US3796360A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Combination storage festoon and compensator
Assignee: Alexeff-Snyder Enterprises Inc
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Filing: 1972-09-27
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Granted: 1974-03-12
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Expires: 1992-09-27
Abstract
Abstract Combination storage festoon and compensator includes a first set of stationary guide rolls and a second set of movable guide rolls carried by a floating frame or carriage for movement toward and away from the stationary rolls. The movable carriage desirably consists of a pair of generally T-shape side members each including a cross member to which the ends of the movable guide rolls are mounted and a vertical center support received between vertical guides to lend greater rigidity and stability to the apparatus. The vertical guides for the carriage may be precisely adjusted to eliminate any tilting or cocking of the carriage, and eccentric cam rollers may also be provided on the carriage to eliminate any undesired clearance between the guide rollers and vertical guides. Hydraulic cylinders control the vertical movements of the carriage, and suitable mechanism may also be provided responsive to the vertical position of the carriage for varying the speed of certain processing operations.
Inventors
- 👤 A Alexeff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 23:54
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H20/00; B65H20/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
282 words
A combination storage festoon and compensator apparatus comprising a main frame including a support base, a plurality of stationary guide rolls mounted on said support base, a vertically movable carriage having a plurality of movable guide rolls mounted thereon, means for raising and lowering said carriage and thus said movable guide rolls carried thereby relative to said stationary guide rolls, and two pairs of spaced apart vertical guides for guiding the movements of said carriage during raising and lowering thereof, said carriage comprising a pair of spaced apart side frames each including a vertically extending center plate each guided by one pair of said vertical guides, a generally horizontal cross member attached to said center plate, the ends of said movable guide rolls being supported by said cross members with said movable guide rolls uniformly distributed on both sides of the vertical center line of said carriage to prevent undesirable canting or tilting of said carriage during vertical movement thereof, and plural vertically spaced cam rollers mounted on said center plates adjacent each vertical side thereof engageable with said vertical guides for guiding the movements of said carriage, said means for raising and lowering said carriage comprising a pair of fluid cylinders mounted adjacent said vertical guides, rods projecting from said cylinders, sprockets attached to the free ends of said rods, chains having one end fixed against movement and the other end attached to the vertical centers of said side frames, said chains extending around said sprockets on said rods and over a pair of additional sprockets fixedly mounted above each of said side frames for transmitting the force of said hydraulic cylinders to the vertical centers of the respective side frames.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
282 words
A combination storage festoon and compensator apparatus comprising a main frame including a support base, a plurality of stationary guide rolls mounted on said support base, a vertically movable carriage having a plurality of movable guide rolls mounted thereon, means for raising and lowering said carriage and thus said movable guide rolls carried thereby relative to said stationary guide rolls, and two pairs of spaced apart vertical guides for guiding the movements of said carriage during raising and lowering thereof, said carriage comprising a pair of spaced apart side frames each including a vertically extending center plate each guided by one pair of said vertical guides, a generally horizontal cross member attached to said center plate, the ends of said movable guide rolls being supported by said cross members with said movable guide rolls uniformly distributed on both sides of the vertical center line of said carriage to prevent undesirable canting or tilting of said carriage during vertical movement thereof, and plural vertically spaced cam rollers mounted on said center plates adjacent each vertical side thereof engageable with said vertical guides for guiding the movements of said carriage, said means for raising and lowering said carriage comprising a pair of fluid cylinders mounted adjacent said vertical guides, rods projecting from said cylinders, sprockets attached to the free ends of said rods, chains having one end fixed against movement and the other end attached to the vertical centers of said side frames, said chains extending around said sprockets on said rods and over a pair of additional sprockets fixedly mounted above each of said side frames for transmitting the force of said hydraulic cylinders to the vertical centers of the respective side frames.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of said additional sprockets above each of said side frames is mounted on a common shaft to assure simultaneous raising and lowering of both of said side frames at the same rate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means driven by one of said additional sprockets for regulating the speed of a corresponding processing operation at various positions of said carriage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cam rollers have eccentric hubs, and means for adjusting the position of said hubs to vary the horizontal distance between said cam rollers to eliminate any undesirable clearance space between said cam rollers and vertical guides.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein spreader plates are attached to said guides along the length thereof to maintain the proper spacing therebetween.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means responsive to the movement of said carriage toward an extreme vertical position to regulate the speed of a corresponding processing operation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
239 words
A combination storage festoon and compensator apparatus comprising a main frame including a support base, a plurality of stationary guide rolls mounted on said support base, a vertically movable carriage having a plurality of movable guide rolls mounted thereon, means for raising and lowering said carriage and thus said movable guide rolls carried thereby relative to said stationary guide rolls, And two pairs of spaced apart vertical guides for guiding the movements of said carriage during raising and lowering thereof, said carriage comprising a pair of spaced apart side frames each including a vertically extending center plate each guided by one pair of said vertical guides, a generally horizontal cross member attached to said center plate, the ends of said movable guide rolls being supported by said cross members with said movable guide rolls uniformly distributed on both sides of the vertical center line of said carriage to prevent undesirable canting or tilting of said carriage during vertical movement thereof, and plural vertically spaced cam rollers mounted on said center plates adjacent each vertical side thereof engageable with said vertical guides for guiding the movements of said carriage, a rheostat mounted on said main frame above said vertically movable carriage, and a weight suspended from said rheostat for engagement by said carriage during the last few feet of upward movement of said carriage for regulating the speed of a corresponding processing operation as said carriage nears its uppermost position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
239 words
A combination storage festoon and compensator apparatus comprising a main frame including a support base, a plurality of stationary guide rolls mounted on said support base, a vertically movable carriage having a plurality of movable guide rolls mounted thereon, means for raising and lowering said carriage and thus said movable guide rolls carried thereby relative to said stationary guide rolls, And two pairs of spaced apart vertical guides for guiding the movements of said carriage during raising and lowering thereof, said carriage comprising a pair of spaced apart side frames each including a vertically extending center plate each guided by one pair of said vertical guides, a generally horizontal cross member attached to said center plate, the ends of said movable guide rolls being supported by said cross members with said movable guide rolls uniformly distributed on both sides of the vertical center line of said carriage to prevent undesirable canting or tilting of said carriage during vertical movement thereof, and plural vertically spaced cam rollers mounted on said center plates adjacent each vertical side thereof engageable with said vertical guides for guiding the movements of said carriage, a rheostat mounted on said main frame above said vertically movable carriage, and a weight suspended from said rheostat for engagement by said carriage during the last few feet of upward movement of said carriage for regulating the speed of a corresponding processing operation as said carriage nears its uppermost position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-03-11 | 1977-09-10 | 1978-03-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-03-11 | 1981-09-10 | 1982-03-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-03-11 | 1985-09-10 | 1986-03-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |