| 摘要 |
MODULAR PNEUMATIC ACCUMULATION CONVEYOR An accumulation conveyor includes a product sensor that is positioned along the conveyor at a particular zone for sensing the presence of product at that zone and for causing actuation of the zone upstream of that product sensor with respect to product movement along the accumulation conveyor. The product sensor includes an arm that is selectively positioned in the path of product being conveyed, a switch having an actuation member juxtaposed with the arm, and a force-producing member responsive to actuation of the downstream zone actuator in order to apply a force to the switch and, in turn, retract the sensor. This may be accomplished by physically locating the product sensor within the downstream zone and providing an actuator for that downstream zone that is mechanically coupled to the product sensor physically located within that zone. When the actuator is actuated, it retracts the product sensor from the path of movement of product along the accumulation conveyor concurrently with actuation of the downstream zone. The switch may be selectively mounted either to a stationary member or to the downstream actuator. If the switch is mounted to the stationary member, the associated sensing member is not responsive to actuation of the downstream actuator and a non-retractable sensor function is achieved. If the switch is mounted to the actuator, actuation thereof will retract the sensing member from the path of movement of the product along the accumulation conveyor. Thus, each product sensor may be made into either a retractable sensor or a non-retractable sensor. Each actuator includes a moveable member that reciprocates with respect to a stationary support member to which is mounted a signal manifold that interconnects with signal manifolds of adjacent control devices and with a force-producing device for reciprocating the moveable member of that actuator. The accumulation conveyor further includes a drive assembly that is entirely supported by the side rails of the accumulation conveyor in order to thereby be positionable at substantially any longitudinal location along the product conveying surface.
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