Conveyor system for articles

Claim 2

A conveyor system for articles, comprising: a. a first conveyor having a substantially horizontal surface adapted to support and move the articles and including an elongated section for display of the articles; b. a feed mechanism operatively connected to a first point on said first conveyor for placing the articles on said first conveyor; c. a second conveyor having a beginning operatively connected to a second point on said first conveyor and an end operatively connected to a third point on said first conveyor so that articles may move from said second point on said first conveyor onto said beginning, said second conveyor being operative to move the article from its beginning to its end so that articles may move from said end onto the third point on said first conveyor; and d. first means for sensing spaces between articles placed on said first conveyor by the feed mechanism, said means being operatively connected to said second conveyor for controlling said second conveyor so that articles moving from said end onto said third point will fill said spaces.

Claim 3

The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said second conveyor includes a plurality of serially arranged sections, a first section disposed at said end of the second conveyor being controlled by said first means.

Claim 4

The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said first conveyor is a closed loop conveyor and said horizontal surface is continuously moving at a constant speed during operation of the conveyor system.

Claim 5

A conveyor system for articles, comprising: a first conveyor having a substantially horizontal surface adapted to support and move the articles and including an elongated section for display of the articles; a feed mechanism operatively connected to a first point on said first conveyor for placing the articles on said first conveyor; a second conveyor including a plurality of serially arranged sections and having a beginning operatively connected to a second point on said first conveyor and an end operatively connected to a third point on said first conveyor so that articles may move from said second point on said first conveyor onto said beginning, said second conveyor being operative to move the article from its beginning to its end so that articles may move from said end onto the third point on said first conveyor; first means for sensing spaces between articles placed on said first conveyor by the feed mechanism, said means being operatively connected to a first section of said plurality disposed at the end of said second conveyor for controlling said first section so that articles moving from said end onto said third point will fill said spaces; and a second means provided for sensing articles at said beginning, said second means being operatively connected to a second section of said plurality disposed at said beginning of said second conveyor for controlling said second section so that articles placed on said beginning are moved beyond said second means.

Claim 6

A conveyor system for articles, comprising: a first conveyor having a substantially horizontal surface adapted to support and move the articles and including an elongated section for display of the articles; a feed mechanism operatively connected to a first point on said first conveyor for placing the articles on said first conveyor; a second conveyor including a plurality of serially arranged sections and having a beginning operatively connected to a second point on said first conveyor and an end operatively connected to a third point on said first conveyor so that articles may move from said second point on said first conveyor onto said beginning, said second conveyor being operative to move the article from its beginning to its end so that articles may move from said end onto the third point on said first conveyor; first means for sensing spaces between articles placed on said first conveyor by the feed mechanism, said means being operatively connected to a first section of said plurality disposed at the end of said second conveyor for controlling said first section so that articles moving from said end onto said third point will fill said spaces; and a second means provided for sensing articles at said beginning, said second means being operatively connected to a second section of said plurality disposed at said beginning of said second conveyor for controlling said second section so that articles placed on said beginning are moved beyond said second means.

Claim 7

The system as defined in claim 4, wherein a third section of said plurality is disposed between said first and second section, a third means is provided for sensing articles on said third section, said third means being operatively connected to said second section for deenergizing said second section for deenergizing said second section when an article is sensed.

Claim 8

A conveyor system for articles, comprising: a first conveyor having a substantially horizontal surface adapted to support and move the articles and including an elongated section for display of the articles; a feed mechanism operatively connected to a first point on said first conveyor for placing the articles on said first conveyor; a second conveyor including three serially arranged sections normally energized and having a beginning operatively connected to a second point on said first conveyor and an end operatively connected to a third point on said first conveyor, a first section disposed at said beginning of the second conveyor and adapted to receive and store articles from said second point on said first conveyor, a second section disposed at said end of the second conveyor and adapted to place articles onto said third point on said first conveyor, and a third section disposed between said first and second sections and operative to move the article from said first section to said second section; first means for sensing spaces between articles placed on said first conveyor by the feed mechanism, said means being operatively connected to said second section for controlling said second section so that articles moving from said end onto said third point will fill said spaces; a second means for sensing an article at said end of the second conveyor, said second means being operatively connected to said first, second and third sections to deenergize said sections when an article is sensed, said first means being operative to override said second means and energize the second section so that articles may move from said end onto said third point to fill said spaces; a third means for sensing articles on said third section operatively connected to said first section to deenergize said section when an article is sensed; and a fourth means for sensing an article at said beginning of said second conveyor operatively connected to said first section to override said second and third means if said first section is deenergized thereby and energize said first section when an article is sensed by the fourth means until the article has moved beyond said fourth means.

Claim 9

A conveyor system for articles, comprising: a first conveyor having a substantially horizontal surface adapted to support and move the articles and including an elongated section for display of the articles; a feed mechanism operatively connected to a first point on said first conveyor for placing the articles on said first conveyor; a second conveyor including three serially arranged sections normally energized and having a beginning operatively connected to a second point on said first conveyor and an end operatively connected to a third point on said first conveyor, a first section disposed at said beginning of the second conveyor and adapted to receive and store articles from said second point on said first conveyor, a second section disposed at said end of the second conveyor and adapted to place articles onto said third point on said first conveyor, and a third section disposed between said first and second sections and operative to move the article from said first section to said second section; first means for sensing spaces between articles placed on said first conveyor by the feed mechanism, said means being operatively connected to said second section for controlling said second section so that articles moving from said end onto said third point will fill said spaces; a second means for sensing an article at said end of the second conveyor, said second means being operatively connected to said first, second and third sections to deenergize said sections when an article is sensed, said first means being operative to override said second means and energize the second section so that articles may move from said end onto said third point to fill said spaces; a third means for sensing articles on said third section operatively connected to said first section to deenergize said section when an article is sensed; and a fourth means for sensing an article at said beginning of said second conveyor operatively connected to said first section to override said second and third means if said first section is deenergized thereby and energize said first section when an article is sensed by the fourth means until the article has moved beyond said fourth means.

Claim 10

The system as defined in claim 6, wherein: a. said first conveyor is a closed loop conveyor, and said horizontal surface is continuously moving at a constant speed during operation of the conveyor system; b. said second point on the first conveyor is downstream of said elongated section and upstream of said first point, said third point on the first conveyor is downstream of said first point and upstream of said elongated section, and said second conveyor forms a substantially straight line conveyor system between said beginning and end; and c. including: a third conveyor in a substantially vertical plane immediately above said horizontal surface and immediately downstream of said second point, said third conveyor providing a continuously moving surface for transferring articles reaching the second point from the second point to said beginning of the second conveyor; a fourth conveyor operatively connected to said second point of said first conveyor for receiving and storing articles from the first conveyor when the direction of rotation of said third conveyor is reversed.

Claim 11

The system as defined in claim 6, wherein: a. said first means includes a light source forming a beam of light iMmediately above said horizontal surface and substantially perpendicular to the movement of articles on said first conveyor and a photoelectric cell across the first conveyor from the light source for receiving the light beam; b. said second means includes a light source forming a beam of light immediately above said second section and substantially perpendicular to the movement of articles on said second section and a photoelectric cell across the second section from the light source for receiving the light beam; c. said third means includes a light source forming a beam of light immediately above said third section and at an acute angle with the line of movement of articles on said third section and a photoelectric cell across the third section from the light source for receiving the light beam; and d. said fourth means includes a light source forming a beam of light immediately above said first section and substantially perpendicular to the movement of articles on the first section and a photoelectric cell across the first section from the light source for receiving the light beam.

Claim 12

A conveyor system for articles, comprising: a first conveyor having a substantially horizontal surface adapted to support and move the articles and including an elongated section for display of the articles; a feed mechanism operatively connected to a first point on said first conveyor for placing the articles on said first conveyor; a second conveyor having a beginning operatively connected to a second point on said first conveyor and an end operatively connected to a third point on said first conveyor so that articles may move from said second point on said first conveyor onto said beginning, said second conveyor being operative to move the article from its beginning to its end so that articles may move from said end onto the third point on said first conveyor; first means for sensing spaces between articles placed on said first conveyor by the feed mechanism, said means being operatively connected to said second conveyor for controlling said second conveyor so that articles moving from said end onto said third point will fill said spaces; and a third conveyor in a substantially vertical plane immediately above said horizontal surface and immediately downstream of said second point, said third conveyor providing a continuously moving surface for transferring all articles reaching the second point from the second point to said beginning of the second conveyor.

Claim 13

A conveyor system for articles, comprising: a first conveyor having a substantially horizontal surface adapted to support and move the articles and including an elongated section for display of the articles; a feed mechanism operatively connected to a first point on said first conveyor for placing the articles on said first conveyor; a second conveyor having a beginning operatively connected to a second point on said first conveyor and an end operatively connected to a third point on said first conveyor so that articles may move from said second point on said first conveyor onto said beginning, said second conveyor being operative to move the article from its beginning to its end so that articles may move from said end onto the third point on said first conveyor; first means for sensing spaces between articles placed on said first conveyor by the feed mechanism, said means being operatively connected to said second conveyor for controlling said second conveyor so that articles moving from said end onto said third point will fill said spaces; and a third conveyor in a substantially vertical plane immediately above said horizontal surface and immediately downstream of said second point, said third conveyor providing a continuously moving surface for transferring all articles reaching the second point from the second point to said beginning of the second conveyor.

Claim 14

The system as defined in claim 9, including a fourth conveyor operatively connected to said second point of said first conveyor for receiving and storing articles from the first conveyor when the direction of rotation of said third conveyor is reversed.