U.S. patent application number 09/821093 was filed with the patent office on 2001-12-27 for method of locking support railings along a conveyor path.
Invention is credited to Sjostrand, Uno.
Application Number | 20010054544 09/821093 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 20279128 |
Filed Date | 2001-12-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010054544 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sjostrand, Uno |
December 27, 2001 |
Method of locking support railings along a conveyor path
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method of fixedly locking
support railings (2) along a conveyor path. The support railings
(2) are of the type which has a circular cross section and are
mounted in brackets (1) in one or more rows. The fixedly locking
takes place by means of a tool (4) with two shanks (5) which enter
into engagement with the support railing (2). A locking pin (8) is
placed between the upper side (9) of the tool (4) and the bracket
(1). The tool (4) is thereafter turned so that the locking pin (8)
follows the periphery of the support railing (2) until the upper
side of the tool (4) abuts against the bracket (1). The locking pin
(8) has then reached a locking position. The method is
re-usable.
Inventors: |
Sjostrand, Uno; (Flyinge,
SE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BURNS DOANE SWECKER & MATHIS L L P
POST OFFICE BOX 1404
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22313-1404
US
|
Family ID: |
20279128 |
Appl. No.: |
09/821093 |
Filed: |
March 30, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
198/836.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G 21/2072
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
198/836.1 |
International
Class: |
B65G 021/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 3, 2000 |
SE |
0001189-0 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of fixedly locking support railings (2) along a
conveyor path, the support railings (2) being of the type which
have a circular cross section and which, in one or more rows, are
mounted in brackets (1), characterised in that the method includes
a locking pin (8) which is moved peripherally along the support
railing 2 in towards the bracket (1) to a locking position
(10).
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the
fixedly locking takes place by means of a tool (4), which, during
the locking, enters into engagement with the support railing
(2).
3. The method as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the tool
(4) enters into engagement with the support railing (2)
approximately along half of the periphery of the support railing
(2).
4. The method as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the tool
(4) has two shanks (5) which enter into engagement with the support
railing (2).
5. The method as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the
locking pin (8) is placed between the upper side (9) of the tool
(4) and the bracket (1); and that the tool (4) is rotated so that
the locking pin (8) follows the periphery of the support railing
(2) until the upper side (9) of the tool (4) abuts against the
bracket (1).
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a method of fixedly locking
support railings along a conveyor path, the support railings being
of the type which have a circulars cross section and which, in one
or more rows, are mounted in brackets.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Many manufacturing industries employ conveyors for conveying
small or medium-sized objects or parts between production stations
or from production to packing of the finished objects. Usually, the
conveyors consist of driven, endless chains or belts on which the
objects are advanced. Support railings often occur, disposed along
the conveyor paths. The support railings are above all necessary
when the objects being conveyed have a high point of gravity. The
purpose of the support railings is to prevent the objects from
falling off the conveyor, at the same time as the support rails
must not in any way impede or risk damaging the objects.
[0003] Such conveyors also occur to a considerable extent within
industries that manufacture single-use disposable packages for
liquid foods. Single-use disposable packages for liquid foods are
often manufactured from a packaging laminate containing paperboard
with different plastic layers. For example, the single-use packages
may have a parallelepipedic configuration, or alternatively they
may be of the gable-top package type. A feature common to all
single-use packages of this type is that they often have a high
point of gravity and it is, therefore, necessary that the conveyors
be provided with support railings which are properly fixedly
mounted in place.
[0004] The support railings which occur most commonly today are of
circular cross section, consisting of a slim tube piece. The
support railings occur on both sides of the conveyor path and are
disposed in one or two rows horizontally placed above each other.
Each support railing is held in position by a bracket and these are
normally designed for two parallel support railings. In their turn,
the brackets are secured in the conveyor.
[0005] It is important that the support railing is properly fixedly
secured in the bracket, and today this anchoring normally takes
place with small plastic blocks which are axially slid in between
the bracket and the support railing. During the fixing operation,
which takes place with a tool, a piece of the plastic block is
sheared off, which implies that the mounting operation must take
place with the operator wearing protective goggles in order not to
run the risk of being injured by flying plastic debris. However, an
excessively large plastic piece is quite often sheared off, with
the result that an insufficient anchorage of the support railing is
obtained. Despite the fact that the plastic is specifically adapted
for its purpose, it is affected by water and detergents and cracks
or softens with the passage of time. Vibrations in the conveyor may
result in the plastic block being laterally displaced and finally
falling out of the bracket.
[0006] In particular where two parts of a support railing are
joined together in a bracket, it is important that the support
railings are securely in place. If a support railing comes loose,
there is the risk of scratch marks on the packages which pass by
the broken railing. There is also a risk that the support railing
which has come loose takes hold of and tears off drinking straws or
the like which are applied on the packages.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0007] One object of the present invention is to realise a simple
and reliable method of locking the support railings fixedly in
place along a conveyor.
[0008] A further object of the present invention is that the
locking arrangement must be able to withstand the environment in
which the support railings are mounted, and that the method, after
dismounting of support railings, is re-usable.
SOLUTION
[0009] These and other objects have been attained according to the
present invention, in that the method of the type described by way
of introduction has been given the characterising feature that the
method includes a locking pin which is moved peripherally along the
support railing in towards the bracket to a locking position.
[0010] Preferred embodiments of the present invention have further
been given the characterising features as set forth in the appended
subclaims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
[0011] One preferred embodiment of the method according to the
present invention will now be described in greater detail
hereinbelow, with particular reference to the accompanying Drawing,
in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 shows, partly in section, how the method is reduced
into practice.
[0013] The Drawing shows only those parts and details essential to
an understanding of the present invention, and the placing of the
bracket along a conveyor path, which is well-known to a person
skilled in the art, has been omitted.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a part of a bracket 1 intended for a support
railing 2 of circular cross section. The bracket 1 is intended to
be mounted along a conveyor path (not shown). The support railing 2
in principle consists of a slim tube and comprises lengths that are
joined together to form a continuous support railing 2.
[0015] The brackets 1 are placed with uniform spacing along the
support railings 2 and they are always placed at that point where
the support railing 2 is joined together. The brackets 1 have a
certain width along which they fixedly hold the support railing 2.
The width is slightly narrower along a whole section of a support
railing 2 and slightly wider in the joints, so that the bracket 1
properly covers the two joined-together parts of the support
railing 2.
[0016] The bracket 1 has at least one recess 3 for a support
railing 2. Those brackets 1 that are employed for single-use
packages today most generally have two recesses 3 placed above one
another. The recess 3 is considerably larger than the cross section
of the support railing 2. The remaining space in the recess 3 is
employed to lock the support railing 2 fast in the recess 3.
[0017] FIG. 1 shows how the method according to the present
invention is reduced into practice for locking the support railing
2 fast in the bracket 1. The support railing 2 is applied loosely
in the bracket 1. A tool 4 is applied around the bracket 1 and the
support railing 2. The tool 4 consists of two shanks 5 with a
distance between the shanks 5 that corresponds to the width of the
bracket 1. The shanks 5 are held together by means of a handle 6.
The handle 6 is in the form of a slightly angled flat steel. The
shanks 5 each have a recess 7 with a radius that corresponds to the
radius of the support railing 2.
[0018] The tool 4 is applied so that the shanks 5 are placed on
either side of the bracket 1 and so that the recesses 7 of the
shanks 5 enter into engagement with the support railing 2. The
recesses 7 of the shanks 5 are designed so that they surround the
support railing 2 for approximately half of its circumference. The
tool 4 is placed at such an angle as shown in FIG. 1, so that a
locking pin 8 can be placed between the planar upper side 9 of the
handle 6 and the bracket 1. The locking pin 8' is shown in the
Drawing in the unlocked state by solid lines.
[0019] By pulling the handle 6 in the direction of the arrow, the
locking pin 8 is moved peripherally along the surface 2 of the
support railing into a locking position 10 (the locking pin 8" is
shown by broken lines). The movement of the handle 6 in the
direction of the arrow is terminated when the planar upper side 9
abuts against the bracket 1 and the locking pin 8" is then in the
locked position 10. The locked position 10 consists of a minor
scooped region in the bracket 1 which is sufficient to hold the
locking pin 8 in place.
[0020] The locking pin 8 is of a material that has superior
properties vis-a-vis the environment, normally a dairy environment,
where the support railings 2 are mounted. The material should have
good flexural rigidity and is preferably manufactured from
stainless spring steel. The diameter of the locking pin is adapted
so that a reliable locking function will be obtained in relation to
the diameter of the support railing 2 and the design of the recess
3. The brackets 1 are most generally manufactured from aluminium
and the support railing 2 consists of a relatively slim tube of
stainless steel. By selection of materials, there will, on the one
hand, be obtained a suitable composition for the environment in
which the parts are to be mounted, and, on the other hand, there
will be obtained a certain flexing of the bracket 1 and support
railing 2 at the instant of assembly. The support railing 2, the
bracket 1 and the locking pin 8 are adapted to one another so that
there will be obtained a reliable locking in place of the support
railing 2.
[0021] By making the locking pin 8 somewhat wider than the bracket
1 in which the pin 8 is to be mounted, the locking pin 8 will
project out a few millimeters on either side of the bracket 1. This
affords the possibility of simply being able to dismount the
locking pin 8. The handle 6 of the tool 4 may suitably be designed
so that the other end of the tool 4 is provided with a suitable
device for dismounting the locking pin 8. By the selection of
material for the locking pin 8 with high flexural rigidity, the
locking pin 8 may be dismounted without being bent and the locking
pin 8 is thereby entirely re-usable.
[0022] As will have been apparent from the foregoing description,
the present invention realises a method of locking support railings
in place along a conveyor path in a simple and reliable manner. The
method does not suffer from any of the problems and drawbacks of
prior art solutions, and the method is also re-usable.
* * * * *