Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor or accessory therefor specialized to convey people – By stairway having steps forming an endless member
Reexamination Certificate
2004-02-04
2004-12-28
Bidwell, James R. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor or accessory therefor specialized to convey people
By stairway having steps forming an endless member
C198S834000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06834754
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method for guiding a drive chain, comprising link plates, guiding rolls and connecting elements, in the area of a reversing device, which is formed by a chain wheel, of a pedestrian conveyor system, such as an escalator or moving walkway.
In the reversing of a drive chain of pedestrian conveyor system by means of a reversing device comprising a chain wheel, undesired polygon and revolution effects occur which in particular adversely affect the quiet running of the pedestrian conveyor system. The polygon effect is caused by the polygonal resting of the chain on the chain wheel. With increasing rotation angle, the effective radius of the chain wheel varies, whereby the velocity of the chain oscillates between a maximum and a minimum value. When engaging the chain wheel, the chain rolls and the teeth of the chain wheel have different velocities, which cause impacts. The revolution effect is caused by the angular momentum which is transmitted from the chain wheel onto the chain links and thus onto the steps or pallets of an escalator or moving walkway. In the past, there have been various attempts at reducing the problem of the polygon effect during the reversing of the drive chain around the chain wheel.
European Patent Application No. EP-A 0 711 725 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,486) describes an arrangement for guiding a band continuum for driving escalators or moving walkways, composed of steps or pallets. The arrangement includes chain links connected to adjacent chain links by means of chain studs, and chain rolls retained by the chain studs, wherein the chain rolls are guided on a running path of a supporting rail and on a running path of an equalizing rail, and are reversed by a chain wheel. The running path of the supporting rail and the running path of the equalizing rail are placed at a chain wheel circle of the chain wheel outside a tangent extending in the direction of movement of the band continuum, wherein one end of the running path of the equalizing rail is guided towards the chain wheel circle. Herein, the chain comprises chain rolls provided in the end regions of the link plates.
German Patent document DE-A 198 49 236 discloses a method and a device for guiding a chain in the area of a chain wheel of a continuous conveyor system, by supplying the chain to the respective chain or driving wheel in a linear direction, wherein after engagement of a first element of a first chain link of the chain strand with the chain or driving wheel, a continuous adaptation of the effective chain radius is realized, while setting a constant velocity in the chain strand. Alternatively, it is proposed to supply the chain to the respective chain or driving wheel in a linear direction and first to bring a first element of a first chain link of the chain strand into engagement with the chain or driving wheel, wherein the reversing of the first chain link by means of the chain wheel is only carried out after a second element of the first chain link has been positioned by engagement with the chain wheel and wherein the other chain links of the chain strand are guided into the chain wheel and reversed in the same way. Herein, the chain rolls can, as previously described, be provided in the coupling area of single link plates and guided between the same ones, or they can be positioned outside the link plates.
German Patent document DE-A 17 56 813 discloses a roller-step chain connection of escalators, in which the step bolt is located between two joints of the drive chain of an escalator. The rollers can be provided between two joints of the drive chain inside or outside the inner link plates or outer link plates. If enlargements of the chain pitch are desired, such a solution also requires changes at the chain wheel. Without these measures, the generated polygon and revolution effects cannot be controlled.
German Utility Model 17 22 177 describes a conveyor, such as a drag bar feeder, steel plate apron conveyer or the like, containing chains, like round link chains or plate link chains, moving the conveyor. An essential disadvantage of the this type of conveyor, namely the sagging of the chains in the lower track area by continuous lengthening of the chains during operation, will be eliminated. The chains are brought into the lower part of the chain wheel. In this area, in front of the chain wheel, guiding channels for the chains are positioned, increasing and then inclining tangentially in direction of the chain wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,477 shows a drive system for a curved escalator containing plate link chains, the inner and outer plates of the plate links are connected by bolts wherein the bolts are surrounded by liners in the area of the inner plates, and wherein between the liners and the bolts a spherical bearing is situated. A part of a wheel shaft is placed in the region of the pallets, extending into the region of the plate link chain, and a track roller is situated between parallel inner plates. The part of the wheel shaft first extends through the pallet near the inner plate, then through the roller and is fixed within the wall of the opposite plate, for example by a spring ring. Outside the end of the part of the wheel shaft, in the area of the corresponding inner plate, a carrying element is removably connected. The carrying element is used to seat upper and lower guiding rollers, which contain by analogy to the bolts of the end section of the plates, a spherical bearing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a method and a device, by means of which the above described polygon and revolution effects can be efficiently reduced, so that the quiet running of the pedestrian conveyor system, such as in particular an escalator or moving walkway, can be improved.
The above and other objects are achieved according to the invention by the provision of A method for guiding a drive chain of a pedestrian conveyor system in an area of a reversing device, the reversing device comprising a chain wheel having reception areas separated by respective cap-shaped indentations, the drive chain being comprised plate link elements, each plate link element having leading and trailing coupling areas with respect to a direction of movement of the drive chain, and connecting elements located in the coupling areas for connecting a leading coupling area of one plate link element to a trailing coupling area of a subsequent plate link element as viewed in the direction of movement, the drive chain further including respective guiding rolls each being positioned in a space between the coupling areas of the plate link elements and being supported on a guiding profile at least on a side of the chain wheel, the method comprising: guiding the drive chain into the chain wheel so that, as seen in the direction of movement, the connecting element in a leading coupling area of one plate link element is guided into an associated reception area of the chain wheel; bringing the guiding roll of the one plate link element into a corresponding cap-shaped indentation of the chain wheel; guiding the connecting element of the trailing coupling area of the one plate link element into an associated reception area after the guiding roll of the one plate link element is supported by the cap-shaped indentation in an elastically cushioned manner; and supporting the guiding roll of a subsequent plate link element, as seen in the direction of movement, on the guiding profile until the connecting element in the trailing coupling area of the one plate link element is introduced into the associated reception area.
Thus, according to the method of the invention, the connecting element will not be brought into the reception area before the guiding roll is supported elastically cushioned within the corresponding spherical cap, and the guiding roll of the following plate link element, seen in the direction of movement, is supported on the guiding profile, until the connecting element of the forward positioned plate link element is placed with
Bidwell James R.
Kinberg Robert
Kone Corporation
Venable LLP
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