belt to which the diverter element is attached, and the differential drive mechanism includes a shaft arranged coaxially with drive or idler sprocket shafts of the conveyor belts at each end of the bed. The apparatus is useful in accumulating articles transported on a main conveyor in a first-in, first-out fashion.

A sprocket drive system for a modular conveyor belt that compensates for drive-shaft twist under load. The drive system includes a plurality of belt drive surfaces spaced apart across the width of the underside of each row of a modular conveyor belt. A drive shaft supports a group of sprockets at spaced-apart locations. Sprocket drive surfaces are spaced apart circumferentially around the peripheries of the sprockets and arranged in rows across the sprocket to engage corresponding belt drive surfaces in the belt rows. The belt is wrapped around the sprockets on the drive shaft. The engagement of the sprocket drive surfaces with the belt drive surfaces drives the belt. Either the sprocket drive surfaces or the belt drive surfaces, or both, in each row are arranged in an out-of-phase relationship with each other when the conveyor belt is at no load. Once the conveyor belt is operating at load and the shaft twists, the drive surfaces assume an in-phase relationship for improved belt driving and tracking.

Compensation for shaft twist in the drive system of modular conveyor belts

A belt conveyor with a surface layer transferred onto its article-carrying or other surface to impart certain effective properties to the surface. The belt conveyor comprises a conveyor belt driven by a belt drive along a belt-conveying path. A transfer element transfers a coating material to a belt surface along a section of the belt-conveying path. Metallic bearing surfaces in contact with the belt surface act as transfer elements from which an oxidizable metal is rubbed by the relative motion of the belt to form a high-friction metallic oxide layer on the belt surface. Another transfer element is realized by an applicator with a reservoir for storing a coating material. The applicator is positioned close to the belt surface to dispense a layer of coating material with properties that mask the inherent surface properties of the belt. In yet another version, the conveyed articles themselves serve as transfer elements.

Belt conveyor with a surface layer transferred onto the article-conveying surface and method therefor

Apparatus for diverting a stream of articles from one conveyor to another parallel conveyor moving in an opposite direction in a conveyor bed. A diverter element is attached to a carrier that is driven along a path parallel to the two conveyors by a differential drive mechanism coupled to the drive mechanisms of the two conveyors. The differential drive mechanism responds to the difference in the speeds of the two conveyor drive mechanisms to drive the carrier and position the diverter element along the parallel conveyors. The diverter element extends at least partway across the widths of the two conveyors to guide articles on one conveyor to the other. In a preferred version, the carrier is an endless conveyor belt to which the diverter element is attached, and the differential drive mechanism includes a shaft arranged coaxially with drive or idler sprocket shafts of the conveyor belts at each end of the bed. The apparatus is useful in accumulating articles transported on a main conveyor in a first-in, first-out fashion.

A modular conveyor belt ( ) constructed of a series of rows ( ) of belt modules hingedly interlined by tapered oblong hinge pins ( ) and suitable for following straight or curved conveyor paths. Aligned slots ( ) formed in one set of hinge elements between successive rows are elongated in the direction of belt travel to allow the belt to fan out in turns. Fan-shaped apertures ( ) formed in interleaved hinge elements of an adjacent row and aligned axially with the slots to admit a hinge pin ( ) allow the belt to pivot at the hinge to articulate about a sprocket ( ) or idler ( ) or to enter and exit an incline. The oblong hinge pin has a first region at a first end ( ) with a constant long axis to share the belt load among hinge elements encompassing the first region on straight runs. A second region of the hinge pin at an opposite second end ( ) has a tapered oblong cross section, the long axis of which increases with distance from the second end to define a variable pitch and to spread the belt tension among the hinge elements at the outside of a turn encompassing the second region. Each belt row can be constructed of individual links stacked together on a support element ( ) and retained by fasteners ( ) or of integrally molded modules each comprising a transverse connecting member from which leading and trailing hinge elements extend. Accessory attachments, such as teeth ( ) or sideguards ( ), can be added to the belt. The belt can be driven by a cog, a roller chain, or other driving means driving lugs ( ) extending from the bottom of the belt. The drive surfaces of the lugs can be obliquely arranged for better load sharing.

Modular belt with tapered oblong hinge pins

This invention provides integrated knuckle drive link conveyor belt systems with improved long wear-high load bearing link coupling joints of a universal joint nature for permitting the belts to travel on straight or curvaceous paths which also feature expedited insertion of spindle rods extending through the knuckles, diverse sprocket drive capabilities and replaceable load conveying platform accessories of the plug-in or snap-in variety. A cylindrical knuckle, when the loaded belt is under tension, has a substantially semi-cylindrical high wear contact surface that handles heavy peak loads. That knuckle is installed expeditiously at a joint between end-to-end connected links constituting a special interfitted jig comprising a seat in the nose end of a link resting the knuckle in a registered operational position to receive the connecting spindle rod through trailing edge bifurcated arms of a leading modular link without a concurrent manual orientation of the knuckle. Diverse sprocket drive structure permits the belt to be driven from beneath or on either lateral side. The knuckle and surrounding seat provides three dimensional moving tolerances to provide the universal joint type operation at each link joint. Other features include side rollers to reduce friction on inner curve radii, and hold down flanges that keep the belt from fluttering off a base support surface. The rugged molded resulting plastic links are long wearing and resist catastrophic failure. The versatility and ruggedness of the system is significantly enhanced by the removable platform structure for heavy industrial use.

Knuckle drive link conveyor belt systems with removable load conveying surface members

A sectional article transfer assembly for receiving articles stripped from the conveying surface of a moving conveyor belt. The article transfer assembly includes, as a first piece, a transfer edge member having a base portion lying on and supported by a support frame and a belt-abutting portion that extends from the base portion to closely abut the conveying surface of a conveyor belt as it passes around a sprocket. The belt-abutting portion can have fingers or a beveled straight edge, for example. The transfer edge member mates with a second piece, a transfer plate member, which has a recessed portion that overlaps and mates with the base portion of the transfer edge member and a flat top article-transfer plate continuous and coplanar with an upper surface of the transfer edge member to form an extension of the conveying surface of the belt along which articles arc conveyed. In preferred versions, the two pieces can each be made of different materials, such as a durable material for the transfer edge member and a low-friction material for the transfer plate member. Other combinations of materials can be used to adapt the characteristics of the sectional transfer assembly to different operational demands.

Article transfer assemblies for conveyor belts

A conveyor drive unit is provided for engaging and driving a belt type conveyor. The unit includes a motor drive unit and drive chain assembly having a drive chain driven by the motor along a drive path. The drive chain has drive lugs configured thereon to engage with drive dogs on the conveyor as the drive chain is driven along the drive path. The drive path defines the drive angle with respect to a straight path of the conveyor along the drive path. An adjustable positioning device is disposed relative to the drive chain assembly such that upon variable positioning of the drive chain assembly, the drive angle defined between the drive path of the chain and the straight path of the conveyor along the drive path varies. In this manner, the degree of engagement of the drive lugs with the drive dogs of the conveyor along the drive path can be adjusted by varying the drive angle.

Conveyor motor drive unit and conveyor system

A modular conveyor belt constructed of a series of rows of plastic belt modules hingedly interlinked by hinge pins and suitable for following straight or curved paths. Aligned slots formed in hinge elements on one end of a row are variably elongated in the direction of belt travel. Bearing surfaces bounding the distal ends of slots on one side of the row are aligned transverse to the direction of travel to engage the hinge pin and share belt pull on a straight run. Bearing surfaces bounding the distal ends of slots on the opposite side of the row are aligned oblique to the transverse direction to engage the hinge pin and share belt pull in a turn.

Modular conveyor belt suitable for following straight or curved paths

A hand held plastic rod gripping tool 25 is especially adapted for forcefully pushing thin cylindrical plastic rods into a resident pivot joint site between two modular links of a conveyor belt. Plastic pivot rods are difficult to insert manually because they are thin, and easily flexed, making them hard to grasp frictionally in the fingers at a stiff short section for forceful axial insertion. Also some conveyor modules require the rods or the modules to be distorted for snapping in over a barrier ridge thus requiring more force for initial entry. The tool 25 has a cylindrical knurled 26 hand grip body, of a diameter that permits a firm grasp, through which extends an axial passageway, typically a slot 27, for entry of the rod. A manually movable gripper assembly 45 is generally laterally movable to frictionally contact a rod 10 held within the tool body. Within an interior channel 49 at an acute converging angle 50 toward a rod 10 the gripper 45 is spring biassed 46 to move toward the rod surface. The angular channel 49, in which the gripper rides, serves to strengthen the grip as the rod is pushed against an opposing force. A one-way clutching action permits a gripped rod alternately to be forcefully pushed into place and to be freely fed through the grip. The gripper has a set of shaped metal plates, each with a notch 50 that partially surrounds the cylindrical rod 10 holding it nested in a mating groove 40 within the tool body. Knife-like edges 51 along notches 50 bite into plastic for a secure grip. A forward end of the tool is flanged 28 to provide at its outer end a planar pushing member 60 for contact with the rod end after it leaves the tool.

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Metairie, LA, United States of America

Paul L Horton