US2923391A

US2923391A - Roller type conveyor

Info

Publication number: US2923391A
Application number: US787444A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Justin H Hewitt
Original assignee: Oliver Corp USA
Current assignee: Oliver Corp USA
Priority date: 1959-01-19
Filing date: 1959-01-19
Publication date: 1960-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 1977-02-02

Description

Feb. 2, 1960 J. H. HEWITT, JR

ROLLER TYPE coNvEYoR Filed Jan. 19,-1959 INVENTOR.

A. .Afval United States i Patent O ROLLER TYPE coNvEYoR Justin H. Hewitt, Jr., Thomasville, Pa., assignoi` to The Oliver Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application January 19, 1959, SerialvNo. 787,444

Claims. (Cl. 193-35) This invention relates generally to roller type gravity conveyors and more particularly to the means of supporting the rollers between the side rails of such conveyors.

Rollers have generally been supported on axles extending between side rails and serving to hold the side rails together. A separate fastening operation has been required at each end of every roller, such as inserting and bending a cotter pin or equivalent thereof through specially drilled transverse holes in the ends of the axles projecting through the side rails.

An object of this invention is to provide a sturdy, low cost roller type conveyor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a roller type conveyor having fewer parts than former conveyors.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a roller type conveyor which can be assembled more easily and faster than former conveyors.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherem:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation, with portions broken away, of a roller type conveyor constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a portion of a blank from which the side rails for a conveyor constructed in accordance with the invention may be formed;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of part of a conveyor constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view along line 4-4 in Fig. 1 showing in detail how a roller for a conveyor constructed in accordance with the invention may be mounted;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a portion of a modified blank from which a side rail for a conveyor constructed in accordance with the invention may be formed;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of part of a conveyor illustrating a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 in Fig. 6.

In the blank of Figure 2, equally spaced U-shaped slots 10 have been punched.

Portions

14 and 16 of the blank are bent substantially 90 degrees to form

flanges

14 and 16 connected by a Wall 18 to form a side rail generally indicated by numeral 20, while portions 12 of the blank within the U-slots are bent substantially 90 degrees from wall 18 oppositely from the

anges

14 and 16 to form integral bearing support portions or stub axles 12. A symmetrical side rail 22 is formed by bending

portions

12, 14, and 16 of a blank oppositely from

flanges

14 and 16 and bearing support members 12 of side rail 20.

Hollow cylindrical rollers 24 extend between side rails 20 and 22, which are held together by tie rods 26 secured by nuts 28. The ends of each roller 24 are closed by ball bearing assemblies which include a cap portion 30 adaptable to be secured in an end of a roller 24, an outer race p 2,923,391.v Patented Feb. 2, 1960.-

ice

member 32 secured in cap -portion 30, and an inner race` member 34. `Cap portions 30 are centrally apertured toreceive the inner ends of inner race members 34, and the inner race members 34 are centrally apertured to receivethe bearing support members l2 of the side rails 20" and 22. The inner race members 34 are prevented from rotating on bearing support members 12 by any suitable means. As shown, the apertures in members 34 are hexagonal as indicated at 36, in Figure l, and support members 12 extend between junction points of the sides of the hexagons.

In assembling, the rollers (including the end bearings) and tie rods are mounted at one end on one side rail, and the other side rail is then moved into proper engagement with the rollers and tie rods on the other end thereof' and secured in place. No separate fastening operation isl required at the end of each roller. The axles extending completely through the rollers of former conveyors have been eliminated.

The blank of Figure 5 is included to indicate the shearing of bearing support member 12 out of the blank Without first separately forming U-shaped slot 10 of Figure 2..

There are many ways of forming bearing support mem-- bers integral with the side rails. Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a roller 124 mounted at its end in a side rail 120 by means of a plurality of triangular bearing support members 112 formed integrally with the side rails. Variousother modications all within the spirit and scope of the invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A side rail for a roller type conveyor comprising anf elongated generally C-shaped member having a wall portion, a pair of ange portions extending generally in one direction from said wall portion and formed integrally4 therewith, and a plurality of support portions spaced longitudinally along said wall portion and formed in-v tegrally therewith and extending from said wall portione generally in an opposite direction from said flange por tions, said support portions forming stub axles adapted tosupport the respective ends of rollers mountable thereon.

2. A side rail for a roller type conveyor comprising an elongated member having a main body portion and a plurality of support portions formed integrally with said main body portion and extending therefrom and spaced longitudinally therealong, said support portions forming. stub axles adapted to support the respective ends of rollers mountable thereon.

3. A roller type conveyor comprising a pair of side` rails, each having a main body portion and a plurality of support portions formed integrally with said main body portion and extending therefrom and spaced longi tudinally therealong and forming stub axles, a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted between said side rails on said integral stub axles thereof, and means for maintaining said side rails in spaced parallel relationship with said rollers mounted on said integral stub axles thereof.

4. A roller type conveyor comprising a pair of side' rails, each havingA a main body portion and a plurality of bearing support portions formed integrally with said main body portion and extending therefrom and spaced longitudinally therealong and forming stub axles, a plu-v rality of rollers having axially apertured bearings in the ends thereof, said bearings being mounted on said integral. stub axles of said side rails for rotatably supporting said rollers therebetween, and means for maintaining said side rails in spaced parallel relationship.

5. A roller type conveyor comprising a pair of side rails, each having a main body portion and a plurality ot' bearing support portions formed integrally with said main body portion and extending therefrom and spaced longi tudinally therealong and forming stub axles, means for maintaining said side rails in spaced parallel relationship with said integral stub 'axles of each side rail projecting toward the other side rail, a plurality of cylindrical rollers, and means for rotatably monting said rollers transversely between said side rails including outer race members secured to opposite ends of said rollers, inner race members mounted on said integral stub axles of said side rails, 'and ball bearings between said outer 'and inner race members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS