US1592315A - Chain tightener - Google Patents

Description

July 13,1926. 1,592,315

E. L. WALLACE CHAIN TIGHTENER Filed April 12, 1922 s Sheets-She et 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Mi/MM.

E. L. WALLACE CHAIN TIGHTENER July 13, 1926. 1,592,315

Filed April 12, 1922- s Sheets- Sheet 2 INVENTOR g ofw/ilw ATTORNEY July 13, 1926. 1,592,315

Q E. WALLACE CHAIN TIGHTENER Filed April 12, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet I} INVENTOR ATTORNE Patented July 13, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIICE.

EDWIN L. WALLACE, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR Tb THE SHREDDED WHEAT COMPANY, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CHAIN TIGHTENER.

Figure 1 is a as applied.

Figure 2 is a detail end view of the gearing connections.

Figure 3 is a same.

The invention has relation to means for side view of the invention tightening or taking out the slack from endless conveyor chains or belts, thegobject being to provide-improved'means for auto-' seventy feet in fact, and wherein there are twelve stretches, the conveyor chain being subjected to considerable temperature changes in the oven inclosure as compared with the temperature. of the chain in the a portion thereof outside of said inclosure,

and totemperature changes in the oven inclosure itself, rendering it necessary to pro- VldB', some, automatic means for the purpose stated that will be efiicient and reliable.

, shafts of said sprocket wheels have bearings and 6 are horizontal tracks in the framing wherein said boxes may have movement to regulate the tension of the conveyor "chain, as will appear.

The journal boxes '5 at one end portion-of the oven are held stationary under the control of tension regulating screws 7, but at boxes 5 e engaged by longer tension regulating rews or rods 8 engaging perforations 9 of the framing and having-threaded thereon each a nut 10, a coiled spring 11 surrounding the rod and hearing at one end thereof against said nut and at the other end thereof against the framing at 12,

.the othlrfr far or rear end of the oven, the

whereby the box 5 has tension constantly detail plan view of the exerted thereon byithe spring 11 to take up slack in the conveyor chaln.

- The floating sprocket wheels 2 at the far end of the oven are driven individually by sprocket gearing 13, including wheels 14 upon transverse shafts 15, the latter in vertical series and having spur gear driving connections 16 also in vertical series, one series at each side, the driving connections being in duplicate to insure a balanced action.

In the vertical series of spur gears 16, intermediate spur gears 16. are used in train between the spur gears 1.6 to properly transmit the driving movement to the sprocket wheels being driven, i. e. in order that the several stretches of the'conveyor chain shall be given the proper direction of movement.

It will be observed that while by the arrangement above described each double The equalizing action of the springs will be assisted by the drive itself, since any lengthening of a double stretch of the conveyor chain by outward movement of a driven sprocket 2 will tend to slacken the drive chain of the related gearing 13, whereupon the feeding movementof the .sprocket 14 will be partially absorbed in feeding the drive chain from the workingto the following stretch. Thus the speed of the driven sprocket will be diminished, while the pull upon this sprocket by the unafi'ected drive of the next higher sprocket in series will act to restore tension to the slackened spring 11.

The conveyor chain is shown as provided with means for insuring that the trays shall" be maintained in true horizontal position while passing around the sprocket wheels I,

at the ends of the several stretches, as disclosed in co-pending applicatiomS. No. 552,037 of E. P. \Vebster, for conveyor chain filed Apr.'12, 1922.

I claim 1. The combination with an endless belt "having a plurality of double stretches, of

means for automatically taking up the slack in the several stretches and for driving the same adapted to equalize the amount of slack taken up therein and to equalize the drive, and including a train of spur gears having separate chainand floating sprocket gear connection with each double stretch.

2. The combination with an endless belt having a plurality of double stretches, of means for slack in the several stretches and for drivautomatically taking up the ing the same adapted to equalize the amount 10 of slack taken up therein and to equalize the drive; and including constantly acting spring tension devices and a train of s ur gea rs having separate chain and floatln sprocket stretch. V

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EDWIN L. WALLACE.

gear connection with each double 1

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