Conveyors – chutes – skids – guides – and ways – Rollerways – Submerging and rising
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-17
2001-02-27
Olszewski, Robert P. (Department: 3652)
Conveyors, chutes, skids, guides, and ways
Rollerways
Submerging and rising
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193043
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cargo handling system, and more particularly to such a system employing rollers which can alternatively either be raised for use in rolling cargo into position or lowered to retract the rollers below the level of a loading platform when the cargo is in a desired location.
2. Description of the Related Art
Roller rail assemblies are commonly used for loading cargo. Such a system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,927 issued Apr. 25, 1989 to Ancra Corporation, the assignee of the present invention. In the roller rail cargo loading system, pneumatically actuated bladders are employed which are inflated to raise the rollers above the level of the loading platform for use in loading cargo and deflated to retract the rollers below the level of the platform surface when the cargo is to be held in place. With such retractable roller systems, it is necessary to periodically remove the rollers and the inflatable bladder for cleaning, maintenance and replacement. In the above indicated prior art patent, flanges are provided on the main channel and roller tray of the device to facilitate such removal. In this system, however, the top plate is secured with multiple screws which increases the time and effort needed for removal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The device of the present invention is an improvement over the prior art in that it provides an improved structure for connecting the top plate of the device to the main channel thereof. This top plate structure is firmly retained in position, yet requires only three screws for its removal. This end result is achieved by utilizing a locking pin on one unit and a slot on the other into which the pin fits for joining adjacent roller units to each other. This assures firm retention between the units while requiring only a single screw to hold the pin in the slot. A pair of screws are employed on the extreme end of the device to retain the top plate to a flange which is attached to the main channel.
As for the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,927, the device of invention employs flanges which extend inwardly from the side walls of the main channel in which the rollers are mounted and flanges which extend outwardly from the side walls of the roller tray in which the rollers are rotatably supported. The flanges on one side of the roller tray and the main channel are vertically offset from the flanges on the opposite side such that the roller tray can be tilted with the bladder deflated to facilitate removal of the tray from the channel.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved retractable roller system which can more easily be disassembled for repair or replacement of parts.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4089399 (1978-05-01), Webb
patent: 4205740 (1980-06-01), Hammond
patent: 4258766 (1981-03-01), Van Dijk
patent: 4823927 (1989-04-01), Jensen
patent: 4909372 (1990-03-01), Jones
patent: 4930612 (1990-06-01), Thorndyke
patent: 4967894 (1990-11-01), Thunnissen
patent: 5738199 (1998-04-01), Moradians
Graf Michael
Langston Frances J.
Ancra International LLC
Chin Paul T.
Olszewski Robert P.
Sokolski Edward A.
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