U.S. patent application number 15/884123 was filed with the patent office on 2018-08-09 for all-aluminum cross-drive for reciprocating floor slat conveyor.
This patent application is currently assigned to Keith Manufacturing Co.. The applicant listed for this patent is Keith Manufacturing Co.. Invention is credited to John Cook, Randall Mark Foster, Nathan Keeley, Jared Murphy, Lucas Pagano, Tim Toth, Edward Worth.
Application Number | 20180222684 15/884123 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 63039080 |
Filed Date | 2018-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180222684 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cook; John ; et al. |
August 9, 2018 |
All-Aluminum Cross-Drive For Reciprocating Floor Slat Conveyor
Abstract
An all-aluminum cross-drive member for a drive unit assembly
that is used to reciprocate floor slats back and forth in a
conveyor system, The cross-drive member is extruded or milled from
a single piece of aluminum, One side of the member carries
connecting pieces for linking the member to floor slats, with the
member driving the floor slats back and forth as the member is
likewise moved lengthwise in back and forth movement, The other
side of the member has stiffening ribs that extend lengthwise for
giving the member sufficient stiffness to carry loading forces in
lieu of the steel cross-drives used in the past.
Inventors: |
Cook; John; (Madras, OR)
; Toth; Tim; (Madras, OR) ; Murphy; Jared;
(Madras, OR) ; Pagano; Lucas; (Madras, OR)
; Worth; Edward; (Madras, OR) ; Keeley;
Nathan; (Madras, OR) ; Foster; Randall Mark;
(Madras, OR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Keith Manufacturing Co. |
Madras |
OR |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Keith Manufacturing Co.
Madras
OR
|
Family ID: |
63039080 |
Appl. No.: |
15/884123 |
Filed: |
January 30, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62452641 |
Jan 31, 2017 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G 2811/09 20130101;
B65G 25/065 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65G 25/06 20060101
B65G025/06 |
Claims
1. A cross-drive member for a drive assembly to be used in a
reciprocating floor conveyor system, comprising an all-aluminum
body that is elongated for extending cross-wise underneath a
plurality of floor slats that are driven in reciprocating movement,
the all-aluminum body having an upper surface for carrying drive
shoes that are connectable to the floor slats, and a lower surface,
with stiffening ribs running along opposite sides of the lower
surface lengthwise of the body, with the stiffening ribs
structurally integrated homogenously as part of the body.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to an improved drive unit for
reciprocating floor slat conveyor systems. More particularly, this
disclosure involves patent claims to an extruded aluminum
cross-drive for a drive unit for a reciprocating floor slat
conveyor system.
[0002] This filing claims priority on U.S. Provisional Application
No. 62/452,641. All of the contents of U.S. Provisional Application
No. 62/452,641 are incorporated into the present application by
reference.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The drive unit generally disclosed here is "all-aluminum,"
Whereas, many of the operations of the disclosed drive unit are the
same as, or similar to, drive units designed in the past, the
"all-aluminum" design disclosed here offers certain advantages.
[0004] Manufacturing the drive unit from aluminum, in lieu of
conventional steel, offers significant weight advantages that can
either increase the load carrying capacity of a trailer or
otherwise allow for improvements that might otherwise reduce
load-carrying capacity. With respect to the latter point, persons
familiar with reciprocating floor slat systems that are built into
trailer floors also know that total gross weight of a trailer is
important to the freight hauler. For this reason, it is generally
more desirable to reduce weight rather than to add weight. However,
adding design improvements to the drive units of reciprocating
floor slat systems tends to increase weight. By making a drive unit
from aluminum, rather than steel, the weight savings attributable
to aluminum can offset weight gains caused by other improvements,
thereby offering the opportunity to enhance the reliability of
drive unit systems without a significant weight cost to the freight
hauler.
[0005] In recent years, the construction of truck trailers has
transitioned from steel to aluminum. This change makes an aluminum
drive unit more suitable, because the drive unit-to-trailer
connections result in aluminum-to-aluminum mounts instead of
aluminum-to-steel mounts, the latter being less desirable.
Therefore, changes in trailer construction have created a need for
a successful aluminum drive unit design.
[0006] One advantage to an all-aluminum drive unit (according to
the design described here) is that it eliminates welds on drive
unit "cross-drives."
[0007] In conventional steel drive units, what persons commonly
call the "drive shoe" is welded to a steel cross drive at a number
of locations across the cross drive. In addition, the piston rod
connections to the steel cross drive involve welded components on
the cross drive.
[0008] Welded components that are subjected to repeated load
stresses create a point of mechanical failure over an extended
period of time. In addition, the time and labor involved in welding
drive unit components together represents a significant
manufacturing cost. According to the present disclosure, it is
possible to mill cross drives from solid blocks of forged aluminum
and completely eliminate welds.
[0009] As part of the manufacturing process, by milling cross
drives, it also makes it possible to reduce the overall height of
the drive unit, with respect to the vertical offset of the
hydraulic cylinders that move floor slats and the point of moving
force that is applied to floor slats. In other words, the improved
drive unit disclosed here manages to reduce moment forces and
torque.
[0010] In the all-aluminum design, drive shoes are mounted to the
cross-drives by bolts. This eliminates the need for the welding
jigs that have been used in the past, in that bolt holes can be
pre-drilled through the cross drive at the location where it is
desired to attach the drive shoe. As an example, if there is a
design change that requires different placement of drive shoes on
the cross-drive, with the current design, there is no longer a need
to build a new welding jig specific to the design.
SUMMARY
[0011] Related to the above, and referring to the accompanying
illustrations, the aluminum cross-drives can be milled or extruded
from a single piece of aluminum with stiffening ribs running along
each lateral side of each cross-drive. For certain kinds of drive
unit designs, hydraulic cylinder mounts can be milled directly from
the aluminum, making the mount (shown as one-half of a clam shell
in the accompanying illustrations) structurally integrated with the
cross drive.
[0012] The lighter weight of the aluminum in the drive enables the
use of larger diameter hydraulic tubes, which would weigh more than
what has been traditionally used. However, the larger tubes reduce
pressure losses which allows the hydraulics (pump-driven hydraulic
oil that moves drive unit cylinders back and forth) to operate more
efficiently.
[0013] As is apparent from the attached images and drawings, the
design disclosed here has other improvements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The following is a general description of the attached
images and drawings:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a pictorial image of three milled aluminum cross
drives for a drive unit, with each cross-drive having an integrated
cylinder clamp with grooves that our machined into the cross-drive.
The side or stiffening ribs are also milled or extruded into the
cross drive. Bolt openings or other openings can be drilled at any
location needed for drive shoes;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a pictorial image of an aluminum drive unit with
cross-drives missing. The hydraulic cylinders have grooves that are
machined to match the aluminum cross-drives;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a pictorial image of the underside of the aluminum
cross-drives shown in FIG. 1 and show cross-drive wear plates;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a pictorial image of the aluminum cross drives
integrated in a drive unit system;
[0019] FIG. 5A is a bottom view of the drive unit system shown in
FIG. 4;
[0020] FIG. 5B is an end view of the drive unit system shown in
FIG. 4;
[0021] FIG. 5C is a top view of the drive unit shown in FIG. 4;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the frame portion of the drive
unit system shown in FIG. 4;
[0023] FIG. 7 illustrates the hydraulic drive package for the drive
unit system shown in FIG. 4, and illustrates the drive unit's
cylinders, valve assemblies, pressure filter.sub.; and tubing;
[0024] FIG. 8 is an exploded view of control and switching valve
assembly;
[0025] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of an integrated valve
assembly;
[0026] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a switching valve
assembly;
[0027] FIG. 10A is an exploded view of the left-hand portion of the
switching valve assembly shown in Fig, 10;
[0028] FIG. 10B is an exploded view of the central portion of the
switching valve assembly shown in FIG. 10;
[0029] FIG. 10C is an exploded view of he right-hand portion of the
switching valve assembly shown in FIG. 10;
[0030] FIG. 11 is an exploded view of a speed round valve body
assembly;
[0031] FIG. 12 is a side cross-sectional view of a barrel
assembly;
[0032] FIG. 13A is a side cross-sectional view of a check valve
cartridge assembly;
[0033] FIG. 13B is a pictorial view of the check valve cartridge
assembly;
[0034] FIG. 13C is another pictorial view of the check valve
cartridge assembly;
[0035] FIG. 14A is an exploded view of the aluminum cross-drive,
with the drive shoes exploded from the cross-drive;
[0036] FIG. 14B is an unexploded side view of the aluminum
cross-drive;
[0037] FIG. 15 is a hydraulic control valve schematic for the drive
unit;
[0038] FIG. 16 is a hydraulic control valve schematic for the drive
unit; and
[0039] FIG. 17 is a hydraulic control valve schematic for the drive
unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0040] Referring now to FIG. 1 in the illustrations, reference
number 10 generally points to three side-by-side cross-drive
members that are typically connected to a series of three hydraulic
cylinders in a drive unit that is used in a reciprocating floor
conveyor system. A person skilled in the art would be familiar with
the nature and operation of the drive unit in the context of
reciprocating floor conveyor systems.
[0041] In this case, the cross-drive member 10 is extruded or
milled from a single piece of aluminum. It has opposite side ribs
12, 14 on a lower side thereof (the lower side is generally
indicated by number 16. A series of bolt holes (generally indicated
by number 18 can be drilled through the body of the cross-drive
member 10 for the attachment of drive shoes (number 20 in FIG.
4).
[0042] Also, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, it can be
seen that a hydraulic cylinder cradle 22 is also integrated into
the cross-drive member 10. In this particular embodiment, the
cradle 22 has grooves in the region generally indicated by 24 that
mate with similar grooves on the outer surfaces of the hydraulic
cylinders (see, generally, arrows 26-30 in FIG. 2), with the
grooves on the cylinders generally indicated by arrows 32 in FIG.
2.
[0043] Referring now to FIG. 3, the lower side 16 of the
cross-drive members 10 may have steel wear plates 34, attached to
the ribs 12, 14. This assists in wear prevention should the
cross-drives 10 slide against underlying support beams 36.
[0044] FIGS. 5A-5C provide the various views of the arrangement
described above. FIG. 6 illustrates the drive unit frame without
the hydraulic cylinders and other drive units. FIG. 7 illustrates
the hydraulic cylinders 38, 40, 42 and related hydraulic
components. FIGS. 8-10 and FIGS. 10A-10C illustrate various valve
assembly components that are used to operate the drive unit. FIG.
12 illustrates a cross-section of the hydraulic cylinders. FIGS.
13A-130 illustrate a valve cartridge assembly that is used to
operate the drive unit. FIGS. 14A-14B illustrate various components
of the cross-drive members 10 described above. With respect to FIG.
14B, in particular, reference 44 illustrates how the hydraulic
cylinders 38, 40, 42 are clamped to the drive unit 10. Last, FIGS.
15-17 provide control valve schematics for operating the drive
unit.
[0045] The valve assembly includes a 6-way neutral center control
valve. This eliminates need for a ball valve. It has two coils, one
to enable unload, and one to enable load. This means that if there
is an electrical failure in the coils, the control valve will
default to the neutral position, shutting the drive off. There is
also a vent to shift switching valve (VTS) that can shift at very
low and very high speeds. The valve shifts when one of the vent
lines is opened to tank, meaning that there should be less
hydraulic shock to the system when switching from the conveying
stroke (all together) to the restage stroke (1-2-3). Finally, a
2-speed valve is included in the assembly. This valve allows the
drive to be switched from normal operation to a "high speed" mode.
The valve allows the hydraulic oil in the #3 cylinder to loop to
itself and tank. The hydraulic pressure is applied to only 2
cylinders instead of 3, increasing the speed of travel by a
theoretical 16%. The #3 cylinder is pushed mechanically by the
cross-drives.
[0046] Referring again to FIG. 12, the hydraulic cylinders
described above have a barrel portion 46 that is divided into two
chambers 48, 50 by a central barrier or plug 52 (also called a
"center head"). The plug 52 is held in place by shrink-fitting it
into the barrel (also called an "interference fit"). This enables
the hydraulic cylinder to be made from a single barrel tube in lieu
of two separate tubes that are welded together.
[0047] As discussed above, the cylinder barrel has machined grooves
for the cross-drive clamps along with the interference fit center
head described above. The interference fit is made as follows: The
center head is cooled and the barrel is heated to create clearance
between the two parts, and then the center head is placed into the
barrel. As the barrel cools and the head expands, the interference
fit is created, which holds the center head in place, and
eliminates the need for welding the barrel together from two
pieces. "Cross-over" tubes 54 are welded into the barrel.
[0048] The foregoing description is not intended to limit the scope
of the patent right. The patent right is to be limited only by the
patent claim or claims that follow. The disclosure of unclaimed
matter is reserved for other patent claims in subsequent patent
applications.
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