# US 8,783,449 B2 · Conveyor chain

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- Number: US 8,783,449 B2
- Document ID: US8783449B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/877,048
- Filed: 2011-05-24
- Published: 2013-10-31
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2010-05-28
- Assignees: Tsubakimoto Chain Co.
- Applicants: Yoshihiro Murakami
- Inventors: Yoshihiro Murakami
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783449B2

## CPC

- B65G 15/30: Belts or like endless load-carriers (co-operating with rails or the like B65G21/22; {co-operating} with rollers B65G39/20)
- B65G 17/40: Chains acting as load-carriers
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)

## Abstract

Disclosed is a conveyor chain (100) in which a large number of chain links (110) on which components are loaded are linked at hinge sections by means of hinge pins (120) and in which a plurality of free rollers are provided protruding from both the front and rear surfaces of the chain links (110), wherein the plurality of free rollers are each rotationally held in roller holders to form roller units (130) and are formed so as to be attachable from the longitudinal direction in a unit attachment region of the chain links (110). By means of the aforementioned structure, it is possible to replace worn components by means of a simple operation and it is unnecessary to replace chain links (110) which have not become worn, costs are reduced, and it is simple to change the rotation direction of the free rollers.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A conveyor chain comprising:
a large number of chain links into which an article loading part to be loaded with articles and a plurality of hinge portions protruding in a staggered manner from a front end edge and a rear end edge in a longitudinal direction of the chain are integrally molded;
hinge pins connecting the hinge portions of the chain links; and
a plurality of free rollers protruding through both front and rear surfaces of the chain links,
wherein the plurality of free rollers are rotationally held in roller holders one by one to constitute a roller unit,
the chain links have a unit mounting region providing for the roller unit to be mounted from the longitudinal direction of the chain,
the roller holder has a cylindrical circumscribing surface,
the unit mounting region has a contact surface in contact with the circumscribing surface of the roller holder in a semicircle, and
the circumscribing surface of the roller holder and the contact surface of the unit mounting region are prevented from rotating by an engagement apparatus comprised of a protruding portion provided on one of the surfaces and a recess portion provided on the other.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The conveyor chain according to claim 1, wherein the engagement apparatus is comprised of an engagement protruding portion provided at one place of the contact surface of the unit mounting region and indexing recess portions provided at a plurality of places of the circumscribing surface of the roller holder.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The conveyor chain according to claim 1, wherein the circumscribing surface of the roller holder and the contact surface of the unit mounting region are retained in front and rear directions by engagement step portions provided thereto.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The conveyor chain according to claim 1, wherein
the unit mounting region is provided with parallel side wall surfaces extending from the contact surface to one of the end edges in the longitudinal direction of the chain, and
the side wall surfaces have a pressure convex portion which retains the roller holder in the longitudinal direction of the chain.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The conveyor chain according to claim 1, wherein the hinge portions at one of the end edges of the chain links are formed in a shape following the circumscribing surface of the roller holder within the unit mounting region of an adjacent chain link.