Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor or accessory therefor specialized to convey people – By stairway having steps forming an endless member
Patent
1993-10-18
1995-01-10
Gastineau, Cheryl L.
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor or accessory therefor specialized to convey people
By stairway having steps forming an endless member
198331, B65G 2100
Patent
active
053798775
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a handrail drive for escalators, moving sidewalks or similar people movers.
German Auslegeschrift (published examined patent application); 1,506,480 discloses a handrail drive for escalators and the like which includes a handrail drive wheel that is partially enclosed by the handrail, is driven by a stepped chain wheel and is disposed between the two reversal wheels of the handrail. The handrail is urged against the handrail drive wheel by a belt. The handrail drive wheel is coaxially connected in a known manner with the stepped chain wheel so as to rotate together with it. The stepped chain engages the circumferential region of the stepped chain wheel where it faces away from the pressure belt. The drawback of this prior art device is essentially that the same requires a relatively large amount of space as well as a large number of reversal elements for the handrail.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a handrail drive which is of relatively simple construction and requires very little space.
This is accomplished by a handrail drive for escalators, moving sidewalks or similar people movers provided in at least one reversal region of the handrail. The handrail drive includes a handrail wheel that cooperates with a drive region, with the drive region being connected with a motor-gear-assembly combination that is provided coaxially therewith.
By using a multistage planet gear assembly, the handrail drive is of a relatively short coaxial construction and can easily be provided in the region of the balustrade head without interfering with the space of other components such as the stepped drive.
In order to reduce the noise, the first stage of the planet gear assembly is preferably provided with helical gears while the subsequent stages are configured to be spur toothed. Due to the fact that at least parts of the planet gear assembly are provided already within the spatial expanse of the handrail, the structural space required can be reduced again. The structure is configured for optimum function, with gear assembly and motor, preferably an electric motor, forming a structural unit. Due to the handrail drive acting directly onto the handrail wheel, substantial changes of direction or drive elements become unnecessary in the region of the transporting path.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One embodiment of the invention will be described as follows and is illustrated in the drawing, in which:
FIGS. 1 and 2--depict a handrail wheel with flanged-on drive;
FIG. 3--is a cross-sectional view of the handrail wheel and its drive.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIGS. 1 and 2 depict in different views the handrail drive 1 according to the invention, with essentially the following components being shown here: (angular bracket) 5 for supporting the handrail drive in the upper balustrade region not shown here in detail, for example, of an escalator.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the handrail drive 1. The combination of electric motor 3 and planet gear assembly 6 is connected with the drive region 27 of handrail wheel 2 to form a drive unit. The planet gear assembly 6 has three stages 7, 8, 9, with the first stage 7 being provided with helical gears and the subsequent stages 8 and 9 with spur gears. Each stage 7, 8, 9 is formed of pinions 10, 11, 12, planet wheels 16, 17, 18 guided in pinion cages 13, 14, 15 as well as a hollow wheel (sun wheel) composed of two individual wheels 19, 20. The output shaft 21 of electric motor 3 is provided with teeth and meshes with the pinion 10 of the first stage 7. The individual wheel 19 here cooperates with the first stage 7, while the individual wheel 20 is made longer axially and meshes with the planet wheels 17, 18 of the next following stages 8 and 9. Individual wheel 19 is provided with a radially outwardly oriented flange 28 to which electric motor 3 is fastened by means of screws 22. In the region of handrail wheel 2, an axially extending sleeve-shaped attachmen
REFERENCES:
patent: 4775044 (1988-10-01), Hoefling
Soviet Inventions Illustrated, Section Q38, week 8711, Apr. 29, 1987; Derwent Publications Ltd., London; SU-1245 537 A (Grokhovskiid V).
Gastineau Cheryl L.
O&K Orenstein & Koppel AG
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