Cornelis
Hendrikus
Johannes
Cornelis
Hendrikus
Johannes
| 1. | A transport device having relative spaced guides, between which transport bodies can slidably move, said transpo bodies having a rectangular shape and the spacial orientation 5 of the transport body being substantially maintained when the direction of transport is changed, whilst the transport bodies push on one another during transport and mechanical driving means for the transport are provided characterized in that the device comprises a plurality of mutually merging 10 transport paths being at right angles to one another and intersecting one another and comprise changeover means for moving transport bodies from a transport path to a transport path at right angles to the former. |
| 2. | A device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in 15 that the changeover means are multiple means and a plurality of transport paths are provided extending parallel side by side and having coupled with them one or more relatively parallel sets of transport paths at right angles to the first mentioned transport paths. |
| 3. | 203 A device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 characterized in that transport paths may form Tcrosses. 4. A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims characterized in that there are transport paths which form fourcrosses. |
| 4. | 255 A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims characterized in that the transport paths extend like a rectangular set in the tridi ensional space. |
| 5. | 6 A device as claimed in anyone of Claims 1 to 4 characterized in that at least one transport path extends 30 like a spacial helix. |
| 6. | 7 A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims characterized in that the transport bodies are composed of three (imaginary) plates, the circumference of the inner plate being the smaller and the circumferences of the outer 35 plates having different lengths. 8• A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims characterized in that guides are in engagement between OMPI ¬ the outer plates. |
| 7. | 9 A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims characterized in that the transport paths extend in two relatively parallel, opposite planes and in that every two opposite transport bodies are interconnected on a corres ponding side by a plateshaped body. |
| 8. | 10 A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims characterized in that the transport bodies are plate shaped bodies and provided on opposite sides with a rim and a groove respectively so that the transport bodies can mutual guide one another. |
| 9. | 11 A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims characterized in that the transport bodies are block shaped bodies enclosed in a rectangular space and in that the transport can be carried out by shifting around the trans port bodies with the aid of an empty space corresponding to a blockshaped body. |
| 10. | 12 A device as claimed in Claim 11 characterized in that the blockshaped bodies are provided with dovetailshape cams on given surfaces and corresponding dovetailshaped grooves in opposite surfaces, said surfaces having two groove intersecting one another at right angles. |
| 11. | 13 A device as claimed in anyone of the preceding Claims characterized in that the transport paths form inter secting loops. ϊϋRi Λc OMPI A < → W_P0. |
The invention relates to a transport device com¬ prising relatively spaced guides between which transport bodies are slidably movable, said transport bodies having a rectangular shape and having their orientation in space substantially maintained upon variation of the transport direction, the transport bodies propelling one another during transport, the device comprising mechanical driving means for transport.
Devices of the kind set forth are known, for example from French Patent Application 2,267,262, DAS. 1,063,966 and DOS. 2,212,426. In the device disclosed in French Patent Application 2,267,262 and DOS. 2,212,426 the transport paths form a closed loop. In the device of DAS. 1,063,966 the trans¬ port is performed along a single track, which changes its direction several times at right angles. The possibilities of use of these known devices are limited.
The invention has for its object to obviate or at least to mitigate this disadvantage and provides to this end a device of the kind set forth in the preamble, which is characterized in that it is provided with several adjoin- ing transport paths which extend in orthogonal directions and which intersect one another and in that it is provided with change-over means for moving transport bodies from a transport path into a transport path at right angles to the former. According to the invention it is efficient to pro¬ vide a plurality of change-over means and a plurality of
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transport paths extending parallel to one another side by side, whilst one or more relatively parallel sets of trans¬ port paths are coupled with and at right angles to the first- mentioned transport paths. In further embodiments of the device in accordance with the invention the transport paths may form T crosses or the transport paths may form four-crosses.
According to the invention the transport paths may extend as a rectangular set in the three-dimensional space. A particular embodiment is obtained by causing the transport paths to extend along a spacial helix.
According to the invention the transport bodies are preferably formed by plate-shaped bodies comprising each three plates, the circumference of the middle plate being the smallest and the circumferences of the outer plates having different lengths. These plates may be integral.
It is advantageous when the guides engage between the outer plates.
A particular embodiment of the device in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the transport paths extend in two parallel planes and in that every two opposite transport bodies are connected with one another on a corresponding side by means of a plate-shaped body. In an embodiment of the invention in which the transport bodies can be transported in a matrix array the transport bodies may be plate-shaped bodies and be provided on opposite sides with a ridge and a groove respectively so that the transport bodies can mutually guide one another. In a three-dimensional device embodying the in- vention the transport bodies are block-shaped bodies enclosed in a rectangular space, whilst the transport can be performed by slidingly circulating the transport bodies using an empty space corresponding to a block-shaped body. Such a device may be advantageously used as a store.
The block-shaped bodies may then be provided with dovetail-shaped cams on given surfaces and corresponding dovetail-shaped grooves in opposite surfaces, said surfaces having two grooves intersecting one another at right angles. jURSAcT
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The device embodying the invention can, as an al¬ ternative, be constructed so that it comprises transport paths in the form of loops.
The device embodying the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a device embodying the invention,
Fig. 2 is a plan view of part of a device embodying the invention, Fig. 3 is a schematic, perspective view of a cross in a device embodying the invention for suspension transport (Fig. 3a) and horizontal transport (Fig. 3b),
Fig. 4 is a schematic, perspective view of a mul¬ tiple change-over means in a device embodying the invention for suspension transport (Fig. 4a) and horizontal transport (Fig. 4b),
Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a matrix array of a transport device embodying the invention for suspension transport ' , Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a device embodying the invention in which the paths extend in a vertical plane.
Figs. 7a, b, c and d are different elevational view of transport bodies for transport on the top side in accordance with the invention, Figs. 8a, b are a perspective view of a transport path and a transport * body in a device embodying the invention for suspension transport.
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a potential confi¬ guration of the device embodying the invention for suspension transport.
Figs. 10, 11 and 12 show potential configurations of the device embodying the invention.
Fig. 13 shows part of a device embodying the invent having transport paths in different horizontal planes. Figs. 14 and 15 show potential uses of the device embodying the invention in a van.
Fig. 16 shows one embodiment of a transport body
in accordance with the invention to be used in a matrix array.
Fig. 17 shows an embodiment having transport paths extending along a spacial helix and
Figs. 18, 19 and 20 are schematic perspective views of the use of the invention in a three-dimensional slide system.
Referring to Fig. 1, reference numerals 1 and 1' designated relatively spaced guides. A rectangular board 2 can slide along these slopes 1 and 1'. The board 2 has fastened to it approximately at the centre 3 a hook for sus¬ pending, for example, slaughtered animals.
Fig. 2 also shows the guides 1 and 1' with a plu¬ rality of adjacent boards 2, 2*, 2", etc. The first board 2, for which it is not shown how it (as the case may be with more boards) has arrived, is moved with the aid of a rod 4 indicated by an arrow along the guides 1 and 1' . By this movement also the boards 2*, 2", 2"' and so on are pushed on. The board 2n at the end of the path 5 (formed by the guides 1 and 1*) is moved at right angles to its initial direction by pushing it by the rod 6 indicated by an arrow and the boards on the orthogonal paths 7 are moved in the same manner as on the path 5. As a matter of course, the movements of the rods 4 and 6 have to be synchronized. There is schematically shown a "change-over". Herein the path 5 is open and changes over to an auxiliary path 10.
Obviously many variants of the principle shown are possible. The path may have vertical and also horizontal curvatures when the dimensions of the boards and the distances between the guides are proportioned accordingly. The boards 2, 2' etc. need not necessarily be square, they may also be elongate. The distances of the orthogonal guides of the parts 7 and 10 have to chosen accordingly. The transport of objects on these boards has the advantage that these objects are free one of the other. An example is cleaning casings not pushed one by the other but kept spaced apart, which is, of course, advantageous for cleaning purposes. As compared with the conventional conveyor belt it is an
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advantage herein that the boards can " also be cleaned separat An orthogonal change-over of the propelling movement is al¬ ways difficult in conveyor belts of the conventional kind. In a transport in a straight forward direction in the path 54 a board of the auxiliary path 10 can serve as a guide.
Fig. 4 shows a "crossing" of intersecting transport paths embodying the invention. The paths 12 and 13 intersect one another at right angles. The kinds of guides shown in Figs. 3 and 4 are preferably used in accordance with the 10 invention with the transport boards shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. These guides together with these transport pallets con¬ stitute a particularly suitable combination. Both suspended transport and standing transport are possible, whilst more¬ over transport along a wall is possible as is illustrated 15 in Fig. 6. The transport directions indicated in Fig. 3 by arrows are arbitrary and all of them are reversible. The transport paths 13 and 12 may be multiple paths.
Fig. 4 shows a double T-cross embodying the inventi Also in this case the guides are formed by angle-section 20 profiles. The transport paths 14 and 15 are parallel to one ' another and intersect the transport path 16 at right angles. Also in this case the transport directions indicated are arbitrary. Each direction is reversible. Also in this case the transport paths may be multiple paths and be suitable 25 for hanging and lying transports.
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show different kinds of transport bodies embodying the invention. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a system embodying the invention for hanging transport in accordance with a mosaic system. The transport bodies 3017 comprise different components, a top plate, a middle plate and a bottom plate. The transport body may be a laminate of these three plates, but as an.alternative it may be a single piece. The middle plate has the smaller length and width. The top plate has a length and a width lying between 35 those of the bottom plate and those other plate.
This provides the possibility of engaging the top side betwee the various transport bodies for the mechanical driving means.
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Corresponding transport bodies 20 and 21 are shown in Figs. 7a and 7b. Figs. 7c and 7d show idle transport boards. These idle transport boards are formed essentially by an open frame work. Such transport bodies may sometimes be required in given transport systems in which it is necessary to provide intervals, for example at processing stations, but they may also be used when it is desired to have an opening.
Fig. 6 shows a transport system in which the trans¬ port guides 1 are located in a vertical plane. The transport bodies 18 and 19 have fastened to them horizontal surfaces 23 and 24, on which the objects to be transported can be deposited. Fig. 8 shows a potential alternative for a hang¬ ing transport path. As shown in Fig. 8a the guide is composed of strips and profiles riveted to one another. Fig. 9 shows a pushing on system embodying the invention which may be used, for example, in killing and dressing poultry or other animals and which may furthermore be employed for various processes and as a weighing and grading belt. In the system of Fig. 9 it is preferred to use an embodiment of the guides and transport bodies of the kind shown in Fig. 5. In the matrix array 25 the transport bodies can be slid on parallel after a predetermined period of time by one or more locations Within this predetermined period of time processes can be carried out. Grading, for example, on the basis of weight, may be carried out to the paths 27, 28 and 29.
Fig. 10 shows a potential configuration of a transp device embodying the invention. It comprises two relatively coupled loops and two matrix arrays. References X, Y and Z may represent different objects located on the transport boards, but they may also indicate that different processes are carried out thereon. Reference numerals 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 designate propelling mechanisms. The path 38 constitutes a closed loop, with which the loop 37 is coupled. The residence time of the transport bodies is tripled in the matrix arrays 39 and 40. This system may be used, for example, for preparing foodstuffs, in which different kinds of food X, Y and Z are prepared, for example, along the path
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38, further prepared, for example, by cooking in the matrix array 39 and frozen in the matrix array 40. The feed of raw material may be at a given, desired place, whereas the ready product can be evacuated at a further chosen place. Via the loop 37 disapproved products may be conducted away.
Fig. 11 shows a configuration of a transport device embodying the invention, which may be used for grading object by weight. Like in Fig. 10 Fig. 11 shows the empty places by cross-hatchings. At 42 the objects to be graded can be introduced. At 43 weighing can be carried out in three classe of weight A, B or C. In the matrix array 41 other processes may be carried out and the delivery according to weight A, B or C can take place by means of the loops 37, 38 and 39. At the other ends of these loops 37, 38 and 39 the graded objects can be delivered to a store. The loop 40 ensures the return of the empty boards.
Fig. 12 shows a transport device embodying the invention in which five transport paths 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55 join at a junction formed as a matrix. At this junction are found the transport boards 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 and 50. In principle, it is possible to control in an arbitrary manner the traffic from and towards the paths 51 to 54 throug the junction.
Fig. 14 shows the use of a transport device embody- ing the invention in a van. The purpose is to ensure, in transporting goods that invariably the "correct" container is disposed at the doors of the van. The exchange of con¬ tainers can take place during transport. Two guide plates or transport boards 55 and 56 carry a loading plate 57. The transport boards 55 and 56 may be designed in the form shown in Fig. 6, but also in the form shown in Figs. 5, 7a and 7b. Guides may be arranged along the walls of the van, but the transport guides 55 can also be caused to slide along other transport boards. Figs. 15 and 16 show a variant of the principle illustrated in Fig. 14. The circulation takes place with the aid of transport boards 58 which can slide along the
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loading floor, for example, by means of roller systems. In a manner known per se containers 59 can be deposited on the loading pallets 58. The loading pallets 58 may be provided in known manner with rim and groove systems 60, 61 so that a mutual guiding of the pallets is obtained. Fig. 13 sche¬ matically shows how transport paths may lie in different planes and be intercoupled with the aid of, for example, lifting mechanisms. Fig. 17 shows an embodiment of the device in accordance with the invention which comprises an ascending spacial helix and a descending spacial helix. Such a system may be used when long residence times are desired in a given space, for example, for cooling, sterilizing or heating. Figs. 18, 19 and 20 show, in principle, a further embodiment of the device in accordance with the invention suitable for use in stores. Fig. 18 shows a system in which transport bodies, for example, cubes can be shifted around in a slide system, since there is provided an open place. The cubes could be containers for objects. In storing plants considerabl space can thus be saved because there is no need for lanes. The cubes or blocks may also be constructed so that they mutually guide one another as is indicated in Figs. 19 and 20. Herein dovetail-like couplings may be used.
The transport boards in the systems embodying the invention may be made of wood, but preferably of a material satisfactorily sliding on metal, for example, nylon or a different synthetic resin. The carriers are preferably L- shaped, but they may have a (lying) V-profile. Hooks may be fastened to the boards or objects lying on them may be transported or the two possibilities may be simultaneously practized. An advantage of the rectangular boards on the guides embodying the invention is furthermore that the positio of a suspended animal does not change with respect to the transport direction during transport, which may be advantageou in automated processes, for example, machine-cutting of por- tions of animals.
A transport path may have a gradually varying dis¬ tance with respect to the horizontal so that it is possible
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to proceed, for example, from "hanging" transport to "lying" transport and processing.
In a tridimensional system horizontal guides may be provided in part of the space to avoid excessive pressure on the lower transport bodies. Vertical transport can then take place in other parts of the space.
The parts 37, 38 and 39 of Fig. 11 may be detachabl and be components of other transport systems. This also appli to parts of the components 37,.38 and 39. Such parts may stand on rollers and be charged in a van for transport or be stored. The transport boards of Fig. 5 are also suitable for standing transport (Fig. 6) and for transport along a wall, in which case an angle-section profile is used as a guide. The open transport board of Fig. 7c and Fig. 7d can be used for transporting crates having a partly open bottom for washing, boiling, vaporizing, cooling and cleaning
The shape of the transport boards may be different. For example, a groove may be provided all around and round tubes may be used as guides. The groove can be made so that the surfaces of the two main faces are different.
The systems described are particularly suitable for computer control.
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