Conveyors – chutes – skids – guides – and ways – Rollerways – Submerging and rising
Patent
1999-07-29
2000-08-22
Bidwell, James R.
Conveyors, chutes, skids, guides, and ways
Rollerways
Submerging and rising
B65G 1300
Patent
active
061057460
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119 of French Patent Application No. 96 14838, filed Nov. 28, 1996.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a roller rail used in the field of dynamic layer storage for preparing orders or supplying workstations.
2. Discussion of Background Information
These roller rails are often composed of a profile made of sheet metal whose section is U-shaped or omega-shaped, open at the upper end and whose rims are arranged in order to accommodate the axles of the rollers, as described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,142.
Another type of rail, described in FR-A-2 563 506, comprises a sheet metal profiled rail and a plastic material strip which separates and maintains the rollers on the rail. This plastic strip also improves the resistance properties of the rail while preventing its opening to a certain extent when carrying heavy loads.
There are also rails using a U-shaped sheet metal profile, but open downwardly. The bottom of the U has been drilled to accommodate the rollers. This type of rail, described notably in U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,830, also comprises axles formed directly into the profile flanges. This type of rail is particularly economical and moreover it can be produced directly by profiling a sheet metal band, embossed in a previous stage.
However, this type of rail cannot contain a high density of rollers since a minimum quantity of matter must be preserved between the rollers so as not to make it brittle.
The present invention offers a rail structure similar to that described in the previously mentioned document FR-A-2 563 506. It advantageously offers still higher resistance and reduces the production cost significantly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The rail according to the invention consists of the association of a lower profile whose section is U-shaped or omega-shaped and of an upper profile consisting of a steel band, for example, cut and embossed, used as a roller carrier, which band comprises edges which are folded and crimped on the rims of the lower profile, which edges are linked by crossbeams between which the rollers are positioned.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the sheet metal band making up the upper profile comprises axles which are produced by a direct cutting and embossing process and which are associated with the edges. Besides, the length of the crossbeams linking the edges is greater than the width of the rollers and their width is relatively small in order to facilitate folding and tilting the edges practically at right angle with respect to the crossbeams, to enable integrating the rollers between the axles, whereby the axles can be inserted into the hubs of the rollers and lock the rollers after flattening the edges in the plane of the crossbeams.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the crossbeams of the upper profile are U-shaped lengthwise in order, to confer to them a certain rigidity and to delineate accurately at their ends, the area where the edge is folded with respect to the crossbeam, thereby setting a distance between the folding zones which is vastly greater than the width of the rollers. Secondly, this will create and maintain maintain an accurate distance between the lateral walls of the lower profile when crimping the edges of the upper profile onto the rims of the lower profile.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the section of the axle portions of the rollers looks like an inverted U, which section is inscribed within a circle whose diameter is smaller than that of the hub of the rollers. The height of the axle portions is more or less equal to the radius of the hub and their useful length is in the same order of magnitude as the internal diameter of the hub of the rollers.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the lower portion of the lower profile comprises bulges, protruding on either side of the bottom, which bulges improve notably the torsion inertia o
REFERENCES:
patent: 2172380 (1939-09-01), Harris
patent: 3586142 (1971-06-01), Inwood et al.
patent: 3744610 (1973-07-01), Tables
patent: 3915275 (1975-10-01), Specht
patent: 4186830 (1980-02-01), Corey et al.
Bidwell James R.
Sipa Roller
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