US4582193A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flight attached to a drive mechanism
Assignee: BIVANS Corp A CORP OF CA
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Filing: 1982-06-23
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Granted: 1986-04-15
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Expires: 2002-06-23
Abstract
Abstract A flight which is attached to a drive mechanism such as a chain is disclosed. The flight may be used to form a conveyor for transporting articles, when a series of flights are attached to the drive mechanism in succession. The disclosed flight includes a horizontal slot in its forward support element which is slipped onto a pin on the drive mechanism, and a rear support element having a vertical slot with a detent, which is snapped onto a succeeding pin as the flight is rotated downward around the forward support pin in the horizontal slot of the forward support element, acting as a pivot. Attachment and detachment is very simple, requiring no special tools. The forward and rear support elements are in different vertical zones or planes, so that the forward support element of one flight may be attached to the same pin as the rear support element of an adjacent flight. This allows the flight to be used with double pitch as well as single pitch chains. Because of the horizontal slot in the forward support element and the overlapping of the forward and rear support elements on a single pin, the flight does not tend to pop off when experiencing stresses in its working environment.
Inventors
- 👤 Karl H. Larsson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:51
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G17/00; B65G17/06; B65G17/067; B65G2201/00; B65G2201/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
342 words
In a conveyor system made up of a succession of flights for transporting articles, each flight having a body providing an upper flight surface with leading and trailing edges and upon which the articles are supported, each flight being supported and moved along by a chain having a plurality of chain pins with pin extensions projecting outwardly from the chain sides, the improvement comprising in combination: rear support means and forward support means depending from said flight body for supporting the body on spaced pin extensions; said rear support means including first pin engaging means operable to receive said pin extensions when said flight body is moved relatively toward said pin extension in a direction normal to said flight surface; said pin engaging means including one or more pairs of spaced resilient legs depending from the flight body and each pair providing an opening for receiving the pin extension of one of said pins; holding and bearing means in said opening on each pair of said legs for holding a pin extension received in said opening with a snap fit and providing bearing support for loads transmitted through said rear support means; said forward support means having second pin engaging means extending forwardly of the leading edge of the flight body surface and engaging pin extensions on said chain engaged by the rear support means of the adjacent flight body forwardly thereof, said second pin engaging means being provided with a forwardly directed opening for receiving a pin extension when said flight body is moved relatively toward said pin extension in a forward direction generally parallel to the flight body surface; said leading and trailing edges of said flight body surface lying in vertical planes normal to said surface and rearwardly of said openings in the first and second pin engaging means, respectively. and a web connecting the forward and rear support means, said web having one or more cutouts for providing clearance between the web and an intermediate pin located between the pins attached to the forward and rear support means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
342 words
In a conveyor system made up of a succession of flights for transporting articles, each flight having a body providing an upper flight surface with leading and trailing edges and upon which the articles are supported, each flight being supported and moved along by a chain having a plurality of chain pins with pin extensions projecting outwardly from the chain sides, the improvement comprising in combination: rear support means and forward support means depending from said flight body for supporting the body on spaced pin extensions; said rear support means including first pin engaging means operable to receive said pin extensions when said flight body is moved relatively toward said pin extension in a direction normal to said flight surface; said pin engaging means including one or more pairs of spaced resilient legs depending from the flight body and each pair providing an opening for receiving the pin extension of one of said pins; holding and bearing means in said opening on each pair of said legs for holding a pin extension received in said opening with a snap fit and providing bearing support for loads transmitted through said rear support means; said forward support means having second pin engaging means extending forwardly of the leading edge of the flight body surface and engaging pin extensions on said chain engaged by the rear support means of the adjacent flight body forwardly thereof, said second pin engaging means being provided with a forwardly directed opening for receiving a pin extension when said flight body is moved relatively toward said pin extension in a forward direction generally parallel to the flight body surface; said leading and trailing edges of said flight body surface lying in vertical planes normal to said surface and rearwardly of said openings in the first and second pin engaging means, respectively. and a web connecting the forward and rear support means, said web having one or more cutouts for providing clearance between the web and an intermediate pin located between the pins attached to the forward and rear support means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The improvement to the conveyor system of claim 1 wherein the rear support means further comprises: stress relief means between said bearing means and said flight surface for relieving stress in said pair of legs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
The improvement to the conveyor system of claim 1 wherein the rear support means further comprises: positioning means including at least one cam face on said pair of legs for positioning the rear support means over a pin prior to attachment thereto and to assist engagement of the second pin engagement means with its associated pin.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The improvement to the conveyor system of claim 1 wherein: said forwardly directed opening has its horizontal centerline the same distance from the flight surface of the flight as the distance from the flight surface to the axis of a pin extension received in the rear support means for maintaining the flight in a horizontal plane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
68 words
The improvement in the conveyor system of claim 1 wherein said chain includes a plurality of chain links assembled together by hollow linkage pins, said chain pins comprising tightly fitting pins press-fitted into selected ones of said hollow linkage pins, said tightly fitting pins extending laterally outwardly from said linkage pins, so that said flights are mounted on the chain by their attachment to said tightly fitting pins.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
353 words
A flight attached to a drive mechanism, said drive mechanism having a plurality of pins, said flight having a body and an upper surface with leading and trailing edges comprising: rear support means attached to and entirely below and forwardly of the trailing edge of the flight surface the body of one or more of said flights for supporting the rear portion of the flight body on said drive mechanism pins; forward support means attached to the body of one or more of said flights for supporting the forward portion of the flight body on said drive mechanism pins and forwardly of the leading edge of the flight surface; said rear support means located in a planar zone laterally spaced from the planar zone of the forward support means for allowing a forward support means of a given flight to be attached to one or more pins also supporting the rear support means of a an adjacent flight, whereby the forward and rear support means of adjacent flights are in juxtaposition; one or more pairs of resilient legs in said rear support means depending from the flight body, said legs defining a vertical slot for receiving one or more drive mechanism pins; said forward support means having a horizontal slot for providing a slip fit to one or more of said pins; an extension to said forward support means extending forwardly of the leading edge of the flight surface and engaging one or more pins on said drive mechanism which lie forward and below the associated flight upper surface; said horizontal slot having its horizontal centerline the same distance from the upper surface of the flight as the distance from the upper surface to the axis of the pin engaged by the holding means in the rear support means for maintaining the flight in a horizontal plane; a pair of spaced webs connecting the forward and rear support means for adding strength; and said webs having one or more cutouts for providing clearance between the webs and one or more intermediate pins located between the pins supporting the rear and forward support means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
353 words
A flight attached to a drive mechanism, said drive mechanism having a plurality of pins, said flight having a body and an upper surface with leading and trailing edges comprising: rear support means attached to and entirely below and forwardly of the trailing edge of the flight surface the body of one or more of said flights for supporting the rear portion of the flight body on said drive mechanism pins; forward support means attached to the body of one or more of said flights for supporting the forward portion of the flight body on said drive mechanism pins and forwardly of the leading edge of the flight surface; said rear support means located in a planar zone laterally spaced from the planar zone of the forward support means for allowing a forward support means of a given flight to be attached to one or more pins also supporting the rear support means of a an adjacent flight, whereby the forward and rear support means of adjacent flights are in juxtaposition; one or more pairs of resilient legs in said rear support means depending from the flight body, said legs defining a vertical slot for receiving one or more drive mechanism pins; said forward support means having a horizontal slot for providing a slip fit to one or more of said pins; an extension to said forward support means extending forwardly of the leading edge of the flight surface and engaging one or more pins on said drive mechanism which lie forward and below the associated flight upper surface; said horizontal slot having its horizontal centerline the same distance from the upper surface of the flight as the distance from the upper surface to the axis of the pin engaged by the holding means in the rear support means for maintaining the flight in a horizontal plane; a pair of spaced webs connecting the forward and rear support means for adding strength; and said webs having one or more cutouts for providing clearance between the webs and one or more intermediate pins located between the pins supporting the rear and forward support means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
329 words
In a conveyor system made up of a succession of flights for transporting articles, each flight having a body providing an upper surface with leading and trailing edges upon which the articles are supported, and each flight being supported and moved along by a chain having a plurality of chain pins extending outwardly from the chain sides, the improvement comprising the provision of: rear support means attached to and entirely below and forwardly of the trailing edge of one or more of said flights for supporting the rear portion of the flight body on one or more of said pins; pin engaging means in said rear support means operable to receive a horizontally disposed pin when said flight is moved relatively toward said pin in a direction generally normal to said upper surface; one or more pairs of resilient legs in said pin engaging means dependent from the flight body, said legs including bearing means and defining a vertical slot for receiving said pin to contact said bearing means; forward support means attached to the body of one or more of said flights for supporting the forward portion of the flight body on one or more of said pins, said forward support means extending forward of the leading edge of the upper surface of its associated flight body, and engaging pins on said chain which lie forward and below said associated flight upper surface; second pin engaging means in said forward support means for receiving a horizontally disposed pin when said flight is moved relatively toward said pin in a direction generally parallel to said upper surface; said second pin engaging means is provided with a horizontal slot for providing a slip fit to one or more of said pins, and a web connecting the forward and rear support means, said web having one or more cutouts for providing clearance between the web and an intermediate pin located between the pins attached to the forward and rear support means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
329 words
In a conveyor system made up of a succession of flights for transporting articles, each flight having a body providing an upper surface with leading and trailing edges upon which the articles are supported, and each flight being supported and moved along by a chain having a plurality of chain pins extending outwardly from the chain sides, the improvement comprising the provision of: rear support means attached to and entirely below and forwardly of the trailing edge of one or more of said flights for supporting the rear portion of the flight body on one or more of said pins; pin engaging means in said rear support means operable to receive a horizontally disposed pin when said flight is moved relatively toward said pin in a direction generally normal to said upper surface; one or more pairs of resilient legs in said pin engaging means dependent from the flight body, said legs including bearing means and defining a vertical slot for receiving said pin to contact said bearing means; forward support means attached to the body of one or more of said flights for supporting the forward portion of the flight body on one or more of said pins, said forward support means extending forward of the leading edge of the upper surface of its associated flight body, and engaging pins on said chain which lie forward and below said associated flight upper surface; second pin engaging means in said forward support means for receiving a horizontally disposed pin when said flight is moved relatively toward said pin in a direction generally parallel to said upper surface; said second pin engaging means is provided with a horizontal slot for providing a slip fit to one or more of said pins, and a web connecting the forward and rear support means, said web having one or more cutouts for providing clearance between the web and an intermediate pin located between the pins attached to the forward and rear support means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-04-14 | 1989-10-14 | 1990-04-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-04-14 | 1993-10-14 | 1994-04-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-04-14 | 1997-10-14 | 1998-04-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |