JPH043339B2 - - 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. A first transfer device that transfers pallets from the main transfer path to the reverse transfer path, and a second transfer device that transfers pallets 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. 6, an endless chain 3 is disposed within the conveyor frame 2 so as to circulate, and a sprocket 30 rotates around 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.

In the pallet conveyor 1, the pallet 8 is moved by the endless chain 3 having a traction force and the sprocket 30 meshing with the chain. cut off power or
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 conveyor frame 2 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, and the position of the workpiece (not shown) on the pallet 8 may be moved, and sometimes the workpiece may fall, or the sprocket 30 may be damaged. As a result, the pallet 8 may stop, resulting in disadvantages such as the inability to continue work.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In order to solve these drawbacks, a device is constructed in which the traction force of the endless chain is transmitted to the pallet by the frictional force between the endless chain and the pallet, and the pallet is moved along its transfer path. Various types of pallet conveyors have been developed, but in all pallet conveyors, an endless chain that transmits traction force to the pallet is located below the pallet, and is mounted on a linking pin of the endless chain. Therefore, in this type of pallet conveyor, the top surface of the endless chain is completely exposed except for the part covered by the pallet, and if chips or dust may fall onto the endless chain from the top surface, this may fall onto the endless chain. When carried, it reaches the sprocket that guides the circular movement of the endless chain and becomes caught between the endless chain and the sprocket, causing problems such as stopping the circular movement of the endless chain.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention aims to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks.
An endless chain for circular movement is arranged on a conveyor frame having a transfer path through which pallets can be moved. An endless chain is disposed on the conveyor frame at the side of the pallet, and an attachment is attached to the pallet side of the endless chain so as not to come into contact with an adjacent one. Further, this attachment is guided so as to move facing the conveyor frame, and the endless chain is configured to be covered by the conveyor frame except for the pallet side.

On the other hand, a friction plate is attached to the side of the pallet so that it is always urged to protrude and is freely retractable, and this friction plate is arranged so as to come into contact with the attachment. Furthermore, a chain guide may be provided on the conveyor frame to guide the attachment, and the attachment may be held between the chain guide and the friction plate.

Function In the above pallet conveyor, as the endless chain circulates, the pallet moves along the transfer path due to the frictional force between the attachment that moves together with the endless chain and the friction plate attached to the pallet side. . At this time, the endless chain is completely covered by the conveyor frame except for the pallet side, so even if chips or dust falls from above the conveyor frame, it will not fall onto the endless chain. Therefore, there is no possibility that chips or dust will reach the sprocket that guides the endless chain as it circulates, and no foreign matter will be caught between the endless chain and the sprocket.

Furthermore, if the conveyor frame has a chain guide, the pallet can not only move straight along the chain reliably regardless of its length, but also the attachments can slide smoothly, making it possible to convey the pallet efficiently.

Examples Examples will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIGS. 1 to 4, 1 is a pallet conveyor, and the main body has an endless chain 3 that circulates in a fixed direction on a horizontally arranged conveyor frame 2 and on the side of a pallet 8 (to be described later). a transfer path 4; a reverse transfer path 5 having an endless chain 3a that circulates in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the endless chain 3; and a first transfer path for transferring pallets 8 from the main transfer path 4 to the reverse transfer path 5. It consists of a device 6 and a second transfer device 7 for transferring pallets 8 from the reverse transfer path 5 to the main transfer path 4. A plurality of pallets 8 are movably housed in the conveyor frame 2, and four rollers 9 are rotatably fixed to the lower part of the pallets 8. On the other hand, the conveyor frame 2
A horizontally extending rail plate 10 is disposed at , and the roller 9 is configured to roll along the rail plate 10 . Before this palette 8,
A cam follower 11 is arranged at the rear end at a predetermined distance from the center and at an opposite position. 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 12, 12a are arranged on the sides of the pallet 8, and these friction plates 12, 12a are made of a wear-resistant material with a high coefficient of friction. One of the friction plates 12a is fixed to the pallet 8, and the other is always urged by a spring 13 so as to be retractable, and each of the friction plates 12, 12a on both sides comes into contact with an attachment 14, which will be described later. It is configured as follows. These friction plates 12,1
Guide surfaces 15 are provided at both ends of 2a so that an attachment 14, which will be described later, can be easily inserted.
Furthermore, guide surfaces 15a are provided at the upper and lower ends of both sides of the friction plates 12, 12a in contact with the attachment so that the attachment 14 can be easily inserted, as described above.

On the other hand, a chain guide 16 is arranged on the conveyor frame 2 in the direction in which the endless chain 3 extends, and the chain guide 16 is made of a wear-resistant material with a low coefficient of friction.

Further, the endless chain 3 is guided from below by a chain receiver 17, and the endless chain 3
is configured to go straight. As shown in FIG. 5, a substantially rectangular plate-shaped attachment 14 is attached to the endless chain 3 and also serves as a connecting plate located on the pallet 8 side, and this attachment 14 is attached to the conveyor frame 2. The endless chain 3 is guided so as to come into contact with a chain guide 16 and move facing the conveyor frame 2, and is configured so that the endless chain 3 is covered with the conveyor frame 2 except for the pallet 8 side. Moreover, this attachment 14 is located between the chain guide 16 and the friction plates 12, 12a, and is configured to be held between them.

In the above pallet conveyor, when the endless chain 3 circulates along the conveyor frame 2, the attachment 14 also circulates together. This attachment 14 has friction plates 12,1
2a is pressed and holds the attachment 14 together with the chain guide 16. Since the chain guide 16 is made of a material with a low coefficient of friction, and the friction plates 12, 12a are made of a material with a high coefficient of friction, the attachment 1
4 slides along the chain guide 16, and as it moves, the friction plates 12, 12
a and pallet 8 move together. At this time,
The endless chain 3 is housed in the conveyor frame 2 leaving the pallet 8 side open, and the attachment 14 exposed on the pallet 8 side moves facing the conveyor frame 2 while being guided by the chain guide 16. Even if chips or dust fall from above the conveyor frame 2, they will not fall onto the endless chain 3, but will be carried to the vicinity of the sprocket (not shown) and will be caught between the endless chain 3 and the sprocket. There is no possibility that the circular movement of the endless chain 3 will be stopped.

The pallet 8 moves together with the endless chain 3,
When it comes into contact with the stopper, the endless chain 3
is moving in circulation, so the attachment 14 is attached to the friction plates 12, 12a and the chain guide 16.
It is sandwiched between and slides along these lines. Therefore, the pallet 8 continues to stop at that position.

When the predetermined work is completed at this position and the stopper is retracted, the attachment 14, which had been 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 is moved to the next position. Move to work station without difficulty.

Effects of the Invention As explained above, the present invention provides a conveyor frame having a transfer path through which pallets can move, an endless chain located on the side of the pallet, and an attachment on the pallet side of the endless chain attached to the adjacent one. At the same time, the attachment is guided so as to move along the conveyor frame, and the endless chain is covered by the conveyor frame, leaving the pallet side.
Since a friction plate is attached to the side of the pallet in contact with the attachment, even if chips, dust, etc. fall from above the pallet conveyor, they will not fall onto the endless chain. Therefore, there is no possibility that this will be carried to the endless chain and reach the sprocket that guides the circular movement of the endless chain, and foreign matter will become caught between the endless chain and this sprocket, stopping the circular movement of the endless chain. This has the advantage that such things will never happen. In addition, in the present invention, the pallet is guided by a chain guide via attachments at both ends, so the pallet does not move while being inclined with respect to the direction of travel, and the length of the pallet in the direction of travel can be adjusted. It has the advantage that it can be selected regardless of its width.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the main parts of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an overall front view of the invention, FIG. 5 is a partial view of the endless chain according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 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... Attachment, 15, 15a... Guide surface, 16... Chain guide, 17... Chain receiver, 30... Sprocket, 31... Clutch mechanism.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A main transport system in which an endless chain that circulates in a conveyor frame is arranged, pallets are arranged in contact with the endless chain, and the pallets are moved in a predetermined direction by the frictional force between the endless chain and the pallets. In a pallet conveyor having a conveyor path and a reverse transfer path for moving pallets in the opposite direction, an endless chain is placed on the side of the pallet in the conveyor frame, and an attachment is placed on the pallet side of this endless chain in contact with an adjacent one. At the same time, a friction plate is mounted on the side of the pallet so as to be retractable by urging it to protrude at all times, and this attachment is guided so as to move facing the conveyor frame. A pallet conveyor characterized by being brought into contact with an attachment. 2 The conveyor frame has a chain guide,
The pallet conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that the chain guide and the friction plate are configured to sandwich an attachment.