Article or material handling devices associated with conveyors Methods employing such devices

BPERFORMING OPERATIONS TRANSPORTING B65Thin material handling B65GTRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES

B65G47/00Article or material handling devices associated with conveyors Methods employing such devices

B65G47/02Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors B65G47/04for feeding articles B65G47/06from a single group of articles arranged in orderly pattern B65G47/08spacing or grouping the articles during feeding B65G47/082grouping articles in rows B65G47/084grouping articles in a predetermined 2-dimensional pattern B65G47/086cubiform articles B65G47/088cylindrical articles B65G47/12from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles B65G47/14arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding B65G47/1407the articles being fed from a container B65G47/1414by means of movement of at least the whole wall of the container B65G47/1421Vibratory movement B65G47/1428rotating movement B65G47/1435using the centrifugal effect to arrange or orientate the articles B65G47/1442by means of movement of the bottom or a part of the wall of the container B65G47/145Jigging or reciprocating movement B65G47/1457Rotating movement in the plane of the rotating part B65G47/1464using the centrifugal effect to arrange or orientate the articles B65G47/1471Movement in one direction, substantially outwards B65G47/1478by means of pick-up devices, the container remaining immobile B65G47/1485using suction or magnetic forces B65G47/1492the articles being fed from a feeding conveyor B65G47/16for feeding materials in bulk B65G47/18Arrangements or applications of hoppers or chutes B65G47/19having means for controlling material flow B65G47/20the hoppers or chutes being movable B65G47/22Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors B65G47/24Orientating the articles B65G47/244by turning them about an axis substantially perpendicular to the conveying plane B65G47/2445by means of at least two co-operating endless conveying elements B65G47/248by turning over or inverting them B65G47/252about an axis substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction B65G47/256removing incorrectly orientated articles B65G47/26Arranging the articles B65G47/261Accumulating articles B65G47/263the conveyor drive is taken from a longitudinally extending shaft B65G47/265with one or more load advancing units travelling along the entire length of the accumulation line B65G47/266by means of a series of pivotable stop elements B65G47/268by means of belt or chain conveyor B65G47/28during transit by a single conveyor B65G47/29by temporarily stopping movement B65G47/295by means of at least two stopping elements B65G47/30during transit by a series of conveyors B65G47/31by varying the relative speeds of the conveyors forming the series B65G47/32Applications of transfer devices B65G47/34Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyors B65G47/36by detaching suspended articles B65G47/38by dumping, tripping, or releasing load carriers B65G47/40by tilting conveyor buckets B65G47/42operated by article or material being conveyed and discharged B65G47/44Arrangements or applications of hoppers or chutes B65G47/46and distributing B65G47/48according to bodily destination marks on either articles or load carrier B65G47/482using exclusively mechanical transmitting means between destination marks and switching means B65G47/485using electric or electronic transmitting means between destination marks and switching means B65G47/487the destination marks being mechanically detected B65G47/49without bodily contact between article or load carrier and automatic control device B65G47/493by use of light responsive means B65G47/496by use of magnetic responsive means B65G47/50according to destination signals stored in separate systems B65G47/503the system comprising endless moving means B65G47/506the system comprising a shift-register B65G47/51according to unprogrammed signals B65G47/5104for articles B65G47/5109first In - First Out systems: FIFO B65G47/5113using endless conveyors B65G47/5118with variable accumulation capacity B65G47/5122by displacement of the conveyor-guiding means B65G47/5127by relative displacement between conveyor and input or output B65G47/5131by relative displacement between conveyors or conveyor parts and bridging means therebetween B65G47/5136using rotary conveyors B65G47/514using stacking and/or destacking arrangements or stacks of articles or article carriers B65G47/5145with recirculation means B65G47/515First In-Last Out systems [FILO]; Last In-First Out systems [LIFO] B65G47/5154using endless conveyors B65G47/5159with variable accumulation capacity B65G47/5163by displacement of conveyor-guiding means B65G47/5168by relative displacement between conveyor and conveyor in- or output means B65G47/5172by relative displacement between conveyors or conveyor parts and bridging means therebetween B65G47/5177using rotary conveyor(s) B65G47/5181using stacking or destacking arrangements or stacks of articles or article-carriers B65G47/5186with recirculation means B65G47/519collecting tables or bins as end-station B65G47/5195for materials in bulk B65G47/52Devices for transferring articles or materials between conveyors or sections of one conveyor B65G47/525using fluid jets B65G47/53between conveyors which cross one another B65G47/54at least one of which is a roller-way B65G47/56to or from inclined or vertical conveyor sections B65G47/57for articles B65G47/58for materials in bulk B65G47/60to or from conveyors of the suspended B65G47/61for articles B65G47/62for materials in bulk B65G47/64Switching conveyors B65G47/641by a linear displacement of the switching conveyor B65G47/642in a horizontal plane B65G47/643in a vertical plane B65G47/644by a pivoting displacement of the switching conveyor B65G47/645about a horizontal axis B65G47/646the axis being parallel to the conveying direction B65G47/647the axis being perpendicular to the conveying direction B65G47/648about a vertical axis B65G47/66Fixed platforms or combs B65G47/68adapted to receive articles arriving in one layer from one conveyor lane and to transfer them in individual layers to more than one conveyor lane or to one broader conveyor lane , or vice-versa B65G47/681from distinct, separate conveyor lanes B65G47/682from a single conveyor lane consisting of one conveyor or several adjacent conveyors B65G47/683with tilting of at least part of the conveyor to make use of gravity B65G47/684with recirculation of articles forming a buffer B65G47/69the articles being accumulated temporarily B65G47/70with precedence controls among incoming article flows B65G47/71the articles being discharged or distributed to several distinct separate conveyors or to a broader conveyor lane B65G47/715to a broader conveyor lane B65G47/72transferring materials in bulk from one conveyor to several conveyors, or vice versa B65G47/74Feeding, transfer, or discharging devices of particular kinds or types B65G47/76Fixed or adjustable ploughs or transverse scrapers B65G47/763Fixed ploughs or transverse scrapers B65G47/766Adjustable ploughs or transverse scrapers B65G47/78Troughs having discharge openings and closures B65G47/80Turntables carrying articles or materials to be transferred B65G47/82Rotary or reciprocating members for direct action on articles or materials B65G47/84Star-shaped wheels or devices having endless travelling belts or chains, the wheels or devices being equipped with article-engaging elements B65G47/841Devices having endless travelling belts or chains equipped with article-engaging elements B65G47/842the article-engaging elements being grippers B65G47/843the article-engaging elements being suction or magnetic means B65G47/844the article-engaging elements being pushers transversally movable on the supporting surface B65G47/845the article engaging elements being pushers moving in parallel and independently from the supporting conveyor B65G47/846Star-shaped wheels or wheels equipped with article-engaging elements B65G47/847the article-engaging elements being grippers B65G47/848the article-engaging elements being suction or magnetic means B65G47/88Separating or stopping elements B65G47/8807with one stop B65G47/8815Reciprocating stop, moving up or down in the path of the article B65G47/8823Pivoting stop, swinging in or out of the path of the article B65G47/883Fixed stop B65G47/8838with a linearly movable pusher element which lifts or releases the article B65G47/8846with a pivoting pusher element which lifts or releases the article B65G47/8853with conveyors B65G47/8861Stop in the form of a clamp on one or both sides of the article B65G47/8869stopping or lifting all articles from a conveyor B65G47/8876with at least two stops acting as gates B65G47/8884Stops acting asynchronously B65G47/8892Stops acting independently of each other B65G47/90Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials B65G47/901provided with drive systems with rectilinear movements only B65G47/902provided with drive systems incorporating rotary and rectilinear movements B65G47/904provided with rotary movements only B65G47/905Control arrangements B65G47/907with at least two picking-up heads B65G47/908with inflatable picking-up means B65G47/91incorporating pneumatic B65G47/911with air blasts producing partial vacuum B65G47/912provided with drive systems with rectilinear movements only B65G47/914provided with drive systems incorporating rotary and rectilinear movements B65G47/915provided with drive systems with rotary movements only B65G47/917control arrangements B65G47/918with at leats two picking-up heads B65G47/92incorporating electrostatic or magnetic grippers B65G47/94Devices for flexing or tilting travelling structures Throw-off carriages B65G47/945tilting endless surfaces B65G47/95adapted for longitudinal delivery B65G47/96Devices for tilting links or platform B65G47/962tilting about an axis substantially parallel to the conveying direction B65G47/965tilting about a sided-axis B65G47/967tilting about an axis perpendicular to the conveying direction