Transfer system for power-and-free conveyor

Abstract

In a power-and-free conveyor including a first free rail, a second free rail branching off from the first free rail, a first and a second power rail provided above the free rails respectively, a transfer system for transferring the carriers movably supported by the first free rail to the second free rail. An auxiliary rail attached to the first of the free rails slightly projects above the first free rail and has a cutaway section of requred length to the rear of the branching point of the second free rail. The carrier has at its front portion a pair of tilting drive and back-up dogs engageable with the propelling member driven along the power rail and at its rear portion a propelling member raising cam member. When a carrier advances into the cutaway section, a raising plate disposed near the front end of the rail cut-away portion, disengages the propelling member from the tilting drive dog on the carrier. A following propelling member advancing behind the disengaged propelling member engages under the cam member on the carrier in the cutaway section to push the carrier from behind and to advance the carrier to the second free rail. When the rear portion of the carrier approaches the branching point, the pushing propelling member ascends an upwardly slanting disengaging edge of the auxiliary rail at the front end of the cutaway section and is thereby disengaged from the carrier.