US 11,697,560 B2
Conveyor with jam prevention diverter wheels
Steven Vann Schroader, Louisville, KY (US)
Assigned to Fives Intralogistics Corp., Louisville, KY (US)
Filed by FIVES INTRALOGISTICS CORP., Louisville, KY (US)
Filed on Oct. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/499,350.
Application 17/499,350 is a continuation of application No. 16/827,636, filed on Mar. 23, 2020, granted, now 11,142,407.
Prior Publication US 2022/0169454 A1, Jun. 2, 2022
Int. Cl. B65G 47/68 (2006.01); B65G 39/12 (2006.01); B65G 47/54 (2006.01); B65G 47/66 (2006.01); B65G 13/071 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 47/68 (2013.01) [B65G 13/071 (2013.01); B65G 39/12 (2013.01); B65G 2047/685 (2013.01)] 42 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A conveyor diverter wheel jam prevention assembly, comprising:
a roller conveyor comprising a plurality of powered skewed rollers mounted at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of said roller conveyor moving items in a forward and lateral direction;
a vertical sidewall extending along a lateral edge of said roller conveyor;
a frame for supporting said conveyor rollers;
a plurality of diverter wheels affixed to said frame supporting said conveyor rollers;
each one of said plurality of diverter wheels is disposed between adjacent spaced apart conveyer rollers;
each one of said plurality of diverter wheels is in frictional contact with and driven by an adjacent conveyor roller;
means for biasing a surface of said plurality of diverter wheels against a surface of said conveyor roller for rotating said plurality of diverter wheel whenever said roller conveyor is in operation;
said plurality of diverter wheels are oriented relative to said roller conveyor longitudinal axis with said diverter wheel axles generally perpendicularly aligned to a path of movement of an article on a conveying surface thereof and having an uppermost portion of each of said plurality of diverter wheels positioned extending above said conveying surface of said roller conveyor;
means for removably attaching said plurality of diverter wheels to said frame disposed between said spaced apart conveyor rollers with said uppermost portion of said diverter wheels extending above the surface of said roller; conveyor;
said plurality of diverter wheels spaced apart from said vertical sidewall a selected distance limiting the width of an article passing through between said vertical wall and said diverter wheels;
said diverter wheels affixed at an effective angle and an effective height whereby said portion of said diverter wheels extending above the conveying surface of said roller conveyor contacting said article conveyed by said roller conveyor pulls said article away diverting said article from said roller conveyor.