Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Unit load conveying surface means moved about an endless or...
Patent
1999-06-04
2000-12-05
Bidwell, James R.
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Unit load conveying surface means moved about an endless or...
1988033, 198730, B65G 3508
Patent
active
061554057
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is in the field of force transmission devices and concerns a transmission means for transmitting pushing forces. The inventive transmission means is designed for pushing operation (i.e., pressure loadable) and for force transmission along a path which is selectable within broad limits, i.e., straight and also containing freely selectable curves.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
According to the state of the art, pressure loadable transmission means applicable for curved transmission paths as well as for straight transmission paths consist, e.g., of a series of transmission members guided in a suitable guide channel, the members being spherical or dumbbell-shaped. For a line of dumbbell-shaped members to be curveable in all directions, the contact faces of the members are convex as is the case with spherical members. This means that in both cases the transmission members are in contact with each other in a very small area (theoretically at one point) whether they are arranged in a straight line or in a curved line. The whole force is transmitted through this contact point. Therefore, a line of such transmission members, even a straight line, is very unstable and tends to buckle. Because of buckling, the members exert radial forces on the guide means, even on a straight transmission path, resulting in a considerable loss of force through friction and requiring a strong design of the guide means.
In the publication U.S. Pat. No. 3,518,051, a force transmission means of this general type having spheres as force transmission members is described. Publication U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,861 describes a force transmission means of a similar type with dumbbell-shaped transmission members. These members have convex contact faces and, for reducing friction, comprise rollers rolling on rolling surfaces of the guide means.
The publications CH-646762 (or U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,145) and CH-656683 describe force transmission means in the form of chains which are pressure or tension loadable and which comprise mutually connected transmission members of a substantially spherical form. Such chains also buckle easily in straight-line pushed operation and, therefore, must be guided correspondingly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a transmission means for transmitting pushing forces over freely selectable paths, i.e. curved or straight paths, which transmission means comprises a line of transmission members arranged in a guide channel. The inventive force transmission means is, compared to known means, able to be operated more efficiently, i.e. with smaller loss of force. The force transmission means is, all the same, producible in a simple way, even when relatively small, and it is driveable with known driving means such as, e.g., cogwheels, worm gears or hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders.
The inventive force transmission system achieves the above object using transmission members which, when arranged in a straight line and pressed against each other, form the equivalent of a bar which is considerably more resistant to buckling than the lines of spheres or of dumbbell-shaped members with convex contact faces as described above. Due to their resistance to buckling, the members of such a bar cause minimum friction on the guide means as long as they are arranged in a straight line. This not only reduces the necessary operation energy but also leads to less costly guide channels, having reduced requirement of loadability and precision, and in which, in specific areas, operation is even possible without a guide channel.
The inventive force transmission system comprises a line of transmission members and a guide channel in which the members are slidably moved by a drive. The end faces of the members which are in contact with each other are designed such that the members, in coaxial orientation, form a buckling resistant bar, i.e. the faces are designed such that: contact area (not in a contact point), wherein the contact area has no spherical symmetry (no ball and socket
REFERENCES:
patent: 3407920 (1968-10-01), Rauch
patent: 3844400 (1974-10-01), Dehne
patent: 5139131 (1992-08-01), Persson et al.
Honegger Werner
Siebenmann Dieter
Bidwell James R.
IPT Weinfelden AG
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