Chain for grate conveyor or the like

Claim 2

A two-piece chain link assembly for use as part of a grate conveyor or the like which conveys material being heat treated, comprising a chain link proper adapted to be pivotally connected to other chain links proper, and a separate nonintegral cover member mounted in overlying relation to said chain link proper, said cover member having gas passages therethrough to define a gas passage grid for said cover member whereby material in overlying relation to said cover memBer may be subjected to heat treatment by heated gases flowing through said cover member, said cover member including a main body portion having a pair of lip portions extending from one end thereof and a tail portion extending from the opposite end thereof, said lip portions being spaced from each other laterally of said cover member to define a recess therebetween, said lip portions being pivotally mounted about a pivotal axis common with that of the pivotal connection of one end of the corresponding chain link proper to the chain link proper of another chain link assembly contiguous said lip portions at one end of the respective chain link assembly, support means lying along said pivotal axis for pivotally connecting said one end of said corresponding chain link proper to said chain link proper of said another chain link assembly and for pivotally mounting said lip portions of said cover member, said tail portion being received in the recess between the lip portions of the cover member of still another chain link assembly contiguous said tail portion, at the opposite end of the respective chain link assembly, said tail portion being dimensioned so as to substantially cover said recess while still permitting relative movement of the interengaged contiguous cover members, said tail portion being contoured and dimensioned to extend beyond said recess to be received in underlying relation to the main body portion of the cover member of said still another chain link assembly.

Claim 3

A two-piece chain link assembly as defined in claim 1 in which said chain link proper includes a yoke portion at one end and a neck portion at its opposite end, said yoke portion being pivotally connected to the neck portion of another chain link proper.

Claim 4

A two-piece chain link assembly as defined in claim 1 in which said tail portion curves downwardly to be received in underlying relation to the main body portion of the cover member of said still another chain link assembly.

Claim 5

A two-piece chain link assembly as defined in claim 3 in which the terminal portion of said tail portion is formed with a reentrant curve.

Claim 6

A grate conveyor for moving a material being heat treated through a path of travel, said conveyor including a plurality of grate members, a conveyor chain connected to said grate members for moving said grate members through said path of travel, said chain comprising a plurality of pivotally connected chain link assemblies, said chain link assemblies respectively comprising a chain link proper pivotally connected at each end thereof to a separate chain link proper of a corresponding contiguous chain link assembly and a separate nonintegral cover member corresponding to and positioned in overlying relation to each of the respective individual chain links proper, the respective cover members having gas passages therethrough to define a gas passage grid for each cover member whereby material in overlying relation to said cover members may be subjected to heat treatment by heated gases flowing through said cover members, each respective cover member including a main body portion having a pair of lip portions extending from one end thereof and a tail portion extending from the opposite end thereof, said lip portions being spaced from each other laterally of the respective cover member to define a recess therebetween, said lip portions being pivotally mounted about a pivotal axis which is common with that of the pivotal connection of one end of the corresponding chain link proper to the chain link proper of another chain link assembly contiguous said lip portions at one end of the respective chain link assembly, support means movable with said conveyor and lying along said pivotal axis for pivotally connecting said corresponding chain link proper to said chain link proper of said another chain link assembly and for pivotally mounting said lip portions of said cover member, said tail portion being received in the recess between the lip portions of the cover member of still another chain lInk assembly contiguous said tail portion at the opposite end of the respective chain link assembly, said tail portion being dimensioned so as to substantially cover said recess while still permitting relative movement of the interengaged contiguous cover members, said tail portion being contoured and dimensioned to extend lengthwise beyond said recess and to be received in underlying relation to the main body portion of the cover member of said still another chain link assembly.

Claim 7

A grate conveyor for moving a material being heat treated through a path of travel, said conveyor including a plurality of grate members, a conveyor chain connected to said grate members for moving said grate members through said path of travel, said chain comprising a plurality of pivotally connected chain link assemblies, said chain link assemblies respectively comprising a chain link proper pivotally connected at each end thereof to a separate chain link proper of a corresponding contiguous chain link assembly and a separate nonintegral cover member corresponding to and positioned in overlying relation to each of the respective individual chain links proper, the respective cover members having gas passages therethrough to define a gas passage grid for each cover member whereby material in overlying relation to said cover members may be subjected to heat treatment by heated gases flowing through said cover members, each respective cover member including a main body portion having a pair of lip portions extending from one end thereof and a tail portion extending from the opposite end thereof, said lip portions being spaced from each other laterally of the respective cover member to define a recess therebetween, said lip portions being pivotally mounted about a pivotal axis which is common with that of the pivotal connection of one end of the corresponding chain link proper to the chain link proper of another chain link assembly contiguous said lip portions at one end of the respective chain link assembly, support means movable with said conveyor and lying along said pivotal axis for pivotally connecting said corresponding chain link proper to said chain link proper of said another chain link assembly and for pivotally mounting said lip portions of said cover member, said tail portion being received in the recess between the lip portions of the cover member of still another chain lInk assembly contiguous said tail portion at the opposite end of the respective chain link assembly, said tail portion being dimensioned so as to substantially cover said recess while still permitting relative movement of the interengaged contiguous cover members, said tail portion being contoured and dimensioned to extend lengthwise beyond said recess and to be received in underlying relation to the main body portion of the cover member of said still another chain link assembly.

Claim 8

A grate conveyor as defined in claim 5 in which the chain link proper of the respective two-piece chain link assemblies includes a yoke portion at one end and a neck portion at its opposite end, said yoke portion being pivotally connected to the neck portion of the chain link proper of a contiguous chain link assembly.

Claim 9

A grate conveyor as defined in claim 5 in which said tail portion of the cover member of the respective two-piece chain link assemblies curves downwardly to be received in underlying relation to the main body portion of the cover member of the corresponding still another chain link assembly.

Claim 10

A grate conveyor as defined in claim 7 in which the terminal portion of the tail portion of the respective cover members is formed with a reentrant curve.