GB2197280A

GB2197280A - Chain conveyor with connector for flight bars

Info

Publication number: GB2197280A
Application number: GB08714347A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Snelling; Peter James Edwards
Original assignee: Babcock Hydro Pneumatics Ltd
Current assignee: Babcock Hydro Pneumatics Ltd
Priority date: 1986-06-18
Filing date: 1987-06-18
Publication date: 1988-05-18
Also published as: GB8614816D0; GB8714347D0

Abstract

In a continuous chain conveyor, in which flight bars 3 extend between endless chain, a connection is effected between each end of a flight bar 3 and a horizontal link of a chain. A connector 4 is fixed to the end of the flight bar; the inner part 2b of the link is received within a recess in the bottom edge of the connector whilst the outer part 2a of the link rests on a tongue forming the outer end of the connector. The tongue is long enough to ensure that it lies in contact with the bottom of the part 2a throughout the maximum possible lateral movement of the connector 4 relative to the link. To limit that movement the part 2b of the link may be a close fit in the recess and the connector itself may be a close fit between the parts 2a and 2b. In a modification, the tongue may be one prong of a fork in which the part 2a fits closely. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to continuous chain conveyors This invention is concerned with continuous chain conveyors of the kind in which there is a pair of endless chains and flight bars extending transverse to the chains, the flight bars being connected at their ends to the chains.

It is intended that the connection between each flight bar and the chain be effected by a connector that is attached to the flight bar and can be quickly and easily fitted on to the chain.

According to the present invention, there is provided a continuous chain conveyor comprising a pair of endless chain and flight bars extending between them, a flight bar being attached to a horizontal link of a chain by a connector having a recess extending upwardly from the bottom of the connector that receives the part of the link that is nearest to the flight bar so that the connector rests on that part, and a tongue that lies beneath the part of the link that lies farthest from the flight bar and on which the lowermost point of the part of the link rests, the length of the tongue being such that the part of the link rests on the tongue throughout any permissible movement of the connector relative to the link in the direction transverse to those parts.

By way of example, two embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows in plan view part of a continuous chain conveyor; Figure 2 is a view on the plane ll-ll of Fig.

1; Figure 3 shows on a larger scale a connector included in Figs. 1 and 2; Figure 4 shows in plan view part of another continuous chain conveyor; Figure 5 is a view on the plane V-V of Fig.

4; and Figure 6 shows on a larger scale a connector included in Figs. 4 and 5.

In the conveyor shown in Fig. 1, there is a pair of parallel endless chains of which upper runs 1 appear in the drawings. These runs move in the direction indicated by the arrow A. Each link 2 of each chain has two straight side parts 2a and 2b, parallel to each other.

Flight bar 3 are connected to the chains and each flight bar 3 is in the form of an upright, generally rectangular, plate. Connectors 4 are each bolted at one end one to each end, at one side, of the flight bar 3 to constitute rigid extensions of the bar. At its other end, each connector 4 is hooked into a link of the chain as will be described. These links are horizontal rather then vertical.

The connectors 4 attached to any flight bar 3 are similar to each other so that when two are connected to the flight bar each forms a mirror image of the other. A recess 10 extends upwardly from the bottom of each connector 4 and is such that the upper half of the circumference of the part 2b of the link 2 that lies nearest to the flight bar 3 is snugly received within it so as to tend to restrain movement of the connector 4 in the longitudinal direction of the flight bar 3. The end of the connector 4 remote from the flight bar 3 is cut away to provide a tongue 11 that lies beneath, and is in contact with, the part 2a of the link that is farthest from the flight bar.

The tongue 11 is sufficiently long to ensure that it remains in contact with the bottom of the part 2a throughout any movement, in the longitudinal direction of the flight bar 3, that is permitted of the flight bar 3 relative to the chain 1.

The particular shape of the connector 3 is such that it fits closely, at 12, between the parts 2a and 2b of the link 2. Where the tongue 11 extends from the rest of the connector, there is a quadrant 13 in which the part 2a of link 2 fits.

In hooking the connector into the link, the tongue is introduced vertically downwardly into the space between the parts 2a and 2b of the link 2 and is then turned, with the outer part 2a of the link received by the quadrant, to the position in which the inner part 2b of the link 2 lies as far as it will go into the recess 10. The lower end of the side of the recess closest to the tongue 11 is curved at 13 to permit this rotational movement. If the dimensions of the connector and the link are such that the connector can move to some extent in the direction of the length of the flight bar 3 relatively to the link 2, then the length of the tongue 11 is such that the lowest point of the part 2a of the link will rest on the tongue 11 throughout the movement.

The conveyor that has been described is suitable for use when the chain is driven by pocketed sprockets and is appropriate for light duty. For heavier duty, the connector may be modified to the form indicated at 44 in Figs. 4 to 6. In this, the tongue 51 may be the lower prong of a two pronged for of which the upper is shown as 51a. The prongs 41 and 42 are separated by a distance that just receives the outer part 2a of the link. Preferably, the connector at 52 will fit closely between the outer and inner parts of the link 2, and the inner part 2b will be close fit within the recess 50, so that movement of the connector 44 relatively to the link 2 is small. In hooking the connector 44 into the link 2, the fork may move vertically downwardly onto the part 2a of the link.

The connectors are firmly bolted to the flight bar and the bolting may be effected after either or both of the connectors have been hooked into the links with which they are associated.

Claims

1. A continuous chain conveyor comprising a pair of endless chains and flight bars extending between them, a flight bar being attached to a horizontal link of a chain by a connector having a recess extending upwardly from the bottom of the connector that receives the part of the link that is nearest to the flight bar so that the connector rests on that part, and a tongue that lies beneath the part of the link that lies farthest from the flight bar and on which the lowermost point of that part of the link rests, the length of the tongue being such that that part of the link rests on the tongue throughout any permissible movement of the connector relatively to the links in the direction transverse to those parts.

2. A continuous chain conveyor as claimed in claim 1 in which the connector co-operates with the link in such a way that substantial transverse movement of the connector relatively to the link is prevented.

3. A continuous chain conveyor as claimed in claim 2 in which the part of the link nearest to the flight bar fits so closely within the recess.

4. A continuous chain conveyor as claimed in claim 3 in which the upper half of the boundary of the part of the chain that is received by the recess mates with the upper end of the recess.

5. A continuous chain conveyor as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4 in which the connector fits so closely between the parts of the chain that substantial transverse movement of the connector relative to the link is prevented.

6. A continuous chain conveyor as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the tongue is the lower prong of a two-pronged fork, the separation between the prongs is equal to the vertical height of the part of the link that rests on the tongue, and the boundaries of the recess are so shaped that, with the fork upright and the part of the link that lies farthermost from the flight bar received between the prongs, the connector can be rotated to the position relatively to the link defined in claim 1.

7. A continuous chain conveyor as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the connector is formed separately from the flight bar and bolted to it.

8. A continuous chain conveyor substantially as described with reference to, and as illustrated by either Figs. 1 to 3 or Figs. 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.