US 8,177,049 B2Granted

Chain and flight conveyor

AssigneeJoy MM Delaware, Inc.

InventorMichael L. O'Neill

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A chain driven by two sprockets spaced a short distance apart along their common axial centerline. The chain includes elongated pins that extend beyond the outer surfaces of the chain link plates, on both sides, by a distance about equal to the width of the spaced apart sprockets. The chain is aligned midway between the sprockets, and the sprocket teeth drive on the extended portion of the chain pins. Where a flight is attached to the chain links, the pins are extended still further, to fit into the indentations or holes in the flights. This provides an exposed length of each pin in alignment with the sprocket on each side for driving purposes. The chain has a piece extending between the plates to reduce the likelihood of a pin extending further outside of one side plate or the other. A shoulder on the pin further reduces the likelihood of this happening.

Claims39

Dependent claims

A conveyor including

a pan,
a conveyor chain and flight assembly that travels over said pan, the conveyor chain defining a chain axis, said conveyor chain and flight assembly including
a first link assembly and a second link assembly, each of which includes
two spaced apart drive pins, each of which has a first end and a second end, the drive pins being axially spaced apart,
two spaced apart side plates, each of which has two spaced apart openings, each opening receiving a different one of said drive pins, and
drive pin retaining means for retaining said drive pins in said side plates, and
wherein at least one of said first link assembly and said second link assembly also includes a piece extending between and connected to said side plates to prevent movement of said side plates away from each other, the piece being positioned axially between the drive pins,
means for connecting said two link assemblies, and
a first flight connected to one of said first and said second link assemblies, said flight having a flight head having two spaced apart indentations, each of which receives a different one of said first ends of said drive pins, and
first flight securing means for securing said drive pin first ends in said first flight head so that said first flight head is spaced from its respective side plate, and
a second flight connected to said one of said first and said second link assemblies, said flight having a flight head having two spaced apart indentations, each of which receives a different one of said second ends of said drive pins, and
second flight securing means for securing said drive pin second ends in said second flight head so that said second flight head is spaced from its respective side plate, and
a sprocket drive including two spaced apart drive sprockets, with each drive sprocket engaging said drive pins between said side plates and the side plate's respective flight.

10 more elements

A chain and flight assembly adapted to travel over a pan, the conveyor chain defining a chain axis, said conveyor chain and flight assembly including

a first link assembly and a second link assembly, each of which includes
two spaced apart drive pins, each of which has a first end and a second end, the drive pins being axially spaced apart,
two spaced apart side plates, each of which has two spaced apart openings, each opening receiving a different one of said drive pins,
drive pin retaining means for retaining said drive pins in said side plates, and
wherein at least one of said first link assembly and said second link assembly also includes a piece extending between and connected to said side plates to prevent movement of said side plates away from each other, the piece being positioned axially between the drive pins,
means for connecting said two link assemblies, and
a first flight connected to one of said first and said second link assemblies, said flight having a flight head having two spaced apart indentations, each of which receives a different one of said first ends of said drive pins, and
first flight securing means for securing said drive pin first ends in said first flight head so that said first flight head is spaced from its respective side plate, and
a second flight connected to said one of said first and said second link assemblies, said flight having a flight head having two spaced apart indentations, each of which receives a different one of said second ends of said drive pins, and
second flight securing means for securing said drive pin second ends in said second flight head so that said second flight head is spaced from its respective side plate.

7 more elements

A chain and flight assembly adapted to travel over a pan, the chain and flight assembly defining a chain axis, the assembly comprising:

a first sub-assembly including
two spaced apart first drive pins, each of which has a first end and a second end, the drive pins being axially spaced apart,
two spaced apart first side plates, each of the two spaced apart first drive pins extending through and being retained in the two spaced apart first side plates,
a first flight having a first flight plate receiving the first end of each of the two spaced apart first drive pins, the first flight being secured to the two spaced apart first drive pins, a surface of the first flight plate facing generally toward and being in spaced relation from an associated one of the two spaced apart first side plates, and
a second flight having a second flight plate receiving the second end of each of the two spaced apart first drive pins, the second flight being secured to the two spaced apart first drive pins, a surface of the second flight plate facing generally toward and being in spaced relation from the other of the two spaced apart first side plates;
a second sub-assembly including
two spaced apart second drive pins, each of which has a first end and a second end,
two spaced apart second side plates, each of the two spaced apart second drive pins extending through and being retained in the two spaced apart second side plates;
at least one of the first sub-assembly and the second sub-assembly including a member extending between and connected to each side plate of the associated one of the two spaced apart first side plates and the two spaced apart second side plates to prevent movement of each side plate of the associated one of the two spaced apart first side plates and the two spaced apart second side plates away from the other, the member being positioned axially between the drive pins;
and
a connecting link operable to connect the first sub-assembly and the second sub-assembly.

8 more elements

A chain and flight assembly adapted to travel over a pan, the chain and flight assembly defining a chain axis, the assembly comprising:

a first sub-assembly including
two spaced apart first drive pins, each of which has a first end and a second end,
two spaced apart first side plates, each of the two spaced apart first drive pins extending through and being retained in the two spaced apart first side plates,
a first flight having a first flight plate receiving the first end of each of the two spaced apart first drive pins, the first flight being secured to the two spaced apart first drive pins, a surface of the first flight plate facing generally toward and being in spaced relation from an associated one of the two spaced apart first side plates, and
a second flight having a second flight plate receiving the second end of each of the two spaced apart first drive pins, the second flight being secured to the two spaced apart first drive pins, a surface of the second flight plate facing generally toward and being in spaced relation from the other of the two spaced apart first side plates;
a second sub-assembly including
two spaced apart second drive pins, each of which has a first end and a second end,
two spaced apart second side plates, each of the two spaced apart second drive pins extending through and being retained in the two spaced apart second side plates;
in at least one of the first sub-assembly and the second sub-assembly, each drive pin of the associated one of the two spaced apart first drive pins and the two spaced apart second drive pins having a shoulder engaging a respective side plate to prevent each side plate of the associated one of the two spaced apart first side plates and the two spaced apart second side plates from moving towards the other;
and
a connecting link operable to connect the first sub-assembly and the second sub-assembly;
wherein at least one of the first sub-assembly and the second sub-assembly includes a member extending between and connected to each side plate of the associated one of the two spaced apart first side plates and the two spaced apart second side plates to prevent movement of each side plate of the associated one of the two spaced apart first side plates and the two spaced apart second side plates away from the other, the associated one of the two spaced apart first drive pins and the two spaced apart second drive pins being axially spaced apart, the member being positioned axially between the associated one of the two spaced apart first drive pins and the two spaced apart second drive pins.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/062,069Filed 3 Apr 2008
Published: US 2009/0250318 A18 Oct 2009
Granted: 15 May 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

B65G 19/08
The impellers being scrapers similar in size and shape to the cross-section of the trough or channel: and attached to a single belt, rope or chain
B65G 19/20
Details: traction chains, ropes, or cables
B65G 19/24
Impellers, e.g. push-plates, scrapers; Guiding means therefor: attachment of impellers to traction element
B65G
Transport or storage devices