Installation for sequentially transporting objects in a goods handling line, in particular for the automotive industry

Abstract

In a preferred embodiment, the objects to be transported, in particular car bodies on sleds are each suspended by four independent pendle arms from two symmetrical conveyors which travel through the installation under the control of synchronized driving means to pick up said objects in a loading station and transport them individually to an unloading station. In each conveyor, said pendle arms are secured to fixed positions distributed along a cable which is moved by said driving means while being maintained tensioned on guide wheels defining a predetermined transport circuit. The loads suspended by the pendle arms are fully supported by said cable between said guide wheels, said cable thus constituting both traction and suspension carrier means for said objects. In practice, each conveyor comprises two parallel cables and the pendles are secured to them hanging therebetween.

1 - 13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . An installation for sequentially transporting objects in a treatment line facility, 
 in which said objects are transported while suspended by pendle arms ( 4 ) from two symmetrical conveyors ( 6 L,  6 R) which travel through the installation under the control of synchronized driving means to pick up said objects in a loading station ( 7 ) and transport them individually to an unloading station ( 8 ) while passing by at least one station for the treatment of said objects,    wherein, in each conveyor, said pendle arms are secured in fixed positions distributed along a cable ( 60 ) which is moved by said driving means while being kept tensioned on guide wheels ( 63 ) defining a predetermined conveying circuit,    and wherein the loads ( 3 - 5 ) thus suspended via the pendle arms ( 4 ) are carried exclusively by said cables ( 60 L,  60 R) between their guide wheels ( 63 L,  63 R), said cable thus forming both traction motive and carrier means for said objects.    
   
   
       15 . The installation as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein each of said conveyors ( 6 L,  6 R) comprises two similar cables, kept tensioned parallel to one another and driven in synchronism along said conveyor circuit, and each of said pendle arms is secured to the two cables of the corresponding conveyor by an assembly device with an articulation pin allowing it to pivot in the vertical plane of the conveyor circuit, the guide wheels being in each location of the conveyor circuit, at least in an active portion thereof passing through a station or stations for the treatment of said objects, spaced by an interval leaving free the passage of said arms hanging vertically between them.  
   
   
       16 . The installation as claimed in  claim 14 , comprising at least one treatment station involving dipping said objects in a tank, wherein on corresponding inclined sections of said circuit, said cables are free of all guidance, and due to the effect of torsional elasticity, the flexibility of the cable contributes thereby to the lateral balancing of the loads on their passage in the tank.  
   
   
       17 . The installation as claimed in  claim 14  wherein, for an electrophoresis treatment in a tank as is practiced in particular in paint facilities in car manufacturing plants, an electric ground circuit is arranged which passes through the cable, the latter being produced as a conductor, particularly to provide electrical conduction between two pendle arms carrying one and the same object on passing into an electrolytic treatment tank.  
   
   
       18 . The installation as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said cable driving means comprise motive wheels situated at one of the ends of a closed loop circuit followed by the cable to act in tracting the cable up to the unloading station.  
   
   
       19 . The installation as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said objects are transported while being suspended from the cables of the two conveyors by four independent arms, and wherein in each of said conveyors, the cable or cables describe closed loop circuits comprising a backward portion for returning the pendle arms attached to it from the unloading station to the loading station.  
   
   
       20 . The installation as claimed in  claim 14  wherein, in each of said conveyors, the cable or cables describe parallel closed loop circuits which are each entirely contained in one same vertical plane.  
   
   
       21 . The installation as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein said objects are conveyed suspended from the cables of the two conveyors by four independent pendle arms and in each of said conveyors said pendle arms are attached to the respective cable or cables by an assembly device with a single degree of freedom authorizing them to pivot in said vertical plane of said circuit.  
   
   
       22 . The installation as claimed in  claim 15  whrein said two cables in each conveyor are coupled by means of said pendle arms, the latter being fitted at their top end with an assembly device with two grips clamped respectively onto the two cables on either side of an articulation race allowing them to pivot in said vertical plane of said circuit.  
   
   
       23 . The installation as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said pendle arms are assembled to the corresponding cable so as to be able to pivot about an articulation shaft or pin perpendicular to the vertical plane of the cable, and wherein, on a return backward path bringing back said pendle arms from the unloading station to the loading station, means are provided for tilting the arms circulating empty into a tilted position in which they are tilted toward the cable.  
   
   
       24 . The installation as claimed in  claim 16 , for the transport of car bodies resting on sleds, wherein the bottom end of the pendle arms forms a hook for picking up a sled arriving at the loading station which is released therefrom at the unloading station.  
   
   
       25 . The installation as claimed in  claim 14 , for the transport of car bodies resting on sleds conveyed suspended by four independent pendle arms, two of which respectively relating to each of said conveyors, in which said conveyors drive said arms respectively along two parallel closed loop circuits which are each entirely contained in one and the same vertical plane and in which each of said conveyors comprises two similar cables, kept tensioned parallel to one another on respective guide wheels, to which each of said pendle arms is attached hanging vertically between their respective circuits by an assembly device comprising an articulation shaft or pin allowing the arm to pivot in the vertical plane of its circuit and two symmetrical grips clamped in fixed position respectively on each of the two cables which are thus coupled together.  
   
   
       26 . The installation as claimed in  claim 25 , in which said driving means provide between the cables of the two conveyors a synchronized operation so as to retain a predetermined positional relationship between said pendle arms relating to each of said two conveyors, by speed and where appropriate positional slaving.  
   
   
       27 . An installation according to  claim 25 , comprising at least one treatment station involving dipping said objects in a tank, wherein on corresponding inclined sections of said circuit, said cables are free of all guidance, and due to the effect of torsional elasticity, the flexibility of the cable contributes thereby to the lateral balancing of the loads on their passage in the tank.  
   
   
       28 . An installation according to  claim 25 , wherein, on a backward portion of said closed loop circuits for returning said pendle arms back from the unloading station to the loading station, a guide rail is provided for maintaining said pendle arms in a position tilted toward the cable.  
   
   
       29 . An installation according to  claim 19 , wherein in each conveyor said backward portion of the circuit for returning the pendle arms to the loading station is situated laterally in the installation aside a forward travel path situated in its mid-portion along the line for conveying the objects being treated.  
   
   
       30 . An installation for sequentially transporting objects in a treatment line facility, comprising two symmetrical conveyors for transporting objects suspended therefrom by pendle arms, said conveyors traveling through the installation under the control of synchronized driving means to pick up said objects in a loading station and transport them individually to an unloading station while passing through at least one station for the treatment of said objects, 
 wherein, in each conveyor, said pendle arms are secured in fixed positions distributed along a cable which is moved by said driving means while being kept tensioned on guide wheels defining a predetermined conveying circuit, and the loads thus suspended via the pendle arms are carried exclusively by said cables between their guide wheels, said cable thus forming both tractive and carrier means for said objects,    and wherein said pendle arms are assembled to the corresponding cable so as to be able to pivot about an articulation shaft or pin perpendicular to the vertical plane of the cable.    
   
   
       31 . An installation as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein said objects are car bodies, with or without supporting sleds, that are suspended by two rigid pendles, each linking two fixedly attached pendle arms for respectively the two conveyors, with a pair of pendle arms being situated at the front and the other at the rear of each car body being conveyed.  
   
   
       32 . An installation as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein said objects are car bodies each resting on a sled suspended to said conveyors by four independant pendle arms and provision is made for a cantilever suspension of the sleds, said pendle arms being formed bent and curved around each car body conveyed outside it so as to extend and reach a so-called narrow sled.  
   
   
       33 . An installation as claimed in  claim 30 , 
 wherein each conveyor comprises two similar cables, kept tensioned parallel to one another and driven in synchronism along said conveyor circuit,    and in each conveyor, said pendle arms are secured in fixed positions distributed along a cable which is moved by said driving means while being kept tensioned on guide wheels defining a predetermined conveying circuit, and the loads thus suspended via the pendle arms are carried exclusively by said cables between their guide wheels, said cable thus forming both tractive and carrier means for said objects,    and wherein said pendle arms are assembled to the corresponding cable so as to be able to pivot about an articulation shaft or pin perpendicular to the vertical plane of the cable.    
   
   
       34 . An installation according to  claim 33 , wherein said objects are car bodies each resting on a sled suspended to said conveyors by four independant pendle arms and the attachment points of the pendle arms at their top to the cable and at their bottom to the sled are placed in a same vertical plane.  
   
   
       35 . An installation according to  claim 34 , comprising at least one treatment station involving dipping said objects in a tank, wherein on corresponding inclined sections of said circuit, said cables are free of all guidance, and due to the effect of torsional elasticity, the flexibility of the cable contributes thereby to the lateral balancing of the loads on their passage in the tank.