Patent US4271960A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4271960A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Conveyors and chain
Assignee: HK Systems Inc
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Filing: 1979-11-19
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Granted: 1981-06-09
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Expires: 1999-11-19
Abstract
Abstract A conveyor chain and conveyors using such chain in which a plurality of elongate links are joined together with a plurality of pins and a plurality of spacers. Each pin penetrates terminal end portions of two pairs of links for chaining the links into first and second spaced apart side length portions and the links and pins cooperate for transmitting tensile stress imposed on the chain. Each of the plurality of spacers is penetrated by at least one pin and has a carrier portion projecting laterally from the chain for engaging an object to be moved with the chain. As used in certain specific conveyors, the conveyor chain includes clips for receiving and gripping rod-like axles and grippers for partially encircling a pair of objects to be moved with the chain, all as described more fully hereinafter.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles Chalich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 08:13
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G17/00; B65G17/06; B65G17/063; B65G17/30; B65G17/38; B65G17/42; B65G17/44; B65G2201/00; B65G2201/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
324 words
A low contact pressure conveyor for packages such as containers and comprising a pair of conveyor chains, each having a plurality of elongate, plate links, a plurality of pins each penetrating terminal end portions of two pairs of said links for chaining said links into first and second spaced apart side length portions, said links and said pins cooperating for bearing tensile stress imposed on said chain, said pins defining a pitch line for said chain, and a plurality of plastic spacer means, each penetrated by two of said pins, each having a pair of sleeve portions for enclosing respective pins and cooperating with said pins and links penetrated thereby for spacing said side length portions, and each having a carrier portion projecting laterally from said chain intermediate said side length portions and defining clips means for receiving and gripping a rod-like object to be moved with said chain, said clip means defining a supporting surface line spaced at a predetermined distance from said pitch line of said chain, sprocket means mounting said chains for movement along parallel, spaced apart endless paths of travel defining a horizontal upper run, a plurality of elongate axles each spanning said endless paths of travel and having terminal end portions gripped by a spaced pair of said clip means, said axles being arranged in a parallel array defining a horizontal supporting surface and movable with said chains, roller means encircling said axles for supporting packages to be conveyed by movement of said chains and rotatable relative to said axles for accommodating movement thereof beneath supported packages in the event of blockage of movement of such packages, said roller means having a predetermined radius no more than said predetermined distance between said pitch line and said supporting surface line for maintaining free rotatability, and drive means operatively connected with said sprocket means for driving said chains in coordinated movement for conveying supported packages while maintaining alignment of said axles.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
324 words
A low contact pressure conveyor for packages such as containers and comprising a pair of conveyor chains, each having a plurality of elongate, plate links, a plurality of pins each penetrating terminal end portions of two pairs of said links for chaining said links into first and second spaced apart side length portions, said links and said pins cooperating for bearing tensile stress imposed on said chain, said pins defining a pitch line for said chain, and a plurality of plastic spacer means, each penetrated by two of said pins, each having a pair of sleeve portions for enclosing respective pins and cooperating with said pins and links penetrated thereby for spacing said side length portions, and each having a carrier portion projecting laterally from said chain intermediate said side length portions and defining clips means for receiving and gripping a rod-like object to be moved with said chain, said clip means defining a supporting surface line spaced at a predetermined distance from said pitch line of said chain, sprocket means mounting said chains for movement along parallel, spaced apart endless paths of travel defining a horizontal upper run, a plurality of elongate axles each spanning said endless paths of travel and having terminal end portions gripped by a spaced pair of said clip means, said axles being arranged in a parallel array defining a horizontal supporting surface and movable with said chains, roller means encircling said axles for supporting packages to be conveyed by movement of said chains and rotatable relative to said axles for accommodating movement thereof beneath supported packages in the event of blockage of movement of such packages, said roller means having a predetermined radius no more than said predetermined distance between said pitch line and said supporting surface line for maintaining free rotatability, and drive means operatively connected with said sprocket means for driving said chains in coordinated movement for conveying supported packages while maintaining alignment of said axles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
309 words
A low contact pressure conveyor for packages such as containers and comprising a conveyor chain having a plurality of elongate, plate links, a plurality of pins each penetrating terminal end portions of two pairs of said links for chaining said links into first and second spaced apart side length portions, said links and said pins cooperating for bearing tensile stress imposed on said chain, said pins defining a pitch line for said chain, and a plurality of plastic spacer means, each penetrated by two of said pins, each having a pair of sleeve portions for enclosing respective pins and cooperating with said pins and links penetrated thereby for spacing said side length portions, and each having a carrier portion projecting laterally from said chain and defining clip means for receiving and gripping a rod-like object to be moved with said chain, said clip means defining a supporting surface line spaced at a predetermined distance from said pitch line of said chain, sprocket means mounting said chain for movement along an endless path of travel defining a horizontal upper run, a plurality of elongate axles each extending transversely of said endless path of travel and having a portion thereof gripped by said clip means, said axles being arranged in a parallel array defining a horizontal supporting surface and movable with said chain, roller means encircling said axles for supporting packages to be conveyed by movement of said chain and rotatable relative to said axles for accommodating movement thereof beneath supported packages in the event of blockage of movement of such packages, said roller means having a predetermined radius no more than said predetermined distance between said pitch line and said supporting surface line for maintaining free rotatability, and drive means operatively connected with said sprocket means for driving said chain for conveying supported packages while maintaining alignment of said axles.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
309 words
A low contact pressure conveyor for packages such as containers and comprising a conveyor chain having a plurality of elongate, plate links, a plurality of pins each penetrating terminal end portions of two pairs of said links for chaining said links into first and second spaced apart side length portions, said links and said pins cooperating for bearing tensile stress imposed on said chain, said pins defining a pitch line for said chain, and a plurality of plastic spacer means, each penetrated by two of said pins, each having a pair of sleeve portions for enclosing respective pins and cooperating with said pins and links penetrated thereby for spacing said side length portions, and each having a carrier portion projecting laterally from said chain and defining clip means for receiving and gripping a rod-like object to be moved with said chain, said clip means defining a supporting surface line spaced at a predetermined distance from said pitch line of said chain, sprocket means mounting said chain for movement along an endless path of travel defining a horizontal upper run, a plurality of elongate axles each extending transversely of said endless path of travel and having a portion thereof gripped by said clip means, said axles being arranged in a parallel array defining a horizontal supporting surface and movable with said chain, roller means encircling said axles for supporting packages to be conveyed by movement of said chain and rotatable relative to said axles for accommodating movement thereof beneath supported packages in the event of blockage of movement of such packages, said roller means having a predetermined radius no more than said predetermined distance between said pitch line and said supporting surface line for maintaining free rotatability, and drive means operatively connected with said sprocket means for driving said chain for conveying supported packages while maintaining alignment of said axles.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
308 words
A low constant pressure conveyor for packages such as containers and comprising a pair of conveyor chains, each having a plurality of elongate, plate links, a plurality of pins each penetrating terminal end portions of two pairs of said links for chaining said links into first and second spaced apart side length portions, said links and said pins cooperating for bearing tensile stress imposed on said chain, said pins defining a pitch line for said chain, and a plurality of plastic spacer means for spacing apart said side length portions, each spacer means being penetrated by two of said pins and each having a carrier portion projecting laterally from said chain intermediate said side length portions and defining clip means for receiving and gripping a rod-like object to be moved with said chain, said clip means defining a supporting surface line spaced at a predetermined distance from said pitch line of said chain, sprocket means mounting said chains for movement along parallel, spaced apart endless paths of travel defining a horizontal upper run, a plurality of elongate axles each spanning said endless paths of travel and having terminal end portions gripped by a spaced pair of said clip means, said axles being arranged in a parallel array defining a horizontal supporting surface and movable with said chains, roller means encircling said axles for supporting packages to be conveyed by movement of said chains and rotatable relative to said axles for accommodating movement thereof beneath supported packages in the event of blockage of movement of such packages, said roller means having a predetermined radius no more than said predetermined distance between said pitch line and said supporting surface line for maintaining free rotatability, and drive means operatively connected with said sprocket means for driving said chains in coordinated movement for conveying supported packages while maintaining alignment of said axles.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
308 words
A low constant pressure conveyor for packages such as containers and comprising a pair of conveyor chains, each having a plurality of elongate, plate links, a plurality of pins each penetrating terminal end portions of two pairs of said links for chaining said links into first and second spaced apart side length portions, said links and said pins cooperating for bearing tensile stress imposed on said chain, said pins defining a pitch line for said chain, and a plurality of plastic spacer means for spacing apart said side length portions, each spacer means being penetrated by two of said pins and each having a carrier portion projecting laterally from said chain intermediate said side length portions and defining clip means for receiving and gripping a rod-like object to be moved with said chain, said clip means defining a supporting surface line spaced at a predetermined distance from said pitch line of said chain, sprocket means mounting said chains for movement along parallel, spaced apart endless paths of travel defining a horizontal upper run, a plurality of elongate axles each spanning said endless paths of travel and having terminal end portions gripped by a spaced pair of said clip means, said axles being arranged in a parallel array defining a horizontal supporting surface and movable with said chains, roller means encircling said axles for supporting packages to be conveyed by movement of said chains and rotatable relative to said axles for accommodating movement thereof beneath supported packages in the event of blockage of movement of such packages, said roller means having a predetermined radius no more than said predetermined distance between said pitch line and said supporting surface line for maintaining free rotatability, and drive means operatively connected with said sprocket means for driving said chains in coordinated movement for conveying supported packages while maintaining alignment of said axles.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
298 words
A low contact pressure conveyor for packages such as containers and comprising a conveyor chain having a plurality of elongate, plate links, a plurality of pins each penetrating terminal end portions of two pairs of said links for chaining said links into first and second spaced apart side length portions, said links and said pins cooperating for bearing tensile stress imposed on said chain, said pins defining a pitch line for said chain, and a plurality of plastic spacer means for spacing apart said side length portions, each spacer means being penetrated by two of said pins and each having a carrier portion projecting laterally from said chain intermediate said side length portions and defining clip means for receiving and gripping a rod-like object to be moved with said chain, said clip means defining a supporting surface line spaced at a predetermined distance from said pitch line of said chain, sprocket means mounting said chain for movement along an endless path of travel defining a horizontal upper run, a plurality of elongate axles each extending transversely of said endless path of travel and having a portion thereof gripped by said clip means, said axles being arranged in a parallel array defining a horizontal supporting surface and movable with said chain, roller means encircling said axles for supporting packages to be conveyed by movement of said chain and rotatable relative to said axles for accommodating movement thereof beneath supported packages in the event of blockage of movement of such packages, said roller means having a predetermined radius no more than said predetermined distance between said pitch line and said supporting surface line for maintaining free rotatability, and drive means operatively connected with said sprocket means for driving said chain for conveying supported packages while maintaining alignment of said axles.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
298 words
A low contact pressure conveyor for packages such as containers and comprising a conveyor chain having a plurality of elongate, plate links, a plurality of pins each penetrating terminal end portions of two pairs of said links for chaining said links into first and second spaced apart side length portions, said links and said pins cooperating for bearing tensile stress imposed on said chain, said pins defining a pitch line for said chain, and a plurality of plastic spacer means for spacing apart said side length portions, each spacer means being penetrated by two of said pins and each having a carrier portion projecting laterally from said chain intermediate said side length portions and defining clip means for receiving and gripping a rod-like object to be moved with said chain, said clip means defining a supporting surface line spaced at a predetermined distance from said pitch line of said chain, sprocket means mounting said chain for movement along an endless path of travel defining a horizontal upper run, a plurality of elongate axles each extending transversely of said endless path of travel and having a portion thereof gripped by said clip means, said axles being arranged in a parallel array defining a horizontal supporting surface and movable with said chain, roller means encircling said axles for supporting packages to be conveyed by movement of said chain and rotatable relative to said axles for accommodating movement thereof beneath supported packages in the event of blockage of movement of such packages, said roller means having a predetermined radius no more than said predetermined distance between said pitch line and said supporting surface line for maintaining free rotatability, and drive means operatively connected with said sprocket means for driving said chain for conveying supported packages while maintaining alignment of said axles.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A conveyor according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3 and 4 wherein each of said carrier means has sprocket engaging surfaces for transfer of driving force to said chain.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
73 words
A conveyor according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3 and 4 further comprising control surface means underlying said horizontal supporting surface defined by said axles and for engaging said roller means during movement of said roller means thereabove, whereby said roller means are driven in rotation about said axles in correlation to the relative velocities of said axles and said control surface means and the movement of supported packages is controlled.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
A conveyor according to claim 6 wherein said control surface means comprises a belt for engaging said roller means, and motive means for controllably driving said belt in movement and thereby for controllably driving said roller means in rotation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A conveyor according to claim 7 wherein said motive means drives said belt in the same direction of movement as said conveyor chains for slowing the movement of supported packages.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
A conveyor according to claim 7 wherein said motive means drives said belt in the opposite direction of movement of said conveyor chains for accelerating the movement of supported packages.
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) | 1984-06-08 | 1984-12-08 | 1985-06-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-06-08 | 1988-12-08 | 1989-06-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-06-08 | 1992-12-08 | 1993-06-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |