The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 10, 1991
Filed:
Sep. 28, 1990
James L Layne, Glasgow, KY (US);
Mark T Johnson, Glasgow, KY (US);
Span Tech Corporation, Glasgow, KY (US);
Abstract
A helical conveyor/accumulator includes a side flexing track wound in a helical pattern around a rotary drum. The drum includes longitudinal grooves that carry articles along the helically disposed track as the drum rotates. The grooves have article engaging ribs that cooperate to move the articles for feeding while allowing the article to be spaced from the ribs for accumulation. The side flexing track includes modular links coupled together by connecting rods. The track is supported around the drum by helical coils disposed at the inner edge and the outer edge of the track and support rods passing through the links and clamped to a frame. Articles are fed until stopped by a gate, and then when the gate is opened articles seat in successive grooves in the drum for metered or controlled discharge.