Project Report

On

BOX SHIFTING MECHANISM

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of

Bachelor of Technology
in
Mechanical Engineering

by
DEBOJYOTI DAS CHOUDHURY (B110615ME)
KARTIKEY VAID (B110932ME)

Department of Mechanical Engineering

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CALICUT
APRIL 2014

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that this is the bonafide record of the works done on BOX
SHIFTING

MECHANISM

by

DEBOJYOTI

DAS

CHOUDHURY

(B110615ME) and KARTIKEY VAID (B110932ME) in the various sections of

Mechanical Engineering Workshop during the period of December April 2014 for
the fabrication of a model as a part of the practical class work.

Faculty in charge

NIT CALICUT
DATE: 21.4.2014

CONTENTS
1. Relevance
1.1 Advantages of conveyor system

1.2 Conveyers used in industry

1.3 Industries where conveyers are used

Box Shifting Type Conveyor

2.1 Advantages

2.2 Applications

2. Features

3. Design Aspects

4. Material Selection

5. Part Drawings

6. Assembled Drawings

15

7. Rough Estimate of the Cost

17

8. Shortcomings and Remedies

18

Conclusion

19

Reference

20

1. Relevance
A conveyor system is a common piece of mechanical handling equipment that
moves materials from one location to another. Conveyors are especially useful in
applications involving the transportation of heavy or bulky materials. Conveyor
systems allow quick and efficient transportation for a wide variety of materials, which
make them very popular in the material handling and packaging industries. Many
kinds of conveying systems are available, and are used according to the various needs
of different industries. There are chain conveyors (floor and overhead) as well, chain
conveyors consisting of enclosed tracks, I-Beam, towline, power & free, and hand
pushed trolleys.

1.1. Advantages of Conveyer System

Conveyor systems are used widespread across a range of industries due to the
numerous benefits they provide

Conveyors are able to safely transport materials from one level to another,
which when done by human labour would be strenuous and expensive.

They can be installed almost anywhere, and are much safer than using a
forklift or other machine to move materials.

They can move loads of all shapes, sizes and weights. Also, many have
advanced safety features that help prevent accidents.

There are a variety of options available for running conveying systems,

including the hydraulic, mechanical and fully automated systems, which are
equipped to fit individual needs.

1.2. Typical Conveyor Systems used in industries

Gravity roller conveyor, gravity skate wheel conveyor, belt conveyor, wire mesh
conveyors, plastic belt conveyors, bucket conveyors, flexible conveyors, vertical
conveyors, spiral conveyors, vibrating conveyors, pneumatic conveyors, belt driven
live roller conveyors, line shaft roller conveyor, chain conveyor, screw conveyor,

chain driven live roller conveyor, overhead conveyors, dust proof conveyors,
pharmaceutical conveyors, automotive conveyors.
1.3. Industries where above conveyers are used
Conveyor systems are commonly used in many industries, including the automotive,
agricultural, computer, electronic, processing, aerospace, pharmaceutical, chemical,
bottling and canning, print finishing and packaging. Although a wide variety of
materials can be conveyed, some of the most common include food items such as
beans and nuts, bottles and cans, automotive components, scrap metal, pills and
powders, wood and furniture and grain and animal feed.

2. Features
Box Shifting Type Conveyor
The conveyors used in industries are mostly of continuous motion type that is
they transport the items without periodic stop unless there is some special mechanism
or steeped motor is used. This project is basically a periodic motion machine which
can shift boxes in step by step manner with some dwell and without the need of any
stepped motor.
2.1. Advantages

Easily controlled by hand.

Occupy optimum space.

All the parts are readily available in local markets.

Mechanically timed mechanism. The period of dwell can be set by changing

the rotation speed and crank size.

Automatic feeding mechanism further reduces human effort.

Boxes coming from any process can be conveyed in definite steps in an

organized and systematic manner.

2.2. Applications

Can be used in packaging industry where boxes after processing can be given
input to the feeder and packaging can be done during the dwell period.

In a beverage industry filling of cans and bottles can be done during the dwell
period.

In an automobile manufacturing industry, many operations like welding,

painting can be done on the body part without stopping the assembly line
motion.

3. Design Aspects
Our project work is divided into two parts

1. Preparing the carrier mechanism

The carrier mechanism contains the base,
support structure and gears to run the carrier and the feeder. First of all the shafts are
turned on lathe for the two gears running the carrier. Then the crank gears and the
gears to run the slotted link are made. On the base four wooden blocks are fixed
which act as support. Then three blocks with holes are drilled and bearings are fit to
support the shaft. Cranks are fitted on the shaft by tight fitting by bolts. The shafts for
slotted link are fitted on the gears.
2. Preparing the feeder mechanism
The feeder mechanism has a link of zigzag
shape which is attached to the slotted link. The metal sheet with a slot is fixed to the
structure. Guides are welded on the slotted sheet for the carrier and the feeder link.
The carrier is attached to the cranks.
Finally the handle is attached to the mechanism.

4. Material Selection
MATERIALS

DIMENSIONS /QUANTITY USED

MS rod

16 mm, length 170 mm -4 NO.; 6 mm, length

100mm - 3 NO.; 10 mm, length 70mm - 1 NO.;
60 mm, length 15 mm - 4 NO.

Flats

80 X 25 mm -1 NO; 25 X 25 mm - 1 NO,
150 X 25 mm 1 NO.

Plywood Sheet

530 X 300 mm -2 NO.

Wooden Blocks

300 X 50 X 32 mm - 4 NO.; 200 X 45 X 25 mm -1

NO.; 250 X 45 X 25 mm - 1 NO.

Bolts and nuts

1/4" inch - 2 NO.

Nails

20 NO.

Ball Bearings

16 mm - 2 NO.

Bevel Gears

16 mm - 2 NO.

Table 1.1 Materials and quantity used.

5. Part Drawings
(a) Base

(i)

Front View

(ii)

Side View

(b) Bearing Block

Front View

Side View

10

(c) Bearing to slot

11

(d) Handle

Top View

Front View

12

(e) Transporter Link

(f) Slot

13

(g) Shaft

14

6. Assembled Drawings

15

16

17

7. Rough Estimation of Cost

Machine Operation
No. of working hours
Lathe
10
Milling
5
Welding
3 welding rods
Cutting and Filing
2
Drilling
2
Miscellaneous
2
TOTAL COSTS

Approximate Cost
80
60
15
16
20
20
211/-

Costs of Materials
Material
Plywood Sheet
Wooden blocks
Nails
Bevel Gears
Ball Bearings
Nuts and Bolts
Total Costs

Costs
200
100
30
70
30
5
435

Costs of finishing
Material/Operation
Sand paper
Paint
Paint brush
Total Costs

Cost
20
40
30
90

Total Cost of the model = Rs 736

8. Shortcomings and Remedies

One of the major concerns for proper functioning of the model is the balancing
of shafts. Presence of heavy load on one end of the shaft, say gears or bearings, causes
unbalancing of the shaft which further causes eccentric rotation of the shaft,
accompanied with improper meshing of the gears.

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This drawback can be overcome by using counter-weights for proper

balancing of the shafts. The use of a metal frame instead of a wooden frame would
also help in preventing shafts from rotating eccentrically.
The gears should be properly welded onto the shaft, ensuring that there is no
imbalance created by improper alignment of the gear on the shaft.

CONCLUSION
The project was completed within the allotted time period of ten days and was almost
similar to the designed model. The mechanism is working smoothly except some
small jerks at two points due to problems in meshing of bevel gears and spur gears at
the end of the shaft, accompanied with restricted movement of slotted links at extreme

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positions. The model can be used as a prototype if to be manufactured on a bigger

scale.

REFERENCE

en.wikipedia.org

John J. Uicker, JR. ,Gordon R. Pennock, Joseph E. Shigley, Theory of

Machines And Mechanisms, Third Edition, 2009

20

S.S. Ratan, Theory of Machines, Third Edition ,2009

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