Abrasion sensing type conveyor chain and a method of judging degree of its abrasion

• US 7,448,488 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2007
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tsubakimoto Chain Company
• Original Assignee: Tsubakimoto Chain Company
• Inventors: Narumi, Nobuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess; Douglas A
• Application Number:
  US11/717,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20070267275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 198/502.1, 198/810.01, 198/835, 738/29, 356/635, 492 9- 11
• US Class Current: 198/502.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/38 Chains or like traction elements drive chains F16G13/00; Connections between traction elements and load-carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 19/20 Traction chains, ropes, or cables

Abstract

An abrasion sensing type conveyor chain, in which a degree of abrasion in a roller rolling surface is easily judged by a visual or a tactile sensing during checking and maintaining of rollers of the conveyor chain so that a maintenance operation can be significantly reduced. An abrasion sensing type conveyor chain in which rollers which travel along a guide surface while rolling on a conveyor line, each comprise a roller rolling surface with a roller outer diameter of a required standard and an abrasion limiting surface with a smaller diameter than the roller outer diameter, the abrasion limiting surface being disposed adjacently and coaxially to the roller rolling surface.

Claims

1. An abrasion sensing conveyor chain adapted for use in a conveyor line having a guide surface, said chain facilitating the judging of the degree of abrasion in rollers while installed on the line, said conveyor chain comprising

a series of links having at least two spaced-apart link plates, at least one bush spanning between said two spaced-apart link plates, connecting pins connecting the link plates of each link to the link plates of adjoining links, and a roller rotatably mounted on each bush to support the chain on the guide surface of the conveyor line,

at least one roller of one link of said series comprising a one-piece roller with an exposed first roller surface with an outer diameter of a required standard, and an exposed second surface with a diameter smaller than said outer diameter, said exposed second surface being disposed adjacent to and coaxial with said exposed first roller surface, whereby judging wear on the outer exposed first surface may be done by comparing the diameter of the first exposed surface with the diameter of the exposed second surface,

said smaller diameter of the exposed second surface providing an abrasion limiting surface which indicates that the abrasion of the outer diameter of said first roller surface has reached the limit where the roller should be replaced.

2. An abrasion sensing conveyor chain according to claim 1 wherein said first roller surface comprises two coaxial parts which are spaced apart axially, said second surface being disposed between said two parts.

3. An abrasion sensing conveyor chain according to claim 1 wherein said second roller surface comprises two coaxial parts which are spaced apart axially, said first surface being disposed between said two parts.

4. A method of judging the degree of abrasion in a roller chain installed in a conveyor line having a guide surface, comprising the steps of

providing a roller chain having a series of links having at least two spaced-apart link plates, at least one bush spanning between said two spaced-apart link plates, connecting pins connecting the link plates of each link to the link plates of adjoining links, and a roller rotatably mounted on each bush to support the chain on the guide surface of the conveyor line,

at least one roller of one link of said series comprising a one-piece roller with an exposed first roller surface with an outer diameter of a required standard, and an exposed second surface with a diameter smaller than said outer diameter, said second surface being disposed adjacent to and coaxial with said first roller surface, thereby providing a step between said surfaces,

said smaller diameter of the exposed second surface providing an abrasion limiting surface which indicates that the abrasion of the outer surface of the first exposed roller surface has reached the limit where the roller should be replaced, and

judging the degree of abrasion in the first roller surface, by sensing the height of the step and thereby the amount of difference in diameter between said first and second surfaces.