Conveyor system and switch conveyor

Claim 2

A conveyor system for delivering articles to a plurality of successive stations, said system including: a plurality of dual switching means with a dual switching means preceding each station, each dual switching means having two switCh means; and a pair of parallel connector conveyors extending between each pair of adjacent dual switching means, one of said switch means of each dual switching means selectively delivering articles carried thereby to its associated work station or one of its associated pair of connector conveyors and the other of said switch means of each dual switching means delivering articles carried thereby selectively to either of its associate pair of connector conveyors, one of said connector conveyors of each pair of connector conveyors receiving articles delivered thereto by either of the switch means of the preceding dual switching means of the system and delivering the articles to said one of said switch means of the next dual switching means, and other of said connector conveyors of each pair of connector conveyors receiving articles delivered thereto by said other of the switch means of the preceding dual switching means and delivering it to said other of the switch means of the next dual switching means.

Claim 3

The conveyor system of claim 1, and a recirculating conveyor associated with the last of the dual switching means of the conveyor system, said recirculating conveyor connecting said one of the switch means of the last dual switching means with said other of the switch means of the first dual switching means of the conveyor system.

Claim 4

The conveyor system of claim 2, and storage means for receiving articles delivered by the other of said switch means of the last dual switching means of the conveyor system.

Claim 5

The conveyor system of claim 3, wherein the other of said switch means of the last dual switching means selectively deliver articles carried thereby to said recirculating conveyor or said storage means.

Claim 6

The conveyor system of claim 4, wherein said other of said switch means of the last dual switching means delivers articles carried thereby to said recirculating conveyor when said one of said switch means of said last dual switching means is delivering articles to its associated station and said other of said switch means of said last dual switching means delivers articles carried thereby to said storage means when said one of said dual switch means of said last dual switching means is delivering articles carried thereby to said recirculating conveyor.

Claim 7

A conveyor system for moving articles to a plurality of successive stations, said system including: a plurality of dual switching means each having a first and a second switch means, a first of said dual switching means being disposed before the first station and intermediate ones of said dual switching means being disposed between each pair of adjacent stations; a pair of parallel connector conveyors including a first and a second connector conveyor extending between adjacent spaced pairs of dual switching means for delivering articles from a preceding dual switch means to the next dual switching means said first switch means of said first and intermediate dual switching means selectively moving articles carried thereby to a first connector conveyor or its associated work station, and a second switch means of each of said first and intermediate dual switching means selectively moving articles carried thereby to a first connector conveyor or a second connector conveyor, said second switch means of each first and intermediate dual switching means moving articles carried thereby to a first connector conveyor when said first switch means is moving articles carried thereby to its associated work station and to a second connector conveyor when said first switch means is moving articles to said first connector conveyor said first and second connector conveyors delivering articles carried thereby to said first and second switch means, respectively, of the next dual switching means.

Claim 8

A conveyor system for moving articles to a plurality of successive stations, said system including: a plurality of dual switching means each having a first and a second switch means, a first of said dual switching means being disposed before the first station and intermediate ones of said dual switching means being disposed between each pair of adjacent stations; a pair of parallel connector conveyors including a first and a second connector conveyor extending between adjacent spaced pairs of dual switching means for delivering articles from a preceding dual switch means to the next dual switching means said first switch means of said first and intermediate dual switching means selectively moving articles carried thereby to a first connector conveyor or its associated work station, and a second switch means of each of said first and intermediate dual switching means selectively moving articles carried thereby to a first connector conveyor or a second connector conveyor, said second switch means of each first and intermediate dual switching means moving articles carried thereby to a first connector conveyor when said first switch means is moving articles carried thereby to its associated work station and to a second connector conveyor when said first switch means is moving articles to said first connector conveyor said first and second connector conveyors delivering articles carried thereby to said first and second switch means, respectively, of the next dual switching means.

Claim 9

The conveyor system of claim 6, and a recirculating conveyor and a storage conveyor for receiving articles moved by the last of said dual switching means, said first switch means of said last dual switching means seleCtively moving articles carried thereby to the last station or said recirculating conveyor, said second switch means of said last dual switching means selectively moving articles carried thereby to said recirculating conveyor or said storage means.

Claim 10

The conveyor system of claim 7, said recirculating conveyor moving articles carried thereby to said second switch means of the first of said dual switching means of the system.

Claim 11

The conveyor system of claim 8, and means for delivering articles to be delivered to the stations to said first switch means of the first of said dual switching means of the system.

Claim 12

The conveyor system of claim 9, wherein each of said dual switching means comprises: a support means; a rod conveyor mounted for movement in a closed path having an upper horizontal forwardly moving portion and a lower horizontal rearwardly moving portion, said conveyor comprising a pair of aligned flexible members, a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse rods secured at opposite ends to said flexible members and two sets of pallets mounted on said rods and movable transversely thereon between said flexible members; and track means carried by said support means for selectively causing each of said sets of pallets in the upper portion of the path of said movement to move selectively in a first forwardly extending first path and angularly and forwardly in a second path.

Claim 13

The conveyor system of claim 10, wherein the front delivery end of one of said sets of pallets in its second path movement coincides with the front delivery end of the other of said sets of pallets in its first path of movement.

Claim 14

The conveyor system of claim 11, and gate means operatively associated with each of said track means for selectively directing the pallets of each set of each conveyor into said first and second paths of movement.

Claim 15

A switching conveyor including: support means; a conveyor mounted for movement in a closed path having an upper horizontal forwardly moving portion and a lower horizontal rearwardly moving portion; said conveyor comprising a pair of aligned endless flexible members, a plurality of transverse rods secured at opposite ends to said flexible members; two sets of pallets mounted on said rods and movable thereon between said flexible members; and track means carried by support means for selectively causing pallets of each of said sets of pallets when in the upper portion of the path of movement of said conveyor to move either in a first straight longitudinal path parallel to said flexible members or in a second path angularly and forwardly.

Claim 16

A switching conveyor including: support means; a conveyor mounted for movement in a closed path having an upper horizontal forwardly moving portion and a lower horizontal rearwardly moving portion; said conveyor comprising a pair of aligned endless flexible members, a plurality of transverse rods secured at opposite ends to said flexible members; two sets of pallets mounted on said rods and movable thereon between said flexible members; and track means carried by support means for selectively causing pallets of each of said sets of pallets when in the upper portion of the path of movement of said conveyor to move either in a first straight longitudinal path parallel to said flexible members or in a second path angularly and forwardly.

Claim 17

The conveyor of claim 13, wherein the delivery end of one of said sets of pallets at the forward end of its angular path coincides with the first delivery end of the other set of pallets when they are in the first longitudinal portion of the path of movement.

Claim 18

The switching conveyor of claim 14, and gate means operatively associated with each of said track systems for selectively directing the pallets of each set into its first and second paths of movement.

Claim 19

The switching conveyor of claim 15 wherein each of said pallets comprises a pair of tubular members slidably disposed on adjacent pair of rods and guide means extending inwardly from each of said pallets and engageable with said track means.

Claim 20

The switching conveyor of claim 16, and means operatively associated with said gate means and said sets of pallets for controlling operation of said gate means preventing the pallets of one set from engaging the pallets of the other set.

Claim 21

The switching conveyor of claim 15, and means operatively associated with said gate means and said sets of pallets for controlling operation of said gate means preventing the pallets of one set from engaging the pallets of the other set.