| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| D413190 |
Trolley bumper |
August 24, 1999 |
|
| D384471 |
Conveyor track |
September 30, 1997 |
|
| D384470 |
Conveyor track |
September 30, 1997 |
|
| D371666 |
Conveyor yoke |
July 9, 1996 |
|
| D370759 |
Conveyor track |
June 11, 1996 |
|
| D354385 |
Conveyor trolley pusher |
January 10, 1995 |
|
| D344389 |
Conveyor trolley bracket and attachment |
February 15, 1994 |
|
| D343936 |
Conveyor trolley bracket |
February 1, 1994 |
|
| D277040 |
Combined conveyor carrier and track unit |
January 1, 1985 |
|
| D271341 |
Combined conveyor carrier and track unit |
November 8, 1983 |
|
| 7400486 |
Grounding device for automated guided vehicles |
July 15, 2008 |
| A device and method is provided for use in connection with electrically grounding an automated guided vehicle. A grounding strap is suspended from the automated vehicle for contacting an electrical conductive ground device mounted to a floor along a travel path of the automated guided |
| 7362066 |
Overload protection system |
April 22, 2008 |
| An overload protection system and method of protecting a drive unit includes a torque arm assembly mounted to a fixture and a gear reducer. The reducer includes a bracket mounted to an axle of the reducer which is positioned adjacent to a measuring device. The torque arm assembly inc |
| 7350613 |
Transport with rotatable load and safety bumper |
April 1, 2008 |
| A vehicle having (i) a rotatable platform for securing a load thereto, and (ii) an object detection system for detecting an object in the vehicle's path of travel. The sensitivity of the object detection system is variable so that it can be varied based on the rotated position of the |
| 7306089 |
Skillet power system |
December 11, 2007 |
| The invention relates to conveyor systems with skillets adapted with connectors to enable power to be conveyed between skillets that are abutted together along a production area. With the skillets being electrically connected, the conductor only needs to supply power the electrical r |
| 7263409 |
Method and apparatus for tracking a load on a conveyor system |
August 28, 2007 |
| A method and apparatus for tracking a load on a conveyor system using the trailing edge of the load. The method includes the steps of sensing the trailing edge of the load with a first sensor and updating a load record for the load in response to sensing the trailing edge of the load wit |
| 7178660 |
Workpiece transport system with independently driven platforms |
February 20, 2007 |
| A manufacturing operation having a first production area, a second production area, and a plurality of platforms each having independently controllable drive assemblies for moving the platforms through the production and delivery areas. Adjacent platforms are spaced from one another |
| 7174836 |
Station control system for a driverless vehicle |
February 13, 2007 |
| A station control system for and method of controlling the operation of a driverless vehicle. The system includes a vehicle travel path, a plurality of station tags in readable proximity to the travel path, and a vehicle movable along the travel path. Each of the tags are pre-program |
| 7090042 |
Floating drive for vehicle |
August 15, 2006 |
| A vehicle having a load frame with wheels, a drive frame, a drive wheel, a non-driven rigid castor wheel, and a pivot link assembly. The drive wheel and non-driven rigid castor wheel are each fixed to move with the drive frame. The pivot link assembly couples the drive frame to the load |
| 7011487 |
Apparatus for transport and delivery of articles |
March 14, 2006 |
| A vehicle (10) includes a hollow transfer device (20), a side translating assembly (40), and a lift mast assembly (90). The transfer device has at least one substantially open end and a longitudinal opening intersecting the substantial open end. The lift mast assembly is cooperatively |
| 6997303 |
Carrier conveyor system |
February 14, 2006 |
| The present invention is directed to a carrier and conveyor system that permits the carrier to be driven by at least two different types of conveyors or drive assemblies, including a power and free conveyor. The system includes a plurality of carriers, first and second areas, a power |
| 6971464 |
Driverless vehicle guidance system and method |
December 6, 2005 |
| A vehicle guidance system for guiding a vehicle along a magnetic marker including a first magnetic sensor having a sensing axis, the first sensor measuring a first magnetic field. A second magnetic sensor has a sensing axis, the second sensor measuring a second magnetic field. The sensin |
| 6966431 |
Conveyor system for article treatment |
November 22, 2005 |
| A system for transporting articles along a treatment path in a treatment area. The conveyor system includes a conveyor and a plurality of pendulums. The conveyor includes first and second drive segments laterally spaced from and parallel to one another. The pendulums include first pe |
| 6938752 |
Belt conveyor system with carrier plate |
September 6, 2005 |
| The present invention is directed to a conveyor system for transporting a workpiece. The conveyor system includes a drive assembly and a carrier plate. The drive assembly includes a frame, a drive belt, and a drive mechanism supported by the frame and engaging the drive belt. The carrier |
| 6902051 |
Workpiece treatment system and conveyor assembly |
June 7, 2005 |
| A conveyor assembly including a conveyor defining a conveying direction and a carrier assembly operably coupled to the conveyor. The carrier assembly includes a carrier frame, a rotating mechanism coupled to move with the carrier and having a rotatable shaft with a rotary axis parallel t |
| 6773574 |
Method and apparatus for removing thimbles from the stubs of an anode |
August 10, 2004 |
| An apparatus and method for removing thimbles (12) from stubs (20) of an anode yoke which includes the step of advancing a ram (20) towards each stub with the force applied by the ram against the stub being limited to a preset maximum, and another step of advancing the rams at the same s |
| 6637342 |
Conveyor carrier |
October 28, 2003 |
| The present invention is directed to a conveyor assembly and carrier for use with a conveyor wherein the carrier includes a frame having a longitudinal axis, a first pair of load wheels rotatably coupled to the frame, and a first pair of stabilizer wheels positioned laterally outward |
| 6564890 |
Floating drive for vehicle |
May 20, 2003 |
| A vehicle including a load frame, a drive assembly, and a pivot link assembly. The load frame includes castor wheels to rollingly support the load frame on a support surface. The drive assembly includes a drive frame, a drive wheel, and a rigid castor wheel wherein the drive wheel and |
| 6557724 |
Vertical conveyor |
May 6, 2003 |
| A vertical conveyor including first and second conveyors having first and second ends. The first conveyor is vertically aligned with and above the second conveyor. The vertical conveyor also includes a third conveyor having a free end and a coupled end. The third conveyor is pivotable ab |
| 6513646 |
Conveyor systems, stabilizer assemblies and methods for stabilizing conveyor carriers |
February 4, 2003 |
| A stabilizer assembly for use with a conveyer system includes a stabilizer member that pivots from a first position to a second position towards a vertically-curved track section as a conveyor carrier moves into the vertically-curved section. A method for stabilizing a conveyor carrier |
| 6494304 |
Production operation with power and free pallet conveyor |
December 17, 2002 |
| The present invention is directed to a pallet conveyor system that includes a pallet assembly having a pallet and a workpiece coupled to the pallet, a production area where a production task is performed on the workpiece, and a delivery area wherein the pallet assembly is moved to or fro |
| 6487976 |
Split cam bar for chain-to-chain transfer |
December 3, 2002 |
| A cam bar assembly for transferring a trolley from driving engagement with a first chain to driving engagement with a second chain wherein the cam bar assembly includes a cam bar having a first longitudinal axis, a cam surface centered about the first longitudinal axis, a second longitud |
| 6450325 |
Powered conveyor system with multiple rollers |
September 17, 2002 |
| The present invention relates to a powered roller bed with multiple rows of rollers, wherein two or more self-powered rollers are provided on each row along the bed. The rollers are preferably powered by electromagnetic motors having a stationary shaft and a rotating cylinder thereon so |
| 6435035 |
Chain tension monitoring apparatus and method |
August 20, 2002 |
| A chain tension monitoring apparatus and method includes a conveyor drive having a fixed frame and a floating frame. The floating frame supports a conveyor drive unit and is biased against the fixed frame by a compression spring to oppose forces generated by the conveyor drive operation. |
| 6374747 |
Sound abatement methods and conveyor trolleys |
April 23, 2002 |
| A sound abatement method includes applying a sound abating material to at least one area of at least one component of the moving trolley. A sound abatement conveyor trolley includes a trolley body having at least one wheel for traveling in a track and one or more component cooperatively |
| 6354224 |
Conveyor system switch using tubular linear induction motor |
March 12, 2002 |
| A conveyor switch for a conveyor track comprising a tubular linear induction motor as the switch drive. A switch tongue is adapted to be pivoted between first and second positions on the conveyor track and has a driving arm extending from one end thereof. The switch drive is operativ |
| 6322467 |
Movable backup bar assembly |
November 27, 2001 |
| A movable backup bar assembly includes an endless drive chain, a sprocket or the like for coupling the drive chain to the power source, and a backup bar for guiding the drive chain. The assembly has two positions: a first position for holding the drive chain in engagement with the chain |
| 6315104 |
Accumulation conveyor control system |
November 13, 2001 |
| An accumulation conveyor control system includes a number of accumulation zone conveyors, each equipped with a control module coupled with an electronically controlled clutch. The system includes one motor linked to each accumulation conveyor for driving of the conveyor rollers. The clut |
| 6311822 |
Method and apparatus for high speed article processing |
November 6, 2001 |
| A baggage handling system includes a plurality of baggage trays for carrying baggage and a conveyor for transporting the trays at a given speed. A diverter selectively removes baggage from the conveyor and positions the baggage on an accumulator. An unloader is provided to unload the |
| 6276520 |
Side-by-side belt conveyor system and method of use |
August 21, 2001 |
| A conveyor system comprises a pair of side-by-side conveyors adapted to move articles such as baggage or cargo in opposite directions simultaneously, preferably at the same elevation, and linked together by an endless belt. The endless belt is directed from the exit of one conveyor t |
| 6272406 |
Guidance system for an automated guided-vehicle |
August 7, 2001 |
| A guidance system for guiding an automated guided vehicle along a pathway is disclosed which includes rails for holding the AGV to the generally straight portions of the pathway and a non-rail guidance system for directing the AGV from the end of a first rail segment to the beginning of |
| 6145653 |
Side by side belt conveyor system and method of use |
November 14, 2000 |
| A conveyor system comprises a pair of side-by-side conveyors adapted to move articles such as baggage or cargo in opposite directions simultaneously, preferably at the same elevation, and linked together by an endless belt. The endless belt is directed from the exit of one conveyor t |
| 6129026 |
Dual mode cargo transport apparatus and method of using same |
October 10, 2000 |
| A method and apparatus for handling cargo are disclosed which include a plurality of cargo carriers capable of being operated manually by human operators or remotely by a central controller. The carriers are operated in their manual mode to traverse paths near aircraft or other movable |
| 6102652 |
System and method of storing loose copy from a printing press |
August 15, 2000 |
| A system for rapidly receiving and storing a quantity of loose copy, for example newspapers, from a high speed printing press and dispensing them to the point-of-use without having to undergo the traditional operation of bundling the newspapers. More particularly, the present invention r |
| 6092010 |
Method and system for describing, generating and checking non-wire guidepaths for automatic guid |
July 18, 2000 |
| A method and system for controlling the movement of one or more automatic guided vehicles includes a system controller, a number of non-wire automatic guided vehicles (AGV's) and location markers positioned on a floor. The system controller serves as a dispatcher and traffic controller |
| 6062377 |
Air supported flat belt conveyor and method of conveying articles |
May 16, 2000 |
| An air supported conveyor, particularly adapted for conveying articles such as baggage or packages at a high rate of speed includes a plenum chamber and a belt support containing a plurality of orifices. Air or another pressurized fluid is supplied to the plenum chamber to provide a clea |
| 6041910 |
Baggage pusher device and system |
March 28, 2000 |
| A baggage pusher device for pushing baggage off a moving conveyor comprises a pusher cam with a pusher surface, a shaft supporting and rotating the pusher cam in a generally horizontal plane, a motor assembly and a frame to support at least the shaft. The pusher surface follows the Archi |
| 6041171 |
Method and apparatus for modeling material handling systems |
March 21, 2000 |
| A method and apparatus for modeling material handling systems for carrying discrete objects is disclosed which is capable of displaying models of a system in two, three, or four dimensions. The system is based on an existing program for modeling fluid flow networks, such as the piping |
| 6029798 |
Methods and system for detecting and determining the location of a chain jam |
February 29, 2000 |
| A method and system for detecting a condition indicative of a chain jam in a power driven endless chain are disclosed. The chain of such a system is forced into a zigzag pattern by the inclusion of deflectors at various positions along the chain pathway and the force exerted against thes |
| 6009994 |
Modular conveyor system |
January 4, 2000 |
| A modular conveyor system is disclosed which includes a plurality of non-contiguous, freestanding pedestals, arranged in two parallel rows. Each of the pedestals includes a support roller for contacting the bottom surface of a pallet placed on top of it, and the support rollers are c |
| 6003443 |
Method and apparatus for reducing noise generated by the accumulation of carriers in a conveyor |
December 21, 1999 |
| An apparatus and method for reducing the noise generated by colliding conveyor carriers is disclosed which comprises urethane bumpers and a method of attaching same to portions of the carriers that do not make contact with other carriers when the carriers are accumulated. The bumpers |
