Drive for bunk feeder

Claim 2

A drive for producing linear motion of a slide or the like, comprising a rack on the slide and having regularly spaced teeth, a stationary frame, along which the rack and slide may move, a powered drive unit on the frame to remain stationary as the rack and slide move therealong, the powered drive unit including an endless roller chain, a pair of chain guiding rolls and means applying driving force to the chain, and guide rolls being spaced from each other in a direction along the rack and disposed in close pRoximity to the rack to revolve on parallel axes extending transverse to the rack, the endless roller chain being trained over said guide rolls and having a straight driving run extending along and parallel to the rack and meshed with the rack teeth, the chain roller to chain roller pitch length of the endless roller chain being greater than the tooth to tooth spacing pitch length of the rack, at least one of the chain rollers adjacent the downstream end of the driving run being in driving engagement with the adjacent rack tooth, the chain rollers located midway along the driving run and adjacent the upstream end being spaced from and out of driving engagement with the rack teeth and progressively moving toward and into driving engagement with rack teeth as the chain rollers approach the downstream end of the driving run.

Claim 3

The linear motion producing drive according to claim 1 and said rack teeth having chain roller engaging edges through which the driving force is applied from the chain to the rack, said edges extending normal to the straight driving run of the roller chain.

Claim 4

The linear movement producing drive according to claim 2 wherein the rack teeth have opposite fore and aft edges, both of said fore and aft edges being oriented normal to the straight driving run of the chain, and said powered drive unit thereby being adapted for reverse running to produce reciprocation of the rack and slide.

Claim 5

The linear movement producing drive according to claim 1 and said powered drive unit also including a chain engaging drive sprocket disposed between said quide rolls and pulling the endless roller chain around one of the guide rolls and toward the downstream end of the driving run.

Claim 6

A drive for producing linear movement of a sliding pan in a distributing mechanism for spreading feed along the length of an elongate bunk feeder, or the like, comprising: a rack extending along the pan in a direction parallel to the direction of sliding thereof, and said rack having regularly spaced teeth with fore and aft edges oriented normal to the longitudinal direction of motion of the rack, a powered and reversible drive unit including an endless roller chain and a pair of chain guide rolls and a reversibly powered sprocket, said guide rolls being spaced from each other along the rack and positioned adjacent the rack on axes extending transversely of the rack, said drive sprocket being positioned between the guide rolls and spaced from the rack, and said endless roller chain being trained around said guide rollers and over said sprocket to be driven thereby and pulled around one of the guide rolls thereby, said endless roller chain also having a straight driving run extending along and parallel to the rack and in meshed relation with the teeth of the rack, the chain roller to chain roller pitch length of the chain being greater than the tooth to tooth spacing pitch length of the rack, at least one of the chain rollers adjacent the downstream end of the driving run being in driving engagement with the adjacent rack tooth, the chain rollers having a size smaller than the spacing between adjacent teeth of the rack, the chain rollers located midway along the driving run and adjacent the upstream end of the driving run being spaced from and out of driving engagement with the rack teeth and progressively moving toward and into driving engagement with the rack teeth as the rollers progressively move toward the downstream end of the driving run.

Claim 7

A drive for producing linear movement of a sliding pan in a distributing mechanism for spreading feed along the length of an elongate bunk feeder, or the like, comprising: a rack extending along the pan in a direction parallel to the direction of sliding thereof, and said rack having regularly spaced teeth with fore and aft edges oriented normal to the longitudinal direction of motion of the rack, a powered and reversible drive unit including an endless roller chain and a pair of chain guide rolls and a reversibly powered sprocket, said guide rolls being spaced from each other along the rack and positioned adjacent the rack on axes extending transversely of the rack, said drive sprocket being positioned between the guide rolls and spaced from the rack, and said endless roller chain being trained around said guide rollers and over said sprocket to be driven thereby and pulled around one of the guide rolls thereby, said endless roller chain also having a straight driving run extending along and parallel to the rack and in meshed relation with the teeth of the rack, the chain roller to chain roller pitch length of the chain being greater than the tooth to tooth spacing pitch length of the rack, at least one of the chain rollers adjacent the downstream end of the driving run being in driving engagement with the adjacent rack tooth, the chain rollers having a size smaller than the spacing between adjacent teeth of the rack, the chain rollers located midway along the driving run and adjacent the upstream end of the driving run being spaced from and out of driving engagement with the rack teeth and progressively moving toward and into driving engagement with the rack teeth as the rollers progressively move toward the downstream end of the driving run.

Claim 8

A drive for producing linear motion of a slide or the like comprising an elongated rack on the slide, the elongated rack having regularly spaced teeth along its length, chain guide rolls spaced longitudinally of the rack and a powered, endless roller chain trained around the guide rolls to provide a straight chain driving run between the guide rolls with the rollers of the chain in the straight driving run meshing with the rack teeth, the chain rollers having a size smaller than the spacing betweeN adjacent rack teeth, and the roller to roller pitch length of the chain being greater than the tooth to tooth pitch length of the rack.

Claim 9

A drive for producing linear motion of a slide or the like comprising an elongated rack on the slide, the elongated rack having regularly spaced teeth along its length, chain guide rolls spaced longitudinally of the rack and a powered, endless roller chain trained around the guide rolls to provide a straight chain driving run between the guide rolls with the rollers of the chain in the straight driving run meshing with the rack teeth, the chain rollers having a size smaller than the spacing betweeN adjacent rack teeth, and the roller to roller pitch length of the chain being greater than the tooth to tooth pitch length of the rack.

Claim 10

A drive for producing linear motion of a slide or the like, comprising a rack on the slide and having regularly spaced teeth, a stationary frame, along which the rack and slide may move, a powered drive unit on the frame to remain stationary as the rack and slide move therealong, the powered drive unit including an endless roller chain, a pair of chain guiding rolls and means applying driving force to the chain, said guide rolls being spaced from each other in a direction along the rack and disposed in close proximity to the rack to revolve on parallel axes extending transverse to the rack, the endless roller chain being trained over said guide rolls and having a straight driving run extending along and parallel to the rack and meshed with the rack teeth, at least one of the chain rollers adjacent the downstream end of the driving run being in driving engagement with the adjacent rack tooth, the chain rollers having a size smaller than the spacing between adjacent rack teeth, and the roller-engaging edges of each rack tooth being perpendicular to the direction of travel of the roller chain in its straight driving run, whereby the driving force applied by the roller chain to the rack urges the rack solely in the direction of travel of the roller chain in its straight driving run.

Claim 11

A drive for producing linear motion of a slide or the like, comprising a rack on the slide and having regularly spaced teeth, a stationary frame, along which the rack and slide may move, a powered drive unit on the frame to remain stationary as the rack and slide move therealong, the powered drive unit including an endless roller chain, a pair of chain guiding rolls and means applying driving force to the chain, said guide rolls being spaced from each other in a direction along the rack and disposed in close proximity to the rack to revolve on parallel axes extending transverse to the rack, the endless roller chain being trained over said guide rolls and having a straight driving run extending along and parallel to the rack and meshed with the rack teeth, at least one of the chain rollers adjacent the downstream end of the driving run being in driving engagement with the adjacent rack tooth, the chain rollers having a size smaller than the spacing between adjacent rack teeth, and the roller-engaging edges of each rack tooth being perpendicular to the direction of travel of the roller chain in its straight driving run, whereby the driving force applied by the roller chain to the rack urges the rack solely in the direction of travel of the roller chain in its straight driving run.