Article propelling mechanism for conveying apparatus

Claim 1

Article propelling mechanism for conveying apparatus comprising longitudinally extending and spaced article supporting memebers defining the conveying path, endless drag means having an operative span directed lengthwise between said articles supporting members, a plurality of article motion exciting means connected to said endless drag means in spaced relation, a slide surface extending lengthwise beneath said operative span of the drag means, each of said motion exciting means including a pair of bodies secured to the opposite sides of said endless drag means and extending below said drag means to slidingly engage said slide surface to support and maintain said drag means elevated above said slide surface and out of contact therewith and with upwardly presented friction propelling mid-surfaces presented to engage articles deposited on said article supporting members and oppositely inclined surfaces extending therefrom, said oppositely inclined surfaces rendering the conveyor drag means operative in reverse directions of movement, and power drive means operatively connected to said drag means to repeatedly move said motion exciting means on said slide surface, whereby the friction propelling surfaces engage and propel the articles along said supporting members, said friction propelling surfaces being shaped to present said oppositely inclined sloping surfaces at an elevation relative to said conveying path such that the lead surface can selectively partially slide beneath and propel a single article and can slide beneath the rearmost one of a group of articles in tandem accumulation in said conveying path so as to lift the rearmost article for obtaining an increase in the frictional propelling effort to effectively propel a group of articles.