Patent ID: 7497313

Claim:
A conveyor idler including a drum having an outer surface and an inner surface, a shaft about which the drum can rotate in a forward direction, a locking mechanism for preventing the drum from rotating in a reverse direction but which locking mechanism permits rotation of the drum in the forward direction, the locking mechanism having a plurality of wedging surfaces fixed directly or indirectly to the drum, and a plurality of locking members interposed between the wedging surfaces and the shaft, the plurality of locking members being rotatable about the shaft when the drum rotates in the forward direction, but when an attempt is made to rotate the drum in the reverse direction the plurality of locking members becomes releasably wedged between the wedging surfaces and the shaft, or a surface fixed to the shaft, thereby preventing the drum from rotating in the reverse direction wherein the plurality of locking members are located in a locking housing, the locking housing consisting of two axially spaced end members, the locking housing being located between the drum and the shaft, the locking housing having circumferentially spaced cages formed between the end members and between pairs of spaced axially extending walls located between the end members wherein the cages extend radially outwardly beyond the circumference of the end members for the locking members to ensure the circumferential spacing between the locking members does not vary.