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US 5,489,020 AGranted
Smooth-driving conveyor chain
AssigneeTekno, Inc.
InventorRobert T. Clopton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A conveyor chain is made up of carrier links and connector links, and the carrier links provide forward and rear drive surfaces, so as to provide a smooth drive.
Claims10
A conveyor chain, comprising:
- a plurality of alternating carrier links and connector links;
- each of said carrier links comprising
- a link body, defining a forward portion, a rear portion, and left and right sides;
- a forward knuckle and a rear knuckle on said link body;
- each of said knuckles defining a hole for receiving a chain pin;
- each of said connector links being received by the forward portion of one carrier link and by the rear portion of another carrier link;
- and
- a plurality of pins holding said respective carrier and connector links together to form a chain;
- wherein each of said carrier links in the assembled chain provides a forward drive surface and a rear drive surface for receiving sprocket teeth to drive the chain from below the chain.
6 more elements
A chain, comprising:
- a plurality of links, each link defining a link body and forward and rear holes for receiving a chain pin;
- a plurality of chain pins connecting said links together to form a chain;
- said links defining left and right forward abutment members and left and right rear abutment members integral with said link body and fixed relative to each other, such that, when said chain is in tension, said abutment members do not contact each other, and said chain can flex to the side to go around horizontal turns, and, when said chain is in compression, said abutment members abut each other so as to make the chain rigid in the horizontal plane so that it can be pushed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.