US2031054A - Sectional conveyer - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 18, 1936. T. F. MCCARTHY SECTIONAL CONVEYER Filed May 6, 1935 Jul/6w T'mo/l 7 I Patented Feb. 18, 1936 NITED STATES Application May 6,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sectional conveyers and has as its principal objects to provide an improved means for connecting adadjacent troughs of a sectional conveyer together which permits the troughs to be efiiciently connected or disconnected in a much quicker and simpler manner than formerly, and which will eliminate loss of connecting parts.

Conveyer trough sections have been commonly connected together by means of nuts and bolts or pins and wedges of one type or another. Such a connecting means consumes considerable time in effecting the connection, and the connecting parts are frequently lost.

In my present invention a connecting means has been provided which will eliminate these difiiculties. Said connecting means consists in a bolt adapted to extend through abutting members extending laterally from adjoining trough sections. Said bolt has a head with inclined inner surfaces adapted to engage the sides of an aperture through which it is adapted to extend, so that turning of said head will cause said bolt and head to move through its associated connecting member until the inner ends thereof engage the outside of said connecting member against a compression spring encircling said bolt and abutting the opposite side of said opposite connecting member.

My invention may be more clearly understood with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a flight conveyer showing adjoining trough sections connected together by one form of my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view showing the connecting means in horizontal section;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the connecting bolt.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawing, a sectional conveyor of the chain type is shown. Said conveyer includes a pair of adjoining aligned troughs I0, l0 having an endless chain moving along the center thereof. Said chain has suitable transversely extending flights l2, I2 secured thereto at intervals therealong for moving material along said trough sections.

Referring now in particular to the details of the novel form of the connecting means of my inventionya member l3 extends laterally outwardly from opposite sides of the forward end of one trough section. Said members are adapted 1935, Serial No. 20,039

to be abutted by members M, M extending rearwardly from the rearward end of the next adjoining trough section and extending along the forward end of said first-mentioned trough section to form a means for aligning said troughs during connection thereof. Said members may be of any form, but are herein preferably shown as being angle irons secured to the respective trough sections on one of their legs and having their other legs extending laterally outwardly from each trough section so that adjacent legs may abut.

The laterally extending portion of each member I3 is herein shown as being centrally bored and the abutting portion of each member I4 is provided with an aperture I5 which is aligned with the bored portion of the member l3. Said aperture may be of any irregular form but is herein preferably shown as having sides of a rectangular outline.

A connecting bolt H is adapted to extend through the bored portion of the member IS. A compression spring l8 encircles said bolt and abuts the outside of the member l3 and a nut l9, which is threaded. on the outer end of said bolt.

Said bolt is provided with a relatively long rectangularly-shaped head 20 which is adapted' to register for engagement with and pass through the aperture l5. Said head is provided with oppositely inclined inner ends 2|, 2| which are inclined rearwardly in opposite directions from opposite sides of the inner or engaging side of said head. Means are provided wherein said head may be engaged by a suitable wrench or turning member which, as herein shown, comprises a bore 23 in said head.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the bolt I1 is normally adapted to be permanently mounted in the member l3 and that when the trough sections l0, l0 adjoin each other and it is desired to connect them together, the head 20 may register for engagement with and pass through the aperture I5. Turning of said head by means of a bar inserted in the bore 23 will engage the inclined inner ends 2|, 2| thereof with the sides of said aperture which will move said bolt against the compression spring I8 and' compress said spring until aposition is reached, such as is illustrated in Figure 2, when the adjoining troughs will be locked together.

It will thus be seen that a new and improved means of a simplified construction has been provided for connecting adjoining troughs together, which is adapted to be permanently connected to one of the conveyer troughs to prevent loss of parts thereof and which connect the troughs together and locks them in a connected position in a simple, efficient and effective manner.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied,

it will be understood that the construction and arrangement of the various parts may be changed or altered without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting myself to the precise construction illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a conveyer, a plurality of aligned troughs, and means to connect said troughs together comprising a pair of abutting members extending laterally from adjacent troughs, said members being provided with aligned apertures and the aperture in one of said members being of an irregular contour, a connecting bolt adapted to register with said apertures, said connecting bolt having a head conforming to the contour of said irregular aperture and being adapted to extend through said irregular aperture, and said head being so arranged that turning thereof will clamp said abutting members together against a compression spring engaging said abutting member opposite said head.

2. In a conveyer, a plurality of aligned troughs, and means to connect said troughs together comprising a pair of abutting members extending laterally from adjacent troughs, said members being provided with aligned apertures and the aperture in one of said members being of a rectangular contour, a connecting bolt adapted to register with said apertures having a rectangular head adapted to extend through said rectangular aperture, and said head having oppositely inclined faces thereon adapted to engage the sides of said rectangular aperture whereby turning of said head will clamp said members together against a compression spring encircling said bolt and engaging said abutting member opposite said head.

3. In a conveyer, a plurality of aligned troughs, and means to connect said troughs together comprising a pair of abutting members secured thereto and extending laterally therefrom, said members being provided with aligned apertures, one of. which is of an irregular contour, and a connecting bolt adapted to register with said apertures, said bolt being mounted in one of said members and having a compression member interposed between a head thereon and said member, and said bolt having an opposite head adapted to pass through said irregular opening and being so arranged that turning of said head will compress said compression member and hold said abutting members in engagement with each other.

4. In a conveyer, a plurality of aligned troughs, and means to connect said troughs together comprising a pair of abutting members extending laterally from said troughs, said members being provided with aligned apertures, one of which has sides having a rectangular formation, and a connecting bolt adapted to register with said apertures, a compression spring encircling said bolt and engaging one of said abutting members, and a rectangular head for said bolt adapted to pass through said rectangular aperture, said head having oppositely inclined sides adapted to engage opposite sides of said aperture so that turning of said head will clamp said abutting members together against said compression spring.

5; In a conveyor, aplurality of aligned troughs, and means to connect said troughs together comprising a pair of abutting-members extending laterally from said troughs, said members being provided with aligned apertures, one of which has sides of a rectangular formation, and a connecting bolt adapted to register with said apertures, a nut on one end of said bolt, a compression spring interposed between said nut and the outside of one of said abutting members, a rectangular head on the opposite end of said bolt having oppositely inclined inner sides adapted to engage the sides of said rectangular aperture so that turning of said head will move said bolt through said rectangular aperture and engage the insides of said head with its associated abutting member and clamp said abutting members together.

6. In a conveyer, a plurality of aligned troughs, and means to connect said troughs together comprising a pair of abutting members extending laterally from adjacent troughs, said members being provided with aligned apertures and the aperture in one of said members being of an irregular contour, a connecting bolt adapted to register with said apertures, a head on said bolt adapted to pass through said irregular aperture having oppositely inclined sides adapted to engage opposite sides of said aperture whereby turning of said head will clamp said members together against a compression spring encircling said bolt and abutting said member opposite said head.

TIMOTHY F. MCCARTHY.

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