Releasing dog carriers and trolleys for conveyor systems

Claim 1

A CONSTRUCTION FOR A LEADING AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING CARRIER OF A CONVEYOR SYSTEM OF THE TYPE WHEREIN THE CARRIERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH A DRIVING DOG MOVABLE BETWEEN DRIVING AND NON-DRIVING POSITIONS RELATIVE TO A PUSHER OF A DRIVELINE, CHARACTERIZED BY: (A) A DOG DEPRESSING MEMBER SECURED TO THE LEADING CARRIER FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT A PIVOTAL AXIS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO THE DIRECTION OF CARRIER TRAVEL, MEANS DEFINING A NORMAL POSITION OF SAID DOG DEPRESSING MEMBER ABOUT ITS PIVOTAL AXIS, MEANS NORMALLY URGING SAID DOG DEPRESSING MEMBER TO SAID NORMAL POSITION AND MEANS LIMITING MOVEMENT OF THE SAID DOG DEPRESSING MEMBER IN AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION, SAID DOG DEPRESSING MEMBER HAVING A FINGER-LIKE PORTION PROJECTING TO THE REAR OF THE LEADING CARRIER WITH A CAMMING SURFACE FORMED ON THE UNDERNEATH PORTION OF SAID FINGER-LIKE PORTION; (B) A DOG POSITIONING MEMBER MOUNTED ADJACENT THE FRONT END OF THE FOLLOWING CARRIER FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN DRIVING AND NON-DRIVING POSITIONS ABOUT A PIVOTAL AXIS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO THE DIRECTITON OF CARRIER TRAVEL, MEANS NORMALLY URGING SAID DOG POSITIONING MEMBER TO DRIVING POSITION, SAID DOG POSITIONING MEMBER INCLUDING A PORTION PROJECTING FORWARDLY OF SAID FOLLOWING CARRIER, SAID FORWARDLY PROJECTING PORTION HAVING AN UPPER GUIDE SURFACE WHICH EXTENDS FORWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY WHEN THE DOG POSITIONING MEMBER IS IN DRIVING POSITION AND A CRANK PORTION PROJECTING FROM THE GUIDE SURFACE IN A DIRECTION GENERALLY RADIAL OF THE PIVOTAL AXIS OF THE DOG POSITIONING MEMBER, (C) SAID GUIDE SURFACE OF THE DOG POSITIONING MEMBER BEING ENGAGEABLE BY THE CAMMING SURFACE OF THE DOG DEPRESSING MEMBER WHEN THE FOLLOWING CARRIER OVERTAKES A LEADING CARRIER AND THE END OF THE FINGER-LIKE PORTION OF THE DOG DEPRESSING MEMBER BEING DIRECTED BY THE GUIDE SURFACE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CRANK PORTION OF THE DOG POSITIONING MEMBER TO MOVE THE LATTER TO A NON-DRIVING POSITION DEFINED BY OVERLAPPING NESTED ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE DOG DEPRESSING AND POSITIONING MEMBERS.