Bracket belt conveyor with steering gear switching device

Abstract

A modular belt conveyor for translating articles on top of a carriage on a belt along the width of the conveyor. The carriage has an upper article support strip at the top of the belt module, the upper article support strip being connected to a lower follower extending through the thickness of the module and beyond the bottom of the module. A guide in the conveyor frame in contact with the follower guides the carriage in the slot along the width of the belt. The diverter switching device switches the follower between the two carrier path guides: one carrier path guide defining an original path and the other carrier path guide defining a diverting path.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to power driven conveyors and, in particular, to conveyors having modular belts with article supporting carriers directed by a diverter switch to translate articles across the belt. Background Art

[0002] When the conveyor conveys articles along the conveying direction, article diverters such as shoe sorters are used to translate the articles across the width of the conveyor. Typical shoe sorters include article push elements (referred to as shoes) that are driven laterally across the conveyor to push the articles away from one or both sides of the conveyor or position the articles across the width of the conveyor. Slat conveyors and modular conveyor belts are used as platforms for shoes, which ride in guides extending across the width of the slat or belt conveyor. Typical shoes are block-shaped or peg-shaped, with overhanging structural elements that keep the shoes in the guides and extend below the bottom of the belt or slat to engage the carrying path rails that control the lateral position of the shoes. Pushing shoes can work well for many articles. But it is necessary to operate the articles more gently on the sides of some articles. Pushers can cause soft articles such as bread sticks to sag. And, due to the short length of the package provided to the pusher, it is difficult for the pusher shoe to orient the package entering the front of the wide side of the conveyor. Summary of the invention

[0003] One type of conveyor embodying features of the present invention includes a conveyor belt adapted to advance along a carrying path in a belt travel direction. The conveyor belt includes a construction of a series of belt rows including one or more belt modules, the belt rows being hingedly connected end to end at hinge joints. Each of the belt rows extends from a first side to a second side in width and from top to bottom in thickness. At least some of the belt rows include belt modules extending from the left side to the right side in width. A slot extends through the thickness of the belt module along the width of the belt module. The conveyor also includes a bracket having a follower extending through the slot and beyond the bottom of the belt module and having a bearing surface. A slat is attached to the follower at the top of the belt module to slide along the width of the belt row with the follower. The slat has an upper article support surface and a bottom side. The slat extends along the width of the row. The conveyor also includes an actuator and a diverter switch, the diverter switch being located in the carrying path below the conveyor belt. The diverter switch includes a guide portion and a shuttle, the guide portion having a first exit channel and a second exit channel inclined to the first exit channel, the shuttle defining at least a portion of an entry channel leading to the first exit channel and the second exit channel, and the shuttle having a gap. The actuator is coupled to the shuttle to translate the shuttle from a first position to a second position, in which the gap is positioned to define a first path for the follower of the carriage to pass through the entry channel, the gap, and the first exit channel, and in which the shuttle structure blocks the second exit channel, in which the gap is positioned to define a second path for the follower of the carriage to pass through the entry channel, the gap, and the second exit channel, and in which the shuttle structure blocks the first exit channel.

[0004] Another type of conveyor includes a carrying path and a conveyor belt adapted to advance along the carrying path in a belt travel direction. The conveyor belt includes a series of belt rows including one or more belt modules, the belt rows being hingedly connected end to end at a hinge joint. Each of the belt rows extends from a first side to a second side in width and from a top to a bottom in thickness. At least some of the belt rows include belt modules extending from a left side to a right side in width. A slot extends through the thickness of the belt module along the width of the belt module. A bracket has a follower extending through the slot and beyond the bottom of the belt module, and has a follower body having an upper support surface and a pin extending downwardly from the bottom of the follower body. The pin is narrower than the rest of the follower body and is disposed at a height lower than the lowest height of the upper support surface. A slat having an upper article conveying surface is attached to the follower at the top of the belt module to slide with the follower along the width of the belt row. The slat extends along the width of the row. The conveyor also includes an actuator and a diverter switch, the diverter switch being located in the carrying path below the conveyor belt. The diverter switch includes an entry portion having two side walls defining an entry channel through which the follower of the carriage is guided by contact between the upper support surface of the follower and one of the side walls, a shuttle having a gap between the two walls, and a guide portion having a first exit channel and a second exit channel inclined relative to the first exit channel. An upper diagonal exit guide wall defines the second exit channel, and a lower diagonal exit guide wall defines the second exit channel closer to the gap of the shuttle. The actuator is coupled to the shuttle to translate the shuttle from a first position to a second position, wherein the gap is positioned to define a first path for the follower of the carriage to pass through the entry channel, the gap, and the first exit channel, and wherein the shuttle structure blocks the second exit channel, and wherein the gap is positioned to define a second path for the follower of the carriage to pass through the entry channel, the gap, and the second exit channel, and wherein the shuttle structure blocks the first exit channel.When the shuttle is in the second position, the follower is guided through the entry channel by contact between the upper bearing surface and one of the side walls of the entry portion and one of the walls of the shuttle, and after leaving the gap, the follower is diverted into the second exit channel by contact between the pin and the lower diagonal exit guide wall until the upper bearing surface of the follower engages the upper diagonal exit guide wall to guide the follower the rest of the way through the second exit channel along the second path.

[0005] A diverter switching device adapted to cause a conveyor belt follower having an upper bearing surface and a recessed lower bearing surface to translate laterally along an upper carry path along the width of the conveyor belt perpendicular to the belt travel direction of the conveyor belt and return along a lower return path, the diverter switching device comprising: (a) a shuttle having a first diagonal wall and a second wall and capable of translating laterally between a first position and a second position; and (b) a fixed guide portion having a first exit channel and a second exit channel. The second exit channel is defined on one side by a lower exit guide wall and an upper exit guide wall at a height higher than the lower exit guide wall. When the shuttle is in the second position, the conveyor belt follower is initially guided laterally by contact between the upper bearing surface of the follower and the first diagonal wall as the conveyor belt advances in the belt travel direction, then guided by contact between the lower bearing surface of the follower and the lower exit guide wall, and finally guided along the second exit channel by contact between the upper bearing surface and the upper exit guide wall. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Figure 1 is an isometric view of a portion of a modular conveyor belt embodying features of the present invention.

[0007] Figure 2 It is used for Figure 1 Exploded isometric view of the two-piece carriage for the conveyor belt.

[0008] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A bottom plan view of the slatted portion of the bracket.

[0009] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 An enlarged isometric view of the driven portion of the bracket.

[0010] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 Cross-section of one row of a modular conveyor belt taken along line VV.

[0011] Figure 6 It can be used for Figure 1 Isometric view of a one-piece carriage in a conveyor belt.

[0012] Figure 7 It is used for Figure 1 A top plan view of the conveyor frame with the conveyor belt in FIG.

[0013] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 Magnified view of the diverter switch in the conveyor frame.

[0014] Fig.9A and Fig. 9B yes Figure 8 An isometric view and a top plan view of the switching device in the steering position.

[0015] Fig. 10A and Fig. 10B yes Figure 8 Isometric view and top plan view of the switching device in the home position.

[0016] FIG. 11A to FIG. 11E yes Figure 8 A top plan view of a switching device showing the sequential advancement of the carrier followers through the switching device in the steering position.

[0017] Fig.12 yes Figure 8 A top plan view of a switching device guiding the worn follower.

[0018] FIG. 13A to FIG. 13D is an isometric view of another type of steering gear switch showing the sequential advancement of the carrier followers through the switch in the steering position.

[0019] Fig.14 It can be used for Figure 7 An exploded view of another type of diverter switching device with a return aligner in a conveyor in FIG.

[0020] Fig.15 yes Fig.14 Isometric view of the switching device assembly under assembly.

[0021] Fig.16 yes Fig.14 Axonometric view of the entry and guide sections of the switching device.

[0022] Fig.17 is used for Fig.14 An isometric view of the shuttle of a switching device.

[0023] Fig.18 is used for Fig.14 Isometric view of the connection block of a switching device.

[0024] Fig.19 yes Fig.15 A bottom plan view of a switching device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] exist Figure 1 2 shows a portion of a conveyor belt embodying features of the present invention. The belt 20 is constructed from a series of even-numbered belt rows 22A and odd-numbered belt rows 22B, which alternate with the odd-numbered belt rows 22B in a tile pattern to avoid continuous seams 24 from row to row. In this example, the even-numbered belt rows 22A are composed of a carriage module 26A and an edge module 28A located to the left 30 of the carriage module, with the carriage module 26A being next to the edge module 28A. The odd-numbered belt rows 22B are composed of a carriage module 26B and an edge module 28B located to the right 31 of the carriage module, with the carriage module 26B being next to the edge module 28B.

[0026] The bracket modules 26A, 26B each have a slot 32 extending from a top 34 through the thickness of the module body to a bottom 35, also as shown. Figure 5 The carrier module body extends in length from a first end 36 to a second end 37 and in width from a first side 38A, 38B to a second side 39A, 39B. First hinge elements 40 are spaced along the first end 36 of the module body; second hinge elements 41 are spaced along the second end 37. The first hinge elements 40 of a belt row are staggered with the second hinge elements 41 of an adjacent belt row and are connected at hinge joints 42 by hinge rods or pins (not shown) to form an endless modular conveyor belt 20.

[0027] The slots 32 in the carriage modules 26A in the even-numbered strips 22A extend from the first slot end 44 partially across the width of the strip to the second slot end 45. The second slot end 45 is set back inwardly from the right side 39A of the corner module 26A by a greater distance than the first slot end 44 is set back inwardly from the left side 38A. The slots 32 in the carriage modules 26B in the odd-numbered strips 22B extend from the first slot end 46 partially across the width of the strip to the second slot end 47. The second slot end 47 is set back inwardly from the left side 38B of the carriage module 26B by a greater distance than the first slot end 46 is set back inwardly from the right side 39B. The difference between the carriage modules 26A and the carriage modules 26B is only the side of the setback. Therefore, in other respects, the description of one applies to the other.

[0028] The difference between the carriage modules 36A in the even rows 22A and the carriage modules 36B in the odd rows 22B allows the carriage modules to be placed in a bricklaying pattern with the edge modules 28A, 28B to avoid a continuous seam from row to row. Thus, in this example, each even belt row 22A extends in width from a first side 48 defined by the edge module 28A to an opposite second side 49 defined by the side 39A of the carriage module 26A, and each odd belt row 22B extends in width from a first side 48 defined by the side 38B of the carriage module 26B to a second side 49 defined by the edge module 28B.

[0029] A groove 50 is formed in the top 34 of each carrier module 26A, 26B and each edge module 28A, 28B. The groove 50 extends parallel to the slot 32 along the width of the carrier modules 26A, 26B and the edge modules 28A, 28B. In each row, the groove 50 in the edge modules 28A, 28B is aligned with and forms a continuation with the groove in the carrier modules 26A, 26B. Unlike the carrier modules 26A, 26B, the edge modules 28A, 28B in this example do not have a slot 32. Therefore, in each belt row 22A, 22B, the distance that the slot 32 extends across the width of the belt row is less than the distance that the groove 50 extends. However, such an edge module can be used, which has a slot that is continuous with the slot 32 in the carrier modules 26A, 26B. And, the left ends 44, 47 of the slots 32 in the even belt rows 22A and the odd belt rows 22B are aligned in the belt travel direction 52. Similarly, the right ends 45 , 46 of the slots 32 in the even and odd tape rows 22A, 22B are aligned in the direction of tape travel 52 .

[0030] A bracket 54 is mounted in each bracket module 26A, 26B to slide along the slot 32. Figures 2 to 45 has an upper slat 56 connected to a lower follower 58. (The follower is so named because it follows the guide surface below the belt as it advances, as explained in further detail later.) The slat 56 is generally rectangular in plan view, having a long dimension 60 and a short dimension 61. The long dimension 60 extends across the width of the cradle module body from a first slat end 62 to a second slat end 63. The short dimension 61 extends along the length of the cradle module body. The slat 56 has an article supporting upper surface 64 and a bottom side 65. In this version, a raised rib 66 depending downwardly from the bottom side 65 extends from the first slat end 62 to the second slat end 63, but the raised rib could extend a lesser distance across the width.

[0031] like Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the follower 58 is inserted into a socket 68 located in the slat 56 intermediate the slat ends 62, 63. A tab 70 in the socket 68 engages a recess 72 in a plug 74 located at the top end of the follower 58 in a snap-fit ​​manner. (See also Figure 4 ).like Figure 4 As best shown, the follower 58 has a follower body 76 having a body width extending from a first side edge 78 to a second side edge 79. Figure 5 As shown, the follower body 76 extends perpendicular to the width from the rear side 80 to the front side 81. The front side 81 is so designated because it leads the rear side 82 in the belt travel direction 52. The neck 82 located below the plug 74 is received in the slot 32 through the bracket module body. Figure 2 As shown, a front boss 84 located below the neck 82 at the front side 81 of the follower 58 has a front face 86 and a bearing surface 88 extending from the front face to each of the side edges 78, 79. A pin 90 projects downwardly at the bottom of the follower body. The neck 82 and the front boss 84 extend from the first side edge 78 to the second side edge 79. The pin 90 is much narrower and has opposite side walls 92, 93 that are parallel along the rear portion and converge to an apex 94 located at the front side 81. The side walls 92, 93 are inwardly set back from the side edges 78, 79 of the follower body 76. Since the bearing surfaces 88 at the side edges 78, 79 are located above and outside the side walls 92, 93 of the pin, the bearing surfaces are referred to as upper bearing surfaces, and the side walls of the pin are referred to as recessed lower bearing surfaces.

[0032] A front shelf 96 on top of the front 84 and a rear shelf 98 at a level below the front shelf at the rear side 80 extend from the first side edge 78 to the second side edge 79. The two shelves 96, 98 are placed slightly below the structure located at the bottom 35 of the bracket module 26A on opposite sides of the slot 32. The shelves 96, 98 interfere with the module bottom structure to prevent the follower 58 from leaving the slot 32. The rear shelf 98 is placed below a rod 100 that extends downward from the module bottom 35 and spans the width of the bracket module 26A. The rod 100 can be a drive rod having a rear face 102 against which a drive force is applied to push the bracket module 26A and the belt along the belt travel direction 52. The rod 100 can be used alternatively or additionally to support the module against vertical impacts. The slot 32 passing through the bracket module 26A leads to the bottom 35 adjacent to the front face 103 of the rod 100. As also shown Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the follower 58 has an upper rear shelf 104 and an upper front shelf 106 on which the slats 56 rest to provide support at the lower end of the socket 68 .

[0033] The bracket 54 is installed in the bracket module 26A in the following manner. First, the plug 74 of the follower 58 is inserted into the socket 68 in the slat 56 and snap-fitted into place to complete the assembly of the bracket 54. Then, the follower 58 of the bracket is pushed into the slot 32 from the top 34 of the module 26A until the lower front shelf 96 and the lower rear shelf 98 pass the bottom of the slot.

[0034] Figure 6 A one-piece bracket 108 is shown, wherein the slat portion 110 and the follower portion 112 are integrally formed as a single piece, such as by molding. Figure 2 The one-piece bracket 108 is installed in the bracket module 26A in the same manner as the two-piece bracket 54.

[0035] Figure 7 Shown for Figure 1 A conveyor frame 120 for a conveyor belt 20 in a conveyor belt 20 is shown. The frame 120 has two frame sides 122, 123 that support the ends of cross beams 124, 125 that support carryway wear strips 126 on which the belt rides. The frame 120 supports a motor driven shaft 128 and a drive sprocket 130 at the exit of the carryway that drives the belt in the belt travel direction 52. The frame 120 also supports a driven shaft 129 and a driven sprocket 131 at the entrance of the carryway. The belt is supported on return rollers 132 and return wear strips 134 in the lower return path.

[0036] The diverter switch 136 is supported on the cross beams 124, 125 at a fixed position in the transport path. Figure 8 , the diverter switch 136 has a fixed entry portion 138, a fixed guide portion 139, and a movable shuttle 140 between the entry portion and the guide portion. The shuttle 140 is laterally translated between a divert position and a home position along the width of the conveyor perpendicular to the belt travel direction 52 by a linear actuator 144 as indicated by a bidirectional arrow 142. A programmable processor (not shown) controls the actuator 144 to selectively divert or non-divert each article received by the conveyor.

[0037] The entry portion 138 of the switching device 136 has an entry passage 146 with opposing side walls 148 converging from a wide mouth 150 of the entry passage to a narrower throat 152 at the shuttle 140. The entry passage 146 extends through the shuttle 140. The wide mouth 150 increases the tolerance of the entry passage 146 so that it can receive a carriage follower that is imprecisely returned to its home position aligned with the home exit passage 154 parallel to the belt travel direction 52. Figure 7 The idler roller 151 is shown fixed in an axial position on the idler shaft 129 across the roller gap 153 aligned with the mouth 150 of the switch. The idler roller restrains the follower to prevent it from moving laterally across the conveyor during cleaning. The lateral position of the shuttle 140 guides the follower straight forward to the original exit channel 154 in the guide portion 139 of the switch 136 or obliquely to the diverted exit channel 156. The original exit channel 154 is an inline exit channel because it is aligned (in line with) the belt travel direction 52 at the original position along the width of the conveyor.

[0038] like Figure 7 As shown, followers exiting the home exit channel 154 are blocked from leaving the home position by home guides 158. Followers exiting the diverted exit channel 156 are guided across the width of the conveyor 120 by diagonal guides 160 as the belt advances along the carryway.

[0039] Figure 1The movement of the carriage 54 is shown when the follower of the carriage 54 is diverted by the diverter switch from the home position H through the divert exit passage to the divert position D which is laterally spaced from the home position across the width of the conveyor. Thus, the conveyor can be operated, for example, as a 1:2 switch conveyor which receives articles on the left and selectively conveys them on top of the carriage 54 along the home position lane straight forward to the first exit or diverts them to the right to the second exit at the divert position D. Figure 7 Also shown is a return guide 162 located in the lower return path that guides the diverted follower back to the home position to be received by the diverter switch 136 .

[0040] exist Fig.9A , Fig. 9B , Fig. 10A and Fig. 10B The structure of the steering gear switching device 136 is better shown in FIG. Fig.9A and Fig. 9B 1, the switch 136 is shown in a diverting position that guides the follower 58 along the diverting path 164 through the guide portion 139 of the switch to exit through the diverted exit passage 156. The shuttle 140 has a diagonal wall 166 across the gap 168 opposite the inline wall 170 parallel to the belt travel direction 52. The diagonal wall 166 narrows the gap 168 toward the diverted exit passage 156. In the diverting position of the switch 136, the shuttle 140 is in the rightmost position, wherein the diagonal wall 166 of the shuttle 140 forms a continuation of the left side wall 148 of the entrance passage 146 in the entrance portion 138 of the switch. The diagonal wall 166 of the shuttle also blocks the original exit passage 154 and guides the follower 58 to the diverted exit passage 156.

[0041] exist FIG. 11A to FIG. 11E 1 and 2 sequentially show the lateral translation of the follower 58 in the steering position through the steering gear switching device 136. Fig.11A , the upper bearing surface 88 on the left side of the follower 58 is guided by the diagonal wall 166 along the diverting path 164 through the gap 168 in the shuttle 140. Then, as Fig. 11B As shown, the pin 90 of the follower is picked up by the lower diagonal outlet guide wall 172, which contacts the tapered section of the side wall 93 of the pin. The point of initial contact with the lower diagonal outlet guide wall 172 depends on the wear of the upper bearing surface 88. The greater the wear of the upper bearing surface 88 and the diagonal wall 166, the farther along the lower diagonal outlet guide wall 172 the contact handoff from the bearing surface to the pin 90 occurs. Fig. 11CAs shown, once in contact with the pin 90, the lower diagonal exit guide wall 172 continues to guide the follower 58 a short distance until the end of the wall. Fig.11D As shown, the pin 90 is guided by the inline lower wall segment 173 until the upper support surface 88 of the follower is contacted by the upper diagonal outlet guide wall 174. A restraining wall 177 located on the opposite side of the diverting outlet passage 156 limits the bouncing of the follower 58 caused by the intersection from the diagonal wall 166 of the shuttle 140 to the lower diagonal outlet guide wall 172 and the initial contact between the upper support surface 88 of the follower and the upper diagonal outlet guide wall 174. The upper diagonal outlet guide wall 174 extends downwardly beyond the inline lower wall segment 173 to the bottom of the diverting outlet passage 156. The location at which the guidance is transferred from the pin 90 back to the upper support surface 88 depends on the wear of the support surface. The greater the wear of the upper support surface 88, the farther along the diverting path 164 the intersection back to the support surface occurs. As shown in FIG. Fig.11E As shown, the follower 58 travels along the diverted outlet passage 156 guided by the upper diagonal outlet guide wall 174 that contacts the upper support surface 88 of the follower.

[0042] The lower diagonal outlet guide wall 172 contacts only the follower pin 90. The upper bearing surface 88 of the follower is at a level above the top of the lower diagonal outlet guide wall 172, which is offset further into the turn outlet passage 156 than the upper diagonal outlet guide wall 174. Fig.11E As shown, the offset creates a flange 175 extending from the upper diagonal exit guide wall 174 to the top of the lower diagonal exit guide wall 172. The resulting two-stage guide structure with handoff to and from the guide lower pin 90 reduces the travel of the actuator and shuttle 140 compared to a single-stage guide structure for a follower without a bottom pin. Also, the reduced shuttle travel between the diverted position and the home position accommodates greater belt speeds to achieve greater throughput.

[0043] like Fig. 11B As best shown, the lower diagonal exit guide wall 172 extends downwardly from the flange 175 to a floor 171 that is deep enough below the flange to allow the follower pin 90 to pass unimpeded through the diverter switch diverter exit passage 156. The entry passage 146, the shuttle gap 168, and the floor of the inline exit passage 154 are coplanar with the floor 171 of the diverter exit passage 156.

[0044] Fig.12 The contact interface from the worn upper bearing surface 88' of the follower 58 to the tapered section of the side wall 93 of the pin 90 is shown. Fig. 11BThe initial point of contact between the pin 90 and the lower diagonal exit guide wall 172 is closer to the start of the exit guide wall than with the worn bearing surface 88'. The tapering of the side walls of the pin avoids snagging on the apex 183 of the flange 175. However, if the combined wear of the upper bearing surface 88' of the follower and the diagonal wall 166 of the shuttle is great enough, the apex 84 of the pin 90 will catch on the side of the apex 183 opposite the lower diagonal exit guide wall 172 and the interface will fail.

[0045] Fig. 10A and Fig. 10B The shuttle 140 is shown in the leftmost position, guiding the follower 58 along an inline path 176 that holds the follower 58 in a fixed home position on the belt. The inline wall 170 on the shuttle 140 blocks the divert exit passage 156 and forms a continuation of the right entry passage wall 149. Since the divert exit passage 156 is blocked by the shuttle structure, the follower 58 is restricted to an inline path 176 along the belt travel direction 52 by the parallel upper inline walls 178, 179 in the guide portion 139 of the diverter switch 136. The flange 169 at the edge of the left inline wall 178 has a chamfered corner 167 extending downward to the bottom of the home exit passage 154 to help prevent the pin 90 from being caught as it enters the guide portion 139. The right flange 175 is located at the edge of the right inline wall 179 and a portion of the upper diagonal exit guide wall 174 and forms an apex 183 adjacent to the exit of the shuttle 140. The right inline wall 179 and the upper diagonal outlet guide wall 174 meet at an upper apex 181 which is higher than the level of the lower apex 183 and further from the shuttle 140 than the lower apex.

[0046] FIG. 13A to FIG. 13D Another version of a diverter switch is shown in , which shows the sequence of diverting the follower 58. The belts and slats are omitted for clarity. The diverter switch 180 has a fixed guide portion 182 and a translatable shuttle 184 as the entry portion of the switch. Figure 8 The shuttle 140 is similar to the shuttle 184, which is driven by a linear actuator (not shown, but equivalent to Figure 8 The guide portion 182 has a diverting outlet channel 186 and an in-line original outlet channel 188. In this version, the diverting outlet channel 186 guides the follower 58 to the left side of the conveyor instead of Figure 8The diverter switch 180 is provided with a diverter outlet passage 156 in the switch 136, which directs the follower 58 to the right side of the conveyor. Thus, the diverter switch 180 is usually installed near the right side of the conveyor, rather than near the left side. However, like the switch 136, the switch 180 can be manufactured in both left and right versions.

[0047] FIG. 13A to FIG. 13D The shuttle 184 in is shown in a turned position. The shuttle has an entry passage 190 having opposing walls 192, 193 that converge from a wide mouth to a narrower throat at the guide portion 182. Fig.13A , the follower 58 is shown in the original position close to the switching device 180. Fig. 13B , the follower 58 contacts the wall 192 of the shuttle entry passage 190. The diagonal wall 192 contacts the support surface 88 of the follower. The diagonal wall 192 guides the follower 58 laterally toward the diverted exit passage 186. The diagonal wall 192 also blocks the original exit passage 188. Fig. 13C The guide portion 182 in the middle, the pin 90 of the follower initially contacts the lower outlet diagonal guide wall 194. When the pin 90 is guided by the diagonal outlet guide wall 194 along the turning outlet passage 186, the upper support surface 88 of the follower does not contact the guide portion 182. Since the lower outlet diagonal guide wall 194 gradually narrows toward the upper outlet diagonal guide wall 195, as shown in FIG. Fig.13D As shown, when the follower 58 approaches the outlet of the diverting outlet passage 186, the upper bearing surface 88 of the follower eventually contacts the upper diagonal guide wall. Once contact is made, the pin 90 of the follower does not contact the lower outlet diagonal guide wall 194.

[0048] To direct the follower 58 to the inline primary outlet channel 188, the actuator positions the shuttle 184 so that its walls 192, 193 are continuous with the walls 196, 197 that define the channel. In this way, the follower 58 is directed directly through the switch 180 in the direction of belt travel. Fig.9A The steering gear switching device 136 , the switching device 180 includes a similar two-stage guide structure with a flange 198 .

[0049] Fig.14 and Fig.15Another version of a diverter switch is shown in FIG. Diverter switch 200 includes an entry portion 202 that is integrally formed with a guide portion 204 and connected by an intermediate portion 206 to provide a race for a shuttle 208. An aligner 210 is connected to the intermediate portion 206 by a connecting block 212. A locking pin 214 extends through the entry portion 202 and the guide portion 204 and the connecting block 212 into the aligner 210 to lock the parts together in registration.

[0050] like Figures 16 to 18 As shown, the middle portion 206 has an opening 216 through which a block 218 at the bottom of the shuttle 208 passes to be slidably received in a slot 220 in the connecting block 212. An overhang 221 on the slot 220 holds the shuttle block 218 in the slot. The upper flange 222 and the lower flange 223 at the top and bottom of the connecting block 212 slide into the groove 224 in the middle portion 206 and the groove 226 in the aligner 210 ( Fig.14 ) to form connecting joints between parts. Fig.15 The resulting switch stack 200 is shown installed in a conveyor with the upper switch portions 202, 204, 206, 208 in the carry path and the aligner 210 in the return path.

[0051] like Fig.19 As shown, the aligner 210 has an inline alignment passage 228 defined by opposing alignment guide walls 230, 231. The walls are parallel along most of their length, but diverge toward the inlet end 232 to provide a wide mouth that receives a carriage follower that returns exactly to the home position or returns slightly off the home position but not so far as to cause excessive wear between the follower and the entry portion 202 of the switching device 200. The alignment guide walls 230, 231 ensure that the follower returns to the exact home position to be received in the entry passage 234 of the switching device. As shown in FIG. Fig.15 As shown, the alignment passage 228 of the return aligner 210 and the entry passage 234 of the entry portion 202 are vertically aligned by the connection block 212 to ensure that the follower returning to the carryway is delivered to the entry portion 202 of the switching device 200 in a home position.

[0052] When the bracket 54 passes through its follower and Figure 7 The contact of the diagonal guide member 160 is as follows Figure 1 When turning as in FIG. 1 , the force applied to the follower 58 tends to cause the bracket to twist or rotate counterclockwise about the follower. Figure 5As shown, the rib 66 at the bottom side 65 of the slat 56 is seated in the groove 50 on the top 34 of the carriage module 26A. Figure 7 ) due to the moving contact between the bracket 54 and the torque on the bracket 54 is transmitted to the limiting wall of the groove 50 through the protruding rib 66, so the torsion of the bracket is limited.

[0053] Although features of the present invention have been described with respect to exemplary forms, other forms are possible. For example, a diverter switch has two diverted exit channels on opposite sides of an in-line original exit channel, or has two diverted exit channels without an in-line original exit channel. As another example, the diagonal guide does not have to be linear; it can be curved. And the term "inclined" is not limited to "inclined at a constant angle"; the angle can vary. And, reference is made to the use of the names "left" and "right" as presented in the accompanying drawings with the original position to the left of the diverted position. The original position on the conveyor can be to the right of the diverted position, wherein the diverter switch is reversed and the in-line guides, diagonal guides, and return guides are repositioned accordingly.

Claims

1. A conveyor, comprising: transport path; a conveyor belt adapted to advance along the carryway in a belt travel direction, the conveyor belt comprising: A series of belt rows comprising one or more belt modules, the belt rows being hingedly connected end to end at hinge joints, wherein each of the belt rows extends in width from a first side to a second side and in thickness from top to bottom, and at least some of the belt rows comprise: A belt module extending in width from the left side to the right side and comprising: a slot extending through the thickness of the belt module along the width of the belt module; A bracket, the bracket having: a follower extending through the slot and beyond the bottom of the belt module and having a bearing surface; a slat attached to the follower at the top of the belt module to slide with the follower along the width of the belt row and having an upper article support surface and a bottom side; wherein said slats extend along said width of said row; Actuator; A diverter switch, the diverter switch being located in the carryway below the conveyor belt and comprising: a guide portion having a first outlet channel and a second outlet channel inclined to the first outlet channel; a shuttle defining at least a portion of an access passage to the first outlet passage and the second outlet passage and having a gap; wherein the actuator is coupled to the shuttle so as to translate the shuttle from a first position to a second position, wherein the gap is positioned to define a first path for the follower of the carriage to pass through the entry channel, the gap, and the first exit channel, and wherein the shuttle structure blocks the second exit channel in the first position, and wherein the gap is positioned to define a second path for the follower of the carriage to pass through the entry channel, the gap, and the second exit channel, and wherein the shuttle structure blocks the first exit channel in the second position.

2. The conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that The diverter switching device includes a fixed entry portion defining a portion of the entry passage, wherein the shuttle is located between the entry portion and the guide portion.

3. The conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shuttle defines the entire entry passage.

4. The conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first exit channel is an inline exit channel parallel to the belt travel direction, and the second exit channel is a turn exit channel inclined relative to the belt travel direction.

5. The conveyor according to claim 4, characterized in that: The follower has a follower body having a pin extending downwardly at the bottom of the follower body, and the pin is narrower than the rest of the follower body and is located at a height lower than the height of the support surface of the follower; The guide portion has an upper diagonal outlet guide wall defining the diverted outlet passage and a lower diagonal outlet guide wall defining the diverted outlet passage closer to the gap of the shuttle; wherein, when the shuttle is in the second position, the pin engages the lower diagonal exit guide wall after leaving the gap to divert the follower into the diverted exit channel, and wherein the bearing surface of the follower engages the upper diagonal exit guide wall to guide the follower for the remainder of its travel along the second path through the diagonal exit channel.

6. The conveyor according to claim 5, characterized in that The lower diagonal outlet guide wall is offset further into the turning outlet passage than the upper diagonal outlet guide wall.

7. The conveyor according to claim 5, characterized in that The conveyor includes a two-stage guide structure, which includes a flange in the guide portion, the flange extending from the upper diagonal outlet guide wall to the top of the lower diagonal outlet guide wall, and the pin of the follower passing through the diverting outlet channel is lower than the height of the flange, and the rest of the follower body is higher than the height of the flange.

8. The conveyor according to claim 4, characterized in that The entry channel and the inline exit channel define a home position along the width of the conveyor, and the conveyor includes a return path and a return guide in the return path, which guides the follower back to the home position before the follower that is not in the home position enters the diverter switching device.

9. The conveyor according to claim 4, characterized in that The conveyor comprises: a primary guide extending in the carryway from the inline primary exit passage of the diverter switch along the belt travel direction; a diagonal guide extending in the carryway from the diverter exit passage of the diverter switch obliquely to the belt travel direction; wherein the home guide prevents the follower leaving the in-line home exit channel from leaving a fixed home position along the width of the belt row; and wherein the diagonal guide guides the follower exiting the diverting exit channel across the width of the belt row.

10. The conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that The entry passage is defined by two opposing walls which converge from a wide mouth to a narrower throat in the direction of tape travel.

11. A conveyor comprising: transport path; a conveyor belt adapted to advance along the carryway in a belt travel direction, the conveyor belt comprising: A series of belt rows comprising one or more belt modules, the belt rows being hingedly connected end to end at hinge joints, wherein each of the belt rows extends in width from a first side to a second side and in thickness from top to bottom, and at least some of the belt rows comprise: A belt module extending in width from the left side to the right side and comprising: a slot extending through the thickness of the belt module along the width of the belt module; A bracket, the bracket having: a follower extending through the slot and beyond the bottom of the belt module and having a follower body having an upper bearing surface and a pin extending downwardly from a bottom of the follower body; wherein the pin is narrower than the remainder of the follower body and is disposed at a height lower than the lowest height of the upper bearing surface; a slat attached to the follower at the top of the belt module to slide with the follower along the width of the belt row and having an upper article support surface; wherein said slats extend along said width of said row; Actuator; A diverter switch, the diverter switch being located in the carryway below the conveyor belt and comprising: an entry portion having two side walls defining an entry passage through which the follower of the carriage is guided by contact between the upper bearing surface of the follower and one of the side walls; a shuttle having a gap between two walls; A guide portion, the guide portion comprising: a first outlet channel and a second outlet channel inclined relative to the first outlet channel; an upper diagonal exit guide wall and a lower diagonal exit guide wall, the upper diagonal exit guide wall defining the second exit channel and the lower diagonal exit guide wall defining the second exit channel closer to the gap of the shuttle; wherein the actuator is coupled to the shuttle to translate the shuttle from a first position to a second position, in which the gap is positioned to define a first path for the follower of the carriage to pass through the entry channel, the gap, and the first exit channel, and in which the shuttle structure blocks the second exit channel, and in which the gap is positioned to define a second path for the follower of the carriage to pass through the entry channel, the gap, and the second exit channel, and in which the shuttle structure blocks the first exit channel; wherein, when the shuttle is in the second position, the follower is guided through the entry channel by contact between the upper bearing surface and one of the side walls of the entry portion and one of the walls of the shuttle, and after leaving the gap, the follower is diverted into the second exit channel by contact between the pin and the lower diagonal exit guide wall until the upper bearing surface of the follower engages the upper diagonal exit guide wall to guide the follower for the remainder of its travel along the second path through the diagonal exit channel.

12. A diverter switching device adapted to cause a follower of a conveyor belt having an upper bearing surface and a recessed lower bearing surface to translate laterally along an upper carry path along the width of the conveyor belt perpendicular to the belt travel direction of the conveyor belt and return along a lower return path, the diverter switching device comprising: a shuttle having a first diagonal wall and a second wall and capable of translating laterally between a first position and a second position; a fixed guide portion having a first outlet channel and a second outlet channel, wherein the second outlet channel is delimited on one side by a lower outlet guide wall and an upper outlet guide wall at a height higher than the lower outlet guide wall; wherein, when the shuttle is in the second position, the conveyor belt follower is initially guided laterally by contact between the upper support surface of the follower and the first diagonal wall as the conveyor belt advances in the belt travel direction, is then guided by contact between the lower support surface of the follower and the lower outlet guide wall, and is ultimately guided along the second outlet channel by contact between the upper support surface and the upper outlet guide wall.

13. The steering gear switching device according to claim 12, characterized in that: The first diagonal wall of the shuttle blocks the first outlet passage when the shuttle is in the second position, and the second wall of the shuttle blocks the second outlet passage when the shuttle is in the first position.

14. The steering gear switching device according to claim 12, characterized in that: The first outlet channel is parallel to the belt travel direction.

15. The steering gear switching device according to claim 12, characterized in that: The steering gear switching device comprises: a fixed entry portion separated from the fixed guide portion by the shuttling member and having an entry passage parallel to the direction of belt travel; an aligner connected to the fixed entry portion and the fixed guide portion and having an alignment channel parallel to the direction of belt travel; wherein the fixed entry portion and the fixed guide portion and the shuttle are disposed in the upper carrying path, and the aligner is disposed in the lower return path so that the alignment channel is vertically aligned with the entry channel, thereby ensuring that the follower returns from the return path to the entry channel.

16. The steering gear switching device according to claim 15, characterized in that: The diverter switching device includes a connection block connecting the fixed entry portion and the fixed guide portion to the aligner to maintain the entry channel and the alignment channel in registration.

17. The conversion switching device according to claim 12, characterized in that: The first outlet channel and the second outlet channel are each defined by a lower wall extending upwardly from a floor to a flange extending from a top of the lower wall to a bottom of an upper wall.

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