초록 ▼

A product-carrying tray 1 has longitudinally slotted end members 3 for sliding engagement on guide rails in a conveyor installation or storage unit. Transverse edges 2 of the tray are provided with coupling members 5 for interengagement with other like units also accommodated on the guide rails. In

A product-carrying tray 1 has longitudinally slotted end members 3 for sliding engagement on guide rails in a conveyor installation or storage unit. Transverse edges 2 of the tray are provided with coupling members 5 for interengagement with other like units also accommodated on the guide rails. In the illustrated embodiment, the coupling members 5 are defined by interengaging hook structures consisting of projecting portions 7 and laterally extending end portions 6. The tray of the invention is especially suited to accommodating food products within a storage or treatment chamber. The tray may however also serve as a product-carrying element in a conveyor installation. Apart from the hook-type interconnection illustrated, a multiplicity of other interconnecting arrangements may be provided, including, inter alia, alternative mechanical structures and magnetic coupling.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A product treatment system comprising: (a) a product treatment chamber having side walls, (b) a multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails mounted on said side walls of said chamber, one rail of each pair of guide rails being disposed on a respective side wall, each pair of guide rails of sa

1. A product treatment system comprising: (a) a product treatment chamber having side walls, (b) a multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails mounted on said side walls of said chamber, one rail of each pair of guide rails being disposed on a respective side wall, each pair of guide rails of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails being vertically spaced from the or each adjacent pair of guide rails of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails, and the rails of each pair of guide rails of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails being substantially parallel and spaced from one another, (c) a plurality of interengageable product-carrying units divided into a plurality of groups of said units, each group comprising a plurality of said units detachably connected together to define a sequence of linked-together said units for travelling movement of said sequence on a pair of guide rails of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails, each unit of each sequence of linked-together said units being substantially rectangular and having four edge regions, each of two opposite edge regions of said each unit being in engagement with a respective guide rail of said pair of guide rails of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails, for travelling movement of said each unit along said pair of guide rails, the two other opposite edge regions of said each unit having coupling means for linking said each unit, when engaged with said pair of guide rails, with an adjacent like unit at entry of said adjacent like unit into engagement with said pair of guide rails, and said two opposite edge regions of said each unit and said pair of guide rails being adapted for cooperating low friction engagement for said travelling movement of said each sequence on said pair of guide rails, (d) at least one drive means for pulling said each sequence of linked-together said units along said pair of guide rails, and at least one drive means for pulling said each sequence being located at one end of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails, and (e) at least one drive means for pushing said each sequence of linked-together said units along said pair of guide rails, said at least one drive means for pushing said each sequence being located at one end of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails. 2. A system according to claim 1, comprising transfer means located at one end of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails for transferring product-carrying units between at least one infeed conveyor and a selected pair of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails and transfer means located at the other end of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails for transferring product-carrying units between a selected pair of guide rails of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails and at least one outfeed conveyor, wherein said at least one drive means for pulling said each sequence of linked-together said units is provided at said other end of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails and said at least one drive means for pushing said each sequence of linked-together said units is provided at said one end of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails, the transfer means located at said other end of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails comprising said at least one drive means for pulling said each sequence of linked-together said units and the transfer means located at said one end of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails comprising said at least one drive means for pushing said sequence of linked-together said units. 3. A system according to claim 1, comprising transfer means located at each end of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails for transferring product-carrying units between at least one infeed conveyor and a selected pair of guide rails of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails and between a selected pair of guide rails of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails and at least one sequence of linked-together said units are provided at each end of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails and drive means for pushing said each sequence of linked-together said units are provided at each end of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails, each said transfer means comprising respective said drive means for pulling said each sequence of linked-together said units and respective said drive means for pushing said each sequence of linked-together said units. 4. A system according to claim 1, comprising transfer means located at one end of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails for transferring product-carrying units between at least one infeed conveyor and a selected pair of guide rails of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails and between a selected pair of guide rails of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails and at least one outfeed conveyor, wherein said at least one drive means for pulling said sequence of linked-together said units is provided at said one end of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails and said at least one drive means for pushing said each sequence of linked-together said units are provided at said one end of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails, said transfer means comprising a single transfer mechanism and said single transfer mechanism defining said at least one drive means for pulling said each sequence of linked-together said units and said at least one drive means for pushing said each sequence of linked-together said units. 5. A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said each of two opposite edge regions of said each unit and said respective guide rail of said pair of guide rails comprises low friction means for said cooperating low friction engagement of said two opposite edge regions of said each unit and said pair of guide rails. 6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said low friction means comprises low friction material. 7. A system according to claim 1, wherein auxiliary guide rails are mounted on said side walls of said chamber, said auxiliary guide rails being arranged in substantially parallel pairs and each pair of auxiliary rails being vertically interposed between adjacent pairs of said pairs of guide rails of said multiplicity of tiers of paired guide rails. 8. A system according to claim 1, comprising control means for regulating at least placement of said product-carrying units within said chamber.