Screw conveyor for the transport of goods hanging from hanger supports

Abstract

A screw conveyor for the transport of, for example, pieces of clothing hanging on clothes hangers, comprises a screw shaft train () which may be rotated about the shaft axis () thereof, with a transport groove system (), machined into the outer surface thereof along the shaft axis () in the form of a screw. The clothes hangers may be hung in the transport groove system (), using the hanger hooks () thereof and axially transported by rotation of the screw shaft train (). According to the invention, the transport groove system () comprises at least one primary transport groove (), from which a secondary transport groove (), preceding the primary transport groove () in relation to the transport direction () of the goods for transport, branches at a branching position (). The embodiment of the primary transport groove () and the secondary transport groove () is set, particularly with regard to the slope profile thereof, such that clothes hangers () free of crossovers, which approach the branching position () in the primary transport groove (), pass the branching point () without leaving the primary transport groove (). A sensor arrangement () is provided on the screw shaft train () for recognition of clothes hangers () with a cross-over, which is also embodied to monitor the secondary transport groove () for clothes hangers () transported therein.