Chain conveyor link and attachment therefor

Claim 2

A conveyor link arranged to be interconnected pivotally to adjoining links at opposite ends thereof, attachment engaging means fixedly secured to said link provided with an outer attachment supporting surface area and adjacent outer attachment constraining surfaces, an attachment supported upon and fully engaged with said link, a recess in the attachment defined by an inner attachment supporting surface area and adjacent inner attachment constraining surfaces, said outer and inner attachment supporting surface areas and said outer and inner attachment constraining surfaces respectively being disposed in juxtaposition, connecting means for maintaining the outer and inner attachment supporting surface areas in sliding juxtaposition whenever said attachment is moved slidably into and out of engagement with said link, and retaining means operative when said attachment is fully engaged with said link to restrain said attachment against sliding movement out of engagement with said link.

Claim 3

A device as described in claim 1, wherein said connecting means comprises a slot through said attachment engaging means interrupting the outer attachment supporting surface area and defined by elongated opposed side surfaces, and an elongated sliding key member interrupting and projecting beyond the inner attachment supporting surface area and including a relatively narrow cross section with side surfaces respectively in juxtaposition with the side surfaces of the slot through said attachment engaging means and a relatively wide cross section with surfaces engaging elongated surfaces on the side of said attachment engaging means remote from and opposed to the outer attachment supporting surface area thereof.

Claim 4

A device as described in claim 2, wherein said retaining means comprises a faired projection and a cooperating depression respectively formed On and in each of at least one juxtaposed pair of side surfaces of said key member and said slot through said attachment engaging means, each faired projection and each cooperating depression on juxtaposed side surfaces being so located lengthwise thereof that each faired projection is engaged in its cooperating depression automatically when said attachment is fully engaged with said link, and each faired projection being disengaged from its cooperating depression automatically whenever said attachment is forcibly slidably disengaged from said link.

Claim 5

A chain conveyor link arranged to be interconnected pivotally with adjoining chain links at opposite ends thereof, including an elongated link body with a single transversely apertured projection at one end thereof and a pair of transversely apertured projections at the other end thereof spaced to receive the single projection therebetween, whereby said elongated link body may be connected pivotally at each end thereof to the complementary projections from adjacent link bodies by means of pivot pins through the respective transversely apertured projections, an attachment engaging means with a predetermined external surface configuration on said chain link, an attachment for said chain link comprising a transversely elongated table portion with generally parallel working and reverse surfaces and a recess in the reverse surface having an internal surface configuration matching the external surface configuration of said attachment engaging means, connecting means within the recess in said attachment having elongated reentrant surfaces engaged by elongated opposing surfaces on said attachment engaging means effective to maintain the external surface configuration of said attachment engaging means in sliding engagement with the internal surface configuration of the recess in said attachment, and complementary external and internal surface portions on said attachment engaging means and on said attachment effective in mutual engagement to limit relative sliding movement when the attachment is fully engaged with the attachment engagement means on the chain link.

Claim 6

A chain conveyor link arranged to be interconnected pivotally with adjoining chain links at opposite ends thereof, including an elongated link body with a single transversely apertured projection at one end thereof and a pair of transversely apertured projections at the other end thereof spaced to receive the single projection therebetween, whereby said elongated link body may be connected pivotally at each end thereof to the complementary projections from adjacent link bodies by means of pivot pins through the respective transversely apertured projections, an attachment engaging means with a predetermined external surface configuration on said chain link, an attachment for said chain link comprising a transversely elongated table portion with generally parallel working and reverse surfaces and a recess in the reverse surface having an internal surface configuration matching the external surface configuration of said attachment engaging means, connecting means within the recess in said attachment having elongated reentrant surfaces engaged by elongated opposing surfaces on said attachment engaging means effective to maintain the external surface configuration of said attachment engaging means in sliding engagement with the internal surface configuration of the recess in said attachment, and complementary external and internal surface portions on said attachment engaging means and on said attachment effective in mutual engagement to limit relative sliding movement when the attachment is fully engaged with the attachment engagement means on the chain link.

Claim 7

A device as described in claim 4, including in addition retaining means consisting of coacting detent elements respectively incorporated in said attachment engaging means and in said attachment, automatically operatively engaged to restrain said attachment against sliding movement relative to said attachment engaging means when said attachment is fully seated on said attachment engaging means and automatically disengaged when said attachment is forcibly displaced slidably relative to said attachment engaging means.

Claim 8

In a substantially horizontally disposed portion of a flat-top chain conveyor assembly, a horizontally disposed elongated link with a single transversely apertured projection at one end thereof and a pair of transversely apertured projections at the other end thereof spaced to receive the single projection therebetween, whereby said elongated link may be connected pivotally at each end thereof to the complementary projections from adjacent links by means of pivot pins through the respective transversely apertured projections, first and second elongated link body members respectively interconnecting one of said spaced projections at one end of said link and the single projection at the other end of said link, first and second portions of an attachment engagement means respectively formed integrally with the upper edges of the first and second link body members, said first and second portions of said attachment engaging means together providing a relatively larger upwardly facing outer attachment supporting surface area, a relatively smaller downwardly facing surface area, outer attachment constraining parallel side surfaces at opposite sides thereof, an outer attachment constraining transverse end surface at one end thereof, and a longitudinally extending slot separating said first and said second portions of said attachment engaging means and defined by opposed side surfaces thereof, an attachment comprising a table top portion with substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces, a recess therein disposed centrally of its lower surface having first and second laterally spaced portions of an attachment supporting surface area, inner attachment constraining parallel side surfaces, and an inner attachment constraining transverse end surface, connecting means arranged to establish and maintain a sliding relationship between the outer and inner attachment supporting surface areas of said link and said table top portion, comprising an elongated key member projecting outwardly from and extending lengthwise between the first and second portions of the inner attachment supporting surface area of said table top portion having a relatively narrower neck portion with side surfaces facing the side surfaces of the slot through said attachment engaging means, and a relatively wider portion with upwardly facing surfaces in juxtaposition with the downwardly facing surface area of said attachment engaging means, whereby the respective outer and inner attachment supporting surface areas and the respective outer and inner attachment constraining end and side surfaces of the attachment engaging means and the recess in the table top portion are moved into juxtaposition, and attachment retaining means including arcuately curved projections from the respective side surfaces of said key member, and cooperating depressions in the respective side surfaces of the slot through said attachment engaging means, whereby the arcuately curved projections are slidable along the respective side surfaces of the slot through the attachment engaging means into engagement with the cooperating depressions when the respective outer and inner attachment constraining transverse end surfaces are juxtaposed, and self-actuated by their arcuate surfaces to disengage from the cooperating depressions when the table is moved slidably out of engagement with the attachment engaging means.

Claim 9

In a substantially horizontally disposed portion of a flat-top chain conveyor assembly, a horizontally disposed elongated link with a single transversely apertured projection at one end thereof and a pair of transversely apertured projections at the other end thereof spaced to receive the single projection therebetween, whereby said elongated link may be connected pivotally at each end thereof to the complementary projections from adjacent links by means of pivot pins through the respective transversely apertured projections, first and second elongated link body members respectively interconnecting one of said spaced projections at one end of said link and the single projection at the other end of said link, first and second portions of an attachment engagement means respectively formed integrally with the upper edges of the first and second link body members, said first and second portions of said attachment engaging means together providing a relatively larger upwardly facing outer attachment supporting surface area, a relatively smaller downwardly facing surface area, outer attachment constraining parallel side surfaces at opposite sides thereof, an outer attachment constraining transverse end surface at one end thereof, and a longitudinally extending slot separating said first and said second portions of said attachment engaging means and defined by opposed side surfaces thereof, an attachment comprising a table top portion with substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces, a recess therein disposed centrally of its lower surface having first and second laterally spaced portions of an attachment supporting surface area, inner attachment constraining parallel side surfaces, and an inner attachment constraining transverse end surface, connecting means arranged to establish and maintain a sliding relationship between the outer and inner attachment supporting surface areas of said link and said table top portion, comprising an elongated key member projecting outwardly from and extending lengthwise between the first and second portions of the inner attachment supporting surface area of said table top portion having a relatively narrower neck portion with side surfaces facing the side surfaces of the slot through said attachment engaging means, and a relatively wider portion with upwardly facing surfaces in juxtaposition with the downwardly facing surface area of said attachment engaging means, whereby the respective outer and inner attachment supporting surface areas and the respective outer and inner attachment constraining end and side surfaces of the attachment engaging means and the recess in the table top portion are moved into juxtaposition, and attachment retaining means including arcuately curved projections from the respective side surfaces of said key member, and cooperating depressions in the respective side surfaces of the slot through said attachment engaging means, whereby the arcuately curved projections are slidable along the respective side surfaces of the slot through the attachment engaging means into engagement with the cooperating depressions when the respective outer and inner attachment constraining transverse end surfaces are juxtaposed, and self-actuated by their arcuate surfaces to disengage from the cooperating depressions when the table is moved slidably out of engagement with the attachment engaging means.

Claim 10

An elongated conveyor link arranged to be interconnected pivotally to adjoining links at opposite ends thereof, attachment engaging means fixedly secured to said elongated link provided with a longitudinally extending outer attachment supporting surface area and adjacent longitudinally extending outer attachment constraining surfaces, an attachment provided with a recess therein including a longitudinally extending inner attachment supporting surface area and adjacent longitudinally extending inner attachment constraining surfaces shaped and arranged to be maintained in sliding juxtaposition with said longitudinally extending outer attachment supporting surface area and said longitudinally extending outer attachment constraining surfaces, respectively, connecting means for maintaining said longitudinally extending outer and inner attachment supporting surface areas and said longitudinally extending outer and inner attachment constraining surfaces in sliding juxtaposition whenever said attachment is slidably displaced longitudinally of said elongated link into and out of full engagement with said attachment engaging means fixedly secured to said elongated link, and stop means comprising a transversely extending outer attachment constraining surface on said attachment engaging means and a complementary transversely extending inner attachment constraining surface included in the recess in said attachment arranged to be in mutual engagement whenever said attachment is fully engaged with said attachment engaging means.

Claim 11

An elongated conveyor link arranged to be interconnected pivotally to adjoining links at opposite ends thereof, attachment engaging means fixedly secured to said elongated link provided with a longitudinally extending outer attachment supporting surface area and adjacent longitudinally extending outer attachment constraining surfaces, an attachment provided with a recess therein including a longitudinally extending inner attachment supporting surface area and adjacent longitudinally extending inner attachment constraining surfaces shaped and arranged to be maintained in sliding juxtaposition with said longitudinally extending outer attachment supporting surface area and said longitudinally extending outer attachment constraining surfaces, respectively, connecting means for maintaining said longitudinally extending outer and inner attachment supporting surface areas and said longitudinally extending outer and inner attachment constraining surfaces in sliding juxtaposition whenever said attachment is slidably displaced longitudinally of said elongated link into and out of full engagement with said attachment engaging means fixedly secured to said elongated link, and stop means comprising a transversely extending outer attachment constraining surface on said attachment engaging means and a complementary transversely extending inner attachment constraining surface included in the recess in said attachment arranged to be in mutual engagement whenever said attachment is fully engaged with said attachment engaging means.

Claim 12

A device as described in claim 7, and in addition, attachment retaining means operative when said attachment is fully engaged with said elongated link to restrain said attachment against sliding movement longitudinally of said elongated link out of engagement with said attachment engaging means.

Claim 13

A conveyor link arranged to be interconnected Pivotally to adjoining links at opposite ends thereof, attachment engaging means fixedly secured to said link provided with an outer attachment supporting surface area and adjacent outer attachment constraining surfaces, an attachment supported upon and fully engaged with the attachment engaging means on said link, a recess in the attachment including an inner attachment supporting surface area and adjacent inner attachment constraining surfaces, said outer and inner attachment supporting surface areas and said outer and inner attachment constraining surfaces respectively being disposed in juxtaposition, and connecting means for maintaining the outer and inner attachment supporting surface areas in sliding juxtaposition whenever said attachment is moved slidably into and out engagement with the attachment engaging means on said link.

Claim 14

A conveyor link arranged to be interconnected Pivotally to adjoining links at opposite ends thereof, attachment engaging means fixedly secured to said link provided with an outer attachment supporting surface area and adjacent outer attachment constraining surfaces, an attachment supported upon and fully engaged with the attachment engaging means on said link, a recess in the attachment including an inner attachment supporting surface area and adjacent inner attachment constraining surfaces, said outer and inner attachment supporting surface areas and said outer and inner attachment constraining surfaces respectively being disposed in juxtaposition, and connecting means for maintaining the outer and inner attachment supporting surface areas in sliding juxtaposition whenever said attachment is moved slidably into and out engagement with the attachment engaging means on said link.

Claim 15

A device as described in claim 9, and in addition, retaining means operative when said attachment is fully engaged with the attachment engaging means on said link to restrain said attachment against sliding movement out of engagement with said attachment engaging means on said link.

Claim 16

An array of conveyor links arranged to be interconnected pivotally each to the adjoining links at opposite ends thereof, and collectively arranged to move in a given direction, attachment engaging means fixedly secured to at least some said conveyor links attachment means slidable into engagement with said attachment engaging means in the direction opposite to said given direction, and stop means operative to limit movement of said attachment means relative to said attachment engaging means.

Claim 17

An array of conveyor links arranged to be interconnected pivotally each to the adjoining links at opposite ends thereof, and collectively arranged to move in a given direction, attachment engaging means fixedly secured to at least some said conveyor links attachment means slidable into engagement with said attachment engaging means in the direction opposite to said given direction, and stop means operative to limit movement of said attachment means relative to said attachment engaging means.

Claim 18

Apparatus as described in claim 11, and, in addition retaining means operative to maintain said attachment means in engagement with said attachment engaging means.