Conveyor for sheet-shaped thin plate and method of conveying same

Abstract

A conveyor for guiding and conveying a plurality of sheet-shaped thin plates in rows arranged side by side to a welding position at which ends of the adjacent thin plates are butted and welded to each other, includes a plurality of conveying paths, which are adjacent to each other, having different conveying surfaces which are placed on a same horizontal plane, and a guide unit disposed between the adjacent two conveying paths for guiding the thin plates on one of the conveying paths with respect to another one thereof toward the welding position. Each of the conveying paths is composed of a plurality conveying rollers, and the guide unit includes guide rollers each having a guide surface for guiding the thin plate on the one of the conveying paths in a state that the thin plate on the one conveying path is partially depressed with respect to the another one of the conveying path.

1 . A method of guiding and conveying a plurality of sheet-shaped thin plates to a welding position at which ends of the adjacent thin plates are butted and welded to each other, wherein the thin plates are conveyed on a plurality of conveying paths having conveying surfaces disposed on a same horizontal plane, an end to be welded of the thin plate conveyed on one of the conveying path is contacted to a guide surface positioned in a vertical plane passing the welding position and an end to be welded of the thin plate conveyed on adjacent another one of the conveying path is butted against the end to be welded of the thin plate guided on the one of the conveying path.