Moving handrail drive belt tensioning device
AssigneeOtis Elevator Company
InventorsGeorge E. Sheffield, Albert E. Moniz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spring loaded tensioning assembly is mounted on the truss of a moving walkway or escalator to apply pressure and tension to a moving handrail drive belt. The assembly includes a roller which is biased against the inside surface of the drive belt to urge the drive belt against the inside surface of the handrail. The tensioning assembly is an adjunct to the original equipment drive belt tensioner and can be retrofitted onto existing equipment in the field to extend the service life of the drive belt.
Claims8
In combination with an escalator or moving walkway, a drive assembly for a moving handrail, said drive assembly comprising:
- a) an endless drive belt engaging one surface of said handrail, said drive belt being reeved about a power roller and a spaced tension roller spaced apart from said power roller, said power roller and tension roller being operable to impart a loop configuration to said drive belt;
- b) a support roller bow assembly engaging the surface of said handbelt opposite said one surface thereof, said roller bow assembly being operable to urge said handrail against said drive belt to provide said handrail with a curved path of travel between said power roller and said tension roller;
- and
- c) an auxiliary tension roller assembly mounted inside of said drive belt loop, said auxiliary tension roller assembly including an auxiliary tension roller which is positioned within said drive belt loop closer to one of said power roller and said tension roller than the other, and said auxiliary tension roller assembly further including means for urging said auxiliary tension roller against said drive belt to provide enhanced tensioning of said drive belt.
An auxiliary handrail belt drive tensioning assembly for use in conjunction with a belt drive for a moving handrail on an escalator or moving walkway, said tensioning assembly comprising:
- a) a bracket adapted to be mounted on a truss of the escalator or moving walkway, said bracket including a pair of spaced apertures operable to receive mounting bolts on the truss;
- an elongated slot;
- and a guide;
- b) a rod mounted on said bracket, said rod being slidably disposed in said guide;
- c) a tension roller mounted on one end of said rod, said tension roller being journaled about an axle which is slidably disposed in said elongated slot whereby said roller axle can move reciprocally with respect to said bracket;
- and
- d) spring means mounted on said rod distal of said tension roller, said spring means engaging said guide and being operable to bias said rod and said tension roller in the direction of elongation of said rod.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.