Modular chain newel with standard bearing

A roller bearing and newel guide assembly (30) for a newel (24) in an escalator (10) has a newel guide (32), a roller chain (34), and a spring (40) connected between the roller chain (34) and the newel guide (32) to provide tension to the roller chain (34). The roller chain (34) comprises a series of interlinked chain units (36). Each chain unit (36) includes a frame (78), at least one roller bearing (72), and a pin (76) for connecting the roller bearing (72) to the frame (78). Each chain unit (36) has a female connector (62) and a male connector (64), which allow each chain unit (36) to connect to an adjacent chain unit (36) to form the roller chain (34).

BACKGROUND

Passenger conveyors, such as escalators and moving walkways, have a continuously looping pathway flanked by railings called balustrades. These balustrades have moving handrails that slide along the balustrade at the same speed as the continuously looping pathway. At the ends of the conveyors, the handrails typically pass over curved newels. The curvilinear profile of the newel makes it difficult to maintain tension in the handrail while minimizing friction. Solutions for moving the handrail over the curved newel have included using a large rotating wheel, such as a flywheel, or using a plurality of roller bearings along a curvilinear profile.

Where the roller bearing solution has been used, the roller bearings need to be maintained in contact with the handrail as the handrail moves over the curved newel. The roller bearings typically are retained in a newel guide that matches the profile of the curved newel. Each bearing is pinned into a hole drilled into the newel guide. These holes need to follow the curvilinear profile of the newel guide, which makes manufacturing these guides difficult. Because difficult manufacturing techniques are involved in constructing the roller bearing and newel guide assemblies, the quality of these assemblies often suffers. Furthermore, as a result of wear, contamination, and various other factors, roller bearings have a limited lifetime and eventually need to be replaced. When the bearings are replaced, the entire roller bearing and newel guide assembly must be removed and replaced. The removal and replacement of the damaged roller bearing and newel guide assembly is very expensive and inefficient, especially when only one roller bearing needs replacement.

SUMMARY

The present invention includes a handrail assembly for a newel of a passenger conveyor comprising, a handrail belt that travels around the newel, a roller bearing and newel guide assembly comprising a newel guide and a roller chain, and a spring connected between a first end of the roller chain and the newel guide to provide tension to the roller chain in order to maintain contact between the surface area of the roller and the handrail belt.

In one aspect, the invention includes a roller chain having a first end and a second end connected to the newel guide. The roller chain comprises a series of interlinked chain units, each chain unit being connected to an adjacent chain unit in the roller chain.

In another aspect, the invention includes an individual chain unit of the roller chain. Each chain unit includes a frame, at least one roller bearing that contacts the handrail belt, and a pin for connecting the roller bearing to the frame. The frame has a base and first and second side panels that extend upwardly from the base. The base of the frame has a male connector and a female connector, which allow each chain unit to connect to an adjacent chain unit. In one embodiment, these connectors are hook and loop connectors. Each roller bearing has an inner race and an outer race. The pin is inserted through a hole in the first side panel, the inner race of the roller bearing, and a hole in the second side panel to support the bearing within the frame.

In a further aspect, the invention includes a method for assembling and a method for repairing the roller bearing and newel guide assembly. To assemble the roller bearing and newel guide assembly, a first end of the roller chain, typically the end containing the spring, is connected to a first end of the newel guide with a first fastener. The roller chain is then aligned within the newel guide and force is applied to the chain to keep the spring in tension. The second end of the roller chain is then connected to the second end of the newel guide with a second fastener. To repair the roller bearing and newel guide assembly, the roller chain is first disconnected from the newel guide by removing a fastener from at least a first end of the roller chain. At least one damaged chain unit is then removed from the roller chain. This chain unit is replaced, and the repaired roller chain is connected to the newel guide with the fastener.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A passenger conveyor, such as escalator10shown inFIG. 1, includes a continuous loop of steps12, a pair of handrails14, a pair of balustrades16extending along the side of steps12from a first landing to a second landing, and a drive system18. Drive system18is configured to drive steps12and handrails14at a constant speed and in synchrony with one another. Handrails14are slidingly engaged with handrail guide22disposed on the outer edge of each balustrade16. Each end of balustrade16includes a rounded section that defines newel24. Newel24extends beyond the exposed portion of steps12and provides a turn around section for reversing the direction of travel of handrail14for the return trip in the closed loop path through which handrail14travels. The newel24contains a roller bearing and newel guide assembly30(shown inFIG. 2) to enable the handrail14to pass around newel24.

FIG. 2shows a view of the roller bearing and newel guide assembly30of the present invention, having newel guide32and roller chain34. Newel guide32has a curvilinear profile that mirrors the curvilinear profile of newel24. Roller chain34includes a series of interlinked chain units36. In order to maintain tension in roller chain34, spring40has first end42that is attached to one end of roller chain34and second end44attached to one end of newel guide32. Second end44is attached to newel guide32with fastener46. Roller chain34is also attached to the other end of newel guide32with fastener48.

Due to the modular nature of roller chain34, assembly and repair of the roller bearing and newel guide assembly30is simplified.FIGS. 3A and 3Bshow how roller chain34is assembled with newel guide32to form roller bearing and newel guide assembly30. As mentioned above, second end44of spring40is joined at one end of newel guide32by fastener46. Roller chain34, which is connected to spring40, is aligned with newel guide32. Pin52is inserted into hole54which is pre-drilled within newel guide32. Pin52allows tension in spring40to be maintained while roller chain34is fixed to newel guide32by fastener48. To repair broken roller chain34(or even repair individual chain units36of roller chain34), roller chain34is removed from newel guide32by releasing fasteners46,48. Repaired (or new) roller chain34can then be aligned with newel guide32. Alternatively, at least one damaged chain unit36can be removed from the roller chain34and replaced with new chain unit36instead of using an entirely new roller chain34.

FIG. 4shows a view of roller chain34removed from newel guide32. Roller chain34typically includes at least ten chain units36. Preferably, roller chain34has between fifteen and twenty chain units36. The length of roller chain34is long enough to cover a substantial portion of newel guide32(shown inFIGS. 2-3) within newel24(shown inFIGS. 1-3). The overall length of roller chain34, not including spring40, can range between 600 mm (23.62 in.) and 1200 mm (47.25 in.), depending on the number of chain units36. Typically, the length of roller chain34is between 800 mm (31.49 in.) and 1100 mm (43.31 in.).

FIG. 5shows a closer view of a portion of roller chain34shown inFIG. 4. As mentioned earlier, a series of interlinked chain units36forms roller chain34. These chain units36are linked with each other using connectors62,64in order to form roller chain34. In the present embodiment, connector62is a loop and connector64is a hook. Other forms of connectors, such as ball and socket connectors and other male and female connectors, can also be used to form a mating connection between chain units36. As shown inFIG. 5, chain unit36ais connected to chain unit36bby connecting loop62aof chain unit36awith hook64bof chain unit36b. Chain unit36cis connected to chain unit36bby connecting loop62bof chain unit36bwith hook64cof chain unit36c. After a plurality of chain units36a,36b,36care connected to form roller chain34, one end of roller chain34has free hook64a, and the other end of roller chain34has free loop62c. Spring40has first end42for connecting with roller chain34and second end44for connecting spring40to newel guide32. In one embodiment, free hook64ais connected to spring40at first end42. However, it can be appreciated that spring40may instead be attached to free loop62c.

As shown inFIG. 6, each chain unit36comprises roller bearing72held within frame74by pin76. Roller bearing72has an inner race and an outer race (shown inFIGS. 8A-8C). Roller bearing72is typically made from metals, but may also be made from plastic or other polymeric materials. Frame74has base78and two side panels82,84extending upward from base78. Side panels82,84extend upward from base78at opposite sides of base78. Side panel82is substantially parallel with side panel84. Side panels82,84each have holes86,88. Pin76is inserted through hole86, inner race of roller bearing72, and hole88to support roller bearing72within frame74. Hook64is connected to base78at one end of base78, and loop62is connected at the opposite end of base of78. Connectors, such has loop62and hook64, may be integrally formed with frame74or may be detachable from frame74. In the illustrative embodiment, hook64is formed integrally with frame74, while loop62is made separately and later connected to frame74. Loop62be pivotally connected to frame74so that roller chain34can follow the curvilinear profile of newel guide32.

The overall length of chain unit36can range from 30 mm (1.18 in.) to 60 mm (2.36 in.), preferably between 40 mm (1.57 in.) and 50 mm (1.97 in.). The overall height of chain unit36can range from 10 mm (0.39 in.) to 40 mm (1.57 in.), preferably between 20 mm (0.79 in.) and 30 mm (1.18 in.). The overall width of chain unit36can range from 10 mm (0.39 in.) to 40 mm (1.57 in.), preferably between 25 mm (0.98 in.) and 35 mm (1.38 in.).

FIG. 7shows a detailed view of frame74of one embodiment. At first end92of base78, hook64is integrally formed with base78. First end92of base78may also have a radius as shown inFIG. 7. Second end94of base78forms turnback96, which is used to secure loop62(not shown) to the frame while allowing loop62to be pivotally coupled to frame74. The distance between hook64and turnback96allows for clearance for roller bearing72. Base78may have a notch98which is centered between side panels82,84. The purpose of notch98is to properly position frame74during manufacture. As previously mentioned, side panels82,84extend upward from base78and have holes86,88. Side panels82,84are substantially parallel to one another, and are rounded along at least a portion of their perimeter. Holes86,88are concentric. Frame74, including base78and side panels82,84, may be made of any material, including polymers and metals. In one embodiment, frame74is made from sheet metal, such as stainless steel or aluminum. Frame74may be manufactured by stamping, molding, and other casting methods, as well as other forms of metalworking, including, for example, welding.

FIGS. 8A-8Cshow three embodiments of chain unit36. It can be appreciated that other embodiments and configurations of the chain unit36may be used. Chain unit36may include a single roller bearing72, as shown inFIG. 8A, or it may include a plurality of roller bearings72a,72b,72cas shown inFIGS. 8B and 8C. Each roller bearing has an inner race102and an outer race104.

In order to assemble chain unit36with single roller bearing72, as shown inFIG. 8A, pin76is inserted through hole86. Pin76then goes through inner race102and hole88to align roller bearing72within frame74. Roller bearing72must be wide enough to maintain required contact between roller bearing72and handrail14.

Where chain unit36has two roller bearings72a,72b, pin76goes through the inner race102a,102bof roller bearings72a,72bas shown inFIG. 8B. A roller shell106substantially surrounds the outer races104a,104bor roller bearings72a,72bin order to cover them. Roller shell106maintains the proper width of roller bearing72a,72bin order to have the necessary surface contact between roller bearing72a,72band handrail14. Bushing108may be inserted between pin76and inner races102a,102bof roller bearings72a,72b.

Where chain unit36has three roller bearings72a,72b,72c, bushing108again may be inserted between pin76and inner races102a,102b,102cof roller bearings72a,72b,72cas shown inFIG. 8C. In the illustrative embodiment, bushing108is made from a plastic material. However, bushing108could also be made from metals (such as stainless steel and aluminum). In some embodiments, shims112are inserted between the roller bearings72a,72b,72c. Shims112may be made from metals or polymers.