Takeup apparatus for truck tow conveyor system

Claim 2

Takeup apparatus for removing slack in an endless chain of a truck tow conveyor system having an independent drive for propelling the chain, the combination which comprises: a. a truck operating surface having a continuous truck tow pin slot; b. expandable turn means on an axis oriented at a slight angle from said tow pin slot receiving a substantially horizontal loop of the chain to support the chain; c. first guide means located under said tow pin slot directing an incoming section of the chain through a change in direction from said tow pin slot and toward said turn means whereby the tow pin leaves the incoming chain section; and d. second guide means spaced in close proximity to said first guide means receiving a return run of the chain from said turn means to redirect said run to a path again in vertical alignment with the tow pin slot whereby the truck tow pin transfers from the incoming section of chain directly to the closely adjacent chain run while the tow pin remains continuously in the tow pin slot.

Claim 3

Takeup apparatus for removing slack in an endless chain of a truck tow conveyor system having an independent drive for propelling the chain, the combination which comprises: a. a truck operating surface having a continuous truck tow pin slot; b. expandable turn means on an axis oriented at a slight angle from said tow pin slot receiving a substantially horizontal loop of the chain to support the chain; c. first guide means located under said tow pin slot directing an incoming section of the chain through a change in direction from said tow pin slot and toward said turn means whereby the tow pin leaves the incoming chain section; and d. second guide means spaced in close proximity to said first guide means receiving a return run of the chain from said turn means to redirect said run to a path again in vertical alignment with the tow pin slot whereby the truck tow pin transfers from the incoming section of chain directly to the closely adjacent chain run while the tow pin remains continuously in the tow pin slot.

Claim 4

Takeup apparatus for removing slack in an endless chain of a truck tow conveyor system having an independent drive for propelling the chain, the combination which comprises: a. a truck operating surface having a continuous truck tow pin slot; b. expandable turn means on an axis oriented at a slight angle from said tow pin slot receiving a substantially horizontal loop of the chain to support the chain; c. first guide means located under said tow pin slot directing an incoming section of the chain through a change in direction from said tow pin slot and toward said turn means whereby the tow pin leaves the incoming chain section; and d. second guide means spaced in close proximity to said first guide means receiving a return run of the chain from said turn means to redirect said run to a path again in vertical alignment with the tow pin slot whereby the truck tow pin transfers from the incoming section of chain directly to the closely adjacent chain run while the tow pin remains continuously in the tow pin slot.

Claim 5

The takeup apparatus of claim 1, wherein said turn means comprises a freely rotatable sprocket engaging the loop of the chain and a movable frame supporting said sprocket, which movement takes up slack in the chain.

Claim 6

The takeup apparatus of claim 2, wherein said turn means further includes spring means associated with said movable frame for automatically maintaining tension in the chain.

Claim 7

The takeup apparatus of claim 2, wherein said sprocket is horizontal and rotatable about a vertical axis.

Claim 8

The takeup apparatus of claim 2, wherein said turn means is located at a sufficient distance from the tow pin slot that said turn means requires a depth only slightly greater than that of the chain.

Claim 9

The takeup apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first guide means comprises a first horizontal curve turn for guiding the incoming section of chain and said second guide means comprises a second horizontal curve turn for guiding the return run of chain so that the two sections of the endless chain are substantially side-by-side in a short area vertically under the tow pin slot.

Claim 10

The takeup apparatus of claim 6, wherein said second guide further further comprises a slightly inclined, freely rotatable turn wheel located under the incoming chain section, a first vertical curve adjacent said turn wheel for guiding the return run of chain from a horizontal plane to the inclined plane of said turn wheel, and a second vertical curve adjacent said turn wheel but located on a side opposite to that of said first vertical curve for guiding the return run of chain from said inclined turn wheel to said second horizontal curve at an elevation slightly lower than said incoming chain section at said first horizontal curve turn whereby the return run at the point where the tow pin moves lateralLy from the incoming chain to the return run is below the level of the incoming chain.

Claim 11

The takeup apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chain further comprises a first and second pusher-link, the spacing of these pusher-links relative to the chain length from said first guide means around said expandable turn means to said second guide means is such that said first pusher-link in the incoming chain section, when located at said first guide means, slightly precedes said second pusher-link in said return run of chain whereby the second pusher-link quickly engages the tow pin after it leaves the incoming chain section without appreciable loss in motion of the tow pin and ensures a positive transfer of the tow pin from one section to the adjacent section of chain.

Claim 12

The takeup apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first and second guide means are horizontal curve turns spaced in close proximity to each other so that the incoming chain section passes around said first guide means on a slight curve and the return run of chain passes around said second guide means on a slight curve in the opposite direction and the tow pin slides laterally from one chain section to the other at their closest points of tangency.

Claim 13

Takeup apparatus for removing slack in an endless conveyor chain of a truck tow conveyor system including a chain track having a tow pin slot, an independent drive for propelling the chain and a materials handling truck rolling on a surface above the chain track and having a tow pin depending from the truck engaging a pusher-link in the chain for advancing the truck, the combination which comprises: a. a transfer housing having a cover plate flush with the truck operating surface and a tow pin slot therein; b. a means for guiding the conveyor chain through a transfer area within said housing for positively transferring the truck tow pin from an incoming section to an outgoing section of the endless chain, the tow pin being in said slot, said means comprising a first horizontal curve turn in said housing guiding the incoming chain section away from the tow pin slot at a slight angle and a second horizontal curve turn in said housing in close proximity to said first horizontal curve turn guiding the outgoing chain section adjacent to the incoming chain section at a spacing less than the diameter of the tow pin and to redirect the path of the outgoing chain section to be again under the tow pin slot at a slight distance beyond the point at which the incoming chain section moved away from the tow pin slot; c. adjustable takeup means associated with the incoming chain section beyond the tow pin transfer area in which slack in the chain is removed while the tow pin is disengaged; and d. fixed turn means located in said housing for redirecting the chain from said adjustable takeup means to a path closely adjacent to the incoming chain section at the tow pin transfer area.

Claim 14

Takeup apparatus for removing slack in an endless conveyor chain of a truck tow conveyor system including a chain track having a tow pin slot, an independent drive for propelling the chain and a materials handling truck rolling on a surface above the chain track and having a tow pin depending from the truck engaging a pusher-link in the chain for advancing the truck, the combination which comprises: a. a transfer housing having a cover plate flush with the truck operating surface and a tow pin slot therein; b. a means for guiding the conveyor chain through a transfer area within said housing for positively transferring the truck tow pin from an incoming section to an outgoing section of the endless chain, the tow pin being in said slot, said means comprising a first horizontal curve turn in said housing guiding the incoming chain section away from the tow pin slot at a slight angle and a second horizontal curve turn in said housing in close proximity to said first horizontal curve turn guiding the outgoing chain section adjacent to the incoming chain section at a spacing less than the diameter of the tow pin and to redirect the path of the outgoing chain section to be again under the tow pin slot at a slight distance beyond the point at which the incoming chain section moved away from the tow pin slot; c. adjustable takeup means associated with the incoming chain section beyond the tow pin transfer area in which slack in the chain is removed while the tow pin is disengaged; and d. fixed turn means located in said housing for redirecting the chain from said adjustable takeup means to a path closely adjacent to the incoming chain section at the tow pin transfer area.

Claim 15

The takeup apparatus of claim 10, wherein the fixed turn means is inclined and is located in a deeper inclined section of one end of said housing under the incoming chain section and the means for guiding the conveyor chain further comprises a first vertical curve turn adjacent said fixed turn means guiding the chain leading to said inclined turn means and a second vertical curve turn adjacent said fixed turn means but located on an opposite side thereof to said first vertical curve turn guiding the outgoing chain section returning from said inclined turn means to the transfer area whereby the outgoing chain section adjacent to the incoming chain section at the transfer area is at a slightly lower elevation and, before the tow pin slides laterally out of complete engagement with the pusher-link of the incoming chain section, it will partially rest on the adjacent outgoing chain section to be engaged by a following pusher-link.

Claim 16

The takeup apparatus of claim 10, wherein the outgoing chain section has a second pusher-link spaced relative to the chain length from said first Horizontal curve turn around said adjustable takeup means and horizontal curve turn so that it closely follows a first pusher-link in the incoming chain section when the first pusher-link is in the tow pin transfer area whereby the tow pin is quickly engaged by the pusher-link in the outgoing chain section without appreciable loss of motion.

Claim 17

The takeup apparatus of claim 10, wherein the adjustable takeup means comprises a takeup housing, a movable frame within said takeup housing having a sprocket mounted to rotate freely therein about a vertical axis and biasing means to automatically move the frame to maintain tension in the chain.

Claim 18

In a truck tow conveyor system including an endless flat top conveyor chain having vertical connecting pins and running in a track below the surface on which a materials handling truck rolls, an independent drive for propelling the chain, a tow pin depending from the truck through a slot in said surface defining the path of the conveyor and said tow pin engaging a pusher-link in said chain for advancing the truck, takeup apparatus for removing slack in the endless chain which comprises: a. a transfer housing having a cover plate flush with the truck operating surface, including a continuous straight tow pin slot through the area of said housing; b. an incoming section of said chain operating within said housing directly under the tow pin slot; c. first turn means mounted in said housing guiding said incoming chain section in a direction away from the tow pin slot at a small angle to disengage the tow pin from the pusher-link of the chain; d. an adjustable horizontal sprocket assembly aligned with but spaced from said first turn means having said chain partially trained around said sprocket assembly; e. a fixed idler sprocket assembly located in said housing under said incoming chain section having the chain returning from said adjustable sprocket assembly partially trained about the fixed sprocket; f. means for guiding the chain from said fixed sprocket assembly to a transfer area in said housing under the tow pin slot closely adjacent to said first turn means at an elevation slightly below that of said incoming chain section; and g. an outgoing chain section operating beneath the tow pin slot within said housing in a direction away from the transfer area, whereby the tow pin transfers diagonally from the incoming section of chain to the outgoing chain section in a minimum travel distance, is re-engaged with the next following pusher-link and proceeds out of the opposite end of said housing while confined in the straight tow pin slot.

Claim 19

In a truck tow conveyor system including an endless flat top conveyor chain having vertical connecting pins and running in a track below the surface on which a materials handling truck rolls, an independent drive for propelling the chain, a tow pin depending from the truck through a slot in said surface defining the path of the conveyor and said tow pin engaging a pusher-link in said chain for advancing the truck, takeup apparatus for removing slack in the endless chain which comprises: a. a transfer housing having a cover plate flush with the truck operating surface, including a continuous straight tow pin slot through the area of said housing; b. an incoming section of said chain operating within said housing directly under the tow pin slot; c. first turn means mounted in said housing guiding said incoming chain section in a direction away from the tow pin slot at a small angle to disengage the tow pin from the pusher-link of the chain; d. an adjustable horizontal sprocket assembly aligned with but spaced from said first turn means having said chain partially trained around said sprocket assembly; e. a fixed idler sprocket assembly located in said housing under said incoming chain section having the chain returning from said adjustable sprocket assembly partially trained about the fixed sprocket; f. means for guiding the chain from said fixed sprocket assembly to a transfer area in said housing under the tow pin slot closely adjacent to said first turn means at an elevation slightly below that of said incoming chain section; and g. an outgoing chain section operating beneath the tow pin slot within said housing in a direction away from the transfer area, whereby the tow pin transfers diagonally from the incoming section of chain to the outgoing chain section in a minimum travel distance, is re-engaged with the next following pusher-link and proceeds out of the opposite end of said housing while confined in the straight tow pin slot.

Claim 20

The takeup apparatus of claim 14, wherein said first turn means comprises a horizontal curve roller turn including a plurality of vertically mounted anti-friction rollers.

Claim 21

The takeup apparatus of claim 14, wherein the adjustable sprocket assembly comprises a takeup housing, a movable frame within said takeup housing having a sprocket mounted to rotate freely therein about a vertical axis, a pair of horizontal guide rods mounted through the sides of the movable frame and secured to the takeup housing, fastening means on the guide rods and spring means to maintain tension on the two portions of the chain trained around the sprocket and to move the frame to take up any accumulated slack in the chain while controlled by the guide rods.

Claim 22

The takeup apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a first U-shaped chain track, a first wear bar in the bottom of said first track and a first cover plate secured to the top of the chain track connecting said transfer housing with the takeup housing for supporting the chain leading to the adjustable sprocket assembly and a second U-shaped chain track, a second wear bar in the bottom of said second track and a second cover plate secured to the top of the second chain track connecting the takeup housing with said transfer housing for supporting the chain leading to the fixed idler sprocket assembly.

Claim 23

The takeup appaRatus of claim 17, wherein the lengths of the first and second chain tracks are variable, dependent upon the spacing of the pusher-links in said conveyor chain, whereby when a first pusher-link on the incoming chain section is located at the tow pin transfer area, a second pusher-link on the section of chain from the fixed sprocket will be closely following the first pusher-link so that the truck tow pin will be quickly and positively engaged by the second pusher-link.

Claim 24

The takeup apparatus of claim 14, wherein the fixed idler sprocket assembly comprises a sprocket having anti-friction bearing means mounted on an upright pin secured between the base of said housing and an upper plate secured to one end of said transfer housing below said incoming chain section so the idler sprocket rotates freely and the chain passes around the sprocket, said sprocket being larger in diameter than the sprocket in the adjustable sprocket assembly.

Claim 25

The takeup apparatus of claim 19, wherein the bottom end portion of said transfer housing is inclined downwardly at a small angle, said fixed idler sprocket assembly is mounted in this inclined section below the incoming chain section without interference and a first vertical curve roller turn including a plurality of horizontally mounted anti-friction rollers is provided in said transfer housing adjacent said fixed idler sprocket assembly to guide the chain smoothly from the adjustable sprocket to the inclined fixed sprocket.