US1135316A - Conveyer system. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

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CONVEYER SYSTEM.

' APPLICATION FILED n.4, 1913.

S. OLSON.

CONVEYER SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.4, 1913. 1 1 135 31 6. Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

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GONVEYER SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1913.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

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couvevaa SYSTEM.

APPLICATION HL\ED R24, 1913. I

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S. OLSON. CONVEYER SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1913.

Patented Apr. 13,; 12115.

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SAMUEIIJ'OLSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONVEYER SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A 13, 1915,

Application filed April 4, 1913. Serial No. 758,759.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known thatI, SAMUEL Onson, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in' the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gonveyer Systems, of which the following isa specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forininga part thereof;

'lhisdnvention relates to improvements in conveying machinery and has to do part cularly with devices for rendering the transfer ofmaterialfrom one conveyer to the other entirely automatic, and further includes an arrangcmentof horizontal convey erswith asingle vertical traveling conveyor or elevator adapted to make the maximum use of such vertical conveyor.

The inrention'consists in-the various featuresand elements and their combinations hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawings as indicated bythe appended claims. r,

lit-the drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation ot'a vertical conveyor and various horizontal conveyers associated therewith in accordance with this invention.

' Fig; side elevation illustrating varione related features of the conveyors, i, B and-E. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation 1llusvation illustrating theinter-related features of the conveyor A and the conveyer D. Fig.

5 is a'plan view partly in section taken indicated atthe line 5.' on Fig. 2. Fig. 3

is a detail section taken as indicated at the line, fie-6, on Fig.5.

Fig. 1 illustrates a vertical conveyor or elevator, A, indicating the principal details of construction of this elevator, and showing only in diagram the relative positions of certain associated horizontal conveyors, designated as B, C, D and E. From this figure, however, it will be seen that the vertical conveyor, A, is designed to. be uti lized both for elevating packages at one ply of its'traveling belt, A, and for'lowcring packages at the other ply of said belt. The cars or carriers for this purposcare in the form of trays, A", which are pivotally engaged with the belt or chain, A, and guided so as-to project horizontally therefrom for supporting their loads. The guide means consists of a pair of rollers, A symmetriaxis of engagement of the tray with the belt at A, and supported by oppositely extending arms, A As indicated in the plan view in Fig. 5, each tray, A is provided with two pairs of guide rollers, A, which travel in guide channels, A, formed in any convenient manner and positioned at the cxtreme sides of the conveyor, that is, outside the carrying belts or chains,.A and just beyond the lateral limits of the trays, A At the end of its downward travel each tray, Si passes radially around the foot-wheels, A and is thus inverted for use in its upward travel at the other side. The stresses in the arms, A transmitting the reactions of the loaded trays to the opposite walls of the guide channel, A are thus reversed, but by virtue of their symmetrical arrangement these arms are equally adapted to transmit tension or compression, while the upper and under sides of the trays are exactly similar and are both arranged for supporting a load.

It will be understood thattzx: trays do not retain their loads in passing around the head wheels or foot wheels of the vertical conveyor, A, but merely transfer such loads from lower to higher positions or vice versa, at one side of the vertical conveyor. Fig. 2 shows one' end of 'a horizontal conveyor, 13, designed to deliver material to the vertical conveyor, A, at its ascending side. The trays, A", of the conveyor, A, are of lingered construction and the trays, B of the horizontal conveyor are similarly formed, and

so mounted that their fingers, B see Fig. 5, will intermeniber with the fingers, A of the trays, A The carrying chains, B pass around wheels which revolve about horizontal axes, and, as shown, these wheels, B, are mounted adjacent to the vertical conveyor so as to bring the trays, B into posi- I tion to intermember with the t'ays, A '1: he belt, B is driven in the opposite directwo to the belt, A so that as the loaded tray, 13-, passes downwardly around the lOQ wheels. 13, its load will be transferred to" the ascending tray, A of the vertical con.-

vcyer, and for maintaining the horizontal position of the tray, 13*, until it has thus delivered its load there are provided guide tracks, B and 13*, positioned to engage guiderollers, B carried on symmetrical arms, B which extend from the point of engagement of the tray with the chains at B, this construction being similar in appea-raucoto that of the trays, A As it appreaches the conveyer, A, along the upper course of the chain, 13, the tray, B is supported l'iorizontally by the lower guide rollers, I5", and supplemental carrying wheels or rollers, l5, mounted on the under side of the tray and traveling on the tracks, B but, after passing the point at which the tracks, B, curve downwardly, the supplemental rollers, 13*, would fail to maintain the horizontal position of the tray, B and for this purpose there are provided the wheels, 13*", journaled on the shaft, 13", of the'chain wheels, B, and positioned to support the tray by rolling engagement with the under sides of certain of its'fingers, B which-are especially formed with such under surfaces parallel to the upper or loadsupporting surface of the tray. In this manner the tray is carried from the position in which the rollers, B", fail to support it to a position at which the rollers, B can act horizontally against the downwardly curving tracks, B and B", the tray from tipping until its load has been transferred to the tray, A of the vertical conveyer. From the point of such transfer the guide tracks form a mere groove which is concentric about the axis of the chain wheels, B and thus causes the tray to swing radially about the remaining quarter of the turn..

It will be noted that as the tray travels around the upper quarter wheels, B the rollers, B must pass outside the tracks, B; to permit this, these supplemental rollers, B, are formed to extend only about half as far laterally as do the guide rollers, B so that notches, B, may be cut in the tracks, B, to permit the passage of these short rollers, B", without completely depriving the rollers, B", of the support of the tracks. This construction is indicated in detail in Fig. 6.

In view of the fact that the transfer of the load from the conveyer, vc ver, A, involves a con'ipartively sudden reversal of the direction of movement of such load. it is found desirable to provide a stationary landing upon which the load may be deposited monu-ntarily by the conveyer 13. before it is picked up bv the. conveyer A, whereby the resultant shock is divided in halt". Hair-h a landing is illustrated as composed of s ries of 1 ates, l, standing on edge in position to Mern'n-mhcr with the fingers of both the convevcrs, It and l5.-

These plates. I". may he supported in this upstamlling position in any convenient man- .et-n that the sup-tart provided must necessarily engage the pl, tcs at some distance from their upper edges, F, which are designed to receive the load; to prevent these com miratively slender plates. I". from vibrating laterally to such an extent as to fail to register properly with and thus prevent of the chain will thus 15, to the con-.

the wheels. C the vertical the fingersof the conveyer trays, the fingers, A of the travs, A are bifurcated so as to positively en age the said plates, F, near their point of support as the said trays pass around the foot wheels, A, and start upward; see dotted position of tray, A in Fig. 2. In this way the bifurcated fingers, A will assume control of the plates, F, to prevent any lateral swaying thereof before the fingers of the trays, B arrive at the plane of transfer, and will retain such control until after the transfer has been completed.

The load having been elevated from the platform plates, 1, to the position of the eonveyer, L, it;is removed from the elevator, A, by said conveyer, C, and carried away in a horizontal j'direction. The trays of the conveyer, (,,'fare similar in construction to those of the convever, B, and auxiliary supporting wheels, C corresponding in function and opieration to the wheels, B", are provided'o; the chain Wheel shaft. By means of an" extra set of idler pulleys, C, the belt, L9,", isgiven a short vertical run parallel to the belt, A of the elevator and adjacent t hereto, so that in this distance there willjibe afforded sufficient time for effecting the transfer of the load from the elevator to the tray, C since: in this case the trays ofthe two conveyers are traveling parallel in." the same direction. In entering upon this vertical portion of its travel the tray, (7, swings radially about the pulleys, C", that by gearing together the conveyers, A and C, and properly timing the tray, C with respect to the tray, the former may be caused to intermember with the latter in such a way that as it assumes a' horizontal position in its upward travel its carrying surface will come slightly above the carrying surface of the tray, A and remove the load therefrom, even though the linear velocities of the two trays be substantially equal. But, as the tray, C recedes from the elevator, A, in passing over component of its velocitvrapidlv decreases, and to preventthe tray, AF, from overtaking the said trav, (T and assun'iingthe load, the guide cl1arniels,'.'\"', are specially widened at A, to cause the tray. A to rock downwardly about the point, and thus avoid contact with the load on the tray, (1?, without vary ing its own rate of upward travel. the wheels, C", the tray travels horizontallv along the supporting track, Cfl and its load may he removed many manner not. trav. traverses shown. after which the said the lower plv of the belt. C", and "e urns to the idler pulleys. U forfurth carrywith' the track. C, until pulleys, 'C, 'i .t, permitted From rservice.- As indicated in Fig. 3. it is suspended in into swing downward about its point of con nection with the belt at 0*, through an arc of about 90 degrees, so that its rollers, C, may engage the guide track, C, in proper order to bring the carrying surface uppermost. To render this action smooth and avoid the pendulous swinging of the tray the track, C is sloped downwardly to its termination, but is necessarily interrupted at C, to permit the passage of the lower rollers, C

'lhe elevator trays, A having completed their work at the ascending side of the belt, A, pass over the head wheels, A and descend past the horizontal conveyer, D, which is designed to feed them with material to be transferred to the lower horizontal conveyer at that side denoted as E. In general construction the conveyor, D, is exactly simi lar to the conveyer, 33, already described, but since it transfers material to the vertical conveyor while traveling in the same direction as the latter, the combination involves a problem not met in the former case. As the loaded tray, D approaches the vertical conveyer, A, its load would block the intermembcring of the fingers of the tray with those oi the tray, A if the latter projected in its descent, as it must after receiving the load; but, such conflict is prevented by widening the guide channel, A, at A, so as to cause the tray, A to descend in tilted position, as indicated in dotted lines, and thus to pass under the tray, D before assuming a horizontal position. Then by proper tiniing of the two trays the upper surface of the tray, A may be made to assume a horizontal position slightly above the carrying surface or" the tray, D and thus remove the load therefrom, even though the two trays be traveling in the same direction at substantially equal speeds. After the instant of transfer the tray, D is carried about the chain wheels in radial position and thus automatically avoids the load on the descending tray, A

In order to right the tray, D, so as to cause it to return with the proper end forward, there is provided a wedge-like cam guide whose upper surface I), engages the first roller, D as the tray approaches the wedge in depending position, while the lower surface, D, engages the other roller, D an instant later, with the result that the depending end of the tray is swung upward bringing the supplemental rollers, l), on to the guide track, I), by which the tray is thereafter retained in proper relation to its direction of travel. The remaining transfer of the load from the tray A to v the conrcyer, E, involves no new principles and no new construction over what has alreadv been described, though it may be noted that in this case the supplemental landing plates, F, are first engaged and are controlled against lateral vibration by the fingers, E, of the trays, E said fingers being bifurcated for this purpose and engaging the plates, F, near their support.

I clain1:

1. in combination, a continuously traveling vertical conveyer comprising a belt, trays extending horizontally and outwardly from both its ascending and descending plies, and guide devices for maintaining such horizontal position of such trays; and two horizontal conveyers associated with such vertical conveyer at each .side thereof, and each comprising a belt traveling over a pulley adjacent to the vertical conveyor to gather with a tray engaged by said belt,rand guide devices for maintaining such tray in horizontal position as it passes around said pulley adjacent to the vertical conveyor; the two horizontal conveyors at each side of the vertical conveyor being adapted to travel in opposite directions with respect to each other, and the trays of the vertical conveyer being formed to intcrmeniber with those of the horizontal conveyors for transferring loads from one to the other of them at either side of said vertical conveyor.

2. In combination, a continuously traveling vertical conveyor comprising a belt,

and trays extending horizontally and outwardly from both its ascending and descend ing plies, guide devices for maintaining such horizontal position of said trays, and a plurality of horizontal conveyers associated with such vertical conveyer, and each comprising a belt traveling over pulleys which rotate about horizontal axes, a tray engaged by said belt, a track for supporting said tray in horizontal position at the upper ply of the belt, guide devices for maintaining such horizontal position of the tray as it passes vertically around the pulley adjacent to the vertical conveyer', all the trays of said conveyors being of fingered construction, and the trays of the horizontal conveyers being adapted to intermeinber with those of the vertical conveyer for automatic interchange of loads.

3. In combination, a conveyor comprising a belt mounted for vertical travel, a tra engaged by said belt and extending horn zontally to one side of the point of engagement. and guide devices for maintaining such horizontal position of said tray, and, a

said belt being mounted to pass adjacent to each other in opposite directions, a tray carried by each belt extending horizontally therefrom, and guidedevices for 1naintaining such horizontal position at the adjacent portions of the belts, said trays being of fingered construction adapted to intermernher with each other for transferring a load from the descending to the ascending tray.

5. In combination,- two conveyors, each comprising a continuously traveling belt, said belts being mounted to pass adjacent to each other in opposite directions, a tray carried by each belt extending horizontally therefrom, and guide devices for maintaining such horizontal position at the adjacent portions of the belt, said trays being of fingered construction adapted to intermember with each other for transferring a load from the descending to the ascending tray, and a stationarv landing comprising a series of upstanding flat-ended fingers positioned to intermember with the fingers of both conveyer trays at the plane of transfer of the load for momentarily supporting said load to reduce the shock thereto resulting from the reversal of its direction of motion.

6. In combination, two conveyers, each comprising a continuously traveling belt, said belts being mounted to pass adjacent to each other in opposite directions, a tray carried by each belt extending horizontally therefrom, and guide devices for maintaining such horizontal position at the adjacent portions of the belt, said trays being of fingered construction adapted to intermemher with each other for transferring a load from the descending to the ascending tray,

and a stationary landing comprising a series of plates standing on edge and separated by intervals adapting them to intermember with the trays of both conveyors, the tray fingers of the ascending tray being bifurcated to engage the respective plates of said platform in their upward movement to the plane of transfer for steadying said plates laterally.

"7. In combination, two conveyers each comprisingea continuously traveling belt, said belts ing mounted to pass ad acent to each other in approximately parallel direactions, and a tray carried by each belt extending horizontally therefrom toward the other belt, said trays being of fingered construction adapted to intermember with each other for transferring a load from one conveyor to the other,

8. In combination, two conveyers, each comprising a continuously traveling belt, said belts being mounted to pass ad acent to each other in approximately parallel directions, a tray carried by each belt extending horizontally therefrom toward the other belt, said trays being of fingered construction adapted to intermember with each other, and means fer propelling said belts at such rclatiye speedsthat the tray of one belt will pass the tray of the other in the parallel portions of their courses for transferring a load from one to the other.

9. In combination, two conveyers, each comprising a continuously traveling belt, said belts being mounted to travel approximately parallel to each other in the same direction, a tray carried by each belt extending horizontally therefrom toward the other belt in the parallel portions of their courses, said trays being of fingered construction adapted to intermember with each othergand driving means for said conveyers adapted to propel one of them at a higher rate of speed than the other for transferring a load from the slower to the faster conveyer.

10. In combination, two conveyers, each comprising a continuosly traveling belt, said belts being mounted to pass adjacent to each other in approximately parallel directions, a tray c'arried by each belt extending horizontally therefrom toward the other belt, said trays being of fingered construction adapted to 'intermember with each other,

and guide devices controlling the angular position of one of said trays and adapted to cause said tray to swing downwardly from .ihorizontal osition for releasing its load to the tray 0 the other conveyen;

11. In combination, a conveyor comprising a belt mounted for vertical travel, a

tray engaged by said belt extending horizontally to one side of the point of engagement, guide rollers associated with said tray,- and a guide track for the rollers for maintaining the tray normally in horizontal position, and a second conveyor comprising a belt mounted for horizontal traveland having alimited vertical run adjacent to the ascending side of the vertical conveyer, a-

tray engaged by said belt, and guide devices for maintaining said tray in horizontal po sition as it passes adjacent to the vertical con'veyer, the trays of both conveyers being of fingered construction adapted to intermember with each other for transferring a load from the vertical to the horizontal conveyer, and the guide track of the vertical conveyer being formed to permit the tray of; said conveyer to swing downwardly and away from the load as said load is assumed by the tray of the horizontal conveyer.

12. In combination, a conreyer comprising a belt mounted for vertical travel, a tray engaged by said belt extending horizontally to one side of the point of engagement, guide rollers associated with said tray, and a guide track for the rollers, for maintaining the tray normally in horizontal position, and a second conveyer comprising a belt mounted for horizontal travel and passing down cop? - tray engaged by said belt, and guide devices for maintaining said tray in horizontal p0- sltlon as 1t approaches the vertlcal ccnveyer,

the trays of both conveyers being of fin.

gered construction adapted to intermember one Wlfih the other for transferrlng a load from the horizontal to the vertical conveyer,

the guide track of the vertical conveyer being formed to permlt its tray to depend 0bliquely from the belt as in approaches the k point of such transfer, and said cram; being further formed to bring the tray to horizon tal position at the polnt of transfer fer receiving the load from the horizontal conveyer.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, illinois, this 25th day of March, 1913.

- SAMUEL OLSQN. Witnesses:

R021. NrBnRToN, EDNA M. Meolzwosfi

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