# US 10,308,483 B2 · Drag rollers for escalators, moving walkways, and other conveyors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,308,483 B2 - Document ID: US10308483B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/794,160 - Filed: 2017-10-26 - Published: 2018-02-15 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2013-07-23 - Assignees: Thyssenkrupp Elevator AG - Applicants: Thyssenkrupp Elevator AG - Inventors: Reiner Ludwig; Detlev Lindemeier - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308483B2 ## CPC - B66B 23/10: Carrying belts - B66B 23/12: Steps - B66B: ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS ({apparatus for raising or lowering persons on theatrical stages or the like A63J5/12} ; funicular railbound systems with rigid ground-supported tracks and cable traction, e.g. cliff railways, B61B9/00; arrangements of ammunition handlers in vessels B63G3/00; hoists, lifts, or conveyors for loading or unloading in general B65G; braking or detent devices controlling normal movements of winding drums or barrels B66D; ship-lifting devices E02C; garages for many vehicles with mechanical means for lifting vehicles E04H6/12; hoists for feeding ammunition or projectiles to launching apparatus or to loading mechanisms F41A9/00) ## Abstract Conveyors and people movers, such as escalators and moving walkways, for instance, may include a support member belt comprised of a plurality of support members guided on rails. The support members may be, for example, steps of an escalator or pallets of a moving walkway. Each support member may be secured to a pair of drag rollers that travels along the rails. Further, each support member may include a roller spindle that is held rotationally conjointly in or on a body of the support member. Between the roller spindle and the body of the support member, there may be a plug-in connection by way of which the roller spindle is maintained against an undercut under bias of a latching device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drag roller comprising: a roller spindle; a drag roller body mounted on the roller spindle that is held rotationally conjointly in or on a body of a step or a pallet, wherein at least a portion of the roller spindle has a conical form; and a clamping element that forms a frictionally engaging connection between the roller spindle and the body of the step or the pallet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drag roller of claim 1 wherein the at least the portion of the roller spindle that has the conical form is a bearing journal, wherein the bearing journal comprises a cone angle of at least one degree. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The drag roller of claim 1 wherein the at least the portion of the roller spindle that has the conical form is a bearing journal, wherein the bearing journal comprises a cone angle of less than 3.5 degrees. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The drag roller of claim 1 wherein the clamping element is a bushing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The drag roller of claim 1 wherein the clamping element has a cylindrical form. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The drag roller of claim 5 wherein the clamping element is adapted to an outer circumference of the roller spindle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The drag roller of claim 1 wherein the clamping element is pressed to achieve a clamping action as part of the frictionally engaging connection. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The drag roller of claim 1 wherein the clamping element is disposed in a press-fit manner on the roller spindle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The drag roller of claim 1 wherein the clamping element is comprised of copper or a plastic. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The drag roller of claim 1 wherein the roller spindle comprises threads. ### Claim 11 A drag roller comprising: a drag roller body configured to roll along a rail; a roller spindle coupled to the drag roller body and configured to be coupled to a body of a step or a pallet, wherein a bearing journal of the roller spindle has a conical form; a bushing disposed on the bearing journal of the roller spindle having the conical form, the bushing configured to contact the body of the step or the pallet; and a blocking body configured to secure the body of the step or the pallet to the roller spindle, wherein the blocking body is oriented perpendicularly to the roller spindle and extends at least through an opening in the body of the step or the pallet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The drag roller of claim 11 wherein the bushing comprises a surface that is parallel to the bearing journal of the roller spindle having the conical form. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The drag roller of claim 11 wherein the roller spindle comprises threads. ### Claim 14 A drag roller comprising: a drag roller body configured to roll along a rail; a roller spindle coupled to the drag roller body and configured to be coupled to a body of a step or a pallet, wherein a portion of the roller spindle has a conical form; and a clamping element that forms a frictionally engaging connection between the roller spindle and the body of the step or the pallet, the clamping element being disposed on the portion of the roller spindle having the conical form, wherein an outer diameter of the clamping element increases linearly with proximity to the drag roller body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The drag roller of claim 14 further comprising a bearing that rotatably couples the roller spindle to the drag roller body. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The drag roller of claim 14 wherein an outer portion of the clamping element is conical. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The drag roller of claim 14 wherein the roller spindle is threaded. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The drag roller of claim 14 wherein the outer diameter of the clamping element increases along a full circumference of the bushing with proximity to the drag roller body.