Retarder device for moving objects

Abstract

A retarder device for applying gradually increasing braking force to a moving object such as a pallet rolling on a gravitationally actuated conveyor system. The device produces a three-stage application of braking force to the moving object as the object moves along its predetermined path and rolls over a brake wheel that actuates a gear train. The gear train comprises a plurality of intermeshed gears that progressively increases the angular velocity of the rotating gears as the first gear in the train is rotated. A fly wheel carrying at least one pivotally mounted fly weight, and preferably a plurality of weights equally spaced around the wheel, is fixedly secured to the terminal gear of the train. The inertia of the various members of the gear train, the fly wheel, and the fly weights applies the first stage braking force to the moving object. The fly weights pivot outward due to centrifugal forces developed from rotation of the fly wheel, and press against a nearby friction member to develop a frictional contact. The resulting frictional force constitutes the second stage braking force. A still larger braking force is applied during a third stage in which the further pivoting of the fly weights pushes against the adjacent friction member with sufficient force that the fly wheel itself is pressed in the opposite direction against at least one reaction snubber mounted on the support means adjacent the other side of the fly wheel. To produce the larger thirdstage braking force, the reaction snubber or snubbers and the fly wheel have a higher coefficient of friction than the fly wheel and the aforementioned friction member.