Appeal No. 2004-2235
Application No. 09/195,005
THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a work station wagon conveying
device which is defined in representative claim 7 as follows:
7. A device for conveying work station wagons through a
plurality of working steps comprising:
a) an oval track around which said work station wagons
travel, said oval track comprising i) a first guide strip forming
a continuous first oval, ii) a second guide strip spaced apart
from said first guide strip and forming a second, larger oval,
thereby forming a guide channel which is formed between said two
guide strips, iii) a drive chain, comprising carrier cages,
travelling [sic] inside said guide channel, and iv) said second
guide strip having at least two gaps in its circumference,
b) an insertion guide track located outside said second
guide strip, with a portion of said insertion guide track being
parallel to a portion of said second guide strip, and having a
load-dependent drive in which the maximum speed is higher than
the chain speed,
c) a removal guide track, comprising coupling elements
selected from the group consisting of switchable electromagnets,
rocker heels, and switchable points tongues, located outside said
second guide strip, with a portion of said removal guide track
being parallel to a portion of said second guide strip,
d) each of said work station wagons having i) at least one
first guide roller mounted on a vertically projecting mounting
provided on one side of said work station wagon, said first guide
roller being removably connected to said drive chain and ii) at
least one second guide roller provided on the side of said work
station wagon opposite from said first guide roller, said second
guide roller connecting said work station wagon to said removal
guide track, and iii) a spacer that A) defines the minimum
distance between said work station wagons when said work station
wagons are engaged with said drive chain and B) contacts the
preceding work station wagon engaged with said drive chain, with
said device operating as follows:
1) said work station wagons are moved along said insertion
guide track by a load-dependant friction drive to a location
where said first guide roller pass [sic] through one of said gaps
and engage a carrier cage on said drive chain,
2
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