US1876373A

US1876373A - Extensible rail, particularly for trolley conveyer systems

Info

Publication number: US1876373A
Application number: US563831A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul V Whitney
Original assignee: Jeffrey Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Jeffrey Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1931-09-19
Filing date: 1931-09-19
Publication date: 1932-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 1949-09-06

Description

Sept. 6, 1932. 1,876,373

' EXTENSIBLE RAIL, PARTICULARLY Fon TROLLEY coNvEYER SYSTEMS P. v. WHITNEY Filed Sept. 19, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

1| 1| uLl lll Sept. 6, 1932. P. v. WHITNEY EXTENSIBLE RAIL, PARTICULARLY FOR TROLLEY CONVEYER SYSTEMS Filed Sept. 19, 1931 v5 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR P. v. WHITNEY 1,876,373

EXTENSIBLE RAIL, PARTICULARLY FOR TROLLEY CONVEYER SYSTEMSV Sept. 6, 1932.

Filed Sept. 19. 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 rfi o, 9: IJNIIlll O\OWJ ,.rn. um

NVENTOR Pau/1f. Wh/'hey Y Patented Sept. 6, 19324 UNITED STATESl PATENT ori-ICE -i PAUL V. WHITNEY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGN OR TOTHE JEFFREY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OIE' OHIO EXTENSIBLE RAIL, PARTICULAR/LY FOR TROLLEY CONVEYER SYSTEMS Application filed September 19, 1931.

In trolley conveyer systems wherein trolleys connected by a flexible draft device are adapted to travel along a trackway, 1t becomes necessary to tension the'draft device to take up slack developedthrough Wear of the parts. Elongation of the draft device naturally requires similar elongation of the trackway and it is the object of the present invention to provide an extensible rail of simple construction which will permit of elongation of the trackway without impairing its continuity.

According to the embodiment of the invention to be described, the trackway is made up of Ifbeams having their webs vertically disposed so that the top surfaces of their lower flanges are adapted for running engagement by the trolley whe-els. Adjacent I-beam sections are mounted for relative displacement and telescoping means are provided for bridging a gap, occurring through adjustment, between the lower flanges of the sections, the bridging means being preferably flush with the top surfaces of the flanges and also with the lateral edges of the latter and possessing great strength and rigidity.

In applying the invention in practice` a substantially U-shaped track section is supported on a carriage which also supports a guide wheel for the draft device which is trained about the wheel with its runs lying beneath the U-shaped track section. The carriage is influenced by a counter-weight, so that the draft device is constantly tensioned and slack taken up, the U-shaped track section at the same time being displaced to elongate the trackway concomitantly with the elongation of the draft device, the bridging means coming into play to maintain the continuity of the trackway. The extensible rail of the present invention, however, may be utilized in other appropriate combinations and consequently I, of course, do not limit.

myself in this respect.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the carriage and the supporting means therefor.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the devices shown in Figure 1.

Serial No. 563,831.

Figure 3 is a'section on line 3-3 of Figure 2. v

Figure 4 is an elevation of the telescopic portion of the track showing the ends of fhe of the track portion shown in Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a plan view partly in section of the telescoping track portion with the relatively displaccable sections substantially in contact.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 10 designates generally a rectangular frame supporting at its corners pairs of flanged wheels 11 and 12, which project into the channels of channel bars-13 and 14 to travel on the lower flanges of the latter which are horizontally disposed. The channel bars are suitably braced and supported through

cross members

15, 16, 17 and 18. Between members 15 and 16 a pair of brackets 17 and 18 revolubly support a sheave 19, over which is trained a cable 20, whose upper end is fastened to the frame 10 as at 21 and to whose lower end is connected a counter-weight 22, Figure 2.

Bars 23 and 24 extending longitudinaly of the frame 10 have secured thereto a plate 25 which supports a downwardly projecting stud shaft 26 upon which is revoluble a sprocket wheel 27. Also a U'-shaped I-beam section 28 is secured to members 23 and 24 with its curved portion llying directly above the periphery of the sprocket wheel, the web of the I-beam being vertical.

I-beam sections 29 and 30 are supported externally of carriage 10 in continuation of the parallel portions of the U-shaped track' section. As here shown, the ends of sections' 29 and 30 are secured beneath member 18, which connects the ends of channels 13y and 14. Vith the carriage at its right hand limit dent *that counter-weight 22 exerts continapo nous tension on the sprocket chain and as slack develops in the latter, carriage 10 move's to the left, causing a gap to exist between the ends of section 28 and sections 29 and 30. To bridge the gap thus formed the following is provided: To the ends of section 28 and in longitud1- nally projecting relation thereto are secured

bars

35 and 36 of exactly similar form. The bar 36 is particularly shown in Fi ures 3 to 6 and consequently will be descri ed. Re-

ferring then to Figures 3 to 6, bar 36 whichv is secured beneath the flanges of section 28 and which is preferably equal in width to the width of the flanges is provided on its top lateral margins with parallel ribs 37 and 3.8, which are adapted vto serve as guide members for the end of section 30. The

lower flanges

39 and 40 of section 30 are provided adjacent the ends of the latter with longitudinally extending recesses 39 and 40', so that the recessed end of the vsection is adapted for `2'5 reception between ribs or

guide members

37 and 38 with a sliding fit. As may be seen from Figure 3, the inner faces of the ribs are undercut and thel edges of the recessed flange portions have a mating conforma-` tion, sov that the parts mav be said to form a dove-tailed 'oint. Due to the form of the joint, the ar 36 serves to retain

sections

28 and 30 in strict alignment.

It will be further noted that the tops of the ribs are substantially flush with the top surfaces of the flanges, Figure 3, so that, as shown, the tread comprises inner and outer portions constituted by the flanges and ribs respectively. Between the ends of the ribs and the inner ends of.

recesses

39 and 40 the tread will be constituted solely by the narrowed flange portions and betweenthe Vends of the I-beam sections solely by

ribs

37 and 38. Since th^l ribs and narrowed flange portions are complementary, it will be evident that'the trolley wheels can travel on both or pass from one to the other without shock. Also', since the lateral dimension of the bar is the same as the lateral dimension of the full lower flanges, no change in the form of trolley hanger is necessitated.

It will be understood that various modications of the described structures are possible without departure from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims and while I have shown and described my extensible-rail in a particular installation, it is to be understood that I do lnot limit myself in this respect. i

I claim:

1. .An extensible rail for trolley conveyers, said rail comprising I-beam sections in end to end relation with their webs substantially yvertically disposed, means for supporting said sections for relative displacement, and means for bridging a gap between the lower flanges of the sections comprising parallel guide members'iixed to one of said sections to project longitudinall thereof and between which the lower anges of the other section are received with a sliding fit, the tops of the guide members being substantially flush with the top surfaces of said flanges. 2. An extensible rail for trolley conveyers, said rail comprising I-beam sections in end to end relation with their Webs substantially vertically dis osed, means for supportin said sections or relative displacement, an

, means for bridging a gap between the lower flanges of the sections comprising parallel guide members xed to one of said sections to project longitudinally thereof and byetween which the lower flanges of the'other section are received with a sliding fit, the tops of the guide members being substantially flush with the top surfaces vof said flanges, the end portions of the flanges of said other section being longitudinally recessed, the distance between the outer edges of the guides being the same as the transverse dimension of the full flanges.

3. An extensible rail for trolley conveyers, said rail comprising I-beam sections in end to end relation with their webs substantially vertically disposed, means for supporting said sections for relative displacement, and means for bridging a gap between the lower 1 flanges of the sections, said'means comprising a bar fixed in longitudinally projectingking a bar fixed in longitudinally projecting relation beneath one of said sections and provided on its top with parallel ribs between which the lower flanges of the other section arereceived with a sliding fit, the tops of the ribs being substantially flush with 'the top surfaces of said flanges.

5. An extensible rail for trolley conveyers,

Said rail comprising I-beam sections in end to i end relation with their webs substantially vertically disposed, means for supporting sald sections for relativerdispl'acement, and means for bridging a gap between the lower flanges of the sections, saidmeans comprislng a bar fixed in longitudinally projecting -relation beneath one of said sections and provided on its top with parallel ribs between which ythe lower flanges of the other section are received with a sliding fit, the ribs having portions overlying the edges of the flanges of said other section.

6. An extensible rail for trolley conveyers, said rail comprising I-beam sections in end to end relation with their webs substantially vertically.' disposed, means for supporting said sections for relative displacement, and means for bridging a gap between theI lower flanges of the' sections, said means comprising a bar fixed in longitudinally projecting relation beneath one of said sections and provided along its top longtudinal margins with parallel ribs, the flanges of the other section being longitudinally recessed and received between said ribs with a sliding fit, the width of said barv being the same as the width oflthe full anges. 'l

7. An extensible rail for trolley conveyers, said rail comprisin I-beam sections in end to end relation wit their webs substantially. vertically disposed, means for supporting j said sections for relative displacement, and

' means forbridging a gap between the lower flanges of the sections, said means comprising a bar fixed in lon itudinally projecting relation beneath one o said sections and provided along its top longitudinal margins with parallel ribs, the anges of the other section being longitudinally recessed and received 4 between said ribs with a sliding t, the width of said bar being the same as the width of the full flanges, the inner faces of the ribs lbeing undercut and the edges of the recessed flange portions mating therewith;

8. An extensible rail for trolley conveyers,

' said railcomprising I-beam sections in end to end relation with their webssubstantially vertically dis osed, means 'for supporting said sections or relative displacement, an

between which-the lower flanges of the other section are received with asliding lit, the end portions of the iianges of said other section beinv longitudinally recessed and the guide mem ers being complemental to the recessed flange ortions to render the longitudinal lines o the sections substantially unbroken.

In testimony whereof I aiix m signature. a PAUL V. TNEY.

means for bridging a gap between the lower flanges of the sectlons, said means comprising a barflxed in longitudinally projecting relation beneath one of said sections and provided along its top longitudinal margins with parallel ribs, theilanges of the other section being longitudinally recessed and received between said ribs with a sliding t, the width of said bar being the'same as the width of the full flanges, the inner faces of the ribs being undercut and the edges of the recessed Y tlange portions mating therewith,I the tops'orl the ribs being substantially flush with the top surfaces of .said flanges.

9. An extensible rail for trolley conveyers, said'rail comprising I-beam sections in end. to end relation with their webs substantially vertically disposed, means for supporting said sections for relative displacement, and

` means for bridging a gap betweenthe lower flanges of the sections comprising parallel o guide members fixed to one of said sections to project longitudinally thereof and between which the lower flanges of the other section are `received with a sliding lit, the top surfaces of said guide members comprising lat- 6 5 eral continuations of the top surfaces of the ins' l los