Shuttle plugs for retaining headless pivot rods in conveyor belts
US5904241A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 5, 1996 |
| Grant date | May 18, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 5, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G2207/30
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A modular link of a conveyor belt is provided with belt edge structure for retaining in the belt so that it may not escape or protrude from a belt edge a headless pivot rod journalled in apertures in interdigitated link ends interconnecting adjacent links. The retention structure provides a shuttling plug movable into two bistable positions within a mating shuttle cavity having an open end and a blind end. The cavity extends transversely in the link between two link end pivot rod journalling apertures to intersect only one journalling aperture. The two bistable states for the shuttle plug respectively (1) lock the headless pivot rod in place in a stable pivot rod occluding position extending into said journalling aperture, and (2) permits the headless pivot rod to enter or leave the journalled position by movement of the shuttle plug out of the occluding position into a second stable position. The belt edge structure provides an adjoining link with a cavity closure surface which confines the open end of the mating shuttle cavity to occlude movement of the plug out of the mating shuttle cavity when the conveyor belt is operating.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.