Double Side-Bar Conveyor or Digger Chain
OwnerMax H. Ririeinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An agricultural conveyor chain with links is disclosed, each link including a rod connected on either end to a pair of side bars, each side bar having a circular hole and a keyhole and the pair of side bars forming a Y shape to interact with the rod and side bars of the next link. The connection between the rod and side bars is provided by notches in the rod that interact with the narrow ends of keyholes in the side bars. Each rod also interacts with the circular hole of the side bars from the next link, and a nut and bolt in the pair of side bars prevents the rod from sliding out of the narrow end of the keyholes. This provides a rotatable but secure linkage between links, simple repairs, and ends of the rods that are substantially flush with the outside of the side bars.
Claims20
A conveyor chain comprising
- a linking element, the linking element comprising:
- double side bars forming a Y shape, each side bar comprising a jog, a circular hole, and a keyhole, the keyhole comprising:
- a circular portion;
- and
- a flat-sided portion;
- and
- means for securing the two side bars of the double side bars together;
- and
- a flight rod engaging the double side bars comprising notches in the flight rod that engage the double side bars at the flat-sided portions of the keyholes.
A conveyor chain comprising:
- a plurality of elongated rods, each rod comprising:
- two ends;
- a middle between the two ends;
- a substantially-cylindrical end portion at each of the ends of the rod;
- and
- four notches of substantially equal size and shape placed in the curved surface of the substantially-cylindrical end portions, with a pair of notches located near each end of the rod, each notch having a substantially-planar bottom and substantially-planar sides, the substantially-planar bottoms of the notches being substantially parallel;
- and
- a plurality of side bars engaging the rods, each side bar having a thickness and comprising:
- a first substantially-planar portion containing a circular hole sized to allow the substantially-cylindrical end portion of the rod to rotatably rest therein;
- and
- a second substantially-planar portion connected to the first substantially-planar portion, substantially parallel to the first substantially-planar portion, and offset from the first substantially-planar portion a distance at least equal to the thickness of the side bar,
- the second substantially-planar portion containing a keyhole, the keyhole comprising:
- a circular portion sized to allow the substantially-cylindrical end portion of the rod to rotatably rest therein;
- and
- a flat-sided portion sized to tightly engage the notches of the rod so that when the flat-sided portion engages the notches of the rod the flat-sided portion prevents rotation of the rod relative to the side bar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.