Power file construction

Claim 2

In a power file of the type in which a plurality of pans are mounted on an endless conveyor carried by support means for movement in either direction in a continuous orbit of travel and any selected pan is delivered by power means to a work station location; the support means including header and footer box-like members and vertical column means extending between and attached to said header and footer members at each side of said power file; the footer members each including a vertical wall and top, bottom and side flanges extending laterally outward from said vertical wall, the bottom flange terminating in an upwardly bent end flange; said bottom flanges being adapted to rest directly on a supporting floor to support the entire power file load from the column means through the footer members directly on the floor; and the vertical column means being channel-shaped and having a web connected to said header and footer members.

Claim 3

In a power file of the type in which a plurality of pans are mounted on an endless conveyor carried by support means for movement in either direction in a continuous orbit of travel and any selected pan is delivered by power means to a work station location; the support means including header and footer box-like members and vertical column means extending between and attached to said header and footer members at each side of said power file; the footer members each including a vertical wall and top, bottom and side flanges extending laterally outward from said vertical wall, the bottom flange terminating in an upwardly bent end flange; said bottom flanges being adapted to rest directly on a supporting floor to support the entire power file load from the column means through the footer members directly on the floor; and the vertical column means being channel-shaped and having a web connected to said header and footer members.

Claim 4

In a power file of the type in which a plurality of pans are mounted on an endless conveyor carried by support means for movement in either direction in a continuous orbit of travel and any selected pan is delivered by power means to a work station location; the support means including header and footer box-like members and vertical column means extending between and attached to said header and footer members at each side of said power file; the footer members each including a vertical wall and top, bottom and side flanges extending laterally outward from said vertical wall, the bottom flange terminating in an upwardly bent end flange; said bottom flanges being adapted to rest directly on a supporting floor to support the entire power file load from the column means through the footer members directly on the floor; and the vertical column means being channel-shaped and having a web connected to said header and footer members.

Claim 5

The construction defined in claim 1 in which each vertical column means includes an upper and lower column section, and in which splice means connects said column sections together.

Claim 6

The construction defined in claim 2 in which the upper and lower channel-shaped column section ends abut each other; in which the splice means includes a channel-shaped member nesting in said abutted column section ends; and in which said channel splice member is connected to said abutted channel section ends.

Claim 7

The construction defined in claim 3 in which a first angle bracket is fixed to the lower end of each upper column section; in which each channel splice member has a web, in which a second angle bracket is fixed to each splice member web, and in which said first and second brackets are connected together.

Claim 8

The construction defined in claim 4 in which embossed recess means is formed in the vertical back wall portion and in the bottom wall; in which said back and bottom wall recess means are aligned with each other; in which the gusset means have back and bottom edges; and in which flange means extend from said gusset back and bottom edges and are connected to the vertical back wall portion and to the bottom wall within said embossed recess means.

Claim 9

In a power file of the type in which a plurality of pans are mounted on an endless conveyor carried by support means for movement in either direction in a continuous orbit of travel and any selected pan is delivered by power means to a work station location; the support means including vertical column means at each end of said power file, said column means each having inner and outer sides; lower track assemblies each including a mounting plate adjustably mounting said assembly on the inner side of said column member; an upper drive sprocket mounted on the upper end of each column member and a lower drive sprocket mounted on the lower end of said column member adjacent the lower end of the lower track assembly; an endless drive chain trained around said upper and lower sprockets and having vertical flights located and movable along said track assemblies; a drive shaft connecting the lower sprocket member; bearing means journalled on each end of the shaft including a mounting plate adjustably mounting said bearing means on the outer column side opposite a portion of said lower track mounting plate; a plurality of slots formed in said column members; and fastening means extending through said column member slots and connecting said bearing and mounting plates together whereby the fastening means may be reached from the inner side of the column member for adjustment of said connected mounting plates and drive chain.

Claim 10

In a power file of the type in which a plurality of pans are mounted on an endless conveyor carried by support means for movement in either direction in a continuous orbit of travel and any selected pan is delivered by power means to a work station location; the support means including vertical column means at each end of said power file, said column means each having inner and outer sides; lower track assemblies each including a mounting plate adjustably mounting said assembly on the inner side of said column member; an upper drive sprocket mounted on the upper end of each column member and a lower drive sprocket mounted on the lower end of said column member adjacent the lower end of the lower track assembly; an endless drive chain trained around said upper and lower sprockets and having vertical flights located and movable along said track assemblies; a drive shaft connecting the lower sprocket member; bearing means journalled on each end of the shaft including a mounting plate adjustably mounting said bearing means on the outer column side opposite a portion of said lower track mounting plate; a plurality of slots formed in said column members; and fastening means extending through said column member slots and connecting said bearing and mounting plates together whereby the fastening means may be reached from the inner side of the column member for adjustment of said connected mounting plates and drive chain.

Claim 11

The construction defined in claim 13 in which the fastening means includes a plurality of bolts which extend through openings formed in the track mounting plates; and in which said bolts are threadably engaged In openings formed in said bearing plate.

Claim 12

Pan construction for a power file of the type in which a plurality of pans are mounted on an endless conveyor carried by support means for movement in either direction in a continuous orbit of travel and any selected pan is delivered by power means to a work station location; each pan including back, bottom and side walls; the back wall having a vertical wall portion and reinforcing means mounted thereon and extending longitudinally along said vertical wall portion, said vertical wall portion being formed with a plurality of parallel rows of slots; the bottom wall having reinforcing bead means formed along its front edge extending upwards therefrom and being formed with a plurality of slots therein, said bead slots being aligned with the back vertical wall portion slots; divider means including a divider plate formed with a plurality of tabs, said tabs releaseably engaging the back and bead slots; gusset means attached to and extending between the back and bottom walls for rigidly supporting said bottom wall from said back wall; pivot means mounted on the side walls connected with the endless conveyor; and means extending downwardly from each side wall engageable with the pan next below for stabilizing the pans during the vertical conveyor movement.

Claim 13

Pan construction for a power file of the type in which a plurality of pans are mounted on an endless conveyor carried by support means for movement in either direction in a continuous orbit of travel and any selected pan is delivered by power means to a work station location; each pan including back, bottom and side walls; the back wall having a vertical wall portion and reinforcing means mounted thereon and extending longitudinally along said vertical wall portion, said vertical wall portion being formed with a plurality of parallel rows of slots; the bottom wall having reinforcing bead means formed along its front edge extending upwards therefrom and being formed with a plurality of slots therein, said bead slots being aligned with the back vertical wall portion slots; divider means including a divider plate formed with a plurality of tabs, said tabs releaseably engaging the back and bead slots; gusset means attached to and extending between the back and bottom walls for rigidly supporting said bottom wall from said back wall; pivot means mounted on the side walls connected with the endless conveyor; and means extending downwardly from each side wall engageable with the pan next below for stabilizing the pans during the vertical conveyor movement.

Claim 14

The construction defined in claim 8 in which the back wall reinforcing means is a channel-shaped member having a web and channel flanges extending from said web; in which the pan vertical back wall portion terminates in a reversely bent top flange connected with one of said channel flanges; in which the other channel flange is connected to said vertical back wall portion; in which a plurality of first recess means is formed in the vertical back wall portion and in which a plurality of second recess means is formed in said channel web; in which said first and second recess means have bottom walls which are aligned with and abut each other; and in which said abutting recess bottom walls are connected together.

Claim 15

The construction defined in claim 8 in which the bottom wall front edge reinforcing bead means is box-shaped having a rear wall; and in which the divider tab slots are formed in said rear wall.

Claim 16

The construction defined in claim 8 in which the divider plate has straight parallel bottom and top edges, a vertical rear edge and a diagonal front edge; in which a first tab is formed adjacent the intersection of the bottom and front edges and projects outwardly forwardly therefrom and engages one of the bead means slots; in which a second tab is formed adjacent the intersection of the bottom and rear edges and projects outward rearwardly therefrom and engages one of said back wall slots; and in which a third tab is formed adjacent the intersection of the top and rear edges and engages one of said back wall slots to releasably mount the divider means on the pan construction.