Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Reciprocating conveying surface
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-08
2004-09-07
Hess, Douglas (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Reciprocating conveying surface
C198S750100, C198S750200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06786324
ABSTRACT:
Reciprocally movable slats are used in transport or loading floors, such as trailers or in loading/unloading terminals. The slats are then moved in several groups at a time in a transport direction for the load placed on the slats, and after that per group consecutively in an opposite direction.
The reciprocal sliding of the slats is enhanced by placing synthetic guides between the supporting structure and the slats, which guides have a low friction coefficient. The supporting structure for the slats usually comprises a—rectangular—longitudinal tube for each slat, which longitudinal tubes themselves are supported on cross beams, which in turn are supported on main beams, for instance chassis beams of a trailer. The guides are then placed at the location of the crossings of longitudinal tubes/cross beams, and possibly in between.
The guides have an inverted U-shape, having two legs which at their lower ends are provided with inwardly extending flanges. The legs/flanges are flexible to such an extent that when placed from above they are able to spread onto/over the longitudinal tube and after the flanges have arrived at the lower side of the longitudinal tubes are able to snap back in order to clamp under the longitudinal tubes. The guides are then fixedly clamped on the longitudinal tubes in vertical and horizontal sense.
The legs—as considered in longitudinal direction—are divided into two portions, which engage on either side of the cross beam, so that the guide is also secured in longitudinal direction.
Placing the guides requires quite some strength. Often tools adjusted for that purpose are needed. As a result the placing of the guides may be time-consuming.
It is an object of the invention to improve on this.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a guide of the type mentioned in the preamble which is easy to place.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a guide of the type mentioned in the preamble which is easy to remove.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a guide of the type mentioned in the preamble which is lightweight.
From one aspect according to the invention a guide is provided for slats of a reciprocally moving floor of a transport or loading surface, stationary or mobile, such as a loading floor of a trailer, the slats being supported on locations that are spaced apart in slat direction, on rectangular tubular longitudinal profiles that may or may not be continuous, guides being arranged between the longitudinal profiles and the slats, which guides substantially have an inverted U-shape with an upper body situated on top of the longitudinal profile and two legs on either side of the longitudinal profile extending downward from the upper body, at least one of which legs being provided with a flange at the lower end for engagement of the lower surface of the longitudinal profile, the guide being designed for keeping the longitudinal profile between the legs and between the flange and the upper body, the one portion of the portions of the legs situated opposite each other on either side being shortened into a short protrusion engaging over the upper corner of the longitudinal profile and the other portion being provided with said flange.
In that way the weight of the guide can thus be kept limited and be arranged in a substantially horizontal motion in a simple manner, that means substantially parallel to the planes of the longitudinal tubes which are the most important to be engaged. After all, the adjacent slats would otherwise have freedom of movement in vertical direction.
Preferably both legs have a shortened portion and an opposite portion provided with a flange. As a result an equal sideward confinement in both directions is obtained. Preferably the portions provided with a flange and the portions having shortened legs present in both legs are situated in a rotation symmetrical manner with respect to each other. The guides can thus easily be arranged by means of a rotational motion about a vertical axis.
The protrusion can be rib-shaped, particularly continuous, for an engagement length that is as large as possible.
Preferably the protrusion is snappable over the longitudinal profile, for enhancing the reliability of the attachment.
Arrangement in a horizontal motion is enhanced when the portion provided with a flange is resilient.
When the longitudinal profiles at their lower sides are attached to cross beams the flange can be absent at the location of the cross beams.
The fixation on the longitudinal tubes in vertical sense is further improved when the flanges extend beyond the centre of the lower side of the longitudinal profiles.
Hindrance by a possibly present cross beam is avoided when the legs are situated at the longitudinal ends of the guide, and both portions as seen in longitudinal direction leave a recess extending up to the upper body free between them. Moreover weight is then further economized on.
From another aspect the invention provides a guide for slats of a reciprocally moving floor of a transport or loading surface, such as a loading floor of a trailer, the slats being supported on locations that are spaced apart in slat direction, on rectangular tubular longitudinal profiles that may or may not be continuous, guides being arranged between the longitudinal profiles and the slats, which guides substantially have an inverted U-shape with an upper body situated on top of the longitudinal profile and two legs situated on either side of the longitudinal profile extending downward from the upper body, which legs are provided with a flange at the lower end for engagement of the lower surface of the longitudinal profile, the guide being designed for keeping the longitudinal profile between the legs and between the flanges and the upper body, the legs, as seen in longitudinal direction, having a shortened leg portion and a leg portion with flange, wherein seen in projection on a longitudinal plane perpendicular to the upper plane the leg portions provided with flange do not coincide.
In a further development of this according to the invention as seen in projection on a longitudinal plane perpendicular to the upper plane, the leg portions with flange are situated at an intermediate distance from each other.
The invention further relates to a transport or loading floor having reciprocally moving slats, the slats being supported and guided on guides according to the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4785929 (1988-11-01), Foster
patent: 4858748 (1989-08-01), Foster
patent: 4940132 (1990-07-01), Foster
patent: 5139133 (1992-08-01), Foster
patent: 5238360 (1993-08-01), Foster
patent: 5323894 (1994-06-01), Quaeck
patent: 5355994 (1994-10-01), Foster
patent: 5419426 (1995-05-01), Foster
patent: 5996772 (1999-12-01), Foster
patent: 6006895 (1999-12-01), Foster et al.
patent: 6013585 (2000-01-01), Foster et al.
patent: 6019215 (2000-02-01), Foster
patent: 6257396 (2001-07-01), Quaeck
patent: 6585106 (2003-07-01), Foster
patent: 2039262 (1980-08-01), None
Cargo Floor B.V.
Hess Douglas
LandOfFree
Guide for reciprocally movable slats does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Guide for reciprocally movable slats, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Guide for reciprocally movable slats will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3192871