Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
226 words
In a conveyor for bulk materials comprising an endless cable, a plurality of disk-like elements fixed at equal spacings to said cable by means of respective clamping elements, a sprocket type drive wheel for driving said cable and said disk-like elements, said sprocket type drive wheel being formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses adapted to receive said disks and intermediate bearing surfaces, said bearing surfaces having a radius of curvature that is less than the radius of said sprocket type drive wheel whereby the bending of said cable is substantially confined to the area thereof between and spaced from said disks, a duct positioned at one side of said drive wheel and adapted to receive a portion of the length of said cable, said duct having a cross-sectional configuration complementary in shape to the cross-section of said disk-like elements and receiving said disk-like elements with a slight clearance for forming a track way along which material may be conveyed, the improvement comprising said disks being formed from a relatively flexible material having a cross-sectional shape of an isosceles trapezium whereby the modulus of elasticity thereof is greater in direction perpendicular to the disk than in the plane of the disk for facilitating deflection of the periphery of the disk to free particles of material trapped between the periphery of the disk and said duct.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
226 words
In a conveyor for bulk materials comprising an endless cable, a plurality of disk-like elements fixed at equal spacings to said cable by means of respective clamping elements, a sprocket type drive wheel for driving said cable and said disk-like elements, said sprocket type drive wheel being formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses adapted to receive said disks and intermediate bearing surfaces, said bearing surfaces having a radius of curvature that is less than the radius of said sprocket type drive wheel whereby the bending of said cable is substantially confined to the area thereof between and spaced from said disks, a duct positioned at one side of said drive wheel and adapted to receive a portion of the length of said cable, said duct having a cross-sectional configuration complementary in shape to the cross-section of said disk-like elements and receiving said disk-like elements with a slight clearance for forming a track way along which material may be conveyed, the improvement comprising said disks being formed from a relatively flexible material having a cross-sectional shape of an isosceles trapezium whereby the modulus of elasticity thereof is greater in direction perpendicular to the disk than in the plane of the disk for facilitating deflection of the periphery of the disk to free particles of material trapped between the periphery of the disk and said duct.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A conveyor as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bearing surfaces of the sprocket type drive wheel are substantially smooth and without grooves therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A conveyor as set forth in claim 2 further including radially projecting elements fixed to the sprocket type drive wheel on opposite sides of said bearing surfaces for maintaining said cable in engagement with said bearing surfaces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
168 words
In a conveyor for bulk materials comprising an endless cable, a plurality of disk-like elements fixed at equal spacings to said cable by means of respective clamping elements, a sprocket type drive wheel for driving said cable and said disk-like elements, a duct positioned at one side of said drive wheel and adapted to receive a portion of the length of said cable, said duct having a cross-sectional configuration complementary in shape to the cross-section of said disk-like elements and receiving said disk-like elements with a slight clearance for forming a track way along which material may be conveyed, the improvement comprising said sprocket type drive wheel being comprised of a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses for receiving said disks and circumferentially spaced bearing surfaces defined between said recesses, said bearing surfaces having a radius of curvature that is less than the radius of said sprocket type drive wheel whereby the bending of said cable is substantially confined to the area thereof between and spaced from said disks.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
168 words
In a conveyor for bulk materials comprising an endless cable, a plurality of disk-like elements fixed at equal spacings to said cable by means of respective clamping elements, a sprocket type drive wheel for driving said cable and said disk-like elements, a duct positioned at one side of said drive wheel and adapted to receive a portion of the length of said cable, said duct having a cross-sectional configuration complementary in shape to the cross-section of said disk-like elements and receiving said disk-like elements with a slight clearance for forming a track way along which material may be conveyed, the improvement comprising said sprocket type drive wheel being comprised of a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses for receiving said disks and circumferentially spaced bearing surfaces defined between said recesses, said bearing surfaces having a radius of curvature that is less than the radius of said sprocket type drive wheel whereby the bending of said cable is substantially confined to the area thereof between and spaced from said disks.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A conveyor as set forth in claim 4 wherein the bearing surfaces of the sprocket type drive wheel are substantially smooth and without grooves therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
A conveyor as set forth in claim 5 further including radially projecting elements fixed to the sprocket type drive wheel on opposite sides of said bearing surfaces for maintaining said cable in engagement with said bearing surfaces.