US2689036A

US2689036A - Flush top rider chain for floor conveyers

Info

Publication number: US2689036A
Application number: US151422A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mullen Edward; Klamp Paul
Original assignee: Mechanical Handling Systems Inc
Current assignee: Mechanical Handling Systems Inc
Priority date: 1950-03-23
Filing date: 1950-03-23
Publication date: 1954-09-14
Anticipated expiration: 1971-09-14

Description

Sept. 14, 1954 E, MULLEN ETAL 2,689,036

FLUSH TOP RIDER CHAIN FOR FLOOR CONVEYERS Filed March 23, 1950 IN VEN TOR. 0 WHRO Ml/ll EN P1404 Kl AMP BY ATTOR/Vd'f" Patented Sept. 14, 1954 FLUSH TOP RIDER CHAIN FOR FLOOR CONVEYERS Edward Mullen and Paul Klamp, Detroit, Mich., assignors to Mechanical Handling Systems, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application March 23, 1950, Serial No. 151,422

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a floor type conveyor chain wherein tension links are integrally formed to ride along the upper surface of laterally spaced members of a chain track and to cover the central opening between such members. It has for its principal object to adapt the Keystone or rivetless type of chain, widely used in the conveyor industry, to provide desired self-supporting and covering characteristics while at the same time incorporating vertical flexibility and economy of manufacture through the use of rivetless chain constructional features.

In a prior application, Serial No. 7,316, a floor type conveyor chain of the roller type is disclosed wherein upper side links are adapted to span and completely cover a floor chain track and wherein center rollers on vertical axes are adapted to bear laterally against either side of the track and to provide anti-friction bearings in passing around horizontal curves in the conveyor track. Such construction, While highly effective for some applications, is subject to certain limitations including a lack of vertical flexibility such as may be required if the conveyor is required to travel up inclined slopes, e. g., in moving from one floor to another or in moving up any inclined ramp to reach a new level. Furthermore, such prior floor chain is relatively expensive as compared to the widely used rivetless construction. This latter consideration is a particularly significant factor when the chain is required to travel only along straight line reaches, other than in passing around drive and idler sprockets, and therefore realizes no appreciable benefit from the antifriction rollers.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to modify the common rivetless chain construction in a manner adapting it for a floor chain use.

Another object is to provide such chain with track spanning, covering and flush top characteristics.

Another object is to adapt such chain to provide a substantial degree of vertical flexibility.

Another object is to provide a specia1 construction for the uppermost side bar of the rivetless chain adapted to slide on a floor track and provide flush and covering characteristics.

Another object is to provide a special center link construction for such rivetless chain which includes a central extension to the uppermost surface of the chain adapted to span and ride on the top surface of the track and to cover the intermediate space between arcuate ends of adjacent upper side bars.

Another object is to incorporate appropriate clearance between such center link extension and of the drawings forming a part of the present application, wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of the assembled chain and track;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the assembled chain and track;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the chain and track taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the special center link employed in such chain.

Referring to Figs. 1-3, it will be seen that a chain-on-edge position is employed. The chain is comprised of lower side bar elements ID, upper side bar elements ll, center links l2, headed locking pins l3, retaining caps l4 and nuts I5.

The lower side bar element It is of conventional rivetless chain construction having transverse recesses I6 adapted to receive either the headed end of the locking pin [3 or a retaining cap such as 14.

The upper side bar element II is especially constructed with a laterally extending flange I! having semi-circular ends I8 and a width sufficient to span the center opening between opposed channel track members [9. The upper surface of the flange ll lies in a single substantially continuous flat plane broken only by rectangular recesses 20, which extend down to horizontal seats 2|, each adapted to receive the rectangular head of a locking pin [3. These links are forged with continuous depending strengthening webs 22 extending longitudinally between open socket portions 23, each having a cylindrical opening 24 adapted to pass the cylindrical shank 25 of a 10cking pin I3.

The special center link I2 is adapted to be manufactured as a forging and is provided with ends closely resembling those of a standard rivetless center link, having semi-cylindrical surfaces for engaging the central portion of the cylindrical shanks of the locking pins l3. However, the central portion of the center link departs from conventional center link construction in that the side walls of the link are each provided with integral upward extensions 26, which connect with a cross-bridge portion 21 adapted to span the channel members I9 of the track and having arcuate recesses 28 conforming generally to the semi-cylindrical ends it of the upper side bars II. This bridge portion of the center link has an upper surface I! of the side bars H in order to provide a substantially continuous flush top cover for the entire chain track. However,

referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a sufiicient clearance 29 is provided between the ends of the side bars H and the bridge portion 2'! of the center link, as well as between the center links and side bars where they engage the locking pin i3, as shown at 38 and 3!, to accommodate a limited articulation of the chain links in a vertical longitudinal plane.

The chain assembly is adapted to incorporate pusher dogs 32 for receiving and trapping the drive pin or a floor truck or any other load which is desired to be propelled by the floor chain. Such pusher dogs are pivotally connected at 33 to laterally spaced trunnions 34 formed inteprovides a modified rivetless type of construction for use as a drag chain in a manner which meets each of the objects set forth above.

While a particular construction has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that 1 various changes in the component elements might be resorted to without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In combination with a submerged floor chain track having opposed walls defining an opening for accommodating a conveyor chain and supporting surfaces on either side of said opening, a conveyor chain of the rivetless type having vertically spaced side bar links connected to an intermediate center link by a headed looking pin, all of the uppermost of said side bar links being provided with integral flanges adaptedv to ride on the supporting surfaces of said track, and all of the center links having upward extensions integrally joined to a bridge member adapted to span the opening between the chain supporting surfaces of said track.

2. In combination with a submerged fioor chain track having opposed walls defining an opening for accommodating a conveyor chain and supporting surfaces on eitherside of .said opening, a conveyor chain of the rivetless type having vertically spaced side bar links connected to an intermediate center link by a headed locking pin, all of the uppermost of said side bar links being provided with integral flanges adapted to ride on the supporting surfaces of said track, and all of the center links havingupward extensions integrally joined to a bridge member adapted to span the opening between the chain supporting surfaces of said track, said upper side bar links being provided with semi-circular ends and said bridge portion of the center link bein provided witharcuate recesses for accommodating said ends.

3. In combination with a submerged floor chain track having opposed walls defining an opening for accommodating a conveyor chain and, supporting surfaces on either side of said opening, a conveyor chain of the rivetless type having vertically spaced side bar links connected to an intermediate'center link by a headed locking pin, all of the uppermost of said side bar links being provided with integral flanges adapted to ride on the supporting surfaces of said track, and all of the center links having upward extensions integrally joined to a bridge member adapted to span the opening between the chain supporting surfaces of said track, clearance being provided between the bridge portion of said center link and adjacent end portions of the upper side bar links and between the respective side bar elements and center link where engaged by said connecting pin to accommodate a substantial degree of chain flexibility in a vertical plane 4. In combination with a submerged floor chain track having opposed walls for defining an opening and accommodating a conveyor chain and chain supporting surfaces on either side of said opening, a conveyor chain of the rivetless type having vertically spaced side bars connected at either end to a center link by a headed looking pin, all of the uppermost side bars bein formed with integral flanges adapted to span said opening and ride on said chain supporting surfaces and all of said center links having upvvardly extending portions integrally j 'dined to a bridging portion adapted to extend between adjacent ends of upper side bar links, the upper surface of said upper side bar links and the upper surface of the bridging portion of said center links being constructed to lie in substantially the same plane and provide a flush upper surface for the chain.

5. A conveyor chain ofthe rivetless type, including upper and lower side bar links joined at each end to a center link by a headed connecting pin, characterized by all 'of the upper side bar links being formed with integral laterally spaced flanges substantially exceeding the width of the lower sidebar links and all of the center links being integrally formed with upwardly extending portions and a bridging portion, said bridg-' ing, portion being adapted to extend between adjacent ends of said side bar links.

6. A conveyor chain of thev rivetless type, including upper and lower side bar links joined at each end to a center link by aheaded connecting pin, characterized by all of the upper side bar links being formed with laterally spaced flanges substantially exceeding the Width of the lower side bar links and all of the center links being formed with upwardly extending portions and a bridging portion, said bridging portion being adapted to extend between adjacent ends of said side bar links, said upper side bar ends and said bridging portion of said center links being formed with arcuate curves having centers at the pivotal connections and being provided with clearance adapted to accommodate a substantial degree of fiexure in a plane passing through the axes of the connecting pins.

References Cited in the file of this patent