Accumulator with automatic override

Claim 2

A conveyor having a plurality of rollers forming an article transporting track, a driven propelling member, means effecting driving connection between said propelling member and said rollers, a plurality of actuator means for effecting engagement and disengagement of the driving connection between said propelling member and said rollers, said actuator means being arranged in tandem along said conveyor and forming a plurality of independent operating zones; a sensor in each zone for detecting the presence of articles on said conveyor, one said sensor operatively connected to one said actuator; each of said actuators having a pneumatically actuated member; a source of fluid pressure and fluid pressure flow control means, said control means characterized by each actuator being connected to said source of fluid pressure through a first conduit and a second conduit; a plurality of sensor actuated first valves each interposed in said first conduit between said source of fluid pressure and one of said actuators; a plurality of second valves interposed in series in said second conduit and each connected also to both one of said first valves and to its associated actuator, said second valves each having a valve member shiftable to alternately connect said actuator to said first valve or to said second conduit; a master valve interposed between said second conduit and said source of fluid pressure, said master valve in one attitude admitting fluid pressure to the first actuator adjacent the discharge end of said conveyor bypassing the first valve therefor, said second conduit and said second valves providing a sequential first valve bypass for fluid pressure between said source of fluid pressure and each of said actuators to rapidly shift said conveyor from accumulation mode to conveying mode.

Claim 3

A conveyor as described in claim 1 wherein said master valve in a second attitude closing said second conduit to said source to shift said conveyor to accumulation mode.

Claim 4

In an accumulator conveyor having a plurality of rollers forming an article transporting track, a driven propelling member, means effecting driving connection between said propelling member and said rollers, a plurality of actuator means for effecting engagement and disengagement of the driving connection between said propelling member and said rollers, said actuator means being arranged in tandem along said conveyor and forming a plurality of independent operating zones; a sensor in each zone for detecting the presence of articles on said conveyor, one said sensor operatively connected to one said actuator; each of said actuators having a pneumatically actuated member; a source of fluid pressure and fluid pressure flow control means, said control means having a plurality of sensor actuated first valves, each of said valves being connected in parallel to said source and to one of said actuators, each one of said sensors when it detects the presence of an article operable to shift the first valve associated therewith to a closed position, said control means characterized by a plurality of second valves interposed in series between each of said first valves and said associated actuators and shiftable between accumulating and by-pass positions; a master valve between said source of fluid pressure and one of said second valves, said one valve being at the discharge end of said conveyor, said master valve connected to said one valve by a first valve by-pass line; said master valve shiftable alternately between a first position and a second position connecting said source to said one valve through said by-pass line, said master valve in said first position causing said conveyor to operate in an accumulating mode controlled by said first valves and in said second position causing fluid pressure to be admitted sequentially to each of said actuators through said second valves to cause all operating zones of said conveyor to shift into article propelling mode.

Claim 5

In an accumulator conveyor having a plurality of rollers forming an article transporting track, a driven propelling member, means effecting driving connection between said propelling member and said rollers, a plurality of actuator means for effecting engagement and disengagement of the driving connection between said propelling member and said rollers, said actuator means being arranged in tandem along said conveyor and forming a plurality of independent operating zones; a sensor in each zone for detecting the presence of articles on said conveyor, one said sensor operatively connected to one said actuator; each of said actuators having a pneumatically actuated member; a source of fluid pressure and fluid pressure flow control means, said control means having a plurality of sensor actuated first valves, each of said valves being connected in parallel to said source and to one of said actuators, each one of said sensors when it detects the presence of an article operable to shift the first valve associated therewith to a closed position, said control means characterized by a plurality of second valves interposed in series between each of said first valves and said associated actuators and shiftable between accumulating and by-pass positions; a master valve between said source of fluid pressure and one of said second valves, said one valve being at the discharge end of said conveyor, said master valve connected to said one valve by a first valve by-pass line; said master valve shiftable alternately between a first position and a second position connecting said source to said one valve through said by-pass line, said master valve in said first position causing said conveyor to operate in an accumulating mode controlled by said first valves and in said second position causing fluid pressure to be admitted sequentially to each of said actuators through said second valves to cause all operating zones of said conveyor to shift into article propelling mode.

Claim 6

A conveyor as defined in claim 3 wherein said plurality of second valves is a shuttle valve having a pair of inlet ports and an outlet port, each of said first valves connected to one of said inlet ports of said associated second valves, said master valve connected to the oTher of said inlet ports of said one valve, the other of said inlet ports being operatively connected to the outlet port of the shuttle valve of the next adjacent upstream zone beginning with said one valve, and said actuators being connected to said outlet port of said associated second valves.

Claim 7

A conveyor as described in claim 4 wherein said conveyor is divided into a plurality of independent operating zones, said sensor is centrally positioned within each zone, and said actuator means in each zone is operatively connected to said sensor in said zone.

Claim 8

A conveyor as described in claim 3 wherein said control means includes a first valve by-pass line for each of said zones and a primary flow line applying a constant pressure to said first valves from said source, said master valve in said second position causing the operating zone at the discharge end of said conveyor to release articles accumulated thereon, said sensor then opening said associated sensor actuated valve in said operating zone to open and permit air through said associated by-pass line to said adjacent actuator whereby each zone sequentially shifts into an article propelling mode.

Claim 9

A conveyor having a plurality of independent operating zones and a propelling member common to all of said zones; pneu-matically controlled actuator means in each of said zones for effecting either a driving or non-driving connection between the propelling member and articles on the conveyor; first means connecting each of said actuator means to a common pressure source; sensor means in each of said zones to detect the presence of an article therein; and sensor-operated valve means in said first connecting means to selectively release said source of pressure on each of said actuator means when each of said sensors detects the presence of an article, the improvement comprising: a shuttle valve associated with each of said actuator means, each shuttle valve having a fluid pressure outlet port, a first inlet port and a second inlet port; second means connecting said outlet port to each associated actuator means; third means connecting said first inlet port to said sensor operated valve means; a master valve connected to said source; fourth means connecting the second inlet port of said shuttle valve at the discharge end of the conveyor to said master valve; fifth means connecting the second inlet port of each upstream shuttle valve with the adjacent downstream actuator means, said master valve shiftable to apply said fluid pressure source from said first connecting means to said fourth connecting means to apply fluid pressure to each of said actuator means in a next adjacent upstream zone and bypassing the sensor operated valve means connected to said associated actuator means.

Claim 10

A conveyor having a plurality of independent operating zones and a propelling member common to all of said zones; pneu-matically controlled actuator means in each of said zones for effecting either a driving or non-driving connection between the propelling member and articles on the conveyor; first means connecting each of said actuator means to a common pressure source; sensor means in each of said zones to detect the presence of an article therein; and sensor-operated valve means in said first connecting means to selectively release said source of pressure on each of said actuator means when each of said sensors detects the presence of an article, the improvement comprising: a shuttle valve associated with each of said actuator means, each shuttle valve having a fluid pressure outlet port, a first inlet port and a second inlet port; second means connecting said outlet port to each associated actuator means; third means connecting said first inlet port to said sensor operated valve means; a master valve connected to said source; fourth means connecting the second inlet port of said shuttle valve at the discharge end of the conveyor to said master valve; fifth means connecting the second inlet port of each upstream shuttle valve with the adjacent downstream actuator means, said master valve shiftable to apply said fluid pressure source from said first connecting means to said fourth connecting means to apply fluid pressure to each of said actuator means in a next adjacent upstream zone and bypassing the sensor operated valve means connected to said associated actuator means.