Chain and flight conveyor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9415939-B2
Application number	US-201514612543-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2015
Priority date	Apr 3, 2008
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A chain link assembly for a chain conveyor, the assembly comprising:
a first pin including a first end and a second end and defining an outer surface extending therebetween, the first pin further including a first projection extending outwardly from the outer surface, the first projection being positioned closer to the first end than the second end;
a second pin including a first end and a second end and defining an outer surface extending therebetween, the second pin being oriented parallel to the first pin such that the first end of the first pin is laterally spaced apart relative to the first end of the second pin, the second pin further including a second projection extending outwardly from the outer surface, the second projection being positioned closer to the second end than the first end;
a first side plate oriented perpendicular to the first pin and the second pin, the first side plate including a pair of holes, each hole receiving one of the first pin and the second pin, the first side plate abutting the first projection to prevent the first side plate from moving toward the first end of the pins; and
a second side plate oriented perpendicular to the first pin and the second pin, the second side plate including a pair of holes, the second side plate being oriented parallel to the first side plate such that the holes of the second side plate are aligned with the holes of the first side plate, each hole of the second side plate receiving one of the first pin and the second pin, the second side plate abutting the second projection to prevent the second side plate from moving toward the second end of the pins.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein each side plate includes a first hole through which the first pin is received and a second hole through which the second pin is received, and wherein the first hole of the first side plate has a groove receiving the first projection.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second hole of the second side plate has a groove receiving the second projection.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first projection is an annular projection extending around the perimeter of the first pin.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a first flight secured to the first end of the first pin and the first end of the second pin.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first flight is spaced apart from an outer surface of the first side plate.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first side plate is press fit onto the first pin at the first projection, and wherein the second side plate is press fit onto the second pin at the second projection.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first projection is the only portion of the first pin having a non-uniform diameter, and wherein the second projection is the only portion of the second pin having a non-uniform diameter.

9. A chain link assembly for a chain conveyor, the chain link assembly comprising:
a pair of side plates positioned parallel to one another, each side plate including a first hole and a second hole parallel to the first hole, the side plates being spaced apart from one another such that the first hole of one side plate is aligned with the first hole of the other side plate, and the second hole of the one side plate is aligned with the second hole of the other side plate; and
a pair of elongated pins positioned in an anti-parallel orientation, the pins being laterally spaced apart from one another, each pin including an outer surface and a projection extending outwardly from the outer surface, each projection being positioned closer to one end of the pin than the other end, a first of the pins extending through the first hole such that the projection of the first pin is positioned adjacent an outer surface of one side plate, a second of the pins extending through the second hole such that the projection of the second pin is positioned adjacent an outer surface of the other side plate.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first hole of the one side plate has a groove positioned proximate the outer surface of the one side plate, and wherein the projection of the first pin is at least partially positioned within the groove.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the groove is a first groove, wherein the second hole of the other side plate has a second groove positioned proximate the outer surface of the other side plate, and wherein the projection of the second pin is at least partially positioned within the second groove.

12. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein each projection is an annular projection extending around the perimeter of the associated pin.

13. The assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first flight secured to one end of both pins; and
a second flight secured to another end of both pins.

14. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein each flight is spaced apart from an outer surface of the associated side plate.

15. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the one side plate is press fit onto the first pin at the projection of the first pin, and wherein the other side plate is press fit onto the second pin at the projection of the second pin.

16. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the projection is the only portion of the first pin having a non-uniform diameter, and wherein the second projection is the only portion of the second pin having a non-uniform diameter.

17. A method for assembling a chain flight assembly, the method comprising:
providing a first elongated pin and a second elongated pin, each elongated pin having an outer surface and a projection extending outwardly from the outer surface, the projection being positioned closer to one end of the pin than the other end;
inserting the first pin into a first hole of a first side plate such that the projection of the first pin is positioned proximate an outer surface of the first side plate;
inserting the second pin into a second hole of a second side plate such that the projection of the second pin is positioned proximate an outer surface of the second side plate;
inserting the first pin into a first hole of the second side plate while simultaneously inserting the second pin into a second hole of the first side plate such that the first pin and the second pin are arranged in an anti-parallel orientation;
securing a first flight to an end of the first pin proximate the projection of the first pin; and
securing a second flight to an end of the second pin proximate the projection of the second pin.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
securing the first flight to another end of the second pin distal the projection of the second pin; and
securing the second flight to another end of the first pin distal the projection of the first pin.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first flight is spaced apart from the outer surface of the first side plate.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein inserting the first pin into the first hole includes inserting the projection of the first pin into a groove positioned in the first hole of the first side plate.

Assignees

• Joy Mm Delaware Inc

Inventors

• Arnold Randy W
• Krellner James A
• O'Neill Michael L

Classifications

• Y10T29/49988

  Metal casting · CPC title

• B65G19/24 Primary

  Attachment of impellers to traction element · CPC title

• B65G19/08

  and attached to a single belt, rope or chain · CPC title

• B65G19/20

  Traction chains, ropes, or cables · CPC title