ES363210A1 - Conveyors - Google Patents

Abstract

A conveyer providing a continuously moving horizontal load-carrying platform, including a constant low speed loading or unloading zone 3, 4, a constant higher-speed-transport zone 5, and an acceleration or deceleration zone 7 between them, comprises a series of platform elements 1 having constant orientation, sliding one against the next in the acceleration and deceleration zones, drive and support means for the platforms, and cover elements 12 covering the areas between the edges of the platform elements and the boundaries 10, 11 of the path travelled thereby, the cover elements being displaceable by the motion of the platform elements. Fingers 12 (Fig. 2) comprising articulated elements 121 emerging from a tube 122 under pneumatic pressure, press against the edges of the platform. In Fig. 9, fingers 23 comprise two resiliently jointed arms 231, 233, one pivoted to the conveyer support at 15 and the other mounted on a roller 234 which moves over the support. In Fig. 17, rigid arms 36, on rollers 360, slide on supports 37 into walls 39, 40 and are pressed into contact with the edges of platform elements 25 by pneumatic tubes 41, 42. The shape of the platforms may be variable (Figs. 8, 12, not shown) to provide a smoother contour for the fingers to slide past. In Fig. 19, plates 60 are provided at the edges of platform elements 55, and slide relatively thereto. The plates move partially beneath walls 46, 47 with the elements 55, and may be lowered when not required, i.e. .in the loading and transport zones.