TRACTION DRIVE MEANS FOR MONORAIL SUSPENDED CONVEYOR SYSTEM

摘要

A monorail suspended conveyor system for conyeying materials along a curvîlinear path has a plurality of tandemly disposed belt supporting carriages. Adjacent carriages are connected by an anticulated joint suspended from the overhead rail which provides for universal movement of one carriage relative to another. The carriage train is moved along the monorail by two power units each having drive wheels disposed on opposite sides of the monorail. The power units are pivotally interconnected such that the power units can be pivoted relative to one another whereby the respective drive wheels are pivoted toward and away from one another so as to maintain a drive traction relationship with the overhead monorail. A rigid framework disposed in the proximity of the power units and suspended from the monorail is provided for transmitting movement force from the power units to the articulated conveyor. Each end of the power unit is connected to respective end portions of the framework by a flexible chain. When the power units and the conveyor along therewith is moved in one direction, one of the chains is put in tension so as to provide a force path through the rigid framework whereas the other chain is relaxed. Movement in the opposite direction puts the other-chain in tension.