Daifuku Co., Ltd.

Yoshito Kaida

Tatsuya Sakagami

Shoji Tada

A friction-drive carriage type conveyor includes a carriageso supported as to run in a running direction along a track, which includes a linear path and a turning path. The carriagehas a frictional surfacecontinuing linearly along its whole length. The conveyor is fitted with first friction drive rollersfor contact with the frictional surface, which are positioned near the linear path. The conveyor is also fitted with second friction drive rollersA&#x2013;C for driving the carriagesmoothly and reliably even along the turning path. The second friction drive rollersA&#x2013;C are spaced at intervals along the turning path, which are shorter than the frictional surface. The second friction drive rollersA&#x2013;C are so supported that each of them can move between an advance limit position and a retraction limit position. The advance limit position is on the locus described by the frictional surfacewhen the carriagepasses along the turning path. The retraction limit position is outside the locus. Each of the second friction drive rollersA&#x2013;C can be biased toward the associated advance limit position by a biasing means, which may be a hydraulic cylinder. Each of the second friction drive rollersA&#x2013;C comes into compressive contact with the frictional surfaceof the carriagedriven forward by the just upward friction drive roller and drives the carriage to a position where the frictional surface comes into compressive contact with at least the just downstream friction drive roller.

Friction-drive carriage type conveyor

A transport system having (i) electrical movers for moving in a travel direction along a guide rail, each having (a) a drive wheel, (b) a brakeless electric motor for rotating the drive wheel, (c) a photoelectric switch adapted to sense the proximity of an object, (d) a contact member for stopping movement of the electric mover at a predetermined location, the photoelectric switch being disposed in the travel direction ahead of said contact member for switching the supply of electrical power to the motor upon sensing or ceasing to sense a previously sensed proximity of an object, and (ii) a stopping mechanism located along the guide rail for stopping the movement of an electric mover, including (a) a stopper adapted in an operative position thereof to stop a moving electrical mover by contact with the contact member, and to allow movement of the electrical mover when the stopper is not in its operative position, (b) a shifter for shifting the stopper in and out of its operating position, and (c) a detectable member shiftable by the shifter to a position perpendicularly to the travel direction when the detectable member is shifted to said perpendicular position, it can be sensed by the photoelectric switch before contact between the stopper and the contact member.

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Shiga, Japan

Yoshito Kaida