초록 ▼

A conveying system includes a movable conveyor track with a plurality of load carrying units movable with the conveyor track for conveying workpieces along the path defined by the conveyor track. Each of the load carrying units includes a device to selectively couple and uncouple the load carrying u

A conveying system includes a movable conveyor track with a plurality of load carrying units movable with the conveyor track for conveying workpieces along the path defined by the conveyor track. Each of the load carrying units includes a device to selectively couple and uncouple the load carrying units from the conveyor track so that the load carrying units can selectively and individually be coupled to the conveyor track for movement therewith. In one embodiment, the system includes accumulation areas at preselected locations along with counting and calculating systems to determine and control the number of load carrying units between accumulation areas. In a second embodiment, means are provided to release load carrying units at preselected time intervals from each accumulation area.

대표청구항 ▼

A conveyor system comprising: an endless conveyor track defining an endless conveying path; means for moving the conveyor track; a predetermined fixed number of load carrying units movable with the conveyor track; a first accumulation area as a predetermined location along the length of the conveyin

A conveyor system comprising: an endless conveyor track defining an endless conveying path; means for moving the conveyor track; a predetermined fixed number of load carrying units movable with the conveyor track; a first accumulation area as a predetermined location along the length of the conveying path at said first area wherein some of the load carrying units are to be accumulated into a group; means for counting the number of load carrying units in the first accumulation area; a second accumulation area at another predetermined location along the length of the conveying path spaced a distance from the first accumulation area in which at said second area some of the load carrying units are to be accumulated into a group; means for counting the number of load carrying units in the second accumulation area; calculating means for storing the count of the number of load carrying units in the first and second accumulation areas; means for selectively engaging the load carrying units to the conveyor track for movement therewith and disengaging the individual load carrying units from the conveyor track at said first and said second accumulation areas: said calculating means determining the total number of the load carrying units in the accumulation areas and determining the total number of load carrying units moving on the conveyor track, and thereby, determining the number of load carrying units moving between said accumulation areas; means operatively interconnecting said calculating means and the engaging-disengaging means to selectively disengage the load carrying units from the conveyor track at one of the first and the second accumulation areas when the number of load carrying units moving with the conveyor track between the accumulation areas is greater than a predetermined number stored in the calculating means; and said engaging-disengaging means engaging the load carrying units to the conveyor track at one of the first and the second accumulation areas when the number of load carrying units moving with the conveyor track between the accumulation areas is less than said predetermined number stored in the calculating means.