Patent ID: 6206200
Filing Date: 2001-03-27
Classification: B07B,F16B

Abstract:
A locking system for holding and permitting rapid replacement of a plurality of modular screen panels relative to a plurality of uniformly spaced holes in a plurality of longitudinally extending support members carried by a screen deck; said screen panels having transversely extending support rods and longitudinally extending wires on their upper surface which are welded to said transversely extending support rods; at least one set of two, elongated, longitudinally extending retaining members made of elastomeric wear resistant material; each of said retaining members having a flat bottom surface which is adapted to overlie and be supported by at least a portion of the width of one of said support members; each of said retaining members having a plurality of openings in one side edge which are adapted to receive the transversely extending support rod portions of said screen panels; each of said retaining members further having a plurality of vertically extending openings in a second side edge which extend from their upper surface to their bottom surface and are uniformly spaced to correspond to a plurality of openings formed in said plurality of longitudinally extending support members; said plurality of vertically extending openings in said retaining members comprising recesses formed in said retaining members which are complementary in shape to a plurality of elastomeric sleeve members which are adapted to be assembled thereto; said recesses formed in said retaining members having retaining portions cooperating with retaining portions formed in the outer surface of said sleeve members when said sleeve members are assembled to said retaining members to cause said retaining members to be locked to said sleeve members against radial movement; relative to the axis of the sleeve member said elastomeric sleeve members each having a vertically extending central opening extending downwardly from its upper surface; each of said sleeve members further having a lower end portion; the lower end portions of said sleeve members being of sufficient length that they will pass completely through and beyond the said plurality of uniformly spaced holes formed in said plurality of longitudinally extending support members carried by a screen deck when the sleeve members are assembled into the vertically extending openings in said at least one set of two retaining members while said at least one set of two retaining members are overlying said support members and are arranged so that their vertically extending openings in their second side edges are aligned and abutting each other; and a plurality of locking pins which are adapted to be pressed into the upper ends of the openings in said sleeve members; said locking pins having an outer diameter at their lower ends which is greater than the internal diameter of the openings in the lower ends of said sleeve members, whereby the downward insertion of said pins in said sleeve members will cause opposed portions of the outer wall of said sleeve members to be forced radially outwardly away from each other to a dimension which is greater than the diameter of the holes in said support members, thereby preventing upward movement of said sleeves through said holes in said support members and causing the retaining members and support members to be firmly locked to each other.