Pallet conveyor with chain drive recirculating in a horizontal plane

Abstract

A conveyor using a drive chain to drive pallets along a closed loop path on a track lying in a horizontal plane through inside and outside turns so that the conveyor may transport parts along non aligned stations. An advance and a return run extend parallel to each other and are closely spaced to minimize the floor space required. The drive chain is engaged by two spaced apart sprockets engaging a respective side of the drive chain, the sprockets mounted to the pallet on a pivoted bar spring biased to urge the sprocket teeth into engagement with the chain. The sprocket bar is pivotally mounted to one end of the swing bar which has an opposite end connected to the pallet to allow the chain and pallet to move together along the track and negotiate inside and outside turns. The chain is guided in a chain guide channel through inside turns, and on sprockets around the outside turns. A pair of friction brake rollers are included, each attached to one of the sprockets and are normally in firm contact with each other to brake the sprockets and carry the pallet along with the chain, which friction brake rollers slip when the pallet is arrested by a stop mechanism to be allowed to accumulate, the sprockets then able to rotate and the chain allowed to continue to circulate past the stopped pallet.