Transporting means, method and arrangement for producing transport means

#The present invention relates to a conveyor

#The present invention also relates to a method and a device for production of a conveyor in accordance with the preamble of appended claims.

#The object of the present invention is to provide a conveyor by means of which an even and regular movement of the carrier elements is provided with low friction.

#The invention will be described in the following in greater detail by way of some embodiments and with reference to the annexed drawings, in which

#FIG. 1 shows an end view of a guiding device in which a conveyor chain according to the invention is provided,

#FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the guiding device, and

#The conveyor in accordance with the invention comprises a conveyor chain which, together with a guiding device, may convey objects along a path which is determined by the extension of the carrier device. The guiding device mainly comprises a profile beam 1 of, for example, continuously cast aluminium or aluminium alloy and several, in the shown example six, slide elements 2, 3 in the form of strips which are arranged on the profile beam. The beam comprises a bottom strip which is formed in the profile and which is intended to form a channel together with the strips 2, 3, which channel acts as a guide for the conveyor chain 5, which is shown together with an example in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the shown example, the conveyor chain is made up of rotationally symmetrical carrier elements 6 with pulling elements, i.e. with connecting means 7 in the form of a cord or wire extending through the carrier elements. The conveyor chain is intended to be operated by a not shown driving device and to carry with it not shown load-carrying devices which can be of different types and which can be connected to the carrier elements in different ways, by means of direct fastening or form engagement with the carrier elements, and thus with a section being adapted to the calotte shape of the carrier elements or being interposed between the carrier elements. On its outside, the profile beam presents several flanges 8, 9, 10 for enclosing longitudinal channels for connection of not shown consoles in an arrangement. In this regard, the profile beams are manufactured in suitable lengths or are entirely tailor-made for each particular arrangement. The profile beam and thus also the slide elements or the slide strips may be forced to deflect both laterally and vertically, which deflection can be carried out simultaneously.

#The slide elements 2, 3 are manufactured from a suitable material which is temperature-resistant and which has a high mechanical strength, for example against wear, and which also has low friction on its sliding surfaces 11, 12. One type of slide element 3 is positioned entirely in the channel 4 and presents an essentially T-shaped cross-section in which an outwardly facing surface of the cross piece is adapted to the contour shape of the carrier elements' contour shape which is arcuate, whereby the slide elements which extend longitudinally and which extend in the longitudinal direction of the profile beam form a section of a cylinder mantle surface. The radius of curvature is chosen essentially the radius of curvature of the contour shape of the carrier elements. Furthermore, each of the slide elements 3 presents a strip-shaped protrusion 14 which extends into grooves 15 in the channel. The grooves extend radially into the profile beam and present a "keyhole" shape, i.e. they present a narrow section 16 towards the surface of the channel. The strip-shaped protrusions also present a narrow neck section 17, by means of which the slide elements 3 are held in corresponding grooves 15, either by being snapped into the grooves, provided that a certain elasticity is provided in the material of the slide elements, or that they are slid into the grooves from either end of the profile beam. In the bottom of the channel, grooves 15 are provided, e.g. two in number, which form draining and gathering grooves for foreign particles, water, oil, etc. The grooves are advantageously provided at certain intervals with draining holes through the bottom.

#The other type of slide element 2, of which two are provided, is located in connection with the longitudinally extending slit opening 18 of the channel and extends around the two edge sections 19 of the profile beam which enclose the slit opening. The slide elements 2 also present said strip-shaped protrusions 14 which have the same form and properties so that the slide elements are retained in the corresponding groove 15. The two slide elements 2 present a form which is specially adapted to its purpose and which is divided into at least two, or as in the shown example three, specially adapted surface sections, that is, a first surface section which forms said sliding surface 12 for the conveyor chain. This surface section is designed in the same way as the sliding surface 11 for the other type of slide element 3 and thus has the shape of a section of a cylinder mantle surface. A second surface section 20 is plane and is outwardly facing, in the shown example upwards, and forms a sliding surface for load-carriers or possibly for goods being transported by means of the conveyor chain. A third surface section 21, which in the shown example is outwardly convex and which extends laterally, forms a sliding surface for a special type of load-carrier, namely hanging load-carriers which present a hanging section which is supported against the third surface section. This surface section forms part of a snap-on section 22 which is intended to be snapped on around a bead-shaped section 23 of the edge section 19 of the profile beam, through which the slide elements 2 are essentially retained along both its end edges, that is by means of the strip-shaped protrusion 14 and also by means of the snap-on section 22.