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US 4,882,820 AGranted
Tenter frame chain with low friction slide block
AssigneeGessner Industries, Inc.
InventorsFrancis X. MacKinnon, James F. Horn, John A. Pastina
Life of this patent
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AssigneeGessner Industries, Inc.
InventorsFrancis X. MacKinnon, James F. Horn, John A. Pastina
Estimating the term…
The present tenter frame chain includes a plurality of links, each link including upper and lower interconnected loadbearing plates, and a low friction slide block sandwich between the upper and lower interconnected plates. The slde block is formed of material having a lower coefficient of friction than the interconnected loadbearing plates and includes a vertically disposed bearing surface located laterally outwardly beyond the lateral extent of one side of the upper and lower interconnected loadbearing plates. The vertically disposed bearing surface of the slide block contacts the bearing surface of the guide rail to reduce the frictional rubbing movement of the tenter chain against the vertically disposed bearing surface of each of the tenter chain guide rails as the tenter chain moves therealong.
A tenter frame for transporting sheet material under tension in an open width condition along a longitudinal path of travel, said tenter frame comprising a pair of elongate guide rails extending along opposite sides of the longitudinal path of travel of the sheet material, each of said guide rails having a vertically disposed bearing surface extending along the corresponding sides of the longitudinal path of travel of the sheet material, an endless tenter chain supported for movement in each of said guide rails with portions of the chain bearing against said vertically disposed bearing surface of said guide rail, and tenter clip means supported on said chain for engaging opposite sides of the sheet material, said tenter chain comprising a plurality of links, each link including upper and lower interconnected loadbearing plates and a slide block sandwiched between said loadbearing plates and having a vertically disposed bearing surface located laterally outwardly beyond the lateral extent of said loadbearing plates for contacting said vertically disposed bearing surface of said guide rail while maintaining other portions of the tenter chain spaced out of contact with the bearing surface of the said guide rail.
A tenter frame for transporting sheet material under tension in an open width condition along a longitudinal path of travel, said tenter frame comprising a pair of elongate guide rails extending along opposite sides of the longitudinal path of travel of the sheet material, each of said guide rails having a vertically disposed bearing surface extending along the corresponding sides of the longitudinal path of travel of the sheet material, an endless tenter chain supported for movement in each of said guide rails with a forward run bearing against said vertically disposed bearing surface of said guide rail, and tenter clip means supported on said chain for engaging opposite sides of the sheet material, said tenter chain comprising a series of chain links, and connecting links located between and interconnecting adjacent chain links, said connecting links including a chain shoe plate and a pair of studs projecting upwardly from said shoe plate, and wherein a vertical hole is provided in each of said chain links adjacent each longitudinal end thereof receiving said studs therethrough, and each of said chain links including spaced-apart upper and lower elongated and interconnected loadbearing plates and a slide block in a fixed position and sandwiched between said spaced-apart upper and lower elongated interconnected loadbearing plates, said slide block being formed of material having a lower coefficient of friction than said interconnecting links, and said slide block including a vertically disposed planar bearing surface projecting outwardly beyond the outer surface of one side of said upper and lower elongated interconnected loadbearing plates whereby said vertically disposed bearing surface of said slide block reduces the frictional rubbing movement of said tenter chain against said vertically disposed bearing surface of each of said guide rails.
A chain link for the tenter chain of a tenter frame of the type having a guide rail with a vertically disposed bearing surface extending therealong with the chain being supported for movement along the guide rail in contact with the bearing surface, said chain link comprising upper and lower interconnected loadbearing plates, a slide block sandwiched between said loadbearing plates and having a vertically disposed bearing surface located laterally outwardly beyond the lateral extent of said loadbearing plates for contacting the vertically disposed bearing surface of the guide rail while maintaining other portions of the tenter chain spaced out of contact with the bearing surface of the guide rail.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.