MONITORING SYSTEM FOR MEASURING SPEED AND ELONGATION OF TRANSPORT CHAINS.

摘要

A monitoring system for a conveyor of articles is provided. The conveyor of articles comprises a static portion and at least one respective endless transport chain adapted to be moved with respect to the static portion when the conveyor of articles is in operation. The system includes a reference element located on the transport chain, a first sensor integral with the static portion and a second sensor integral with the static portion. Said first and second sensors are distant to each other by a first distance; each sensor is configured for sensing the passage of the reference element close to the sensor itself during the operation of the conveyor. The system further includes counting means coupled with the sensors and configured to measure a first time corresponding to the time elapsed between a first passage of the reference element close to the first sensor and a first passage of the reference element close to the second sensor. The counting means are further configured to measure a second time corresponding to the time elapsed between the first passage of the reference element close to the first sensor and a second passage of the reference element close to the first sensor, or to the time elapsed between the first passage of the reference element close to the second sensor and a second passage of the reference element close to the second sensor. Said second passage is subsequent to the first passage. The system further comprises computing means configured to determine the transport chain movement speed with respect to the static portion based on the first measured time and the first distance, and determine the length of the chain based on the determined movement speed and based on the second measured time.