Rapistan Systems Advertising Corp.

Rapistan Demag Corporation

Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.

Mannesmann Dematic Rapistan Corp.

Phillip J Gilmore

John I McCort

Richard J Micheletti

Ricardo N Schiesser

Ernie A Romeo

Shenghong W Yang

Jesse Eugene Cornwell

John J McCort

An extendable conveyor includes a support structure, a mechanically extendable section which is extendable along the longitudinal axis between a fully retracted position and a fully extended position, a conveyor belt reeved among the mechanically extendable section thereby defining a conveying surface and a drive. The drive is operable to drive the conveyor belt in at least one direction. The extendable section may be extended by driving the conveyor belt in one direction and retracted by driving the conveyor belt in an opposition direction. The mechanically extendable section may include a plurality of sections at least one made substantially from a unitary sheet of material.

Extendable belt conveyor

An extendable conveyor has an extendable conveyor section supported in a cantilevered manner including at least one extendable conveyor unit that is extendable between an extended position and a retracted position nested within the extendable conveyor section. The conveyor further includes a user interface section supported in a cantilevered manner from the extendable conveyor unit.

Extendable trailer loader/unloader with user interface section

An outer extendable boom or extension is implemented on an extendable conveyor of conventional design, which includes at least two extendable units, each of which is nested within the next inwardly positioned unit and adjustably positioned between an extended position and a retracted position. The outer boom includes a pair of opposite side members which extend within an outer conventional extendable unit and a conveying surface. A support system is provided to support the outer boom as it extends and retracts within the outer extendable unit. A forward support member of the support system is laterally aligned with the side members and a cantilever support member is vertically spaced from a rearward end of the side members, such that a reduced range in width and a reduced range in height of the extendable units may be achieved.

Extendable conveyor with additional boom section

An extendable gravity loader includes an extendable gravity propelled conveying surface and a user interface section having a driven conveying surface. The sidewalls of the gravity loader define an upper edge which is above a conveying surface of the loader to prevent packages from being laterally dislodged therefrom. The sidewalls allow for a minimal height of the extendable units, while still providing a structurally robust loader with a minimal drop off between the conveying surfaces of the respective units. The user interface section provided at an outer end of the loader may have at least a portion that is vertically adjustable via an actuator at the extendable unit of the loader.

Extendable gravity loader

An extendable gravity loader includes an extendable gravity propelled conveying surface and a user interface section having a driven conveying surface. The sidewalls of the conveyor define an upper edge which is above a conveying surface of the loader to prevent packages from being laterally dislodged therefrom. The sidewalls allow for a minimal height of the extendable units, while still providing a structurally robust loader with a minimal drop off between conveying surfaces of the respective units. The user interface section provided at an outer end of the loader may have at least a portion that is vertically adjustable via an actuator at the extendable unit of the loader. The actuator may be mounted to the gravity loader at a pair of compression springs, which function to absorb shock to the actuator when packages or the like are dropped or otherwise impact the user interface section. Additionally, a limit switch may be provided to deactivate the actuator in response to detection of resistance to upward and downward movement of the user interface section. An actuator assist device, such as gas springs or the like, is operable to assist the actuator in raising and lowering the user interface section, such that a lower vertical height of the user interface section may be provided, since a smaller lift arm or moment arm is necessary to raise and lower the user interface section by the actuator.

An outer extendable boom or extension is implemented on an extendable conveyor of conventional design, which includes at least two extendable units, each of which is nested within the next inwardly positioned unit and adjustably positioned between an extended position and a retracted position. The outer boom includes a pair of opposite side members which extend within an outer conventional extendable unit and a conveying surface. A support system is provided to support the outer boom as it extends and retracts within the outer extendable unit. A forward support member of the support system is laterally aligned with the side members and a cantilever support member is vertically spaced from a rearward end of the side members, such that a reduced range in width and a reduced range in height of the extendable units may be achieved. Accordingly, the outer boom or extension provides a substantial increase in the extendable reach of the conveyor assembly, while avoiding any adverse affect on the width of the conveying surfaces and the height of the conveying surface associated with the base unit. The present invention also provides for an extendable attachment to be implemented within a pre-existing conventional extendable conveyor assembly.

An extendable conveyor has an extendable conveyor section supported in a cantilevered manner including at least one extendable conveyor unit that is extendable between an extended position and a retracted position nested within the extendable conveyor section. The conveyor further includes a user interface section supported in a cantilevered manner from the extendable conveyor unit. The user interface section is vertically adjustable about a horizontal axis and horizontally adjustable about a vertical axis. The extendable conveyor includes a conveying surface defined on the extendable conveyor section and the user interface section. The user interface section is vertically adjustable by an actuator that is preferably an electric motor type linear actuator that is horizontally oriented. This allows the actuator to fit within the side profile of the interface of the user interface section with the extendable conveyor unit.

An extendable trailer for loading and unloading items from a truck trailer, or other type of transportation unit, includes a user interface section. The user interface section is cantilever supported and both longitudinally and horizontally movable. The user interface section is attached to a mechanically extendable section that includes a conveying surface separate from the conveying surface of the user interface section. The user interface section may be vertically pivotable and may include a locking system which allows longitudinal movement of the user interface section only when the mechanically extendable section is in a fully retracted position. A cable retracting unit is positioned on the mechanically extendable section adjacent the user interface section and takes up slack in the power cable supplying power to the user interface section.

An extendable conveyor unit eliminates the necessity of a base unit by supporting the extendable units directly from the warehouse floor with a minimum amount of support structure. The extendable conveyor includes one or more extendable units, a stationary support for supporting the extendable units, and a conveying surface defined on an extended portion of the extendable units. The stationary support supports the extendable units between a fully extended position, wherein the extendable units extend from the support in the direction of the vehicle to be loaded and a fully retracted position in which the extendable units extend from the support in a direction opposite from the direction of the vehicle to be loaded. The conveying surface may be a gravity roller conveyor or it may be an endless belt. When the conveying surface is an endless belt, an elevating unit may be provided with the stationary support in order to elevate the conveying member above the extendable unit at the stationary support to match up with a discharge or receiving conveyor. A cable routing system to the extendable units includes an electrical cable running between the stationary support and an extendable unit over a sheave mounted to another extendable unit with the extendable units extended at a rate that maintains tension on the cable for all extendable positions of the extendable units.

Extendable conveyor without base unit

An apparatus and method for laterally diverting or shunting articles conveyed along a conveyor. An am or paddle is mechanically coupled to a rotating cam which drives the arm from a first or resting position parallel to the conveyor to a deflecting position across the conveyor at a first velocity profile and from the deflected position back to the resting position at a second, greater velocity profile in a single revolution of the cam. Velocity profiles can be optimized for the application by specification of the cam's geometry. Cycle times of 400 milliseconds, or 150 cycles per minute, are possible.

High-speed paddle diverter

An extendable conveyor unit supports the extendable units directly from the warehouse floor with a minimum amount of support structure. The extendable conveyor includes one or more extendable units, a stationary support for supporting the extendable units, and a conveying surface defined on an extended portion of the extendable units. The stationary support supports the extendable units between a fully extended position, wherein the extendable units extend from the support in the direction of the vehicle to be loaded and a fully retracted position in which the extendable units extend from the support in a direction opposite from the direction of the vehicle to be loaded. The conveying surface may be a gravity roller conveyor or it may be an endless belt. When the conveying surface is an endless belt, an elevating unit may be provided with the stationary support in order to elevate the conveying member above the extendable unit at the stationary support to match up with a discharge or receiving conveyor. A cable routing system to the extendable units includes an electrical cable running between the stationary support and an extendable unit over a sheave mounted to another extendable unit with the extendable units extended at a rate that maintains tension on the cable for all extendable positions of the extendable units.

Electrical cable support in extendable conveyor

An extendable conveyor for conveying product having a base unit, at least two extendable units selectively nested within each other and the base unit and a conveying member supported by the base unit and any extended portions of the extendable units, each of the extendable units is supported by a cantilever support system from the next most inward extendable unit or the base unit, the cantilever support system for each extendable unit including at least one rearward support member on each extendable unit engaging the next most inward extendable unit or the base unit and at least one forward support member on the next most inward extendable unit of the base unit supporting the extendable unit, at least the rearward support members or the forward support members being laterally aligned in a vertical plane adjacent a lateral perimeter of the conveying member in order to allow a reduced range in width of the extendable units and thereby a wider conveying surface relative to the width of the base unit.

Growing community of inventors

Healdsburg, CA, United States of America

Phillip J Gilmore