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US 5,855,271 AGranted
Noise and wear reducing apparatus for endless conveyors
AssigneeT. K. F., Inc.
InventorsRonald Eubanks, Marcus Hix
Life of this patent
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AssigneeT. K. F., Inc.
InventorsRonald Eubanks, Marcus Hix
Estimating the term…
A conveyor platform is formed from a series of pivotally interconnected segments. Each segment has a stop block, and each stop block has two strike faces. Each strike face abuts against an opposing strike face on adjacent stop blocks when the platform is in a planar position. The stop blocks cannot be compressed, so, when the platform is carrying a load, the stop blocks prevent the platform from sagging. The platform turns as it travels around drive chain sprockets on the return portion of the cyclical drive chain pattern. When it turns, a gap is created between opposing strike faces on adjacent stop blocks. When adjacent segments of the platform emerge from the turn, the opposing strike faces come rapidly together. A bore extends inwardly from one of the strike faces on each stop block and a resilient urethane plug is mounted in the bore. The plug projects slightly beyond the strike face when the opposing strike face on the adjacent stop block is spaced from the plug-bearing strike face. The plug compresses into an enlarged portion of the bore when the opposing strike faces come together. In so doing, the plug cushions the impact between the strike faces, thereby reducing noise and wear.
In a stop block provided with at least one strike face and adapted for use in a conveyor platform, said platform comprising at least two segments, at least one segment being adapted to receive the stop block as a part thereof;
In a conveyor platform comprising at least two adjacent segments, each of said segments having a stop block mounted thereon, each of said stop blocks having first and second strike faces, said platform being movable between a substantially planar configuration wherein the first strike face of the stop block on one segment abuts against the second strike face of the stop block on the adjacent segment and a turning configuration wherein said first strike face of the stop block on the one segment is spaced from said second strike face of the stop block on the adjacent segment, that improvement which comprises:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.