Overhead conveyor installation for motor vehicle bodies particularly for electrophoresis paint lines, and a body carrier usable in this installation

摘要

An overhead conveyor installation for motor-vehicle bodies is provided which is particularly suited for use in electrophoresic paint lines. The installation includes a loading station whereat body carriers conveyed by conveyors of the installation are loaded up with respective vehicle bodies supplied to the loading station by robot trucks. Each body carrier comprises front and rear dependent arms arranged to be introduced through the wind-shield and rear window openings of a vehicle body and engaged with internal apertures preformed in the body. Each body carrier also comprises an electrical contact member enabling connection of a body loaded onto the carrier to a voltage source, and a locking arrangement for locking the arms and contact member in their positions of engagement with a motor-vehicle body. The loading station includes a vertically movable structure for lowering the body carrier down over a body to be picked up, and various actuators arranged to control engagement and locking of the body carrier arms.