1. A conveyor system for conveying andor sorting articles, said conveyor system comprises:
an endless track assembly having a conveying path; and
a plurality of cartridges for receiving articles and discharging said received articles, said cartridges supported from said track assembly and moveable along said conveying path, wherein said cartridges are configured to move transverse to said conveying path between at least two discharge positions.
2. The conveyor system as recited in claim 1, wherein the conveyor system further comprises a plurality of support rails operably configured to allow said cartridges to slideably move between said discharge positions.
3. The conveyor system as recited in claim 2, wherein said plurality of support rails suspend from said track assembly.
4. The conveyor system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said cartridges comprises at least one compartment.
5. The conveyor system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said cartridges comprises a discharge gate configured to open to discharge said articles.
6. The conveyor system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a feeder mechanism adapted to insert said articles into said cartridges.
7. The conveyor system as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least two conveyors adjacently located to said track assembly to receive said articles from said cartridges.
8. The conveyor system as recited in claim 7, further comprising a buffer module located between each of said cartridges and said conveyors when said cartridges are in said discharge positions.
9. The conveyor system as recited in claim 7, wherein said conveyors comprise discrete zones for receiving said articles.
10. The conveyor system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a control system for controlling the receiving and discharging of said articles.
11. The conveyor system as recited in claim 10, wherein said control system comprises one or more wires extending from each of said cartridges to provides communication for the receiving andor discharging of said articles.
12. The conveyor system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a mechanical pusher located adjacent said track assembly to selectively move said cartridges between said discharge positions.
13. The conveyor system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a sliding shoe sorter to selectively move said cartridges between said discharge positions.
14. The conveyor system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a transverse drive mechanism to selectively move said cartridges between said discharge positions.
15. The conveyor system as recited in claim 14, wherein said transverse drive mechanism comprises a cartridge drive belt attached to each of said cartridges.
16. The conveyor system as recited in claim 1, wherein the conveyor system comprises multiple levels having two or more of said track assemblies and said associated plurality of cartridges.
17. The conveyor system as recited in claim 2, wherein the conveyor system further comprises carriage assemblies supporting said cartridges between said track assembly and said support rails.
18. A method for conveying andor sorting articles, said method comprises:
receiving articles into a plurality of cartridges supported from an endless track assembly and moveable along a conveying path, wherein said cartridges are configured to move transverse to said conveying path between at least two discharge positions;
transporting said articles along said conveying path; and
discharging said articles from said cartridges at a predetermined location.
19. A cartridge for receiving and discharging received articles comprises:
a first support configured to attach to an endless track assembly for movement along a conveying path;
a second support configured to interface with a support rail, wherein said support rail allows said cartridge to slideably move between at least two discharge positions;
at least one compartment for containing articles; and
a discharge gate for discharging said articles from said cartridge at a predetermined location.
20. The conveyor system as recited in claim 19, wherein said cartridge slideably moves between said discharge positions in a direction transverse to the conveying path.
21. The conveyor system as recited in claim 19, wherein said articles located within each of said cartridges are vertically positioned relative to said cartridges.
22. A conveyor system comprising:
an endless track assembly having a conveying path;
a plurality of support rails;
a plurality of carriage assemblies suspended between said track assembly and said support rails; and
a plurality of cartridges for receiving and discharging articles, said cartridges moveable along said conveying path and configured to move transverse to said conveying path by said carriage assemblies between at least two discharge positions along said support rails.
23. The conveyor system as recited in claim 22, wherein each of said carriage assemblies comprise:
a mounting pin operably attached to said track assembly;
a control box assembly;
first and second suspension arms operably attached to said support rail; and
a motor box assembly, wherein said motor box assembly is suspended from said second arm and operably drives said cartridge along said support rail in the transverse direction.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An archery bow for shooting an arrow, said bow comprising a bow frame extending between a first frame end and a second frame end, said bow frame being a generally rigid frame and having a central region between said ends; a first firing system being joined relative to said first frame end and a second firing system joined relative to said second frame end; said first firing systems including a first spring housing fixable relative to said first frame end and having a first internal passage shaped to receive a first compression spring, said first compression spring extending along a first spring axis between a first forward spring end and a first rearward spring end, said rearward spring end having a first spring cap and said first spring housing including a first rearward opening wherein said first spring cap is exposed on the rearward side of said first spring housing, said first firing system further including a first crank rotatably attached relative to said first spring housing about a first crank axis and having a first spring leg and a first string leg with a first pivot region joining said first spring and string legs, said first spring leg being shaped to engage said first spring cap, said string leg having a first mount to rotatably support a first rotatable bow string support about a first support axis wherein said first support includes a first outwardly facing guide groove for a bow string that is guided therein about said first support axis; said second firing systems including a second spring housing fixable relative to said second frame end and having a second internal passage shaped to receive a second compression spring, said second compression spring extending along a second spring axis between a second forward spring end and a second rearward spring end, said rearward spring end having a second spring cap and said second spring housing including a second rearward opening wherein said second spring cap is exposed on the rearward side of said second spring housing, said second firing system further including a second crank rotatably attached relative to said second spring housing about a second crank axis and having a second spring leg and a second string leg with a second pivot region joining said second spring and string legs, said second spring leg being shaped to engage said second spring cap, said string leg having a second mount to rotatably support a second rotatable bow string support about a second support axis wherein said second support includes a second outwardly facing guide groove for said bow string that is guided therein about said second support axis; said bow string joined between said first and second first rotatable bow string supports wherein when said bow string is pulled from an at rest condition to a full drawn condition said first and second rotatable bow string supports rotate and are urged toward one another thereby rotating said first and second cranks about said first and second crank axes thereby compressing said first and second springs, said first and second springs providing an amount of stored energy to propel an associated arrow when said bow string is released from the full drawn condition.
2. The archery bow of claim 1 wherein said bow frame has a front side and a back side wherein the arrow is shot from said front side, said first and second internal passages of said spring housings being parallel to one another and generally perpendicular to said bow frame, said first and second spring caps facing said back side.
3. The archery bow of claim 1 wherein said bow is a cross bow and said central portion is joined to a bolt track of said cross bow.
4. The archery bow of claim 1 wherein said bow is a hand held bow and said central portion includes a hand grip.
5. The archery bow of claim 4 wherein said hand grip is spaced from said bow string in a relaxed condition by a string spacing, said spring housings being selectively adjustable relative to said bow frame to selectively adjust said string spacing.
6. The archery bow of claim 5 wherein said first and second spring housings include a outer surface portion shaped to be slidingly received in respective openings in said bow frame thereby producing said selective adjustability, said bow further including a first and second spring lock to selectively maintain said spring housing relative to said bow frame in a desired alignment.
7. The archery bow of claim 4 wherein said hand grip is a replaceable hand grip.
8. The archery bow of claim 5 wherein said hand grip is a replaceable hand grip, said replaceable grip adjusting said string spacing.
9. The archery bow of claim 1 wherein said first and second spring housings include a spring force adjuster, said spring force adjuster allowing the stored energy of the firing system to be selectively modified in a given range.
10. The archery bow of claim 9 wherein said given range includes reducing the spring force to a level that allows for the removal of said bow string.
11. The archery bow of claim 9 wherein said spring force adjuster includes a plunger joined to a threaded rod assembly, said plunger engaging said forward end of said compression spring and changing the length of said compression spring when said threaded rod assembly is rotated.
12. The archery bow of claim 11 wherein said threaded rod assembly includes an actuation knob for hand adjustments of said spring force.
13. The archery bow of claim 11 wherein said spring force adjuster includes moves said end cap relative to said spring leg.
14. The archery bow of claim 11 wherein said spring force adjuster includes an adjustment gauge, said adjustment gauge including a graduated window in said spring housing adjacent said plunger.
15. The archery bow of claim 9 wherein said spring force adjuster includes an adjustment gauge.
16. The archery bow of claim 9 wherein said spring force adjuster includes a cam lock assembly, said cam lock assembly engaging said forward end of said compression spring and positioning said spring assembly between a firing position and a non-firing position wherein the bow string can be removed in the non-firing position.
17. The archery bow of claim 16 wherein said cam lock assembly is a single cam lock assembly attached to both said first and second spring assemblies.
18. The archery bow of claim 1 wherein said first spring cap and said first spring leg rest against one another, but are not joined to one another, said second spring cap and said second spring leg rest against one another, but are not joined to one another.
19. The archery bow of claim 18 wherein a least one of said first spring cap and said first spring leg includes a first roller bearing and the other of said first spring cap and said first spring leg includes a first bearing surface, said engagement between said first spring cap and said first spring leg being the engagement between said first roller bearing and said first bearing surface; and a least one of said second spring cap and said second spring leg includes a second roller bearing and the other of said second spring cap and said second spring leg includes a second bearing surface, said engagement between said second spring cap and said second spring leg being the engagement between said second roller bearing and said second bearing surface.
20. The archery bow of claim 19 wherein said bow further includes a first shield configured to at least partially cover the engagement between said first spring cap and said first spring leg and a second shield configured to at least partially cover the engagement between said second spring cap and said second spring leg.
21. The archery bow of claim 1 wherein said first and second cranks are L-shaped cranks, said first pivot region being a first central pivot region between said first spring leg and said first string leg, said second pivot region being a second central pivot region between said second spring leg and said second string leg.
22. The archery bow of claim 1 wherein said bow is a hand held bow and said central portion includes a hand grip, said hand grip being spaced from said bow string in a relaxed condition by a string spacing, said spring housings being selectively adjustable relative to said bow frame to selectively adjust said string spacing, at least one of said spring housings and said bow frame including a keyway and the other of said spring housings and said bow frame including a key to maintain a desired alignment between the first and second firing systems and said bow frame.
23. The archery bow of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first outwardly facing guide groove and said second outwardly facing guide groove is a cam shaped guide groove.
24. The archery bow of claim 1 wherein said first spring cap and said first spring leg rest against one another, but are not joined to one another, said second spring cap and said second spring leg rest against one another, but are not joined to one another, said first spring cap having a first cap bearing and said second spring cap having a second cap bearing, said first spring leg including a first bearing surface and said second spring leg having a second bearing surface, said first bearing rolling on said first bearing surface and said second bearing rolling on said second bearing surface.
25. The archery bow of claim 24 wherein said first and second bearing surfaces are cam shaped.
26. A spring loaded compound archery bow comprising;
a bow frame having a first end, a second end;
a first spring housing mounted relative to first end;
a second spring housing mounted relative to said second end;
a first compression spring positioned in said first spring housing having a rearwardly exposed first spring end cap;
a second compression spring positioned in said second spring housing having a rearwardly exposed second end cap;
a first crank support fixed relative to said first spring housing that rotatably supports a first crank about a first axis, said first crank having a first crank arm including a first extension spaced from said first axis that is engagable against said first end cap when said first crank rotates about said first axis;
a second crank support fixed relative to said second spring housing that rotatably supports a second crank about a second axis, said second crank having a second crank arm including a second extension spaced from said second axis that is engagable against said second end cap when said second crank rotates about said second axis, said first and second axes being spaced from one another;
a first rotatable bow string support attached to said first crank for rotation thereon, said first rotatable string support having a first outwardly facing guide groove;
a second rotatable bow string support attached to said second crank for rotation thereon, said second rotatable string support having a second outwardly facing guide groove; and,
a bow string joined between said first and second rotatable bow string supports such that a first end portion of said bow string is joined to said first rotatable bow string support and said second end portion is joined to said second rotatable support, said first and second outwardly facing guide grooves being shaped to guide said bow string about said rotatable bow string supports as said supports rotate relative to said respective cranks such that when said bow string is pulled back for shooting an associated arrow, said first rotatable bow string support rotates about said first crank and said first crank rotates about said first axis and said first extension compresses said first compression spring while said second rotatable bow string support rotates about said second crank and said second crank rotates about said second axis and said second extension compresses said second compression spring, the compression of said first and second compression springs providing an amount of stored energy to propel the associate arrow and one of said first and second rotatable bow string support providing at least one of increasing said amount of stored energy and reducing a holding force for the shooter when said bow is at full draw.
27. A firing system for a compound bow to provide stored energy to shoot an archery arrow, said firing system comprising a spring assembly, a generally L-shaped crank and a rotatable cam; said spring assembly having a spring housing with a rearwardly facing opening and an inner passage extending inwardly from said rearward opening, said spring assembly further including a compression spring extending in said inner passage and having a spring end cap at a first end facing said rearward opening; said L-shaped crank having a first leg and a second leg extending from a common pivot portion, said crank being rotatable about a crank axis in said pivot portion and said crank axis being generally fixed relative to a bow frame, said first leg having an engaging surface spaced from said central axis configured to engage said end cap of said compression spring when said crank is rotated about said crank axis, said second leg having a pivot joint spaced from said crank axis configured to support said rotatable cam thereby allowing said cam to rotate about a cam axis spaced from said central axis; said cam having an outwardly facing cam shaped guide groove configured to support and guide a bow string about said rotatable cam as it is rotated about said cam axis; said firing system providing stored energy to shoot an associated archery arrow in that when said bow string is pulled back for shooting the associated arrow, both said cam rotates about said cam axis and said crank rotates about said crank axis wherein said crank compresses said compression spring to provide an amount of stored energy to propel the associate arrow and said cam provides at least one of increasing said amount of stored energy and reducing a holding force for the shooter when said bow is at full draw.
28. The firing system of claim 27, wherein said spring assembly is a first spring assembly, said generally L-shaped crank is a first crank and said rotatable cam is a first rotatable cam, said system further including a second spring assembly, a second L-shaped crank and a second rotatable cam.
29. The firing system of claim 28, wherein said second spring assembly is similar to said first spring assembly, said second crank is similar to said first crank and said second rotatable cam is similar to said first rotatable cam.
30. An archery bow for shooting an arrow, said bow comprising a bow frame extending between a first frame end and a second frame end, said bow frame being a generally rigid frame and having a central region between said ends, a firing system being joined relative to said first frame end, said first firing systems including a spring housing fixable relative to said first frame end and having a first internal passage shaped to receive a compression spring, said compression spring extending along a spring axis between a forward spring end and a rearward spring end, said rearward spring end having a spring cap and said spring housing including a rearward opening wherein said spring cap is exposed on the rearward side of said spring housing, said firing system further including a crank rotatably attached relative to said spring housing about a crank axis and having a spring leg and a string leg with a pivot region joining said spring and string legs, said spring leg being shaped to engage said spring cap, said string leg having a mount to rotatably support a rotatable bow string support about a support axis wherein said support includes an outwardly facing guide groove for a bow string that is guided therein about said support axis, said firing system including a spring force adjuster to provide adjustment of the stored energy of the firing system and said adjustment being in a given range.
31. The archery bow of claim 30 wherein said given range includes reducing the spring force to a level that allows for the removal of said bow string.
32. The archery bow of claim 30 wherein said spring force adjuster includes a plunger joined to a threaded rod assembly, said plunger engaging said forward end of said compression spring and changing the length of said compression spring when said threaded rod assembly is rotated.