TELESCOPIC CONVEYOR WITH INTEGRATED INDEXING AND MEASURING CONVEYING MEANS

Abstract

Telescopic conveyor with integrated indexing and measuring conveyor is described, the telescopic conveyor having a frame, at least one telescopic segment mounted so as to be extendable with respect to the frame and a transport conveyor, the transport conveyor is driven at a first conveying speed (v.sub.1) and is supported on the at least one telescopic segment and on the frame and wherein the indexing and measuring conveyor is arranged on a delivery side of the transport conveyor. The telescopic conveyor enables the packet items located thereon to be automatically separated while taking up as little space as possible. The indexing and measuring conveyor is mounted on the same frame and is driven at a second conveying speed (v.sub.2), the second conveying speed (v.sub.2) being greater than the first conveying speed (v.sub.1).

Claims

1. A telescopic conveyor with integrated indexing and measuring conveyor means, the telescopic conveyor comprising: a frame, at least one telescopic segment mounted so as to be extendable with respect to the frame and a transport conveyor, the transport conveyor is driven at a first conveying speed (v.sub.1) and is supported on the at least one telescopic segment and on the frame and wherein the indexing and measuring conveyor means is arranged on a delivery side of the transport conveyor wherein the indexing and measuring conveyor means is mounted on the same frame and is driven at a second conveying speed (v.sub.2), the second conveying speed (v.sub.2) being greater than the first conveying speed (v.sub.1).

2. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the indexing and measuring conveyor means has a length (l.sub.TM) of 1.20 m to 2.40 m.

3. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the first conveying speed (v.sub.1) of the transport conveyor is 0.6 m/s to 0.8 m/s.

4. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 3, wherein the second conveying speed (v.sub.2) of the indexing and measuring conveyor means is between 0.2 m/s and 0.4 m/s faster than the first conveying speed (v.sub.1).

5. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the transport conveyor and/or the indexing and measuring conveyor means is a belt conveyor system.

6. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the indexing and measuring conveyor means is a driven roller conveyor.

7. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 5, wherein each belt conveyor system has a circulating transport or conveyor belt.

8. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 7, wherein the circulating transport belt of the transport conveyor is guided at least partially under the indexing and measuring conveyor means.

9. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 8, wherein the circulating conveyor belt of the transport conveyor is driven by a drive station arranged under the indexing and measuring conveyor means.

10. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 9, wherein the drive station has a motor and/or a power transmission means and/or a drive roller.

11. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the indexing and measuring conveyor means has a loading side and an unloading side, wherein the loading side is adjoining the delivery side of the transport conveyor.

12. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 11, wherein the delivery side of the transport conveyor is arranged on the same vertical level (h) as the loading side of the indexing and measuring conveyor means.

13. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the delivery side of the transport conveyor is vertically adjustable with respect to the frame by means of a height adjustment device.

14. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 13, wherein the transport conveyor and/or the indexing and measuring conveyor means is a belt conveyor system, wherein each belt conveyor system has a circulating transport belt, wherein the height adjustment device has a wedge which rises in the direction of the delivery side of the transport conveyor, and wherein the transport belt runs over the wedge.

15. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 1, wherein a charging side of the transport conveyor is adjustable in height via a lifting device.

16. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 1, wherein a sensor for detecting a packet (S) located on the indexing and measuring conveyor means is arranged above the indexing and measuring conveyor means.

17. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the indexing and measuring conveyor means has a length (l.sub.TM) of 1.40 m to 2.20 m, wherein the first conveying speed (v.sub.1) of the transport conveyor is 0.6 m/s to 0.8 m/s, and wherein the second conveying speed (v.sub.2) of the indexing and measuring conveyor means is between 0.2 m/s and 0.4 m/s faster than the first conveying speed (v.sub.1).

18. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 17, wherein the transport conveyor and/or the indexing and measuring conveyor means is a belt conveyor system, wherein each belt conveyor system has a circulating transport belt, wherein the circulating transport belt of the transport conveyor is guided at least partially under the indexing and measuring conveyor means, wherein the circulating conveyor belt of the transport conveyor is driven by a drive station arranged under the indexing and measuring conveyor means, and wherein the drive station has a motor and/or a power transmission means and/or a drive roller.

19. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 18, wherein the indexing and measuring conveyor means has a loading side and an unloading side, wherein the loading side is adjoining the delivery side of the transport conveyor, wherein the delivery side of the transport conveyor is arranged on the same vertical level (h) as the loading side of the indexing and measuring conveyor means, and wherein the delivery side of the transport conveyor is vertically adjustable with respect to the frame by means of a height adjustment device.

20. The telescopic conveyor according to claim 19, wherein the transport conveyor and/or the indexing and measuring conveyor means is a belt conveyor system, wherein each belt conveyor system has a circulating transport or conveyor belt, wherein the height adjustment device has a wedge which rises in the direction of the delivery side of the transport conveyor, and wherein the transport belt runs over the wedge, wherein a charging side of the transport conveyor is adjustable in height via a lifting device, and wherein a sensor for detecting a packet (S) located on the indexing and measuring conveyor means is arranged above the indexing and measuring conveyor means.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] For a better understanding, the invention is explained below with reference to two figures showing in

[0026] FIG. 1: a longitudinal section through a telescopic conveyor according to a first embodiment and

[0027] FIG. 2: a longitudinal section through a telescopic conveyor according to a second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] In FIG. 1, a first embodiment of the telescopic conveyor is shown. The transport conveyor 40 as well as the indexing and measuring conveyor means 10 are designed as a belt system 42, 11 respectively.

[0029] The telescopic conveyor comprises a frame 20 that stands stationary on the floor and on which a first and second telescopic segment 30, 32 are linearly guided independently of one another in a traversing direction x with respect to the frame 20. The first and second telescopic segments 30, 32 are supported exclusively on the frame 20. In principle, it would also be possible to provide only a single telescopic segment 30 or even more, in particular up to five telescopic segments 32.

[0030] In the illustration of FIGS. 1 and 2, the first telescopic segment 30 has partially moved out of the frame 20, The second telescopic segment 32 is in a position retracted into the frame 20. The traversing direction x of both telescopic segments 30, 32 is aligned parallel to one another and parallel to the ground. Depending on the extended position of the telescopic segment(s) 30, 32 with respect to the frame 20, a charging side 48 for packets S to be loaded moves towards or away from the frame 20, i.e. to the right or left in the image plane of FIGS. 1 and 2. The charging side 48 is always arranged on the first telescopic segment 30. As a result, the telescopic conveyor can be driven into transport devices such as containers or swap bodies, so that the packets S to be unloaded can be placed on the charging side 48 without the operator having to walk around.

[0031] The transport conveyor 40 runs over the stationary frame 20 and over the first and second telescopic segments 30, 32. The belt system 42 used as the transport conveyor 40 has for this purpose a transport belt 43 which is designed as an endless belt. The transport belt 43 is guided on the upper side of the first telescopic segment 30 and the frame 20 as far as a delivery side 41 and dips there to a drive station 44 arranged in the frame 20. The drive station 44 comprises a usually electrically driven motor 45 which sets a drive roller 47 in a rotary motion via a power transmission means 46 such as a drive belt. The transport belt 43 is guided from the drive station 44 within the frame 20 to the end facing away from the drive station 44.

[0032] At the distal end of the first telescopic segment 30, the transport belt 43 is deflected by 180° and runs within the first telescopic segment 30 to a tensioner pulley 34 arranged at its proximal end, which is fixedly mounted on the first telescopic segment 30 and displaceable in the traversing direction x with respect to the frame 20. The tensioner pulley 34 of the first telescopic segment 30 and the section of the transport belt 43 running over it constitute a first belt loop 31.

[0033] From the first belt loop 31 of the first telescopic segment 30, the transport belt 43 runs over the distal end of the second telescopic segment 32 and from there to a further tensioner pulley 34, which is fixedly mounted on the proximal end of the second telescopic segment 32 and displaceable with respect to the frame 20 in the traversing direction x. The tensioner pulley 34 of the second telescopic segment 32 and the section of the transport belt 43 running over it constitute a second belt loop 33. With the aid of the first and second belt loops 31, 33, the first and second telescopic segments 30, 32 can be moved with respect to the frame 20 independently of the pretensioning of the transport belt 43, resulting in minimized slippage of the transport belt 43 on the drive roller 47.

[0034] The vertical height of the charging side 48 can be adjusted by means of a lifting device 23, the lifting device 23 having a pedestal 24 which is stationary on the floor and which is supported with respect to the frame 20 by means of an actuator 25. The actuator 25 can for example comprise a hydraulic cylinder or a spindle. For reasons of stability, the pedestal 24 can be designed as a swing arm and can be attached to the frame 20 with one end section so that it can rotate.

[0035] In addition to the transport conveyor 40, the indexing and measuring conveyor means 10 is also integrated into the frame 20. The transport conveyor 40 has a length IF which can be used for the transport of packets S and which, regardless of the extended state of the telescopic segments 30, 32, is at least three times the length l.sub.TM of the indexing and measuring conveyor means 10. The transport conveyor 40 runs at a first conveying speed v.sub.1 and transports packets S loaded on the charging side 48 in the direction of conveyance F to the indexing and measuring conveyor means 10. The indexing and measuring conveyor means 10 is consequently arranged in the direction of conveyance F behind the transport conveyor 40, with the belt conveyor system 11 of the indexing and measuring conveyor means 10 having a conveyor belt 12 which is driven at a second conveying speed v.sub.2. The second conveying speed v.sub.2 is generally selected to be higher than the first conveying speed v.sub.1.

[0036] During the loading of the transport conveyor 40, it can happen that packets S are placed next to one another and overlapping in the direction of conveyance F on the charging side 48 on the transport belt 43. Due to the relatively higher, second conveying speed v.sub.2, the packet S which first hits the indexing and measuring conveyor means 10 on a loading side 14 is accelerated with respect to the packet S still on the upstream transport conveyor 40, so that a distance a is created between the packets S. The packets S still overlapping on the transport conveyor 40 are separated in the direction of conveyance F on the indexing and measuring conveyor means 10. A sensor 16, which is arranged above the indexing and measuring conveyor means 10 in the area of its unloading side 15, detects the packets S that pass it at the second conveying speed v.sub.2 and measures each of them based on the distance a that exists between the respective packets S and assigns this measured value to the associated packet S

[0037] The indexing and measuring conveyor means 10 is completely integrated into the frame 20, so that all components of the belt conveyor system 11 mechanically engage the frame 20 and are attached to it. In order to be able to achieve a construction of the telescopic conveyor that is as compact as possible in the direction of conveyance F, the transport conveyor 40 and the indexing and measuring conveying means 10 overlap in sections in the direction of conveyance F. A section of the transport belt 43 deflected within the frame 20 runs under the indexing and measuring conveyor means 10 and is placed on the drive station 44 under the indexing and measuring conveyor means 10. The drive station 44 of the transport conveyor 40 is thus arranged within the frame 20 and spatially below the indexing and measuring conveyor means 10, so that the installation space within the frame 20 and under the usable length IF of the transport conveyor 40 is available to accommodate the first and second telescopic segments 30, 32 in their retracted position. In this way, on the one hand, an extremely compact construction of the telescopic conveyor with retracted first and second telescopic segments 30, 32 and, on the other hand, a maximum range of the transport conveyor 40 with extended first and second telescopic segments 30, 32 can be achieved.

[0038] The transport conveyor 40 has on its delivery side 41 a height adjustment device 21 with which a vertical level h of the delivery side 41 can be changed. The height adjustment device 21 comprises a wedge 22 which rises in the direction of conveyance F and over which the transport belt 43 runs. The transport belt 43 thus follows the set inclination of the wedge 22. With the aid of the height adjustment device 21, in particular the vertical level h of the delivery side 41 can be adapted to the level of the loading side 14 of a height-adjustable indexing and measuring conveyor means 10.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment in which the indexing and measuring conveyor means 10 is not designed as a belt conveyor system 11 but as a driven roller conveyor 13. The driven roller conveyor 13 has a plurality of support rollers 17, all or more of which are set in rotation by a motor and accelerate packets S to a second conveying speed v.sub.2. In this embodiment, too, sections of the transport conveyor 40 are arranged so as to overlap in the direction of conveyance F under the driven roller conveyor 13, in particular the drive station 44.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0040] 10 indexing and measuring conveyor means [0041] 11 belt conveyor system [0042] 12 conveyor belt [0043] 13 driven roller conveyor [0044] 14 loading side [0045] 15 unloading side [0046] 16 sensor [0047] 17 support roller [0048] 20 frame [0049] 21 height adjustment device [0050] 22 wedge [0051] 23 lifting device [0052] 24 pedestal [0053] 25 actuator [0054] 30 first telescopic segment [0055] 31 first belt loop [0056] 32 second telescopic segment [0057] 33 second belt loop [0058] 34 tensioner pulley [0059] 40 transport conveyor [0060] 41 delivery side [0061] 42 belt system [0062] 43 transport belt [0063] 44 drive station [0064] 45 motor [0065] 46 power transmission means [0066] 47 drive roller [0067] 48 charging side [0068] a distance packets [0069] F direction of conveyance [0070] h vertical level [0071] l.sub.TM length of indexing and measuring conveyor [0072] l.sub.F length of transport conveyor [0073] S packet [0074] v.sub.1 first conveying speed [0075] v.sub.2 second conveying speed [0076] x traversing direction telescopic segments