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US 4,501,447 AGranted
Haulage drive
AssigneeAnderson Strathclyde PLC
InventorsJames P. Tatton, James Brownlie
Life of this patent
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AssigneeAnderson Strathclyde PLC
InventorsJames P. Tatton, James Brownlie
Estimating the term…
A link component is adapted for interfitment with like link components to form a flexible chain free of hinge pins and cooperable with a drive sprocket. The link component has complementarily-shaped end parts (10, 11; 10' 11') whereof each is the true or inverted image of the other. Each end part comprises a transverse recess (20) located between transverse walls (21, 22) of which the longitudinally outer wall (22) is shorter than the inner wall (21). The shorter end of the outer wall (22) and the recess (20) have complementary rounded formations so that when the end part of one link (10 or 10') interengages with the end part (11 or 11') of an adjacent link, the respective outer walls (22) locate in the corresponding recess (20). Parallel side braces (12, 12') space the end parts (10, 11; 10' 11') apart through integration therewith and have external surfaces spaced laterally beyond the width of the end parts. A scraper-chain conveyor comprises conveyor line pans (26) and a mining machine movable therealong, said pans having elongate channel sections (13) in which a haulage linkage is located for engagement by drive sprocket means (35) on the machine, said haulage linkage comprising a plurality of link components as above defined, each component interfitting with adjacent components and being held captive in the channel section by flanges (14) of the channel section which overhang the spaced parallel side braces (12, 12') of the link components.
A flexible chain free of hinger pins comprised of a plurality of link components adapted for interfitment with each other, each of said link components having complementary-shaped end parts of which each is the image of the other, each end part comprising a transverse recess which is open at one end, closed at the other end by a curved face and bounded by two parallel straight sides between an inner wall and an outer wall longitudinally disposed of each other, said outer wall is shorter than the inner wall, said outer wall having a straight end face parallel with the sides of the recess and an opposed end of a rounded configuration complementary so that when said end part of a first link component interengages with said end part of a second link component, said respective outer walls locate in said corresponding recesses, and parallel side braces extending between the inner walls of the end parts and spacing said end parts apart through integration therewith and having external surfaces spaced laterally beyond the width of said end parts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.