Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Reciprocating conveying surface
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-05
2002-06-25
Bidwell, James R. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Reciprocating conveying surface
C198S750400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06409009
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to reciprocating slat conveyors. More particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus for connecting conveyor slats to transverse drive beams by clamping onto bottom flange portions of the conveyor slats.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A reciprocating slat conveyor comprises a plurality of conveyor slats that are mounted adjacent each other for longitudinal reciprocation. A typical reciprocating slat conveyor system is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,469, granted Dec. 27, 1988, and entitled Reduced Size Drive/Frame Assembly For A Reciprocating Floor Conveyor. The conveyor slats are divided into three sets, identified by the numerals “
1
”, “
2
”, and “
3
”, respectively. The slats are arranged in a plurality of groups, with each group including adjacent slats, one from each set. Referring to FIGS. 2-6 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,469, advancement of a load “L” is accomplished by the simultaneous movement of all three sets of slats. The slats are then retracted, one set at a time. The conveyor includes three transverse drive beams, one for each set of slats. The slats of each set are connected to the corresponding drive beam by a plurality of connectors that are attached to the drive beam. Each drive beam is connected to a drive motor that is operated for selectively reciprocating the drive beam and the slats that are connected to it. The slats are also supported by bearings positioned over longitudinal guide beams.
FIG. 1
herein is like FIG. 11 in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,469. It shows a drive assembly comprising a frame
10
, three drive units
12
, three transverse drive beams
14
and slat connectors
16
for twenty four slats
18
(
FIG. 2
herein). In the conventional procedure for installing a reciprocating slat conveyor, the drive assembly is first installed. Then, the conveyor slats
18
are positioned above the drive assembly. A worker goes below the drive assembly and drills upwardly through openings in the connectors
16
to form corresponding openings in each slat
18
. Then, a nut is held in place below the connector
16
while a bolt is inserted through the drilled hole in the slat from above the slat and is threaded into the nut. This conventional procedure is cumbersome due to the need to drill metal parts at a location in the field, removed from the fabrication facility, and the necessity for a worker to access the area below the drive assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,530, granted Dec. 14, 1999, and entitled Drive Beam Connector And Connection Method provides a specific connector for securing the conveyor slats to the transverse drive beams without requiring access to the area below the drive beams. It also provides for the use of conveyor slats that are predrilled in the fabrication facility, making it unnecessary to drill the conveyor slats in the field.
FIG. 2
herein shows a conveyor slat
18
connected to a connector
16
that includes the floating nut bar
20
that is inside the connector
16
. The connector
16
is connected to a transverse drive beam
14
by a series of bolts
22
. The nut bar
20
is in a space
24
inside the connector
16
. The top
26
of the conveyor slat
18
is provided with predrilled openings
28
that are sized and shaped to receive the heads
30
of screw fasteners
32
. Openings
28
are countersunk openings and the fastener heads
30
are shaped to fit down into the countersinks. Threaded shank portions
36
of the screw fasteners
32
thread into a threaded opening
38
in the nut bar
20
. The nut bar
20
floats sideways and allows the threaded shanks
36
of the screw fasteners to mate with the threaded opening
38
. Bolts
22
hold the connector base
40
tight against the drive beam
14
. Screw fasteners
32
hold the slat top
26
tight against the connector top
42
.
While developing the invention that is disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,530, it became apparent that there was a need for a way of securing conveyor slats to the drive beams without the use of screw fastener holes in the conveyor slats. The primary object of the present invention is to provide such a system.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for connecting a reciprocating conveyor slat having an inner space and laterally spaced apart bottom flanges to a drive beam that is situated below the bottom flanges. The apparatus is basically characterized by an upper clamp member that is fittable into the inner space of the conveyor slat and which has side portions positionable above the bottom flanges. A lower clamp member is connected to the drive beam. It has side portions that are below the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat. The conveyor slat is positioned to place its bottom flanges vertically between the side portions of the upper and lower clamp members. Then a bolt or bolts are tightened to pull the upper clamp member downwardly so as to firmly clamp the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat between the side portions of the upper and lower clamp members. The clamp members firmly grip onto the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat, firmly connecting the conveyor slat to the drive beam, without the need or use of fasteners that extend through openings in the top of the conveyor slat.
The bolt may have a head and a threaded shank and be insertable upwardly through openings in the drive beam and the lower clamp member and be threadable into a threaded opening in the upper clamp member. Or, the bolt may project downwardly from the upper clamp member, through openings in the lower clamp member and the drive beam, and be connected to a nut that is below the drive beam. In the first embodiment, a wrench is attached to the bolt head and is rotated to move the threaded shank of the bolt into a threaded opening in the upper clamp member. In the second embodiment, the wrench is attached to the nut and is used for threading the nut onto the threaded shank of the bolt. In both embodiments, the movement of the threaded shank of the bolt through the threaded openings in the upper clamp member or the threaded openings in the nut acts to pull the upper clamp member downwardly so as to firmly clamp the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat between the side portions of the upper and lower clamp members.
Preferably, at least one spring is positioned vertically between the upper and lower clamp members. The spring is of a size and strength sufficient to urge the upper clamp member away from the lower clamp member when the bolt is loosened. Initially, the bolt is tightened to such an extent that the upper clamp member is connected to the lower clamp member and the drive beam but the side portions of the upper clamp member are spaced vertically above the side portions of the lower clamp member an amount sufficient to allow movement of the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat into a position vertically between the upper and lower clamp members.
In preferred form, a plurality of bolts are employed. They are spaced apart longitudinally of the conveyor slat and are positioned laterally between the bottom flanges of the conveyor slat. Preferably also, at least two springs are used. The springs are spaced apart longitudinally of the conveyor slat. The upper clamp member may be formed to include a downwardly directed upper socket for each spring, to receive the upper end portion of the spring. The lower clamp member would then be formed to include an upwardly directed lower socket for each spring, for receiving the lower end portion of the spring.
According to an aspect of the invention, the side portions of the upper clamp member have recesses and projections that are directed downwardly towards the side portions of the lower clamp member. The side portions of the lower clamp member have recesses and projections that are directed upwardly towards the side portion of the upper clamp member above it. The projections on each clamp member are in general alignment with the recesses on the other clamp member. As a result, when the bolts are tightened, the projections and recesses are moved togeth
Barnard Delbert J.
Bidwell James R.
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