Sectional roller unit for conveying lines

Abstract: A roller unit suitable for application to the side walls of chain link conveyors, including along their curved portions, and consisting of modules each of which comprises a flat plate, from the opposing sides of which there branch a first pair of brackets between which there are supported the fixing pins of the constituent idle rollers of the roller unit, and a second pair of brackets to receive the conveyor side wall and the means for fixing the module thereto, said second pair of brackets being provided with recesses which extend to also involve the plate.

Description: Object conveying lines formed from chain conveyors, the links of which upperly comprise the support surface for the objects, have curved portions along which the conveyed objects must be guided laterally. Roller units are known for this purpose, having their rollers of vertical axis and being applied to the conveyor side walls at least along the curved portions. From US-A-4 962 843 is known a combiner rail for installation on opposite sides of a container-transporting conveyor system. Each combiner rail has a plurality of sets of roller supported by a channel in a horizontal row. Each combiner rail includes angle member connected by bolts to mounting brackets by which the combiner rail is connected to the conveyor system. The present patent relates to said roller units, its object being to eliminate the difficulties inherent in known roller units with regard to their mounting, replacement and demounting on and from the conveyor side walls. Said object is achieved by a roller unit suitable for application to the side walls of chain link conveyors in according to claim 1 or 2. The present patent provides a roller unit composed of a succession of mutually identical modules comprising means enabling them to flex so that they adapt to the curved side wall of the conveyor, and means for their quick and easy fixing to said wall. According to the invention the module comprises a plate from which there branches a first pair of opposing brackets arranged to support the fixing pins of a series of idle slide rollers. From the opposite side of the plate to that supporting said first brackets there branch second brackets arranged to receive the conveyor side wall and at least one peg which, when the invention is mounted on the conveyor side wall, maintains it locked to said wall. The peg can be easily withdrawn to enable a single module to be mounted and demounted without involving the adjacent modules. The brackets of said second pair comprise at least one V-shaped recess which also involves the plate, in correspondence with which the module can flex to adapt to the conveyor curved wall. According to the invention, the plate can also be in the form of interrupted portions and advantageously have a weakened longitudinal section to allow easy mounting of the roller fixing pins by diverging the brackets which support them. The merits and the operational and constructional characteristics of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of the invention; Figure 2 is a section on the line II-II of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section on the line III-III of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a plan view of the invention; Figure 6 shows a particular form of the invention; and Figure 7 is a plan view of part of a conveyor provided with the invention. The figures show a module 1 comprising a flat plate 2 from one side of which there branches a first pair of opposing brackets 3, between which the equidistant fixing pins 4 of idle running rollers 5 are supported. Each roller comprises a hub 51 and a widened part 52 extending along less than one half of the roller length, so that on mounting the rollers alternately turned through 180°, their widened parts form the sliding roller unit for the objects concerned. From the opposite side of the flat plate 2 there branches a second pair of brackets 6 each of which comprises two recesses 7 which extend into the plate 2, so dividing it into three parts. Those plate parts not containing the recesses comprise interruptions 20 to improve plate flexibility. Those portions of the brackets 6 separated by the recesses 7 each comprise a seat for the insertion of a peg 8 with an enlarged head, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter. The pins 4, generally of steel, are forced into corresponding holes provided in the brackets 3. In a particular embodiment shown in Figure 6, the plate 2 has a longitudinal weakening line 22 enabling it to undergo small extents of flexure. This enables the brackets 3 to be advantageously diverged to insert the pins 4 into suitable opposing dead seats, instead of inserting them from the outside into holes provided for this purpose in the brackets 3, as shown in the other figures. The operation of the invention is apparent from Figure 7. To the sides of the conveyor 9 there are provided two walls 10 of rectangular cross-section, formed from a rolled steel band. The modules are arranged one after another on the inside of said side walls so that these latter are contained between the brackets 6. The modules face each other, in the sense that the rollers 5 face the conveyor. At this point each module is forced so that it adheres to the side wall, this being facilitated by the recesses 7 and interruptions 20, and is then locked in position by inserting the enlarged head pegs 8 into their respective seats. A roller unit is hence formed which is continuous along the side walls. The modules can also be applied to the rectilinear conveyor portions.

Claims: A roller unit suitable for application to the side walls of chain link conveyors, along both rectilinear and curved conveyor portions thereof, characterized by consisting of modules (1), each module (1) comprising: a first pair of brackets (3), spaced apart in a direction of an axis of idle rollers (5) constituting the roller unit, between which there are supported fixing pins (4) of the idle rollers (5), a second pair of brackets (6), spaced apart in said direction, for receiving the conveyor side wall and means for fixing the module thereto, the first pair of brackets (3) and the second pair of brackets (6) branching from opposite sides of a plate (2) extending in said direction between the first pair of brackets (3) and the second pair of brackets (6), the second pair of brackets (6) being provided with recesses (7) which extend from a free edge of the second pair of brackets towards the first pair of brackets (3) for allowing the module to be applied to a side wall (10) of a curved conveyor (9) portion. A roller unit suitable for application to the side walls of chain link conveyors, along both rectilinear and curved conveyor portions thereof, characterized by consisting of modules (1), each module (1) comprising: a first pair of brackets (3), spaced apart in a direction of an axis of idle rollers (5) constituting the roller unit, between which there are supported fixing pins (4) of the idle rollers (5), a second pair of brackets (6), spaced apart in said direction, for receiving the conveyor side wall and means for fixing the module thereto, the first pair of brackets (3) and the second pair of brackets (6) branching from opposite sides of interrupted portions extending in said direction between the first pair of brackets (3) and the second pair of brackets (6), the second pair of brackets (6) being provided with recesses (7) which extend from a free edge of the second pair of brackets towards the first pair of brackets (3) for allowing the module to be applied to a side wall (10) of a curved conveyor (9) portion. A roller unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the means for fixing the module to the side wall comprise pegs (8) inserted into opposing seats provided in said second pair of brackets. A roller unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of those parts of said second bracket pair (6) which are defined by said recesses (7) houses at least one peg (8) for fixing the roller unit to the side wall. A roller unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plate comprises a line of narrow cross-section which enables it to be deformed, with consequent divergence of the brackets of said first bracket pair (3). A roller-unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plate (2) comprises interruptions (20) between the portions involved by the recesses (7). A roller unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said first bracket pair (3) comprises equidistant opposing dead cavities to receive the fixing pins for the idle rollers. A roller unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the interrupted portions comprise a line of narrow cross-section which enables them to be deformed, with consequent divergence of the brackets of said first bracket pair (3). A roller unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the length of said second brackets (6), along a direction transversal to the direction of the axis of idle rollers (5), is greater than the thickness of the side wall. A roller unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said second brackets (6) and said plate (2) or said interrupted portions constitute a substantially "C" structure defining a seat suitable to house the side wall. A roller unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein it is provided a portion suitable to be put in contact with the side wall. A roller unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the plate (2), the first brackets (3) and the second brackets (6) are realized enbloc.

Inventors: FERRARI FABRIZIO, FERRARI, FABRIZIO
Applicants: REXNORD MARBETT SPA, REXNORD MARBETT S.P.A.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B65G21
IPC codes: B65G17, B65G21, B65G13, B65G39