Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090101475 | ROLLER TRANSPORT CONVEYOR AND METHOD - A roller transport conveyor and method provides a device for conveying items along a plurality of rollers, in which the device may be set up and operated and serviced by manually raising and lowering one or more contact members that transmit force from a spring to urge a drive belt into contact with an underside of the rollers. The contact member is adjustable by raising and lowering the contact member to expand and contract the spring, or by raising and lowering a base on which the spring is supported, so that the drive belt may be engaged with and disengaged from the rollers. A gravity take-up includes a mass suspended from a cable that is routed to a pulley having the drive belt reeved thereon. The cable is wound upon a winch that compensates for belt stretch, or for belts of various lengths. | 04-23-2009 |
20100300835 | REDUCING DRAG ON THE WEB OF A POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT SORTER - A method of reducing drag on the web of a positive displacement sorter is used with a web made up of a plurality of parallel slats interconnected at their opposite ends with chain assemblies in an endless loop. A plurality of pusher shoes each travel along at least one of said slats. The sorter further includes a driven sprocket assembly and a non-driven sprocket assembly. Each of the sprocket assemblies includes at least two sprockets on a shaft, each for engaging one of the chain assemblies. The sprocket assemblies support the chain assemblies at opposite ends of the web. The method includes auditing the sorter including determining if the slats are skewed with respect to the direction of travel of the web. If it is determined that the slats are skewed, then the chain assemblies and the non-driven sprocket assembly are modified. The chain assemblies are modified by adding side thrust wheels on opposite sides of the web. The non-driven sprocket is modified by locking the sprockets to the shaft such that the sprockets rotate together. | 12-02-2010 |
20110114444 | CONVEYOR SYSTEM AND METHOD OF LATERALLY DISPLACING ARTICLES - A conveyor system and method of laterally displacing articles includes a conveyor defining a conveying surface and conveying articles in a longitudinal direction with the conveying surface. A diverting assembly is positioned diagonally at least partially across the conveying surface. The diverting assembly travels generally vertically between a non-actuated position below the conveying surface and an actuated position extending above the conveying surface. The diverting assembly has a diverting surface that is adapted to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface when in the actuated position. | 05-19-2011 |
20120125735 | VERTICAL ACTION SORTER AND METHOD OF SORTING ARTICLES - A vertical action sorter is provided along a transport conveyor for selectively diverting articles from the conveyor to a different location, such as a bin or another conveyor. Each sorter includes a sorter module that is selectively raised and lowered in response to an actuator, such as a linear actuator, that drives actuator members along respective tracks associated with the sorter module. Each track includes a contoured surface that controls the rate at which the sorter module will be raised and lowered in response to the linear actuator. A cross member may be provided for evenly supporting the sorter module as it is raised and lowered. | 05-24-2012 |
20130161154 | SORTER SLAT ATTACHMENT - A positive displacement sorter includes a plurality of parallel laterally extending slats and a pair of wheel assemblies, each interconnecting common end portions of the slats thereby defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction. An upper surface of the web defines an article-conveying surface. A plurality of pusher shoes travel along the slats in order to laterally displace articles on the conveying surface. A plurality of attachment mechanisms are provided. Each of the attachment mechanisms attaches an end portion of one of the slats to one of the wheel assemblies. Each of the attachment mechanisms includes a shoulder and a collar and at least one locking member. The collar engages the shoulder thereby providing retention of the slat to the wheel assembly. The locking member provides retention of the collar on the shoulder. | 06-27-2013 |
20130256094 | ROLLER CONVEYOR SYSTEM AND AXLE RETAINER FOR USE IN MOUNTING THE ROLLERS - A conveyor system includes a conveying surface for conveying articles as defined by a plurality of rollers and a frame. Each of the rollers has an axle. The frame is made up of at least two frame members that are spaced apart a distance that corresponds with a length of at least one of the plurality of rollers. A plurality of axle retainers is connected with at least one of the frame members. Each of the axle retainers has a base and a plurality of axle retaining openings that are each adapted to receiving an axle at an end of one of the rollers. At least two of the openings are fixedly at different angles to the base. In this manner, the axle retainers are capable of mounting the rollers at more than one angle with respect to the at least one of the frame members as determined by which of the axle-retaining openings receives the axle. Each roller-mounting angle corresponds to a different orientation of the base with respect to the at least one of the frame members. | 10-03-2013 |
20140014468 | CROSSBELT SORTER SYSTEM AND METHOD OF SORTING ARTICLES - A crossbelt sorter system and method of sorting articles includes a track assembly and a plurality of carriers attached to each other to travel along the track assembly. Each of the carriers includes at least front and rear corner portions thereof and a trolley at each of the front and rear corner portions. Each trolley is configured to travel along the track assembly. A hitch assembly joins adjacent ones of the carriers. A propulsion system propels the carriers along the track assembly. Each trolley is mounted to the associated carrier to pivot in at least two different directions. In this manner, the track assembly may have one or more spiral portions thereof. Each trolley is adapted to pivot in the two different directions to support the associated carrier as it moves through the spiral portion. | 01-16-2014 |
20140291115 | SORTER SLAT ATTACHMENT - A method of disconnecting a slat from a wheel assembly that is used with a positive displacement sorter having a plurality of parallel laterally extending slats and a pair of wheel assemblies, each interconnecting common end portions of the slats thereby defining an endless web that travels in a longitudinal direction. An upper surface of the web defines an article-conveying surface. The sorter has a plurality of pusher shoes travelling along the slats in order to laterally displace articles on said conveying surface. The sorter further has a plurality of attachment mechanisms, each attaching an end portion of one of the slats to one of the wheel assemblies. Each of the attachment mechanisms includes at least one locking member. The locking member includes a pin on the slat engaging an opening in one of the wheel assemblies. A retraction tool is positioned against one of the wheel assemblies adjacent to the slat to be disconnected. The retraction tool is pivoted about the wheel assembly to retract the pin from the opening. The slat is disconnected from the wheel assembly with the pin being retracted from the opening. | 10-02-2014 |