Conveyor for interspacing articles

Claim 2

A conveying mechanism comprising an endless conveyor having an article supporting reach for spacing articles predetermined distances apart, means for driving said conveyor to translate said reach, said conveyor including a series of article-spacing sections each including a static zone comprising a plurality of transversely extending freely journaled idler rollers, and a dynamic zone on each side of each said static zone, each including at least one driven roller, each of said idler rollers and said driven rollers including upper article supporting surfaces which are rollable relative to the article and which cooperate to define a substantially flat surface while in said article supporting reach, means for rotating said driven rollers along said reach, at least one of said driven rollers of an article spacing section being arranged to reposition an article engaged therewith onto the idler rollers of said section while an article is conveyed along said reach, said driven roller engaging the article being effective to move the article onto and thereby rotate the rollers of the static zone until the frictional force between the article and engaged driven roller section is insufficient to cause the idler rollers to rotate and move the article any further relative thereto.

Claim 3

A conveying mechanism comprising an endless conveyor having an article supporting reach for spacing articles predetermined distances apart, means for driving said conveyor to translate said reach, said reach including at least one article spacing section that includes a static conveying section comprising a predetermined plurality of transversely extending freely journaled idler rollers withh one intermediate dynamic conveying section on each side of each static conveying section, each dynamic section including at least one predetermined driven dynamic roller, each of said idler rollers and said dynamic rollers including upper article supporting surfaces which are rollable relative to the article and which cooperate to define a substantially flat surface while in said article supporting reach, and means for rotating said dynamic rollers of said dynamic sections, each of said dynamic sections being arranged to reposition an article engaged therewith onto the idler rollers of an adjacent static section at a location normally spaced from the dynamic rollers while an article is conveyed along said reach, said means for rotating said dynamic rollers comprising stationary rails one of which is located above and engageable with selective leading dynamic rollers of an article spacing section and another rail located below and engageable with trailing dynamic rollers of the article spacing section, and at least two non-powered idler rollers between said leading and trailing driven dynamic rollers.

Claim 4

A conveying mechanism comprising an endless conveyor having an article supporting reach for spacing articles predetermined distances apart, means for driving said conveyor to translate said reach, said reach including at least one article spacing section that includes a static conveying section comprising a predetermined plurality of transversely extending freely journaled idler rollers withh one intermediate dynamic conveying section on each side of each static conveying section, each dynamic section including at least one predetermined driven dynamic roller, each of said idler rollers and said dynamic rollers including upper article supporting surfaces which are rollable relative to the article and which cooperate to define a substantially flat surface while in said article supporting reach, and means for rotating said dynamic rollers of said dynamic sections, each of said dynamic sections being arranged to reposition an article engaged therewith onto the idler rollers of an adjacent static section at a location normally spaced from the dynamic rollers while an article is conveyed along said reach, said means for rotating said dynamic rollers comprising stationary rails one of which is located above and engageable with selective leading dynamic rollers of an article spacing section and another rail located below and engageable with trailing dynamic rollers of the article spacing section, and at least two non-powered idler rollers between said leading and trailing driven dynamic rollers.

Claim 5

A conveying mechanism comprising an endless conveyor having an article supporting reach for spacing articles predetermined distances apart, means for driving said conveyor to translate said reach, said reach including at least one article spacing section that includes a static conveying section comprising a predetermined plurality of transversely extending freely journaled idler rollers with one intermediate dynamic conveying section on each side of each static conveying section, each dynamic section including at least one predetermined driven dynamic roller, each of said idler rollers and said dynamic rollers including upper article supporting surfaces which are rollable relative to the article and which cooperate to define a substantially flat surface while in said article supporting reach, means for rotating said dynamic rollers in said dynamic sections, each of said dynamic sections being arranged to reposition an article engaged therewith onto the idler rollers of an adjacent static section at a location normally spaced from the dynamic rollers while an article is conveyed along said reach, a stationary frame for supporting said conveyor, and roller rotating means mounted on said frame for driving said predetermined dynamic rollers in response to movement of said conveyor relative to said roller rotating means, said roller rotating means including a stationary rail overlying said rollers for imparting rotation in one direction to two leading dynamic rollers of an article spacing section, and a rail underlying said rollers for imparting rotation in an opposite direction to a trailing dynamic roller of such article spacing section, said overlying rail including two aligned rail sections that define a gap which momentarily interrupts rotation to said leading dynamic rollers.

Claim 6

A conveying mechanism comprising an endless conveyor having an article supporting reach for spacing articles predetermined distances apart, means for driving said conveyor to translate said reach, said reach including at least one article spacing section that includes a static conveying section comprising a predetermined plurality of transversely extending freely journaled idler rollers with one intermediate dynamic conveying section on each side of each static conveying section, each dynamic section including at least one predetermined driven dynamic roller, each of said idler rollers and said dynamic rollers including upper article supporting surfaces which are rollable relative to the article and which cooperate to define a substantially flat surface while in said article supporting reach, means for rotating said dynamic rollers in said dynamic sections, each of said dynamic sections being arranged to reposition an article engaged therewith onto the idler rollers of an adjacent static section at a location normally spaced from the dynamic rollers while an article is conveyed along said reach, a stationary frame for supporting said conveyor, and roller rotating means mounted on said frame for driving said predetermined dynamic rollers in response to movement of said conveyor relative to said roller rotating means, said roller rotating means including a stationary rail overlying said rollers for imparting rotation in one direction to two leading dynamic rollers of an article spacing section, and a rail underlying said rollers for imparting rotation in an opposite direction to a trailing dynamic roller of such article spacing section, said overlying rail including two aligned rail sections that define a gap which momentarily interrupts rotation to said leading dynamic rollers.

Claim 7

The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said article spacing section comprises two leading dynamic rollers rotated in a direction moving the upper surfaces of said two leading dynamic rollers rearward relative to the direction of movement of said article spacing section, at least two non-powered rollers, and a trailing roller rotated in a direction counter to said leading rollers.

Claim 8

A conveying mechanism comprising an endless conveyor having an article supporting reach for spacing articles predetermined distances apart, means for driving said conveyor to translate said reach, said reach including at least one article spacing section that includes a static conveying section comprising a predetermined plurality of transversely extending freely journaled idler rollers with one intermediate dynamic conveying section on each side of each static conveying section, each dynamic section including at least one predetermined driven dynamic roller, each of said idler rollers and said dynamic rollers including upper article supporting surfaces which are rollable relative to the article and which cooperate to define a substantially flat surface while in said article supporting reach, means for rotating said dynamic rollers in said dynamic sections, each of said dynamic sections being arranged to reposition an article engaged therewith onto the idler rollers of an adjacent static section at a location normally spaced from the dynamic rollers while an article is conveyed along said reach, a stationary frame for supporting said conveyor, and roller rotating means mounted on said frame for driving said predetErmined dynamic rollers in response to movement of said conveyor relative to said roller rotating means, said roller rotating means including a stationary rail overlying said rollers for imparting rotation in one direction to two leading dynamic rollers of an article spacing section, and a rail underlying said rollers for imparting rotation in an opposite direction to two trailing rollers of said article spacing section.

Claim 9

A conveying mechanism comprising an endless conveyor having an article supporting reach for spacing articles predetermined distances apart, means for driving said conveyor to translate said reach, said reach including at least one article spacing section that includes a static conveying section comprising a predetermined plurality of transversely extending freely journaled idler rollers with one intermediate dynamic conveying section on each side of each static conveying section, each dynamic section including at least one predetermined driven dynamic roller, each of said idler rollers and said dynamic rollers including upper article supporting surfaces which are rollable relative to the article and which cooperate to define a substantially flat surface while in said article supporting reach, means for rotating said dynamic rollers in said dynamic sections, each of said dynamic sections being arranged to reposition an article engaged therewith onto the idler rollers of an adjacent static section at a location normally spaced from the dynamic rollers while an article is conveyed along said reach, a stationary frame for supporting said conveyor, and roller rotating means mounted on said frame for driving said predetErmined dynamic rollers in response to movement of said conveyor relative to said roller rotating means, said roller rotating means including a stationary rail overlying said rollers for imparting rotation in one direction to two leading dynamic rollers of an article spacing section, and a rail underlying said rollers for imparting rotation in an opposite direction to two trailing rollers of said article spacing section.

Claim 10

A conveying mechanism comprising an endless conveyor having an article supporting reach for spacing articles predetermined distances apart, means for driving said conveyor to translate said reach, said reach including at least one article spacing section that includes a static conveying section comprising a predetermined plurality of transversely extending freely journaled idler rollers with one intermediate dynamic conveying section on each side of each static conveying section, each dynamic section including at least one predetermined driven dynamic roller, each of said idler rollers and said dynamic rollers including upper article supporting surfaces which are rollable relative to the article and which cooperate to define a substantially flat surface while in said article supporting reach, and means for rotating said dynamic rollers in said dynamic section, each of said dynamic sections being arranged to reposition an article engaged therewith onto the idler rollers of an adjacent static section at a location normally spaced from the dynamic rollers while an article is conveyed along said reach, said means for rotating said dynamic rollers imparting rotation to said dynamic rollers and comprises power driven means frictionally engageable with predetermined adjacent longitudinally spaced rollers, said power means comprising a plurality of equally longitudinally spaced rolls carried by laterally spaced chains mounted for orbital movement within the orbit of said conveying mechanism, said laterally spaced chains carrying said rollers having a reach located below and substantially parallel to the article supporting reach, and means operative when the rolls traverse said parallel reach for rotating said rolls which in turn impart rotation to the dynamic rollers of said article spacing section.

Claim 11

A conveying mechanism comprising an endless conveyor having an article supporting reach for spacing articles predetermined distances apart, means for driving said conveyor to translate said reach, said reach including at least one article spacing section that includes a static conveying section comprising a predetermined plurality of transversely extending freely journaled idler rollers with one intermediate dynamic conveying section on each side of each static conveying section, each dynamic section including at least one predetermined driven dynamic roller, each of said idler rollers and said dynamic rollers including upper article supporting surfaces which are rollable relative to the article and which cooperate to define a substantially flat surface while in said article supporting reach, and means for rotating said dynamic rollers in said dynamic section, each of said dynamic sections being arranged to reposition an article engaged therewith onto the idler rollers of an adjacent static section at a location normally spaced from the dynamic rollers while an article is conveyed along said reach, said means for rotating said dynamic rollers imparting rotation to said dynamic rollers and comprises power driven means frictionally engageable with predetermined adjacent longitudinally spaced rollers, said power means comprising a plurality of equally longitudinally spaced rolls carried by laterally spaced chains mounted for orbital movement within the orbit of said conveying mechanism, said laterally spaced chains carrying said rollers having a reach located below and substantially parallel to the article supporting reach, and means operative when the rolls traverse said parallel reach for rotating said rolls which in turn impart rotation to the dynamic rollers of said article spacing section.

Claim 12

A feed conveyor for spacing a row of incoming abutting articles comprising an endless roller conveyor movable along a longitudinal path and having a reach for supporting the articles, means for driving said conveyor to translate said rollers with the upper surfaces of all rollers along said reach being tangent to a common plane for defining a rollable article supporting surface which is substantially flat, said rollers being arranged in predetermined groups of idler rollers and having predetermined driven rollers at both ends of each group of idler rollers, means for rotating said driven rollers while they translate across said reach, the direction of rotation of said driven rollers and the length and weight of each article being such that each moving article on said reach is frictionally engaged by at least one of said driven rollers for additionally driving each article longitudinally relative to said conveyor along said reach to rotate the associated idler rollers, said driven rollers causing said associated idler rollers and the articles to move relative to the conveyor until said frictional engagement is insufficient to continue movement of the article and supporting idler rollers at which time the article moves into substantially centered rest position on said idler rollers thereby uniformly spacing the adjacent articles.

Claim 13

A feed conveyor for spacing a row of incoming abutting articles comprising an endless roller conveyor movable along a longitudinal path and having a reach for supporting the articles, means for driving said conveyor to translate said rollers with the upper surfaces of all rollers along said reach being tangent to a common plane for defining a rollable article supporting surface which is substantially flat, said rollers being arranged in predetermined groups of idler rollers and having predetermined driven rollers at both ends of each group of idler rollers, means for rotating said driven rollers while they translate across said reach, the direction of rotation of said driven rollers and the length and weight of each article being such that each moving article on said reach is frictionally engaged by at least one of said driven rollers for additionally driving each article longitudinally relative to said conveyor along said reach to rotate the associated idler rollers, said driven rollers causing said associated idler rollers and the articles to move relative to the conveyor until said frictional engagement is insufficient to continue movement of the article and supporting idler rollers at which time the article moves into substantially centered rest position on said idler rollers thereby uniformly spacing the adjacent articles.

Claim 14

An article feed and spacing mechanism comprising an endless roller conveyor movable along a longitudinal path and having a reach for supporting and conveying the articles, means for driving said conveyor to spatially move said rollers along said reach, said rollers being arranged in spaced groups of at least two freely rotatable idler rollers with a driven roller at each side of said idler rollers, and means for rotating said driven rolLers in opposite directions, the longitudinal distance between each adjacent pair of driven rollers being greater than the length of an article being conveyed so that the moving articles on said reach are frictionally engaged and additionally driven either forward or backward by said driven rollers relative to said conveyor to first rotate the associated idler rollers and to then achieve rest position on said idler rollers thereby uniformly interspacing the articles, said idler rollers terminating rotation when said frictional engagement is insufficient to continue movement of the article and drive said idler rollers at which time the articles are substantially centered.

Claim 15

An article feed and spacing mechanism comprising an endless roller conveyor movable along a longitudinal path and having a reach for supporting and conveying the articles, means for driving said conveyor to spatially move said rollers along said reach, said rollers being arranged in spaced groups of at least two freely rotatable idler rollers with a driven roller at each side of said idler rollers, and means for rotating said driven rolLers in opposite directions, the longitudinal distance between each adjacent pair of driven rollers being greater than the length of an article being conveyed so that the moving articles on said reach are frictionally engaged and additionally driven either forward or backward by said driven rollers relative to said conveyor to first rotate the associated idler rollers and to then achieve rest position on said idler rollers thereby uniformly interspacing the articles, said idler rollers terminating rotation when said frictional engagement is insufficient to continue movement of the article and drive said idler rollers at which time the articles are substantially centered.

Claim 16

An article feed and spacing mechanism comprising an endless roller conveyor movable along a longitudinal path and having a reach for supporting and conveying the articles, means for driving said conveyor to spatially move said rollers along said reach, said rollers being arranged in predetermined spaced groups of free rollers with at least two predetermined driven rollers intermediate each of said groups, and means for rotating said driven rollers at each side of a group in opposite directions to move the article toward the center of the group of intermediate free rollers with the article imparting rotation to the free rollers until centered, the center to center distance of adjacent driven rollers on opposite sides of each group of free rollers being greater than the length of the articles being conveyed so that the moving articles on said reach are centered in relation to and are supported by said free rollers.

Claim 17

An article feed and spacing mechanism comprising an endless roller conveyor movable along a longitudinal path and having a reach for supporting and conveying the articles, means for driving said conveyor to spatially move said rollers along said reach, said rollers being arranged in predetermined spaced groups of free rollers with at least two predetermined driven rollers intermediate each of said groups, and means for rotating said driven rollers at each side of a group in opposite directions to move the article toward the center of the group of intermediate free rollers with the article imparting rotation to the free rollers until centered, the center to center distance of adjacent driven rollers on opposite sides of each group of free rollers being greater than the length of the articles being conveyed so that the moving articles on said reach are centered in relation to and are supported by said free rollers.

Claim 18

A feed conveyor for spacing a row of incoming abutting articles comprising an endless roller conveyor movable along a longitudinal path and having a substantially planar reach for supporting the articles, means for driving said conveyor to spatially move said rollers along said reach, said rollers being arranged in spaced groups of at least two free rollers, and two driven rollers at each side of said free rollers, means for rotating said driven rollers in each group of driven rollers in opposite directions, the center to center distance between the driven rollers confronting said free rollers being greater than the length of the supported article so that the moving articles on said reach are additionally driven either forward or backward relative to said endless roller conveyor to cause the article to achieve rest positions on said free rollers and uniform spacing to the adjacent articles, said free rollers in each group being rotated only in response to movement of the supported article thereon and terminating their rotation when the article is in its substantially centered rest position.

Claim 19

A feed conveyor for spacing a row of incoming abutting articles comprising an endless roller conveyor movable along a longitudinal path and having a substantially planar reach for supporting the articles, means for driving said conveyor to spatially move said rollers along said reach, said rollers being arranged in spaced groups of at least two free rollers, and two driven rollers at each side of said free rollers, means for rotating said driven rollers in each group of driven rollers in opposite directions, the center to center distance between the driven rollers confronting said free rollers being greater than the length of the supported article so that the moving articles on said reach are additionally driven either forward or backward relative to said endless roller conveyor to cause the article to achieve rest positions on said free rollers and uniform spacing to the adjacent articles, said free rollers in each group being rotated only in response to movement of the supported article thereon and terminating their rotation when the article is in its substantially centered rest position.