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US4381056A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Conveyor apparatus, especially for printed products

Assignee: Ferag AG
•
Filing: 1981-01-15
•
Granted: 1983-04-26
•
Expires: 2001-01-15
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Abstract

Abstract An article conveyor apparatus is disclosed wherein the gripper clamps possess a movable clamping tongue and a fixed clamping tongue which forms part of a housing. The movable clamping tongue is formed of one-piece with a spiral spring. The latter is wound about a hollow shaft rotatably mounted in the housing. The hollow shaft is rigidly connected for rotation with an arm or lever carrying at its end a roller. A part of the hollow shaft is constructed as a blocking wheel of a blocking mechanism. This blocking wheel is provided with a gap into which engages, in the latching position, the one end of a blocking pawl pivotably mounted in the housing. Upon travel of the roller upon a bracket or cam or the like the hollow shaft is rotated in a predetermined direction, whereby the movable clamping tongue is moved towards the other clamping tongue. If both clamping tongues are brought together then during further rotation of the hollow shaft the spiral spring is tensioned. The tensioned spiral spring exerts a closing force upon the movable clamping tongue. Retrorotation of the hollow shaft is prevented by the blocking pawl which has latched into the gap. To open the gripper clamp the blocking pawl of the blocking arrangement is released by depressing upon a part protruding past the housing. The now relaxed spiral spring rotates the hollow shaft in another predetermined direction, so that the movable clamping tongue is raised from the stationary clamping tongue. The spiral spring therefore serves both as a closing spring and also as an opening spring for the clamping tongues and also as a holder spring for the blocking mechanism.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jurg Eberle

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 01:09
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H29/00; B65H29/003; B65H2301/00; B65H2301/40; B65H2301/44; B65H2301/447; B65H2301/4471; B65H2301/44712; B65H2301/44765

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 155 words
An article conveyor apparatus, especially for printed products, comprising: a revolvingly driven traction element; a plurality of gripper clamps anchored in spaced relationship and supported by said revolvingly driven traction element; each of said gripper clamps having a movable clamp portion and a further clamp portion coacting therewith; a stationary control device provided for said gripper clamps; actuation means coacting with the stationary control device for bringing the movable clamp portion into a closed position; a releasable locking device for fixedly retaining the movable clamp portion in such closed position; said locking device comprising a latching device having a defined latching position; said latching device having a latchable element; said actuation means being coupled with the latchable element of the latching device; and a spring element which is tensioned when the related gripper clamp is closed and which is operatively connected with the actuation means and with the movable clamp portion of such gripper clamp.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 155 words
An article conveyor apparatus, especially for printed products, comprising: a revolvingly driven traction element; a plurality of gripper clamps anchored in spaced relationship and supported by said revolvingly driven traction element; each of said gripper clamps having a movable clamp portion and a further clamp portion coacting therewith; a stationary control device provided for said gripper clamps; actuation means coacting with the stationary control device for bringing the movable clamp portion into a closed position; a releasable locking device for fixedly retaining the movable clamp portion in such closed position; said locking device comprising a latching device having a defined latching position; said latching device having a latchable element; said actuation means being coupled with the latchable element of the latching device; and a spring element which is tensioned when the related gripper clamp is closed and which is operatively connected with the actuation means and with the movable clamp portion of such gripper clamp.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 16 words
The conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein: said latching device comprises a blocking mechanism.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 17 words
The conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein: said blocking mechanism contains a pawl blocking arrangement.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 49 words
The conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein: said blocking mechanism contains a blocking pawl; a blocking wheel defining said latchable element and having a blocking portion; and said blocking pawl being movable into a latching position where it coacts with the blocking portion of said blocking wheel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 15 words
The conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein: said blocking portion comprises a gap.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 15 words
The conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein: said blocking portion comprises tooth means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 25 words
The conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 4, further including: means for exerting a spring force for pressing the blocking pawl against the blocking wheel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 49 words
The conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein: said actuation means comprises a rotatably mounted shaft and an actuation element; said latchable element of said latching device being arranged upon said rotatably mounted shaft; and said rotatably mounted shaft being rigidly connected for rotation with said actuation element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 31 words
The conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein: said spring element is connected with said shaft and said movable clamp portion and is tensioned upon closing of the gripper clamp.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 35 words
The conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein: said spring element comprises a bending spring which, after bringing together the clamp portions, is tensioned in the latching position during further rotation of the shaft.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 21 words
The conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein: said spring element comprises a spiral spring which extends about said shaft.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 21 words
The conveyor apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein: said spring element is formed of one-piece with said movable clamp portion.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2025481A Cited
US3955667A Cited
US4039182A Cited
US4149623A Cited
US4320894A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-04-25 1986-10-25 1987-04-26 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-04-25 1990-10-25 1991-04-26 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-04-25 1994-10-25 1995-04-26 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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