JPH038308B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pallet conveyor that circulates a plurality of pallets in a free cycle and stops them at a predetermined work station.

Conventionally, this type of pallet conveyor has a main transfer path having an endless chain that circulates in a fixed direction on a horizontally arranged conveyor frame, and an endless chain that circulates in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the endless chain. The first transfer device transfers the reverse transfer path from the main transfer path to the main transfer path, and the second transfer device transfers the main transfer path from the reverse transfer path to the main transfer path. Furthermore, work stations are arranged at predetermined intervals on this pallet conveyor, and a work unit is attached to each work station. In this pallet conveyor 1, as shown in FIG. 5, an endless chain 3 is disposed within the conveyor frame 2 so as to circulate, and a sprocket 30 rotates on the pallet 8 so as to mesh with the endless chain 3. They are freely placed. This sprocket 30 rotates at that position relative to the pallet 8 when the pallet 8 comes into contact with a stopper (not shown) disposed on the work station, and prevents the traction force caused by the circular movement of the endless chain 3 from being transmitted to the pallet 8. The pallet 8 is configured to stop at the same time.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the pallet conveyor 1, the pallet 8 is moved by the endless chain 3 having traction force and the sprocket 30 meshing with the chain, so the sprocket 30 can be freely rotated. Hold it to cut off the traction force of the endless chain 3,
Alternatively, a clutch mechanism 31 is required to hold this so that it does not rotate and transmit the traction force of the endless chain 3 to the pallet 8, which not only complicates the structure of the pallet 8, but also makes the structure of the pallet 8 complicated. 2. If a plurality of conveyor frames 2 are connected between the pallet 8 and the conveyor frame 2 to increase the number of work stations, one of the two sprockets 30 attached to the pallet 8 that has separated from the endless chain 3 When the sprocket 30 transfers onto the endless chain 3 of the adjacent conveyor frame 2, it may ride on the endless chain 3 without meshing with the endless chain 3. When the pallet 8 is moved in this state, the pallet 8 is lifted, which may cause the position of the workpiece (not shown) on the pallet 8 to move, and sometimes the workpiece may fall, or the sprocket 30 may be damaged. However, there are disadvantages such as the pallet 8 stopping and making it impossible to continue working.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention aims to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks.
An endless chain is disposed on a conveyor frame so as to be able to circulate freely, and pallets are disposed so as to be movable along this conveyor frame. The endless chain is configured such that its connecting pins do not protrude from the connecting links. Furthermore, a chain guide is arranged on the conveyor frame in correspondence with the endless chain. On the other hand, a friction plate is arranged on the side of the pallet, and this friction plate is configured to come into contact with the connecting link of the endless chain and clamp the endless chain together with the chain guide.

Operation In the above pallet conveyor, the traction force of the endless chain is transmitted to the pallet via the friction plate that comes into contact with the chain, so the pallet moves along the conveyor frame. When the pallet comes into contact with the stopper and stops, the endless chain continues to circulate, but the connecting links of the endless chain move while sliding on the sides of the friction plate. When the stopper is separated from the pallet, the friction plate becomes one with the connecting link due to frictional force, and the pallet moves together as the endless chain moves.

Examples Examples will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIGS. 1 to 4, 1 is a pallet conveyor, which includes a main transfer path 4 having an endless chain 3 that circulates in a fixed direction on a horizontally arranged conveyor frame 2, and a main conveyor path 4 that has an endless chain 3 that circulates in a fixed direction on a horizontally arranged conveyor frame 2, and a first transfer device 6 for transferring pallets 8 from the main transfer path 4 to the reverse transfer path 5; and a first transfer device 6 for transferring pallets 8 from the main transfer path 4 to the main transfer path and a second transfer device 7 for transferring pallets 8 to 4. The conveyor frame 2
A plurality of pallets 8 are movably stored in the
Four rollers 9 are rotatably fixed to the lower part of the pallet 8. On the other hand, a horizontally extending rail plate 10 is arranged on the conveyor frame 2, and the roller 9 is configured to roll along the rail plate 10. At the front and rear ends of the pallet 8, cam followers 11 are arranged at opposite positions at a predetermined distance from the center. This cam follower 11 is configured to be engaged with a stopper (not shown) disposed at a work station (not shown), so that the pallet 8 is stopped.

Two friction plates 1 are provided on the sides of the pallet 8 and extend along the endless chains 3, 3a.
2, 12a are arranged, and the friction plates 12, 12a are made of a wear-resistant material that is in contact with the endless chain 3 and has a large frictional force. One of the friction plates 12, 12a is a pallet 8.
The other side is always urged by a spring 13 to protrude and is configured to be freely retractable. Guide surfaces 15 are provided at the front and rear ends of these friction plates 12, 12a so that connecting links 14 of an endless chain, which will be described later, can easily come into contact with them. Also,
A guide surface 15a is provided at the lower end of the friction plates 12, 12a so that the connecting link 14 of the endless chain 3 can easily come into contact with the same as described above.

On the other hand, the conveyor frame 2 is provided with the friction plate 1 in the direction in which the endless chain 3 extends.
A chain guide 16 is arranged opposite to the chain guides 2 and 12a. This chain guide 16 is configured to guide the side surface of a connecting link 14a of an endless chain 3, which will be described later.Moreover, this chain guide 16 is made of a wear-resistant material that has a small frictional force even when it comes into contact with the endless chain 3. .

Further, the endless chain 3 is guided from below by a chain receiver 17, and the endless chain 3
is configured to move straight while contacting the friction plates 12, 12a. The endless chain 3 has special connecting links 14 on both sides, and these connecting links 14 are arranged so as not to come into contact with adjacent ones. The connecting link 14 has a sufficient thickness to accommodate the connecting pin 18 of the endless chain 3 without protruding, and is configured to be slidable relative to the friction plates 12, 12a and the chain guide 16, respectively.

In the above pallet conveyor, when the endless chain 3 circulates along the conveyor frame 2, the friction plates 12, 1 are attached to the connecting link 14.
2a is pressed, and the friction plates 12,1
2a and the connecting link 14, as the endless chain 3 moves, the friction plates 12,1
2a and pallet 8 move together.

The pallet 8 moves together with the endless chain 3,
When it comes into contact with the stopper and stops, the endless chain 3
is moving in a circular manner, so the endless chain 3 slides along the friction plates 12, 12a and the chain guide 16 while being held between them. Therefore, the pallet 8 continues to stop at that position.

When the predetermined work is completed at this position and the stopper retreats, the endless chain 3 that was sliding along the friction plates 12, 12a becomes one with the friction plates 12, 12a and the pallet 8 due to the frictional force, and the pallet 8 moves to the next position. easily move to the work station.

In this embodiment, the chain guide 16 is arranged to guide the outer surface of the connecting link 14, but the chain guide 16 is arranged opposite to the chain receiver 17, and the chain guide 16 and chain receiver 17 Connecting link 1 of endless chain 3
There are advantages such as the same effect can be obtained even if the guide 4 is guided from the inside. Further, in this case, the connecting pin 18 may protrude from the other connecting link 14a.

Effects of the Invention As explained above, in the present invention, a connecting link is attached to an endless chain so that the connecting pin does not protrude, a friction plate is brought into contact with this connecting link, and the frictional force between the connecting link and the friction plate is applied. Since the pallet is configured to move to a predetermined position, when the pallet comes into contact with a stopper etc. and stops moving, the connecting link slides along the friction plate and the traction force is converted into frictional energy. Therefore, the pallet does not require a complicated traction force transmission/interruption mechanism, and it is possible to provide a pallet with a simple structure.In addition, it is sufficient to provide a stopper on the conveyor frame, thereby providing a pallet conveyor with an extremely simple structure. There are advantages such as being able to Furthermore, since the present invention is configured to move the pallet by holding the endless chain between the friction plate and the chain guide, this is also possible when a large number of conveyor frames are connected and the pallet is transferred to an adjacent conveyor frame. It has the advantage that it is carried out smoothly and there is no inconvenience such as the pallet being lifted or the pallet stopping. Furthermore, since the connecting links attached to the endless chain of the present invention are formed to have a sufficient thickness, there is no chance of the connecting links bending, and there are advantages such as being able to provide a long-life conveyor. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an overall front view of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main part with a part of FIG. FIG. 5 is a partial view of the chain, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the main part of the conventional example. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Pallet conveyor, 2... Conveyor frame, 3, 3a... Endless chain, 4... Main transfer path, 5... Reverse transfer path, 6... First transfer device, 7...
...Second transfer device, 8...Pallet, 9...Roller, 10...Rail plate, 11...Cam follower,
12, 12a...Friction plate, 13...Spring,
14, 14a...Connection link, 15, 15a...
Guide surface, 16... Chain guide, 17... Chain receiver, 18... Connection pin, 30... Sprocket, 31... Clutch mechanism.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Endless chains 3, 3a that circulate in the conveyor frame 2 are arranged, and the endless chains 3, 3
In the pallet conveyor, which has a main transfer path 4 that moves the pallet 8 in a predetermined direction as the pallet 8 moves and a reverse transfer path 5 that moves the pallet 8 in the opposite direction, an endless chain 3 is attached to the side of the pallet 8. , 3a are elastically biased, and the endless chains 3, 3a are configured such that their connecting pins 18 do not protrude from at least one of the connecting links 14, 14a; Endless chain 3, 3 on conveyor frame 2
A chain guide 16 is arranged corresponding to a, and this chain guide 16 and friction plates 12, 12a
A pallet conveyor characterized in that it is configured to sandwich endless chains 3, 3a. 2 The chain guide 16 includes the friction plate 12,
The endless chain 3, 3a is located opposite to the chain 12a.
The pallet conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the pallet conveyor is positioned so as to guide the connecting links 14, 14a of the pallet conveyor.