Gerald Johnson

US Patent:

45344604, Aug 13, 1985

Filed:

Jan 14, 1983

Appl. No.:

6/457970

Inventors:

James T. Graham - Rochester MI
Gerald E. Johnson - Flint MI

Assignee:

Lamb Technicon Corp. - Warren MI

International Classification:

B65A 4784

US Classification:

198482

Abstract:

A pocket conveyor, specifically a pocket elevator, in which a plurality of spools are cantilevered from an endless drive chain. The spools cooperate with each other and with stationary guide rails to form a series of pockets for conveying workpieces between feed and discharge stations. Various embodiments of the feed station include a starwheel rotating in synchronism with urging workpieces into recesses between the starwheel fingers. This guide surface has a clearance at the inlet and which cooperates with deformable construction of the starwheel fingers to prevent workpiece jam at the feed station. Another embodiment of the feed station includes a flat angulated surface for receiving workpieces by gravity and a flexible reach of chain extending at an angle toward the workpiece surface for automatically accommodating itself to workpiece availability without jamming. The discharge station includes a second starwheel with fingers which enter successive pockets and displace workpieces therefrom.