Patent GB-1337965-A (GB)
Title: Variable speed endless conv3yor
IPC: B65G23/00
Filed: 1970-12-01
Abstract: 1337965 Endless conveyers P COLOMBOT 1 Dec 1970 [2 Dec 1969] 57017/70 Heading B8A A variable speed endless conveyer comprises a series of bars 2, 2A, 2B ... and a series of bars 3, 3A, 3B ... the bars of one series being pivotally secured at their ends by pins 12, 15 and their mid point by pins 33 to respective ends and mid point of the other series of bars to form a sequence of curvilinear diamonds wherein the four sides of a given diamond are formed by means of four different bars. The bars are bendable in the horizontal plane but not in the vertical plane and support a load carrying platform in the form of a plurality of overlapping plates 35A-35N, alternate plates 35A, 35M being pivotally mounted about an axle 41 at one end to one end of a bar 2A of the first series and pivotally mounted by an axle 42 extending in a slot 44 at the other end to the other end of the same bar. The other plates 35B, 35N are pivotally mounted at one end about an axle 46 to one end of a bar 3A of the second series and pivotally mounted at the other end by an axle 47 extending in a slot 48 to the other end of another bar 3N of the second series. The conveyer has two low speed sections 8, 9 for the ingress and egress of passengers wherein the curvilinear diamonds are flattened in transversely to the direction of conveyance and two high speed sections 6, 7 wherein the curvilinear diamonds are flattened in the direction of conveyance. The conveyer is driven in each of the sections 6-9 by a synchronized drive. The high speed drive comprises a driven endless belt 61 with apertures 67 to engage the lower extremity of the mid-point pivot pins 33. The low speed sections are driven by a sprocket wheel 78 concentric with the semicircular low speed path of the conveyer and having teeth 79 to engage the said lower extremities of the pins 33. The conveyer is guided and supported by horizontal rollers 24, 25, 26 mounted on the pins 12, 15 and engaging guide strips 27, 28, 29 mounted on the inner face of a U-shaped channel 13 and by a vertical roller 23 mounted on a trailing arm 21 to bear on the base of the channel 13. In modifications of the conveyer the bars of the first series are each replaced by a pair of superposed bars (2aA), (2bA) Fig. 6 (not shown) arranged to interleave with the bars of the second series. Further guide rollers (25a) Fig. 7 (not shown) may be mounted on the pins (33) and the support rollers (23) on the pins (12), (15). In addition to the slow speed semicircular section of the conveyer path, a rectilinear slow speed section may be provided on each side of said semicircular path to facilitate the ingress and egress of passengers. The conveyer is then driven by a driven chain (C1) Fig. 13 (not shown) extending along the rectilinear sections and the inside of the semicircular section and by chains (C1) (C2) coupled to the chain (C1) and extending along the opposite side of the rectilinear section. The conveyer being provided with lugs (D) to engage the chains. In an alternative embodiment the conveyer is used to deliver passengers to and to receive them from a high speed conveyer 161, 162 extending between and moving at the said speed at the high speed section of the variable speed conveyer. A handrail Fig. 14 (not shown) arranged to be driven in synchronism with the variable speed conveyer comprises a plurality of joined sections (95), each comprising an outer tube (96) with two sets of telescopic tubes (97), (98), (99), and (97A), (98A), (99A) coupled together by a series of levers (111)-(114), (123)-(128) the levers (111)-(114) being engageable with guide tracks (104), (118) and driven by a chain (141).