Universal joint-link chain

Claim 1

A universal joint-link chain comprising a plurality of chain links, each chain link having opposed ends, one end of each chain link being provided with a hinge body and the opposite end with a hinge socket, the hinge socket of one chain link receiving the hinge body of the neighboring chain lnk, each hinge socket and each hinge body being formed as an equatorial spherical segment, each chain link including a connection element engaging with the hinge bodies, said hinge body being wider than the hinge sockets, a shaft for mounting each hinge body, said shaft having opposed ends, travelling wheels provided at the opposed ends of the shaft, a substantially C-shaped guide channel which is downwardly open, said guide channel having spaced apart confronting flanges and a rear channel wall oppositely spaced from said flanges, a guide wheel arranged at the region of the travelling wheels, said guide wheel having an axis extending essentially perpendicular to its related connection element and through the center of the associated spherical segment, said confronting flanges serving as tracks for the travelling wheels and for guiding therebetween the guide wheels, said rear channel wall serving as a track for one of the travelling wheels when the chain carries a load, support means carried by each chain link, said support means including means for the attachment of a conveyed material, said attachment means of the support means comprising a lateral offloading attachment element, said offloading attachment element extending substantially parallel to and in vertically spaced relationship from the axis of the shaft and further extending laterally from the underside of the guide channel and transversely to the direction of movement of the chain, said lateral offloading attachment element, when loaded by said conveyed material, exerting a moment upon the travelling wheels such that one travelling wheel at an end of the shaft bears against its related flange while the other travelling wheel at the other end of the shaft bears against the rear channel wall to provide a stable position for the universal joint-link chain.