Flexible linkage wheel supported rotatable drum

Claim 2

Apparatus comprising: a horizontally positioned rotatable cylindrical drum; a pair of spaced-apart circular track means mounted circumferentially on the drum; a pair of spaced-apart nontraveling chains suspending said drum in cradled arrangement with the chains in tension; each chain having two ends, with the ends of each chain connected to a support means; a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on spaced-apart axles supported by each chain, said wheels rotatably contacting one of the track means and thereby rotatably supporting the drum; the axis of the drum being substantially parallel to the axes of the wheels; said chain and wheels being unrestrained apart form the drum and said support means and; power drive means connected to said drum to rotate said drum while being cradled between said chains.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which at least some of the support means include means for adjusting the effective length of the chain which it supports.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which at least some of the support means include resilient means for absorbing tensile forces applied to the chains.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 3 in which the resilient means is rubber.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which at least some of the support means include fluid pressure means for absorbing tensile forces applied to the chains.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 5 in which the fluid pressure means is a pneumatic means.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 5 in which the fluid pressure means is a hydraulic means.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each chain is made of links, the ends of adjoining links are connected together by an axle, and at least some of the wheels are mounted on such axles, said wheels being adapted so that the drum is rotatably supported by the wheels contacting the track means to rotate in a direction counter to rotation of the wheels.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 8 in which a substantial number of axles support two wheels and the ends of the links joined to an axle are joined thereto between the two wheels.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the two wheels on the same axle are positioned to ride on one of the track means mounted on the drum.

Claim 12

apparatus according to claim 10 in which the track means is a single metal ring mounted on the drum.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 10 in which the track means is a pair of metal rings mounted on the drum.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 8 in which some links comprise a pair of link plates and a number of such links have the axle mounted wheels between the link plates.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each track means is a single metal ring mounted on the drum.

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each track means is a pair of metal rings mounted on the drum.

Claim 17

Apparatus compriSing: a pair of chain with each chain having two ends; the two ends of each chain being connected to support means to form a substantially U-shaped loop and with each loop being spaced from the other loop; at least one end of one chain being adjustable with respect to the support means to vary the height of the U-shaped chain loop; each chain having a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on spaced-apart axles supported by each chain; an essentially horizontally positioned rotatable cylindrical drum cradled in the U-shaped chain loops, with the chains in tension; a pair of spaced-apart circular track means mounted circumferentially on lthe drum with the wheels of each chain being in drum supporting rotatable contact with a track means; said chain and wheels being unrestrained except by the drum and said support means; and power drive means to rotate the drum while being cradled between said chains.

Claim 18

Apparatus compriSing: a pair of chain with each chain having two ends; the two ends of each chain being connected to support means to form a substantially U-shaped loop and with each loop being spaced from the other loop; at least one end of one chain being adjustable with respect to the support means to vary the height of the U-shaped chain loop; each chain having a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on spaced-apart axles supported by each chain; an essentially horizontally positioned rotatable cylindrical drum cradled in the U-shaped chain loops, with the chains in tension; a pair of spaced-apart circular track means mounted circumferentially on lthe drum with the wheels of each chain being in drum supporting rotatable contact with a track means; said chain and wheels being unrestrained except by the drum and said support means; and power drive means to rotate the drum while being cradled between said chains.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 16 in which the axis of the drum is parallel to the axes of the wheels.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to claim 16 in which the axes of the wheels are nonparallel to the drum axis.

Claim 21

Apparatus according to claim 16 in which the chain is made of links and the links are maintained out of contact with the drum.

Claim 22

Apparatus according to claim 16 in which the chains are made of links and the links are joined together with sufficient clearance to permit accommodation of dimensional variations between the wheels and the drum.

Claim 23

Apparatus comprising: a horizontally positioned rotatable cylindrical drum; a pair of spaced-apart circular track means mounted circumferentially on the drum; a pair of spaced-apart nontraveling chains connected to a support means suspending the chains in sling-like contour with said drum suspended by the chains in cradled arrangement with the chains in tension; a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on spaced-apart axles supported by each chain, said wheels rotatably contacting one track means and thereby rotatably supporting the drum; the axis of the drum being substantially parallel to the axes of the wheels; said chain and wheels being unrestrained except by the drum and said support means; and power drive means connected to said drum to rotate said drum while being cradled between said chains.

Claim 24

Apparatus comprising: a horizontally positioned rotatable cylindrical drum; a pair of spaced-apart circular track means mounted circumferentially on the drum; a pair of spaced-apart nontraveling chains connected to a support means suspending the chains in sling-like contour with said drum suspended by the chains in cradled arrangement with the chains in tension; a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on spaced-apart axles supported by each chain, said wheels rotatably contacting one track means and thereby rotatably supporting the drum; the axis of the drum being substantially parallel to the axes of the wheels; said chain and wheels being unrestrained except by the drum and said support means; and power drive means connected to said drum to rotate said drum while being cradled between said chains.