GB1369754A - Self regulating roller conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

1369754 Roller conveyers ALVEY Inc 27 July 1972 [27 Sept 1971] 35198/72 Heading B8A Drive for each group of conveyer rollers 13 comprises a power take-off roller 27 along the periphery of which a drive transfer wheel 38 is movable under the control of an article sensing roller 17 which is normally urged upwardly by a spring 23. The group of rollers 13 located between the two sensing rollers 17 shown in Fig. 3 has its rollers drivingly connected by friction rollers 14. A third sensing roller (not shown) downstream and to the right of Fig. 3 has been depressed and the wheel 38 is lowered out of engagement with the roller 13 immediately above the power roller 27. Accordingly the group of rollers 13 is undriven. With no articles on the downstream roller 17 the wheel 38 is moved into engagement with the previously undriven roller 13 and the whole group is driven. A belt 25A, 25B is continuously driven. In a modification, Fig. 6, a friction roller 14 is dispensed with since a transfer wheel 38A is engageable with two rollers 13A, 13B. The arrangement provides interruption of drive when there is a hold-up of articles and the articles are spaced when drive is resumed. During normal operation, with articles moving from left to right, each article will be spaced from adjacent ones due to momentary interruption of drive as the articles engage the sensing rollers 17 in turn.