Bi-directional roller assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9739398-B2
Application number	US-201615373712-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2016
Priority date	Apr 13, 2015
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of assembling a roller assembly that can include mounting a pedestal on a base of the roller assembly such that the pedestal is movable relative to the base; and fixably positioning a roller relative to the pedestal such that the roller is movable axially relative to the base.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A method of assembling a roller assembly, the method comprising:
mounting a shaft on a base of the roller assembly, the shaft defining an axis;
mounting a pedestal on the shaft such that the pedestal is movable axially along the axis relative to the shaft and the pedestal is rotationally fixed about the axis;
fixably positioning a roller relative to the pedestal; and
rotatably positioning the roller on the shaft such that the roller is movable axially along the axis relative to the shaft.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the roller is a first roller, the method further comprising fixably positioning a second roller relative to the pedestal such that the second roller is movable axially relative to the shaft.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein mounting the pedestal on the shaft of the roller assembly includes mounting the pedestal between a first lug and a second lug of the base, the shaft supported by the first lug and the second lug, the pedestal movably positioned on the shaft between the first lug and the second lug and the roller movable axially relative to the shaft between the first lug and the second lug.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pedestal includes a bottom panel, a first arm, and a second arm, the method further comprising:
connecting the pedestal to the shaft through the first arm and the second arm; and
positioning the roller on the shaft between the first arm and the second arm of the pedestal and above the bottom panel.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the roller defines a roller surface, the method further comprising positioning a pipe shoe on the roller surface such that the pipe shoe is rollable over the roller surface.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching a first sliding plate of a slide bearing to the base and attaching a second sliding plate of the slide bearing to a bottom panel of the pedestal.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first sliding plate and second sliding plate are constructed from a material including polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and glass fiber.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shaft is axially fixed relative to the base.

9. A method of assembling a roller assembly, the method comprising:
mounting a shaft on a base of the roller assembly, the shaft defining an axis;
connecting a first arm and a second arm of a pedestal to the shaft such that the pedestal is movable axially along the axis relative to the shaft; and
rotatably positioning a roller on the shaft between the first arm and the second arm of the pedestal such that the roller is positioned above a bottom panel of the pedestal, the roller movable axially along the axis relative to the shaft.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
mounting the pedestal between a first lug and a second lug of the base, the shaft supported by the first lug and the second lug, the pedestal movably positioned on the shaft between the first lug and the second lug.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
movably positioning the bottom panel of the pedestal on the base.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the roller is a first roller, the method further comprising fixably positioning a second roller relative to the pedestal such that the second roller is movable axially relative to the shaft.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
attaching a first sliding plate of a slide bearing to the base; and
attaching a second sliding plate of the slide bearing to the bottom panel of the pedestal.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the pedestal is rotationally fixed about the axis; and
the shaft is axially fixed relative to the base.

15. A method of assembling a roller assembly, the method comprising:
mounting a shaft on a base of the roller assembly, the shaft defining an axis;
mounting a pedestal on the shaft such that the pedestal is movable axially along the axis relative to the shaft;
attaching a first sliding plate of a slide bearing to the base;
attaching a second sliding plate of the slide bearing to the pedestal; and
fixably positioning a roller relative to the pedestal such that the roller is rotatable and movable axially along the axis relative to the shaft.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the first sliding plate is attached to the base between a first lug and a second lug of the base; and
the second sliding plate is attached to a bottom panel of the pedestal between a first arm and a second arm of the pedestal.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
mounting the pedestal between a first lug and a second lug of the base, the shaft supported by the first lug and the second lug, the pedestal movably positioned on the shaft between the first lug and the second lug.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first sliding plate and second sliding plate are constructed from a material including polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and glass fiber.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the roller is a first roller, the method further comprising fixably positioning a second roller relative to the pedestal such that the second roller is movable axially relative to the shaft.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the pedestal is rotationally fixed about the axis; and
the shaft is axially fixed relative to the base.

Assignees

• Anvil Int Llc

Inventors

• Costa Carlos

Classifications

• F16L3/20

  allowing movement in transverse direction · CPC title

• F16L3/18 Primary

  allowing movement in axial direction · CPC title

• F16L3/202

  the transverse movement being converted to a rotational movement (F16L3/215 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16L3/16

  with special provision allowing movement of the pipe (F16L3/01 takes precedence; supporting pipes or cables inside other pipes or sleeves F16L7/00) · CPC title