The present invention relates to a transport device comprising several individual hauling tracks, between which wheel-provided loads or loads carrier are shiftable, which by means of a connecting member are connectable to a transmission member, e.g. an endless wire, chain or the like, at which the connecting member is provided with a coupling member, which is movable between an active position, in which it is engageable with the transmission member, and an inactive position, in which the coupling member is out of engagement with the transmission member.

Background of the invention

Transport devices of the above mentioned kind are previously known in many different designs. The driving unit thereof generally comprises an engine-d iven trolley carriage, which is displaceable along a guide rail in the ceiling and to the said trolley carriage one or several trucks can be connected. This type of transport device is subs antially limited to plants in which the guide rail is placed in the ceiling and therefore has a limited range of application.

Transport devices where the carrier conveyor consists of fox- example an endless chain are also known, but they are generally used as overhead rail conveyors for transportation of a hanging load and not for towing of trucks.

There is also known a very advanced transport device consisting of a self-going carriage, which is not bound to any guide rail, but obtains its guiding instructions from a magnet coil arranged in the floor. This type of transport device certainly solves many occuring transport problems, but its obtaining, maintenance and handling is very expensive, and for this reason they are economically defendable only in such connections where the utilization degree is very high. In a factory plant where the manufacturing occurs according to the conveyor belt principe the deadlock periods for the ^' transport

apparatus make a considerably greater part than the transport periods and therefore a great amount of capital is linked to" these relatively unproductive transport apparatuses.

The object and most characteristic features of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a transpot system which can utilize simple and cheap load carriers of hand truck type, which even with loading can be easily moved by a person. The trucks should be easily connectable to a hauling track, for example an endless wire and be transported along a main line, but should in order to perform some work operations be shiftable to side tracks so that the main line is not blocked while the work operation is done.

The line should further be so designed, that along certain transport distances, where for example no wurk is done with the objects which are on the truck, a quick feeding may take place without actuating the vehicles along the other parts of the hauling track where the working stations are located.

Another object of the invention is to propose a plant where one or several trucks can be released from the hauling track or its side tracks, for example if any difficulty may happen with the work operation which should be done on the transport object. The fundamental idea is thus to provide a very flexible transport system, which with the same advantage can be used for loads rolling on the ground as for loads hanging from the ceiling. The system should even be applicable to such vehicles which rolls in rails along the wall. These objects have been fulfiled by the features which appear from the claims .

Description of the drawings

Fig. t shows a plan view of some hauling tracks which can be part of a transport system according the invention, Fig. 2 shows on a greater scale and more in detail a plan view of the transport system according f g. 1 ,

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Fig. 3 is a schematic side view of a truck according the invention connected to a hauling track.

Fig. 4 shows the truck according fig. 3 in a view from above,

Fig. 5 shows a section through a connecting member intended to be fastened to a truck,

Fig. 6 shows the connecting member according fig. 5 in side iew,

Fig. 7 shows a section through the connecting member according to line VII-VII in fig. 5,

Fig. 8 shows the connecting member according fig. 5-7 in a view from above,

Fig. 9 is an analogue view with fig. 7 in a modified design.

Fig. 10 shows a view from above of a shifting station between two hauling tracks,

Fig. 11 is a section according to the line XI-XII in fig. 10,

Fig. 12 is a view from above of a stationary device for conveying the transmission member out of engagement with the connecting member,

Fig. 13 is a section according the line XIII-XIII in fig. 12,

Fig. 14- shows a longitudinal section through a connecting member according to a modified design,

Fig. 15 shows the connec ing member in a view from above according to fig. 14,

Fig. 16 shows a section according to line XVI--XVI in fig 15,

Fig. 17 is a side view and partly in section of a further embodiment of the connecting member,

Fig. 18 shows a view of the connecting member from above illustrated in fig. 17,

Fig. 19 shows the lower part of the connecting member in a front view illustrated in fig 17 and 18,

Fig. 20 is an analogue view with fig 17 of the coupling member in open position ,

Fig. 21 shows a longitudinal section through a load carrier suspended from a ceiling,

Fig. 22 is a section according to the line XXII-XXII in fig .

21 , and

Fig. 23 and 24 show in side view and front view a wheel-- supported load in the form of a car chassis temporarily provided with a connecting member according to the inventi

Description of the embodiments

The transport system according the invention comprises a plurality of individual hauling tracks 11 , which overlap each other with the end portions. Each hauling track 11a, 11b, 11c and 11d comprises a transmission member 12a, 12b, 12c which for example can consist of an endless wire, chain or the like and which is inclined over pulleys 13, one of which can be a part of a tension and/or a driving station 14. To the transmission member 12 can be connected one or several load carriers 15, i.e. trucks 15a, 15b and 15c which each is equipped with a connecting member 16, for alternative connecting with or disconnecting from the respective transmission member.

In fig. 1 and 2 the transmission member is shown as free wires, but considering the passability it can be suitable to place these in individual or a mutual groove 18 and 19 recessed in the floor, as is shown in fig. 7. These grooves are designed relatively narrow which can be easily passed by the wheel of the truck. In the areas where the hauling tracks 11 overlap each other shifting stations 20 are arranged, where a shifting occurs from the transmission member of one path, i.e. 12a to the transmission member of the second path, i.e. 12b. For this purpose every truck 15 is equipped with a connecting member 16 with double sets of coupling members 22, which independently of each other are connectable to respectively disconnectable from a transmission member each.

As is shown in figs. 5-8, the connecting member 16 consists of a frame 17 in the form of a square tube, to which two identical coupling members 21 and 22 are disposed, provided with two gripping jaws 23 and 24, one of which 23 is rotatable about an axle 25 towards and away from the other, fixed gripping jaw 24 by means of an actuator 26, for example an electric linear motor. The coupling members 21, 22 are also rotatable about a pivot arm 27, mounted in an attachment 28 at the frame 17 by means of the said actuator 26, which can perform exact positioning reciprocating movements. A strong

tension spring 29 holds the coupling members 21 ,22 to fit-up against a wire 12 located between the gripping jaws 23,24 or' if the wire is disconnected against a stop lug 30 arranged at the frame 17.

The endless transmission member 12 rotates appropriately continuously and if a truck 15 is to be displaced the actuator 26 obtains an external impulse and presses the movable gripping jaw 23 against the wire 12, which is located in a laterally open groove 31 in the coupling member 21 resp. 22. If the truck 15 should be kept in a "stand by" position while awaiting the next movement the movable gripping jaw 23 will be rotated about the axle 25 until it abuts the attachment 28 serving as a stop lug, as is shown with dash - dotted lines in fig. 6. In this position the wire 12 is completely free and can continue to perform its running movement without effecting the truck 15. The gripping jaws 24 are on their underside each provided with a pulley 34 which is rotatable about a vertical axle pulley 34 and which cooperate with a groove 18 resp. 19 each. If the truck should be drawn completely away from the hauling track, t e a tuator 26 is given an additional signal, so that this is pulled to its inner end position, at which the coupling member 21 resp. 22 rotates about the pivot arm 27 to the position, which is shown in fig. f> with d sh- dotted lines. In thi position the coupling member 21 resp. 22 has een rotated out of the groove 18 respecti ely 19, so that the truck 15 can freely move on the floor. The actuator 26 can be controlled by means of transmitters (not shown) i.e. inductive, electronic sensors, which detect the movement of the actuator 26 and position this.

The frame 17 consists of a guide in the shape of two telescopic square tubes , which against the action of a tension spring can be displaced from each other when the movable gripping jaw 23 is pressed to fit-up against a wire 12 located between this and the fixed gripping jaw 24 and a stop lug 30 resp. The actuator 26 is so positioned that it continues to be extended somewhat after completed clamping of the wire 12, so that the spring 29 is stretched and a certain elasticity is

obtained in the system.

If there is no desire to pull away the truck 15 from the hauling track or actually the truck should be railbouπd, the modified embodiment shown in fig. 9 might be used. Between the coupling members 21 and 22 in this embodiment there is arranged a distance block at the frame 17 and which supports a steering wheel 33, which cooperates with a guide rail 32. Besides at the rear end of the frame 17- f g. 6 - there is disposed a pivot 34 connected with a clutch 35 which is connectable with a corresponding adapter 36 fixed to the underside of the truck 15. As opposed to the embodiment according fig. 5-8 a steering wheel 40 is arranged at the pivot axle of the pivot 34 and which in the same way as the steering wheel 33 cooperates with the guide rail 32. As the truck 15 is not pulled by the hauling track 11 unless the steering wheel 33 and 40 of the connecting member 16 is lifted from the guide groove, the connecting member must be lifted up, which can occur, as this is rotatable about the pivot axle 41. The connecting member 16 cah also be lifted away completely if desired, by the fact that the pivot axle 41 is lifted out of the pivot cup 41a.

With the coupling member, of the embodiment shown in figs. 5-8, which is easily dismountably arranged on the underside of a truck 15, it is possible to shift automatically over from one hauling track to another at the shifting station 20. An inactive but automatically working shifting station 20 is shown in fig. 10 and is so built up that the grooves 18 and 19 in the respective hauling track are provided with a slight S-bend, while the wires 12a and 12b continue in an unbroken straight direction towards the nearest pulley wheel 13. As is shown in fig. 11 the wire 12b within the shifting area 20 will be located in a lateral space 37 which is formed by a U-pi-αfile 39, which is welded to the respective guide rail 18,19.

When a truck 15. pulled by the wire 12b in the hauling track 11b, approaches a shifting station 20 one of the actuators 26a

of the connecting member 16 will by an outer impulse swing the coupling member 22 to the prepardness position, that is to say ^" a position where the coupling member is located in the groove

18, but with the gripping jaw 23 in an inactive swung-up position, while the second coupling member 21 is still connected to the wire 12b of the other groove 19. This position has been denoted with A-A in fig. 10. The truck 15 would thus be pulled forwards in the direction of motion of the wire 12b until both lowered coupling members 21 and 22 will be near the position B-B in fig. 10. where the actuator

26b actuates the coupling member 21 so that this is disconnected from the wire 12b, which owing to its extension leaves the groove 31 of the coupling member, while the second coupling member 22 has been brought to "standby" position by the actuator 26a and in which it catches the wire 12a in the open groove 31. By a further outer impulse the wire 12a is located by means of the movable gripping jaw 23 in coupling member 22. When the truck 15 has reached to the position C-C the actuator 26b eceives a signal, to pull the coupling member 21 completely up out of the groove 18, so that the uck 1 is ready to continue i s displacement along the second hauling track 11a, which is possible as the wire 12b is now located in a lateral space 37 according fig. 11.

The control of the actuator 26a and 26b can be done touch- free by means of a capacitive t ansmitte s (not shown) , which detects an indication which app opriately is placed on or clo e to t e r pect v haulin track.

Instead of the inactively working shifting station 20, according to figs. 10 and 11 which demands some local conditions, the displacement of the transmission member 12 can also take place actively by means of a suitable driving device 65, as is shown in the embodiment according figs. 12 and 13. The driving device 65 is designed as a piston cylinder to which a transfer member 66 is attached, the front end edge of which is plogue-shaped with a recess 67, so that also a transmission member hanging against the bottom of the guide rail 18 resp. 19 can be caught up and be pressed into a

lateral space 37 αf the side of the groove 18 resp. 19.

In the above described embodiments the displacement of the transmission member 12 out of the connecting member 16 is done in an inactive or- active way, by means of a special arrangement within fixed shifting station. At some applications it could be desirable not to bedependent on fixed shifting stations, but it should be possible to perform the shifting anywhere alon the transport distance, where there is an overlap between two hauling tracks. Such arrangements are shown in the embodiment according to figs. 14-16, at which two separa , identical connecting members 16 are disposed adjacent each other, and each are provided with two towards and away from each other movable, verically aranged gripping jaws 23. Their displacement is provided by the fact that pins 42 is projecting therefrom are displaceable in grooves 43 which are obligue with to the longitudinal axle of the connecting member. A link 44 is articulately mounted at each axle pin 42, the other end of said link is rotatably connected with a draw bar 45. This is displaceable by means of a actuator 26, which can be positioned in two different end position. In the first completely protrunded position the gripping jaws 23 will be rotated away from each other and to fit- up against the side walls 46 of the guide rails 18 or 19, at which a braking of the truck is obtained. At the r traction of the actuator 26 the gripping jaws 23 will be displaced in the direction towards each other, so that a wire 12 located hetween them is clampe .

By means of the second actuator 61 it is possible to rotate the connecting member 16 about an axle 62, at which the gripping jaws 23 will be rotated out of the groove 18 resp. 19. The connecting member 16 is held in correct engagement height with ^' the transmission member 12 by the fact that travelling wheels 63 at the front, lower part of the connecting member rests on the floor.

In the embodiment according figs. 17-20 control of the coupling member 21 resp. 22 is done by means of a guide wheel

47 mounted thereto and arranged at a clamp 48, which is rotatable about two pivots 49. To the clamp 48 two draw ^' springs 50 are fixed, which are so arranged in relation to the fulcrum 49 of the clamp, that the springs 50 passes the said fulcrum 49, when this swings to the folded up position. The vibratory movement is provided by means of an inclined approach 51 arranged adjacent or in the groove 18 resp. 19, on which the guide wheel 47 rolls up, so that the coupling member

21 and 22 takes the position shown in ig. 20, in which the coupling member has been brought out the engagement with the wire 12. The return of the coupling member 22 to the folded down position is made by the means of a wheel 52, which is aranged on the other side of the pivot axle 49 of the c upling member and which likewise cooperates with inclined approaches

64 located on a suitable places, and which swings the coupling member 22 in counter clockwise direction according the drawing, so that the springs 50 again pass the center of oscillation 49, after which the springs 50 pull the guide wheel 47 clown towards the floor.

In this embodiment the transmission element 12 has been provided with drivers 53, evenly distributed along the wire 12. The connecting member 16 thus oes not need to be designed with special gripping devices , such as gripping jaws or the like, as the connection with the transmission member 12 is done through a fork 54, which at the folding down of the coupling member 22 grips over the transmission member 12.

If the staff by any reason would like to take a truck 15 with such connecting members out of the hauling track, the coupling member 22 can maually be rotated about the pivot axle 49, and out of engagement with the wire 12, after which the truck can be manually pulled away from the hauling track. In the same way a connection with the transmission member can aslo be manually provided.

The invention is not only applicable to trucks rolling on a floor but can with the same advantage be used on the load carriers transportable in ceiling- or wall rails.

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Fig. 21 and 22 show an example of a ceiling conveyor, in which" a load carrier 57 with wheels 56 hangs in a ceiling rail 55. The transmission members are arranged below the ceiling rail 55. At the load carrier 57 both coupling members 21.22 of the connecting member 16 are arranged, which in the same way which has been described above can be brought to cooperate with the trasmission member 12.

In the same way as in the embodiment according to figs. 5-8 the actuators 26 are with their end remote from the coupling members each supported by a yoke 58 , which by means of a rail 59 is movable against the action of the spring 29 in guides 60. To the rail 59 is connected one arm 61 of a double-armed bell crank 62, the opposite arm 63 of which is designed as a brake ^' member and which can be brought to be pressed to fit-up ^• against the lower edge of the rail.

The brake starts to function when the movable gripping jaws of the coupling member rele ses its grip about the wire 12, that is to say as soon as the actuator 26 withdraws the connecting rod 26c.

The ceiling rail 55 can be given such an extension, that the lunrl can be landed on a wall- or floor bound hauling track for further transport ^" to the destination area.

The invention is not limited to the illustrated and described embodiments, but a number of variations are possible within the scope αf the claims. Thus the transmission member 12 can instead of wn endless band, cable, wire, thread or chain consist of a reciprocating member, where the transport occurs with the forward movement of the member while with the return stroke the member skips. In the definitions load carrier are also involved air-cushion devices, but can also comprise the load itself, if this is provided with wheels, as is shown in figs. 23 and 24. In this embodiment connecting members are arranged in the frame or chessis of the vehicle for a quick attachment and quick releasing of the connecting member 16.

Besides at the manufacture of vehicles this way of transport is also applicable for accommodation of vehicles on special" buffer-sites awaiting the delivery, but can even be used on board on car transport vessels, where the guide rails 18 and 19 are recessed in the deck of the vessel. This arrangement permits an operatorless stowing and unloading of the vehicles onboard .

The control of the coupling member can also be done in many different ways and besides those previously described, it is possible to perform the disconnection of the transmission ^' member by means of a mechanical or electrical contact device, whic'h starts to function if a load carrier has caught up with a previous load c rrier on the track.

In the different embodiment shown and described the details of construction can of course be changed and replaced with given details wi h the corr sponding function in the other embodiments .