Linear motor driven conveying apparatus

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
A linear motor driven conveying apparatus for conveying trucks by means of a linear motor, said linear motor including primary members provided along the path of travel of the trucks and secondary members mounted on the trucks, said primary members having upper surfaces facing toward and spaced from said secondary members providing a gap between said primary and secondary members, and water supply means to supply water to the upper surfaces of the primary members and cause water to flow across said upper surfaces within said gap to keep said upper surfaces free of foreign deposits.
2.
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said primary members have a waterproof protective coating applied to their surfaces.
3.
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein said water supply means includes pipes terminating in water orifices adjacent the upper surfaces of said primary members at said gap.
4.
Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said water supply means is adapted to supply a continuous film of water flowing across the upper surfaces of said primary members.




Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to linear motor driven conveying apparatus and specifically to improvements in such apparatus for preventing foreign matter, such as paint, dust and the like, from entering into the clearance gap between primary and secondary members of a linear motor for conveying trucks so that trucks carried by such apparatus may be conveyed smoothly.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Recently linear motor driven conveying apparatus have become widely used for conveying bodies during a painting process, such as in assembly lines for automotive bodies.
Such linear motor driven conveying apparatus are adapted to convey, by means of a linear motor, trucks, each of which supports an automotive body.
However, since paint can drop on and adhere to the upper surfaces of the primary members of the linear motor and become sandwiched between the primary members and the secondary members mounted to the truck, hindrance to the conveyance is caused