Direction changer for workpiece carrier on conveyor system

摘要

The mechanism has an array of drive rollers (20) to transfer a workpiece carrier (14) from a first conveyor to a second one travelling in either the same or a different direction. Each drive roller is driven by a drive belt (42) running in a circumferential groove (44) on the roller. Roller support shafts (26) are rotatably mounted on a base plate (28) with their axes of rotation perpendicular to the conveyor plane (30). Each shaft rotatably supports a drive roller at a slight angle (alpha) to the perpendicular on a support surface (34) and journal (24). Each drive roller therefore contacts the workpiece carrier over a small section (38) of its upper edge. Adjustment of this section is by rotation of the support shaft using a drive mechanism (46, 48).