Patent ID: 7500549

Claim:
A people mover, comprising: a conveyor having a first end, a second end, a longitudinal first side and a longitudinal second side, the conveyor comprising: a frame including a first frame part having a longitudinal direction and adapted to be secured to a fixed structure and a second frame part mounted to be movable with respect to the first frame part in the longitudinal direction, the first and second frame parts being mounted one after the other; a first drive element, comprising an endless loop, located on the first side of the conveyor; a second drive element, comprising an endless loop, located on the second side of the conveyor at a distance from and parallel to the first drive element; a plurality of transport platforms, arranged one after the other and secured to the first drive element and the second drive element; a first wheel disposed on the first side at the first end of the conveyor and mounted on the first frame part, wherein the first drive element passes over the first wheel; a second wheel disposed on the first side at the second end of the conveyor and mounted on the second frame part, wherein the first drive element passes over the second wheel; a third wheel disposed on the second side at the first end of the conveyor and mounted on the first frame part, wherein the second drive element passes over the third wheel; a fourth wheel disposed on the second side at the second end of the conveyor and mounted on the second frame part, wherein the second drive element passes over the fourth wheel; a first tensioning device disposed on the first side of the conveyor and arranged to act between the first frame part and the second frame part to force the first wheel and the second wheel flexibly away from each other to tension the first drive element with a first tensioning movement; a second tensioning device disposed on the second side of the conveyor, having a construction substantially identical to the first tensioning device, and arranged to act between the first frame part and the second frame part to force the third wheel and the fourth wheel flexibly away from each other to tension the second drive element with a second tensioning movement; and mechanical transmission elements connected between the first tensioning device and the second tensioning device to keep stroke lengths of the first and the second tensioning movements substantially equal, wherein the mechanical transmission elements comprise a first gearwheel and a second gearwheel, the first gearwheel being in meshed connection on at least two sides in the first tensioning device to couple the first and second frame parts, and the second gearwheel being in meshed connection on at least two sides in the second tensioning device to couple the first and second frame parts.