Vacuum belt conveyors

Claim 2

Conveyor belt apparatus comprising, a frame means for supporting a movable belt thereon, said belt including at least one portion having two oppositely disposed surfaces, said portion having an aperture centrally disposed therein, extensible bellows means fixed to one surface of said belt portion, said extensible bellows means having an open end in communication with said aperture and a sealed other end remotely extending therefrom, plunger means connected to said bellows means remotely extending other end, and means supported on said frame means for engaging said plunger means and for extending said bellows means.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein suction cup means are provided on the other surface of said belt portion, said suction cup means having an opening in registry with said aperture and said bellows means open end, whereby said suction cup means provides a bearing surface for a flat object in gripping contact therewith when said bellows means is extended.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said engaging means comprises cam means fixed to said frame means and adapted to actuate said plunger means at different positions in the movement of said belt relative to said frame means.

Claim 5

Vacuum belt conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of supporting members connected together to form a movable belt on said frame, each of said supporting members having a vacuum producing element thereon, and means mounted on said frame for selectively actuating said vacuum producing elements, wherein the improvement comprises a vacuum producing element including a flexible plenum chamber extensible betWeen a collapsible condition and a protracted condition capable of producing a suction force, said flexible plenum chamber including means engageable by said selectively actuating means for extending said plenum chamber to its protracted condition.

Claim 6

Vacuum belt conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, a plurality of supporting members connected together to form a movable belt on said frame, each of said supporting members having a vacuum producing element thereon, and means mounted on said frame for selectively actuating said vacuum producing elements, wherein the improvement comprises a vacuum producing element including a flexible plenum chamber extensible betWeen a collapsible condition and a protracted condition capable of producing a suction force, said flexible plenum chamber including means engageable by said selectively actuating means for extending said plenum chamber to its protracted condition.

Claim 7

Vacuum belt conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, an endless belt supported for movement on said frame in a continuous closed loop path including at least a portion thereof which substantially spans a lineal distance between two separated points, said belt being formed of a plurality of flat plate members being pivotally connected together, each of said flat plate members having a through-hole opening substantially centrally disposed therein and supporting a suction applying member extending through said opening, each of said suction applying members including an upper suction cup member and a lower extensible member communicating therewith through said flat plate opening, said lower extensible member and said upper suction cup member defining a sealed vacuum producing chamber when said lower extensible member is fully extended, and a plunger connected at one end to said lower extensible member and having its other end engageable by an actuating means fixedly supported by said frame in variable spaced relation to said endless belt whereby each said lower extensible member may be fully extended at least during lineal movement of its corresponding plate member between said two separated points.

Claim 8

Vacuum belt conveyor apparatus comprising a frame, an endless belt supported for movement on said frame in a continuous closed loop path including at least a portion thereof which substantially spans a lineal distance between two separated points, said belt being formed of a plurality of flat plate members being pivotally connected together, each of said flat plate members having a through-hole opening substantially centrally disposed therein and supporting a suction applying member extending through said opening, each of said suction applying members including an upper suction cup member and a lower extensible member communicating therewith through said flat plate opening, said lower extensible member and said upper suction cup member defining a sealed vacuum producing chamber when said lower extensible member is fully extended, and a plunger connected at one end to said lower extensible member and having its other end engageable by an actuating means fixedly supported by said frame in variable spaced relation to said endless belt whereby each said lower extensible member may be fully extended at least during lineal movement of its corresponding plate member between said two separated points.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said lower extensible member comprises a flexible diaphragm integral with said upper suction cup member.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said lower extensible member comprises an expandable hollow bellows having one end fixedly attached to the underside of said plate member in airtight sealing arrangement with said opening and having its other end terminate in an end closure portion whereby the latter is connected to said plunger member one end.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said actuating means comprises a continuous track member spaced from said endless belt by a predetermined constant amount, said track member having a diverging portion adjacent said lineal distance between said two separated points for exceeding said constant distance by a predetermined increment, and said plunger member includes a roller member connected to it''s said other end for engaging said track member.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of said flat plate members is substantially rectangularly shaped and each of said upper suction cup members includes a flared outer lip portion and an integral intermediate web portion surrounding said opening, said lip portion and said web portion substantially coextensively overlying the outer facing surface of said rectangularly shaped plate member.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said upper suction cup is formed of an elastomeric material.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of said flat plate member through-hole openings is substantially rectangularly shaped, and said lower extensible member has a cross-sectional shape substantially conforming to that of said opening.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said lower extensible member is formed of an elastomeric material.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said upper suction cup and said lower extensible member are of integral one-piece construction extending through said opening in said flat plate member and having a common aperture therebetween concentric with said plate opening, said lower extensible member comprising a flexible cuplike diaphragm for defining said sealed vacuum chamber.

Claim 17

A vacuum belt conveyor apparatus comprising in combination; a stationary frame having a pair of longitudinally spaced axles supported for rotation thereon, said axles each carrying at least one sprocket wheel for rotation relative to said frame, a plurality of flat plates, linked together to form an endless conveyor belt, said belt being Engaged by said spaced sprocket wheels for continuous longitudinal movement over a closed path defined by said spaced sprocket wheels, said frame further including a pair of continuous supporting tracks laterally disposed on either transverse side of said belt and being substantially immediately adjacent thereto respectively, each of said plates having a pair of axially opposed frictionless bearing means for continuous engagement with said laterally disposed tracks respectively, said bearing means thereby supporting said endless belt on said frame for movement relative thereto, each of said flat plates supporting an actuatable suction applying device comprising an upper suction cup and a lower extensible member communicating with each other respectively, through a common aperture centrally disposed in said plate, said lower extensible member being adapted to create a vacuum plenum for said upper suction cup when actuated to a fully protracted condition, each of said extensible members having a plunger rod fixedly connected thereto at one end, the other end of said plunger rod terminating in an antifriction roller member, and a continuous cam track fixedly supported on said frame interiorly of said endless belt and extending at a predetermined constant spaced distance therefrom, said cam track having a portion extending intermediately between said spaced sprocket wheels which diverges to a greater constant spacing and then converges back to said original constant spacing relative to said endless belt, said plunger rod antifriction roller member serving as a cam follower in continuous rolling engagement with said cam track.

Claim 18

A vacuum belt conveyor apparatus comprising in combination; a stationary frame having a pair of longitudinally spaced axles supported for rotation thereon, said axles each carrying at least one sprocket wheel for rotation relative to said frame, a plurality of flat plates, linked together to form an endless conveyor belt, said belt being Engaged by said spaced sprocket wheels for continuous longitudinal movement over a closed path defined by said spaced sprocket wheels, said frame further including a pair of continuous supporting tracks laterally disposed on either transverse side of said belt and being substantially immediately adjacent thereto respectively, each of said plates having a pair of axially opposed frictionless bearing means for continuous engagement with said laterally disposed tracks respectively, said bearing means thereby supporting said endless belt on said frame for movement relative thereto, each of said flat plates supporting an actuatable suction applying device comprising an upper suction cup and a lower extensible member communicating with each other respectively, through a common aperture centrally disposed in said plate, said lower extensible member being adapted to create a vacuum plenum for said upper suction cup when actuated to a fully protracted condition, each of said extensible members having a plunger rod fixedly connected thereto at one end, the other end of said plunger rod terminating in an antifriction roller member, and a continuous cam track fixedly supported on said frame interiorly of said endless belt and extending at a predetermined constant spaced distance therefrom, said cam track having a portion extending intermediately between said spaced sprocket wheels which diverges to a greater constant spacing and then converges back to said original constant spacing relative to said endless belt, said plunger rod antifriction roller member serving as a cam follower in continuous rolling engagement with said cam track.

Claim 19

In a vacuum belt conveyor, a self-actuatable suction producing device comprising: a supporting member having at least two opposed substantially flat surfaces, and including an aperture for forming an opening common to said opposed flat surfaces, a suction cup supported on one of said surfaces and substantially coextensively overlying same, said suction cup having an opening therein in registry with said aperture in said supporting member, an extensible hollow bellows member supported on the other of said surfaces having one end thereof in registry with said aperture in said supporting member and having its other end sealed to form a vacuum chamber when said bellows member is fully extended, and a member connected to said sealed end of said bellows member for selectively actuating said bellows member to its fully extended condition to thereby form said vacuum chamber.

Claim 20

In a vacuum belt conveyor, a self-actuatable suction producing device comprising: a supporting member having at least two opposed substantially flat surfaces, and including an aperture for forming an opening common to said opposed flat surfaces, a suction cup supported on one of said surfaces and substantially coextensively overlying same, said suction cup having an opening therein in registry with said aperture in said supporting member, an extensible hollow bellows member supported on the other of said surfaces having one end thereof in registry with said aperture in said supporting member and having its other end sealed to form a vacuum chamber when said bellows member is fully extended, and a member connected to said sealed end of said bellows member for selectively actuating said bellows member to its fully extended condition to thereby form said vacuum chamber.

Claim 21

The device defined in claim 15, wherein said suction cup and said extensible bellows member are formed of an elastomeric material.

Claim 22

The device claimed in claim 15 wherein said supporting member comprises a one-piece flexible endless belt.

Claim 23

In a vacuum belt conveyor, a self-actuatable vacuum producing device comprising: a supporting member having at least two opposed substantially flat surfaces, and including an aperture for forming an opening common to said opposed flat surface. a suction cup supported on one of said surfaces and substantially coextensively overlying same, said suction cup having an opening in registry with said aperture in said supporting member and having a flexible diaphragm cup portion integrally attached thereto and adapted for extensible movement through said opening in said supporting member toward said other opposed surface, whereby said extended diaphragm cup forms a vacuum chamber communicating with said suction cup, and a member connected to said extensible diaphragm cup portion for selectively extending same to form said vacuum chamber.

Claim 24

In a vacuum belt conveyor, a self-actuatable vacuum producing device comprising: a supporting member having at least two opposed substantially flat surfaces, and including an aperture for forming an opening common to said opposed flat surface. a suction cup supported on one of said surfaces and substantially coextensively overlying same, said suction cup having an opening in registry with said aperture in said supporting member and having a flexible diaphragm cup portion integrally attached thereto and adapted for extensible movement through said opening in said supporting member toward said other opposed surface, whereby said extended diaphragm cup forms a vacuum chamber communicating with said suction cup, and a member connected to said extensible diaphragm cup portion for selectively extending same to form said vacuum chamber.

Claim 25

The device defined in claim 18 wherein said suction cup and said integral extensible diaphragm cup are formed of a single piece of elastomeric material.

Claim 26

The device claimed in claim 18 wherein said supporting member comprises a one-piece flexible endless belt.