Material or article handling – Self-loading or unloading vehicles – Conveyor
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-03
2003-05-13
Bratlie, Steven A. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Self-loading or unloading vehicles
Conveyor
C198S851000, C198S867150
Reexamination Certificate
active
06561748
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a conveyor floor, in particular a conveyor floor for a cargo space of a lorry (movable loading floor) and/or a loading/unloading track (stationary loading floor).
It is known to provide cargo spaces of lorries or trailers with floors for moving their loads. An example of this is a cargo space provided with slats that are reciprocally movable in conveyance direction. In such cases the floor is made of several groups of slats, in which each group is connected to its own driving cylinder.
Other examples are cargo spaces provided with roll or lamella floors. A lamella floor consists of a series of lamellas transverse to the loading/unloading direction. The lamellas are attached to chains that can be driven in the loading/unloading direction.
The lamellas are usually aluminium slats connected at their ends to the chains by means of coupling pieces. To that end, the coupling piece fittingly extends from a portion in the slat end with a receiving space for fittingly receiving the protruding portion of an extended chain link pin. Usually the chain situated next to the lamella end extends to near the bearing area of the lamella. Because of that, a load supported on the lamella may contact the chain, and get damaged as a result. This may cause damage to the supported product itself, particularly when it is hardly wrapped, as is the case with rolls of paper. Damage could be prevented by placing the load outside of the chain area, but this limits the useful loading area.
A solution for this is the continuation of the lamellas over the chain. To that end the ends of the lamellas have to brought into the correct shape, in case of sections by removing material. However this is time consuming and quite costly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a better alternative for the known solution. To that end the invention provides a conveyor floor comprising a series of lamellas positioned transverse to the conveyance direction and at the ends connected by means of coupling pieces to a conveyor chain situated adjacent to the lamellas, in which the lamellas have a support surface for supporting a load to be conveyed, in which the coupling pieces have a portion which extends over the chain connected to said coupling piece.
Thus the coupling piece which has to be used anyway for the coupling the,chain and lamella, is used for the upward shielding of the chain, so that the load cannot contact the chain. The coupling piece can easily be moulded or cast in the correct shape from a relatively cheap material. For instance moulding with a synthetic material, such as PE, or casting with aluminium, come to mind here.
Preferably the portion extending over the chain extends at least up to the outer side of the chain in question, so that the space above the chain may be used entirely for placing the cargo.
In an embodiment the portion extending over the chain supports on the chain with its lower side, so that there as well a load can be supported.
In an alternative embodiment the coupling piece extends to a level which remains spaced apart below the support surface of the lamellas. In that case the load cannot support on the coupling piece, so that a possibly necessary rolling movement of the chain parts cannot be impeded.
In a further embodiment of the conveyor floor according to the invention the coupling piece is attached to the chain, preferably is connected to the chain by means of a snap connection, as a result of which not only the mounting can be carried out more easily and reliably, but also coupling piece and chain are secured with respect to each other in transverse direction, as a result of which wear and tear of the parts and damage of the load is drastically prevented.
In an advantageous manner the lamellas may have a hollow receiving space for the insertion part of the coupling piece, which receiving space is upwardly and downwardly bounded, in which the insertion part merges into the portion extending over the chain, for instance via a narrowing.
The invention further provides a cargo space or lorry provided with a conveyor floor according to the invention.
The invention further provides a loading/unloading track provided with a conveyor floor according to the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2544484 (1951-03-01), Blackburn
patent: 2544485 (1951-03-01), Blackburn
patent: 2593324 (1952-04-01), Mann
patent: 4765455 (1988-08-01), Matsuno et al.
patent: 5330045 (1994-07-01), Hodlewsky
patent: 5911555 (1999-06-01), Foster
patent: 1123254 (1962-02-01), None
patent: 0300700 (1989-01-01), None
patent: 2721291 (1995-12-01), None
patent: 59194918 (1984-11-01), None
De Raad Frans Arian Heino
Mater Nicolaas Marc
Nijhof Dirk
Bratlie Steven A.
Cargomac B.V.
Ladas & Parry
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