US3742557A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hinge fastener for conveyor belts
Assignee: Uniroyal Inc
•
Filing: 1971-05-14
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Granted: 1973-07-03
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Expires: 1991-05-14
Abstract
Abstract A hinge fastener for conveyor belts is disclosed, including a pair of parallel-plate, interdigitated connectors secured to opposed ends of the belt by a plurality of rivets arranged selectively so as to optimize the strength of the fastener relative to the strength of the belt, and a hinge pin interconnecting the pair of connectors. The connectors are adapted to pivot freely relative to one another over prolonged periods of use without any subsequent loss of freedom or movement therebetween. The plates of each connector are bent inwardly but in a non-aligned fashion at their free end edges so as to bite slightly into the belt body without pinching the same between the bent-in edges. A mandrel adapted to be used in inserting the rivets in the belt for securing the connectors thereto, and selfextracting from both the rivets and the belt body, is also disclosed. This abstract is not to be taken either as a complete exposition or as a limitation of the present invention, however, the full nature and extent of the invention being discernible only by reference to and from the entire disclosure.
Inventors
- 👤 E Francois
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 03:43
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16G; F16G3/00; F16G3/02; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T24/00; Y10T24/16; Y10T24/1608; Y10T24/1632
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
486 words
A conveyor belt, including an elongated belt body terminating in respective opposite ends, and a hinge fastener for pivotally connecting said belt ends to one another, said hinge fastener comprising: at least one pair of connector members each clamped to a respective one of said belt ends, each of said connector members including an upper plate and a lower plate overlying and engaging the corresponding opposite faces of said belt body at the respective belt end in substantially parallel spaced relation with respect to one another, said upper and lower plates each having a respective plurality of rivet-receiving holes therein in axial alignment with the corresponding holes in the other plate, said upper and lower plates being connected to one another at one end edge thereof by at least two relatively narrower, laterally spaced, U-shaped portions integral with said upper and lower plates and arranged in an alternating sequence with a like number of free spaces, and each of said upper and lower plates having its respective free end edge bent inwardly toward the other plate out of alignment with the inwardly bent free end edge of the latter, said inwardly bent end edges being pressed into said opposite faces of said belt body at different distances from the respective belt end so as to avoid lifting of said plates from said belt body and so as to avoid pinching of said belt body between said end edges, each of said U-shaped portions being outwardly beveled along each of the lateral edge portions of its inner surface and defining a housing facing the respective belt end for receiving a hinge pin, said U-shaped portions of each of said connector members being received in said free spaces of the other of said connector members with the housing formed by one set of said U-shaped portions in alignment with the housings formed by the other set of said U-shaped portions; at least one rivet member cooperating with each of said connector members, respectively, each of said rivet members being received in a respective one of said holes of said upper plate of the respective connector member and extending through said belt body and the corresponding hole of said lower plate of said respective connector member and securing the same to the respective belt end, the number and distribution of said rivet members used in each of said connector members being coordinated with the physical properties of said belt body and with the intended load conditions to which the belt is to be subjected in use, to provide the belt in the region of said hinge fastener with optimum ''''pullout'''' strength and resistance to failure; and a hinge pin extending through said aligned housings so as to interconnect said connector members and thereby said belt ends pivotally to one another, said beveled edge portions of said Ushaped portions preventing excessive scoring of said hinge pin by said U-shaped portions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
486 words
A conveyor belt, including an elongated belt body terminating in respective opposite ends, and a hinge fastener for pivotally connecting said belt ends to one another, said hinge fastener comprising: at least one pair of connector members each clamped to a respective one of said belt ends, each of said connector members including an upper plate and a lower plate overlying and engaging the corresponding opposite faces of said belt body at the respective belt end in substantially parallel spaced relation with respect to one another, said upper and lower plates each having a respective plurality of rivet-receiving holes therein in axial alignment with the corresponding holes in the other plate, said upper and lower plates being connected to one another at one end edge thereof by at least two relatively narrower, laterally spaced, U-shaped portions integral with said upper and lower plates and arranged in an alternating sequence with a like number of free spaces, and each of said upper and lower plates having its respective free end edge bent inwardly toward the other plate out of alignment with the inwardly bent free end edge of the latter, said inwardly bent end edges being pressed into said opposite faces of said belt body at different distances from the respective belt end so as to avoid lifting of said plates from said belt body and so as to avoid pinching of said belt body between said end edges, each of said U-shaped portions being outwardly beveled along each of the lateral edge portions of its inner surface and defining a housing facing the respective belt end for receiving a hinge pin, said U-shaped portions of each of said connector members being received in said free spaces of the other of said connector members with the housing formed by one set of said U-shaped portions in alignment with the housings formed by the other set of said U-shaped portions; at least one rivet member cooperating with each of said connector members, respectively, each of said rivet members being received in a respective one of said holes of said upper plate of the respective connector member and extending through said belt body and the corresponding hole of said lower plate of said respective connector member and securing the same to the respective belt end, the number and distribution of said rivet members used in each of said connector members being coordinated with the physical properties of said belt body and with the intended load conditions to which the belt is to be subjected in use, to provide the belt in the region of said hinge fastener with optimum ''''pullout'''' strength and resistance to failure; and a hinge pin extending through said aligned housings so as to interconnect said connector members and thereby said belt ends pivotally to one another, said beveled edge portions of said Ushaped portions preventing excessive scoring of said hinge pin by said U-shaped portions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
94 words
A conveyor belt as recited in claim 1, wherein said holes in said upper and lower plates of each connector member are Arranged in three transverse rows, a first row including two first holes disposed closest to said hinge pin, a second row including one second hole spaced farther from said hinge pin than said first holes, and a third row including two third holes spaced farther from said hinge pin than said second hole, said holes in each of said rows being staggered relative to said holes in each of the other rows.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
224 words
A connector member adapted to be used in a hinge fastener for a conveyor belt, comprising: an upper plate and a lower plate adapted to engage the corresponding opposite faces of the body of the belt at a respective end thereof and each having a plurality of rivet-receiving holes therein in axial alignment with the corresponding holes in the other plate; and at least two relatively narrower, laterally spaced, U-shaped portions integral with said upper and lower plates and connecting the latter to one another at one end edge thereof, said U-shaped portions being arranged in an alternating sequence with a like number of free spaces each adapted to receive a respective U-shaped portion of another connector member, each of said U-shaped portions being outwardly beveled along each of the lateral edge portions of its inner surface and defining a housing for receiving a hinge pin; each of said upper and lower plates having its respective free end edge bent inwardly toward the other plate out of alignment with the inwardly bent free end edge of the latter, and the number and distribution of said holes in each of said upper and lower plates being predetermined to enable use of a selected arrangement of rivets for providing the belt in the region of the hinge fastener with optimum ''''pullout'''' strength and resistance to failure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
224 words
A connector member adapted to be used in a hinge fastener for a conveyor belt, comprising: an upper plate and a lower plate adapted to engage the corresponding opposite faces of the body of the belt at a respective end thereof and each having a plurality of rivet-receiving holes therein in axial alignment with the corresponding holes in the other plate; and at least two relatively narrower, laterally spaced, U-shaped portions integral with said upper and lower plates and connecting the latter to one another at one end edge thereof, said U-shaped portions being arranged in an alternating sequence with a like number of free spaces each adapted to receive a respective U-shaped portion of another connector member, each of said U-shaped portions being outwardly beveled along each of the lateral edge portions of its inner surface and defining a housing for receiving a hinge pin; each of said upper and lower plates having its respective free end edge bent inwardly toward the other plate out of alignment with the inwardly bent free end edge of the latter, and the number and distribution of said holes in each of said upper and lower plates being predetermined to enable use of a selected arrangement of rivets for providing the belt in the region of the hinge fastener with optimum ''''pullout'''' strength and resistance to failure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
90 words
A connector member as recited in claim 3, wherein said holes in said upper and lower plates are arranged in three transverse rows, a first row including two first holes spaced closest to said U-shaped portions, a second row including one second hole spaced farther from said U-shaped portions than said first holes, and a third row including two third holes spaced farther from said U-shaped portions than said second hole, said holes in each of said rows being staggered relative to said holes in each of the other rows.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
359 words
In combination, a connector member and a plurality of rivet means adapted to be used in a hinge fastener for a conveyor belt; said connector member comprising: an upper plate and a lower plate adapted to engage the corresponding opposite faces of the body of the belt at a respective end thereof and each having a plurality of rivet-receiving holes therein in axial alignment with the corresponding holes in the other plate; and at least two relatively narrower, laterally spaced, U-shaped portions integral with said upper and lower plates and connecting the latter to one another at one end edge thereof, said U-shaped portions being arranged in an alternating sequence with a like number of free spaces each adapted to receive a respective U-shaped portion of another connector member, each of said U-shaped portions being outwardly beveled along each of the lateral edge portions of its inner surface and defining a housing for receiving a hinge pin; each of said upper and lower plates having its respective free end edge bent inwardly toward the other plate out of alignment with the inwardly bent free end edge of the latter, and the number and distribution of said holes in each of said upper and lower plates being predetermined to enable use of a selected arrangement of said rivet means for providing the belt in the region of the hinge fastener with optimum ''''pullout'''' strength and resistance to failure; and each of said rivet means comprising: a mandrel member having a first end portion tapered to a point for penetrating through a belt body, and a second end portion axially spaced from said first end portion; a rivet member having a head at one end and an Axial bore at its other end, said bore being dimensioned to slidably receive said second end portion of said mandrel member, and said rivet member being adapted to be spread at said other end thereof for formation of a second head; and means coacting with both said rivet member and said mandrel member for releasably securing the latter to the former with said second end portion of said mandrel member received in said bore.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
359 words
In combination, a connector member and a plurality of rivet means adapted to be used in a hinge fastener for a conveyor belt; said connector member comprising: an upper plate and a lower plate adapted to engage the corresponding opposite faces of the body of the belt at a respective end thereof and each having a plurality of rivet-receiving holes therein in axial alignment with the corresponding holes in the other plate; and at least two relatively narrower, laterally spaced, U-shaped portions integral with said upper and lower plates and connecting the latter to one another at one end edge thereof, said U-shaped portions being arranged in an alternating sequence with a like number of free spaces each adapted to receive a respective U-shaped portion of another connector member, each of said U-shaped portions being outwardly beveled along each of the lateral edge portions of its inner surface and defining a housing for receiving a hinge pin; each of said upper and lower plates having its respective free end edge bent inwardly toward the other plate out of alignment with the inwardly bent free end edge of the latter, and the number and distribution of said holes in each of said upper and lower plates being predetermined to enable use of a selected arrangement of said rivet means for providing the belt in the region of the hinge fastener with optimum ''''pullout'''' strength and resistance to failure; and each of said rivet means comprising: a mandrel member having a first end portion tapered to a point for penetrating through a belt body, and a second end portion axially spaced from said first end portion; a rivet member having a head at one end and an Axial bore at its other end, said bore being dimensioned to slidably receive said second end portion of said mandrel member, and said rivet member being adapted to be spread at said other end thereof for formation of a second head; and means coacting with both said rivet member and said mandrel member for releasably securing the latter to the former with said second end portion of said mandrel member received in said bore.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
417 words
In combination, a connector member and a plurality of rivet means adapted to be used in a hinge fastener for a conveyor belt; said connector member comprising; an upper plate and a lower plate adapted to engage the corresponding opposite faces of the body of the belt at a respective end thereof and each having a plurality of rivet-receiving holes therein in axial alignment with the corresponding holes in the other plate; and at least two relatively narrower, laterally spaced, U-shaped portions integral with said upper and lower plates and connecting the latter to one another at one end edge thereof, said U-shaped portions being arranged in an alternating sequence with a like number of free spaces each adapted to receive a respective U-shaped portion of another connector member, each of said U-shaped portions being outwardly beveled along each of the lateral edge portions of its inner surface and defining a housing for receiving a hinge pin; each of said upper and lower plates having its respective free end edge bent inwardly toward the other plate, and the number and distribution of said holes in each of said upper and lower plates being predetermined to enable use of a selected arrangement of said rivet means for providing the belt in the region of the hinge fastener with optimum ''''pullout'''' strength and resistance to failure; and each of said rivet means comprising: a mandrel member having a first end portion tapered to a point for penetrating through a belt body, and a second end portion axially spaced from said first end portion; a rivet member having a head at one end and an axial bore at its other end, said bore being dimensioned to slidably receive said second end portion of said mandrel member, and said rivet member being adapted to be spread at said other end thereof for formation of a second head; and means coacting with both said rivet member and said mandrel member at the region of juncture thereof for releasably securing said members to one another with said second end portion of said mandrel member received in said bore of said rivet member, said securing means being adapted to be disengaged from at least one of said members in response to the respective rivet means being forced into and through the body of a conveyor belt, thereby to enable said mandrel member automatically to self-release from said rivet member upon substantially full penetration of said other end of the latter through the belt body.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
417 words
In combination, a connector member and a plurality of rivet means adapted to be used in a hinge fastener for a conveyor belt; said connector member comprising; an upper plate and a lower plate adapted to engage the corresponding opposite faces of the body of the belt at a respective end thereof and each having a plurality of rivet-receiving holes therein in axial alignment with the corresponding holes in the other plate; and at least two relatively narrower, laterally spaced, U-shaped portions integral with said upper and lower plates and connecting the latter to one another at one end edge thereof, said U-shaped portions being arranged in an alternating sequence with a like number of free spaces each adapted to receive a respective U-shaped portion of another connector member, each of said U-shaped portions being outwardly beveled along each of the lateral edge portions of its inner surface and defining a housing for receiving a hinge pin; each of said upper and lower plates having its respective free end edge bent inwardly toward the other plate, and the number and distribution of said holes in each of said upper and lower plates being predetermined to enable use of a selected arrangement of said rivet means for providing the belt in the region of the hinge fastener with optimum ''''pullout'''' strength and resistance to failure; and each of said rivet means comprising: a mandrel member having a first end portion tapered to a point for penetrating through a belt body, and a second end portion axially spaced from said first end portion; a rivet member having a head at one end and an axial bore at its other end, said bore being dimensioned to slidably receive said second end portion of said mandrel member, and said rivet member being adapted to be spread at said other end thereof for formation of a second head; and means coacting with both said rivet member and said mandrel member at the region of juncture thereof for releasably securing said members to one another with said second end portion of said mandrel member received in said bore of said rivet member, said securing means being adapted to be disengaged from at least one of said members in response to the respective rivet means being forced into and through the body of a conveyor belt, thereby to enable said mandrel member automatically to self-release from said rivet member upon substantially full penetration of said other end of the latter through the belt body.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The combination recited in claim 6, wherein the outer diameter of the body of said rivet member is less than that of said first-named head thereof and substantially equal to the maximum outer diameter of said mandrel member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
97 words
The combination recited in claim 6, wherein said securing means comprises an adhesive tape wound about and adhered to both said rivet member and said mandrel member at the region of the juncture therebetween, the adhesive strength of said tape being such as to permit it to be stripped from said rivet member and said mandrel member by the belt body upon the respective rivet means being forced therethrough, thereby to enable said mandrel member to self-release from said rivet member just about when the bored end of the latter has fully penetrated through the belt body.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
134 words
The combination recited in claim 8, wherein the outer diameter of said mandrel member over the major portion of the body thereof is less than the outer diameter of the body of said rivet member, and said mandrel member is provided intermediate said first and second end portions thereof With a conically flaring portion defining an annular shoulder facing toward said second end portion so as to constitute a seat for the bored end of said rivet member, said conically flaring portion of said mandrel member having a maximum outer diameter just about equal to said outer diameter of said body of said rivet member and thereby further constituting a means for spreading the hole made in the belt body by said mandrel member to an extent just sufficient to pass said rivet member.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-02 | 1977-01-01 | 1977-07-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-02 | 1981-01-01 | 1981-07-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-02 | 1985-01-01 | 1985-07-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |