Patent ID: 6206179
Filing Date: 2001-03-27
Classification: B65G,F16G

Abstract:
A conveyor mechanism for use in rack storage facilities, the conveyor mechanism supporting articles placed thereon and moving when the articles on the conveyor mechanism are pushed by a thrust force, said conveyor mechanism comprising:a plurality of chain links, each having a surface on which an article may be placed,adjacent chain links being interconnected to move together,rollers being connected with said chain links and being movable with said chain links, anda supporting rail for vertically supporting said rollers and said chain links, said rollers moving along said rail when said chain links move,each of said chain links having a stop element which engages a stop element on an adjacent chain link to limit mutual rotating movement of the adjacent chain links so that the thrust force applied on the article is transmitted from a chain link supporting the article to the other chain links and to said rollers so that said chain links and said rollers move along said rail;each of said chain links being U-shaped, the U-shape including two legs and a base portion located between said two legs, the mean length of the base portion at least approximately equaling the distance between axles of two adjacent rollers, and adjacent faces of the base portions of adjacent chain links being of complementary design and acting as said stop elements.