US3033128A - Split shaft trolley construction for power-and-free conveyor system - Google Patents

Description

y 3, 1962 A. CZARNECKI 3,033,128

SPLIT SHAFT TROLLEY CONSTRUCTION FOR POWERANDFREE CONVEYOR SYSTEM Filed Aug. 16, 1960 INVENTOR. fia 6'2 477766;):

United States Patent Office i 3,033,128 Patented May 8, 1 962 3,033,128 SPLIT SHAFT TROLLEY CONSTRUCTION FOR POWER-AND-FREE CONVEYOR SYSTEM Adolph Czarnecki, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Anchor Steel and Conveyor Company, Dearborn, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Aug. 16, 1960, Ser. No. 49,865 4 Claims. (Cl. 105-155) This invention relates to work carrying trolleys adapted and intended primarily for use with overhead conveyors, and more particularly for use in power-and-free conveyor systems.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel and simplified trolley construction.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view showing the trolley of this invention associated with a power or free conveyor system, the trolley being shown in full lines and the associated parts of the conveyor system being shown in broken lines;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical, transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of the trolley, parts thereof being shown, in elevation and parts in section for clearness of illustration.

A trolley 10 embodying the novel features of this invention is shown in FIGURE 1 in combination with a portion of a conventional power-and-free conveyor system which includes a continuous chain 12 for controlling the movement of the trolley between a pair of laterally spaced, parallel channel sections 14 and 16 (FIGURE 2) arranged in face-to-face relationship. Unless otherwise defined, for the purposes of discussion references taken longitudinally will be intended to be taken along a vertical plane or axis when viewing FIGURE 1 and references taken transversely will be intended to be taken along a plane or axis perpendicular to the plane of the paper when viewing FIGURE 1. The trolley 10 includes a longitudinally elongated body 18 of a single cast construction having a pair of outwardly extending flange portions 19 and 20 at opposite sides of the lower end of a central ribbed portion 21. Means for suspending workpieces (not shown) to be conveyed are provided in the body 18 by the holes 22 and 24, located at the outer end and at the lower extremity of the flange portions 19 and 20, respectively, and also by the hole 26 located at the lower extremity of the ribbed portion 21.

The body 18 has an upper portion 27 which extends outwardly beyond either side of the ribbed portion 21 and is spaced longitudinally from the flange portions 19 and 20 to define the slots 28 and 30 respectively. A longitudinal bore 32 in the flange portion 19 intersects the hole 22 and is in axial alignment with a smaller diameter bore 33 which terminates in a transverse hole 36 located in the upper portion 27. In a like manner a longitudinal bore 34 in the flange portion 20 intersects the hole 24 and is in axial alignment with a smaller diameter bore 35 which terminates in a transverse hole 38 located in the upper portion 27. The portions of the bores 32 and 34 above the transverse holes 22 and 24, respectively, are threaded.

Wheel assemblies 40 and 42 are carried by the body 10*, are journaled in the transverse holes 36 and 38, respectively, and provide means for supporting and transporting the trolley assembly 10 within the channel sections 14 and 16. The wheel assembly 40 includes a wheel 44 which is rotatably secured to small diameter portion 46 of a split shaft 48. Axial movement of the wheel 44 on the shaft 48 is limited by a shoulder 50 of a large diameter portion 52 of the shaft 48. The split shaft 48 terminates in a portion 54 having a semi-circular cross-section and a flat face 56 with a semi-circular groove 58 therein running transversely to the axis of the split shaft 48. The wheel assembly 40 has a second wheel 60 rotatably secured to a split shaft 62, which is similar in construction to the split shaft 48, having a flat face 64 'With a semi-circular groove 66. The wheels 44 and 60 of the wheel assembly 40 are disposed on either side of the body 18 in the transverse hole 36 with the flat face 56 on the shaft 48 mating with the flat face 64 on the split shaft 62 and with the semi-circular groove 58 in line with the semi-circular groove 66 such as to define a generally circular aperture; the aperture is positioned in the transverse hole 36 so as to be in axial alignment with A cam roller 68 is disposed in the slot 28 and journaled I upon a locking shaft 70. The locking shaft 70 has a large diameter end portion 72 which is partially threaded for engaging the threaded portion of the longitudinal bore 32. The locking shaft 70 is threaded into the bore 32 until a shoulder 78 at the juncture of the end portion 72 and a small diameter portion 74 of the shaft 70 abuts the upper portion 27 of the body 18; then, the portion 74, extending through the longitudinal bore 33 and through the aperture defined by the grooves 58 and 66, locks the shafts 48 and 62 so as to prevent axial displacement of the wheels 44 and 60. To facilitate the rotation of the cam roller 68 the threads have been removed from that part of the large diameter end portion 72 about which the cam roller 68 is journaled.

In a like manner a cam roller 79 is disposed in the slot 30 and journaled upon a locking shaft 80. The latter has a construction similar to that of the locking shaft 70 and is secured to the body 18 by threadably engaging the threaded portion of the longitudinal bore 34. The locking shafts 70 and 80 can be provided with a conventional Allen head type of construction in their large diameter portions to facilitate assembly.

An important feature of the construction as described above is that only a single shaft is required to lock each wheel assembly axially to the body 10 and, at the same time, to provide means for journaling its associated cam roller. An important feature of the split shaft construction as described is that in case only one wheel of an assembly wears out, that wheel alone need be replaced instead of the entire assembly. It should be understood that while the above features and advantages have been described in conjunction with a four-wheel trolley these features are equally applicable to a two-wheel trolley construction.

The upper portion 27 of the body 18 is provided with channel sections 84 and 86 at each end. A dog 88 is pivotally secured within the channel section 84 by a split pin 92 which is held in the transverse holes 96 and 98. Likewise a dog is pivotally secured within the channel section 86 by a split pin 94 which is likewise held in a pair of transverse holes.

In operation, the trolley 10 is located between the channel sections 14 and 16 with the wheels of the wheel assemblies 40 and 42 contacting the lower flanges 104 and 106 of the channel sections 14 and 16, respectively. The cam rollers 68 and 79 are in alignment with the flanges 104 and 106 and serve to keep the trolley 10 essentially centrally located between the channel sections 14 and 16.

The trolley assembly can be driven by the continuous chain 12, in which case a pusher member 108, disposed upon a center link 110, is inserted between the dogs 88 and 90. The dogs are of an over-center type of construction maintaining them normally in the position shown in FIGURE 1. Depending upon the direction in which it is desired to move the trolley assembly 10, the pusher 108 will contact either the dog 88 or 90, causing it to pivot to an upright position as shown by the position of the dog 90 in FIGURE 3; in that case, a face 112 of dog 90 is in contact with the pusher 108. Upon removal of the pusher 108 the dog 90 will revert to its normally down position. In some cases it is desirable to allow the trolley assembly 10 to coast down a pair of inclined channel sections under its own gravitational force and that of the suspended body (not shown). In such instances, the pusher 108 can be rotated about the center link 110 and out; of contact with either of the dogs 88 and 96, thus allowing the trolley assembly to coast freely.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the sub-joined claims.

I claim:

1. A trolley comprising a longitudinally elongated body, a pair of shafts each having an end portion with a semicircular cross-section and a flat face, said end portion having a groove transverse to the axis of said shaft on said flat face, the end portions of said pair of shafts being matably disposed in a transverse bore in said body with said grooves in alignment to define an aperture, a pair of wheels each being individual to and rotatably secured to an end opposite said end portion on one of said pair of shafts, a locking shaft longitudinally disposed in said body and extending through said aperture defined by said pair of shafts for locking said pair of shafts to said body, and a cam roller longitudinally spaced from said transverse bore and journaled upon said locking shaft.

2. A trolley comprising a body, a pair of shafts each having an end portion with a semi-circular cross-section and a fiat face, said end portion having a groove transverse to the axis of said shaft on said flat face, the end portions of said pair of shafts being matably disposed in a bore in said body with said grooves in alignment to define an aperture, a pair of wheels each being individual to and rotatably secured to an end opposite said endportion on one of said pair of shafts, a locking shaft disposed Car in said body and extending through said aperture defined by said pair of shafts for locking said pair of shafts to said body, and a cam roller spaced from said bore and journaled upon said locking shaft.

3. A trolley comprising a longitudinally elongated body; a plurality of shafts each having an end portion with a semi-circular cross section and a flat face; said end portion having a groove transverse to the axis of said shaft on said fiat face; the end portions of a first pair of said shafts matably disposed in a first transverse bore in said body with the grooves in the end portions of said first pair of shafts in alignment to define a first aperture; the end portions of a second pair of said shafts matably disposed in a second transverse bore in said body with the grooves in the end portions of said second pair of shafts in alignment to define a'second aperture; a first pair of wheels each individual to and rotatably disposed upon an end opposite the end portion on one of said first pair of shafts, a second pair of wheels each individual to and rotatably disposed upon an end opposite the end portion on one of said second pair of shafts, a first and a second locking shaft longitudinally disposed in said body and extending through said first and said second aperture, respectively, for locking said first and said second pair of shafts to said body, a first and a second cam roller individual to said first and said second pair of wheels, respectively, longitudinally spaced from said first and said second transverse bores and journaled upon said first and second locking shaft, respectively.

4. A trolley comprising a longitudinally elongated body, a first wheel being individual to and rotatably secured to a first shaft, a second wheel being individual to and rotatably secured to a second shaft, said first and said second shafts having interfitting end portions being matably disposed in a transverse bore in said body, means including a locking shaft longitudinally disposed in said body and movable to and from a locking position for locking said interfitting portions of said first and said second shafts within said transverse bore and to said body UNITED STATES PATENTS 79,252 Parrott June 23, 1868 297,539 Shoemaker Apr. 22, 1884 2,485,215 Rose Oct. 18, 1949

Images