Patent ID: 7735623

Claim:
Linearly actuated rotating handrail system for escalators and moving walkways, the system comprising: a flexible worm band or handrail being mobile along a displacement direction and having an outer side, an inner side opposed to said outer side, and a first friction means on at least one side; dragging means to transmit a dragging movement from an actuation means up to the worm band, the dragging means being comprised of a second friction means and being coupled to the first friction means, the worm band being dragged by a friction force between the first friction means and the second friction means in the displacement direction and avoiding a static friction coefficient between the first friction means and the second friction means, achieving a sliding movement between the first friction means and the second friction means; and movement transmission means, being comprised of a plurality of cranks, being joined in groups by a connection rod, said connection rod actuating said cranks in a joint manner, wherein the dragging means comprises: a first layer of kinematic support, formed by a crank, an articulated shaft, the connection rod, shafts and driven cranks, and a second layer of friction means formed by the traction rollers ( 7 ); wherein an actuation entrance shaft moves the crank, the crank actuating, through the articulation shaft, said connection rod, the connection rod transmitting movement to the different traction rollers by the shafts, the shafts being actuated by the driven cranks; wherein the traction rollers act on the inner side of the worm band; wherein the worm band has a pressure means disposed opposite to the traction rollers, the pressure means being comprised of the rollers; and wherein the actuation may be reversible, thereby enabling the worm band to move in either displacement direction.