Patent US1853421A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3714902A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3714902A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Conveyor handrails
Assignee: Dunlop Holdings Ltd
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Filing: 1971-08-24
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Granted: 1973-02-06
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Expires: 1991-08-24
Abstract
Abstract A variable speed handrail for a conveyor in which a series of relatively slidable overlapping elements provides a load bearing surface in the edge regions. The elements may slide transversely or slide in other directions simultaneously with a change of inclination. The handrail may follow a curved or straight path and a constant depth handrail is provided. The relative sliding is controlled by guide means and drive means are provided as well as positive means for maintaining the elements in mutual contact, of which the following is a specification.
Inventors
- 👤 P Zuppiger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 07:47
CPC Classifications
B; B66; B66B; B66B23/00; B66B23/22; B66B23/24; B66B23/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
68 words
A handrail for a balustrade of a conveyor having at least one variable speed zone, comprising: a series of relatively slidable overlapping elements having a load bearing surface in edge regions of the elements, guide means for the elements, and drive means for the elements whereby in the variable speed zone the degree of overlapping of the elements is changed to produce a speed variation for the elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
68 words
A handrail for a balustrade of a conveyor having at least one variable speed zone, comprising: a series of relatively slidable overlapping elements having a load bearing surface in edge regions of the elements, guide means for the elements, and drive means for the elements whereby in the variable speed zone the degree of overlapping of the elements is changed to produce a speed variation for the elements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
A handrail for a balustrade of a conveyor having at least one variable speed zone, comprising: a series of relatively slidable overlapping elements having a load bearing surface in edge regions of the elements, guide means for the elements, and drive means for the elements whereby in the variable speed zone the degree of overlapping of the elements is changed to produce a speed variation for the elements.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
A handrail for a balustrade of a conveyor having at least one variable speed zone, comprising: a series of relatively slidable overlapping elements having a load bearing surface in edge regions of the elements, guide means for the elements, and drive means for the elements whereby in the variable speed zone the degree of overlapping of the elements is changed to produce a speed variation for the elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A handrail as in claim 1 wherein the degree of overlap of the elements is controlled by the said guide means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A handrail as in claim 2 wherein the elements are arranged to project from a balustrade and present to passengers a substantially constant depth handrail assembly comprising the edge regions of the elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A handrail as in claim 2 wherein the edges of the elements in the load bearing edge regions are chamfered so that changes in the degree of overlap do not cause trapping of passengers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
A handrail as in claim 2 wherein the variable speed zone is curved, the elements are arranged to be substantially parallel to one another over a substantial length of the handrail and the overlap is varied in a lateral direction with respect to the direction of movement of the handrail.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
A handrail as in claim 5 wherein the guide means comprises two generally parallel guide rails engaging slots, one at either side of each element and the spacing of the two guide rails is varied to maintain the elements mutually parallel around the curve by sliding to change the degree of overlapping.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A handrail as in claim 6 wherein the guide rails and slots are generally T-shaped so that the elements are retained on the guide rails.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
A handrail as in claim 6 wherein at least some of the elements have provided projecting engagement means whereby the elements may be driven along the guide rails.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
A handrail as in claim 8 wherein the engagement means comprises a pin projecting from an edge of an element and the drive means comprises a longitudinally extending variable pitch screw having an external thread into which the pin is engaged to provide a drive means for the elements.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
119 words
A handrail as in claim 8 wherein the engagement means comprises a pin projecting from an edge of an element and succeeding pins are connected by a hinged link member pivotally connected to each pin, each pin and each hinge comprises a set of rollers for engaging one of two guide rails the first said guide rail guiding the rollers on the engagement pins and the second said guide rail running spaced from the first guide rail and guiding the rollers of the hinges whereby he spacing of the guide rails is varied such that the hinged link members and the guide rails each serve to provide the change in overlap of the elements in the variable speed zone.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
A handrail as in claim 10 wherein the link members are engaged by a toothed wheel at an end of the handrail run and the said toothed wheel provides drive means for the elements through the medium of the roller and link mechanism.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
A handrail as in claim 8 wherein the engagement means comprise an armature for a linear motor arranged in the edge of the balustrade between the guide rails whereby the elements are driven along the guide rails.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
A handrail as in claim 8 wherein the engagement means provideS a substantially flat surface and roller drive means are provided whereby drive is obtained by frictional drive from the rollers to the elements.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
A handrail as in claim 13 wherein the successive rollers are of increasing diameter and all the rollers are driven at the same rotational speed whereby the peripheries of the rollers move at increasing speed as required to accelerate the elements.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
A handrail as in claim 2 wherein each element comprises at least in part a magnetized region and the series of elements is assembled such that the elements are retained in mutual contact by magnetic attraction.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
A handrail as in claim 2 wherein the elements are mechanically retained together to prevent the formation of gaps between the edge region of adjacent elements.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
A handrail as in claim 16 wherein the mechanical lock is by means of a headed stud attached to an element and engaging the next element through a slot so that sliding is not restricted.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
53 words
A handrail as in claim 16 wherein the mechanical lock is by means of a lateral groove on one surface of each element and a projecting ridge on the other surface, the said groove and ridge being if complementary interengaging cross-sections such that the elements are retained together and sliding is not restricted.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
A handrail as in claim 2 wherein each element comprises a rigid central web to each side of which is attached a layer of compressible material whereby adjacent elements may be relatively changed in orientation.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
42 words
A handrail as in claim 19 wherein the guide rails for the handrail follow a curved path and the handrail elements change in relation orientation to allow the said curvature by virtue of compression of the material without a substantial speed change.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
68 words
A handrail as in claim 19 wherein the handrail follows a substantially straight path through a variable speed zone and the change in the degree of overlapping is by means of the guide rail spacing changing so that each element is progressively changed in orientation with respect to its direction of movement, the said compressible means allowing the movement without the formation of gaps at the edge regions.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
A handrail as in claim 19 wherein the elements comprising the handrail are precompressed on assembly to prevent the formation of gaps at the outer edges during changes of orientation.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
A handrail as in claim 2 wherein the elements are inclined and the inclination is varied simultaneously with the sliding by the guide means and drive means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
58 words
A handrail as in claim 23 wherein each element comprises two parallel plate members connected by s step such that the two plate members extend in spaced apart parallel planes and interengagement means are provided whereby adjacent elements are retained in contact over at least part of the area of each plate member without impairing the relative sliding.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
44 words
A handrail as in claim 24 wherein the interengagement means comprises two pins each having enlarged head portions for engaging two parallel slots on one plate member of an adjacent element the slots extending in the direction of the relative sliding between the elements.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
58 words
A handrail as in claim 24 wherein a transverse shaft is provided attached to each element, the shaft extending in a direction parallel to the plate members and spaced from the planes of the said plate members, the shaft providing projections at either side of the element which engage guide slots provided on the balustrade of the handrail.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
50 words
A handrail as in claim 24 wherein a series of links connect the elements the links being fully extended when the elements are in the most widely spaced portion as in the high speed zone of the conveyor the said links then serving to power the elements along the conveyor.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
12 words
A handrail as in claim 27 wherein the links comprise steel tapes.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
74 words
A handrail as in claim 23 wherein an engagement lever projects from each element adapted to engage a drive screw, the said screw runninG adjacent the elements forming the handrail and having a variable pitch and a constant speed drive means whereby the engagement levers of the elements are driven at different speeds in different zones of the handrail and the spacing inclination and overlapping of adjacent elements is determined by the screw pitch.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
49 words
A handrail as in claim 2 wherein the elements are driven by a variable pitch screw the said variable pitch screw being flexible and mounted in a series of spaced apart bearings such that it follows the path of the handrail so that it may continuously engage the elements.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
40 words
A handrail as in claim 30 wherein the screw comprises a central flexible steel cable core, a resilient layer of elastomeric material and an outer covering layer of plastics material, the thread groove being formed in the outer covering layer.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
68 words
A handrail as in claim 31 wherein the spaced apart bearings each comprise three axially rotatably rollers mounted at points around the screw with their rotational axes parallel to the axis of the flexible screw at the position of the bearing the said rollers each contacting the periphery of the screw and at least one of the said rollers being powered whereby drive is transmitted to the screw.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
50 words
A handrail as in claim 32 wherein for at least one of the said bearings an endless belt passes around the outside of the three rollers and around the outer surface of the screw against which it is held in driving contact by the inner faces of the three rollers.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
130 words
A handrail as in claim 23 wherein each element comprises a plate which is substantially flat in the edge regions, provided with a projecting outer limb member at each of two opposite sides of the plate, each limb having a projecting bearing pin for engaging guide means comprising a slot at either edge of the balustrade, and an operating arm extending outwardly from the plane of the plate and limb members and having engagement means for engaging a second guide means spaced from the first guide means whereby changing of the spacing between the said guide means slides the edge regions of the elements with respect to one another and changes the inclination of the elements to allow a change in the length of the assembly and a speed change.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
76 words
A handrail as in claim 34 wherein hinged link members connect the operating arms of adjacent elements, the links extending in opposite directions between successive elements guide pins through each hinge engaging first and second control guides the control guides being spaced apart and the spacing being changed in the variable speed zones so that the operating arms are spaced apart by the links to slide and incline the elements to change the degree of overlapping.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-02-06 | 1976-08-07 | 1977-02-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-02-06 | 1980-08-07 | 1981-02-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-02-06 | 1984-08-07 | 1985-02-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |