Power transmission assembly for an accumulator conveyor

Abstract

An accumulator conveyor of the type that includes a plurality of article accumulating zones extending between the infeed and discharge ends of the conveyor. In preferred form, each of the conveyor's zones includes at least one novel power transmission assembly, all of those assemblies being powered by a single flexible drive member, e.g., an endless chain. Each power transmission assembly includes a novel fluid ram which cooperates with a power wheel to move that power wheel into and out of driving engagement with the conveyor's article propelling member(s) within that zone it serves. Operation of the transmission assemblies is controlled by a fluid control circuit which, in one embodiment, causes all zones to be dead or nondriven when no article is on the conveyor, causes only that zone which supports an article and the zone immediately downstream therefrom to be driven as an article proceeds over the length of the conveyor, causes that zone which supports a second article to go dead when a first article is stopped in the immediately downstream zone, and causes that zone which supports the second article to go live when the first article is removed from the immediately downstream zone, all automatically and in response to the presence or absence of articles on the conveyor.