Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Endless conveyor
Patent
1995-10-05
1998-09-08
Underwood, Donald W.
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Endless conveyor
B65G 1738
Patent
active
058032363
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an arrangement for a conveyor chain with identical links, which have an upper surface and are mutually operatively connected in such a way that two links arranged adjacent to one another are capable of pivoting relative to one another about two mutually orthogonal axes, of which a first axis is perpendicular to the aforementioned upper surface, i.e. so that the chain can both run over a guide pulley and follow a curved path, in conjunction with which, in order to permit flexibility in the curved path, gaps are present between the links, the width of which gaps increases up to a certain limit on the convex side of the curved path, and decreases on the concave side as the radius of curvature of the chain path decreases, in conjunction with which each link has a recess largely parallel with the aforementioned plane and essentially in the form of a slot, arranged so as to run in which recess is at least one essentially disc-shaped element, which is so arranged as to cover the aforementioned gaps.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such conveyor chains are commonly encountered in industry, for example in the foodstuffs and mechanical engineering industries. Not least in the automotive industry and amongst its supplying subcontractors, conveyor chains are used in combination with so-called pallets for the automatically controlled transport and intermediate storage of components during machining or assembly.
One disadvantage of previously disclosed conveyor chains is the presence of gaps between the individual chain links. When a chain runs along a path which is curved in the horizontal plane, for instance, i.e. when the chain is subject to lateral bending, the width of the gaps on the convex side of the curve will increase as the radius of curvature reduces. This means that if one's finger, for instance, inadvertently becomes trapped in such a gap, there is a risk of crushing injury as the radius of curvature increases along the path of the chain.
A further disadvantage can be appreciated from the following. Problems arise in conjunction with assembly operations in the form of small components which fall down into the gaps in the conveyor during the assembly process, which can cause the chain to become jammed under certain circumstances and the plant to stop temporarily. The chain may rupture in the worst case. Screws, special nuts and springs, etc., which have one part smaller than the gap and the other end larger than the gap, will fall half-way down into the gap and become trapped there. Irrespective of how large or small the gap is, there will always be a particular size of screw, for example, that will become trapped.
In the area of production/machining, in particular the swarf from rotary cutting operations can give rise to problems similar to the above.
A number of other problems can occur in the packaging industry. Glass materials can break, causing glass splinters to become trapped. Certain forms of pack have loose external packaging, for example bags, the corners of which are not totally controllable. The corners in this case can find their way down into the gap, where they become trapped as the gap reduces in size on the inner radius of the curve, the consequence of which can be for the corner to be worn away when the pack remains stationary and skids on the chain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to make available an arrangement for a conveyor chain which eliminates the aforementioned disadvantages. This is achieved in accordance with the invention in that the aforementioned disc-shaped element is so arranged that, as relative rotation occurs between two links positioned next to one another, the increased width of the gap occasioned by the relative rotation is covered by means of an operative connection with one of the aforementioned links, permitting mutual rotation to take place between the links.
In one embodiment of the invention, in which each link has an essentially cylindrical frame part lying coaxially with
REFERENCES:
patent: 2694611 (1964-11-01), Lorber
patent: 4895248 (1990-01-01), Wahren
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