This invention relates to the field of material handling equipment maintenance. More specifically, the invention relates to devices for servicing roller chains associated with material handling conveyors.
Many factories, warehouses and supply depots utilize roller conveyors to move materials from one location to another within the facility. While some of these conveyors are gravity operated, many require power to move materials uphill or on a level grade. These conveyors are often powered by a roller chain driven by an electric motor or other power source. These roller chains must be serviced at regularly and most be replaced at regular intervals due to stretching and wear. In order to remove a roller chain or a damaged section of one, it is necessary to push out the pins that fasten the links together. Reassembling the chains is done by pushing this pin back into the links. These tasks are typically done with a pin punch and a hammer. As the chains are often large, heavy and positioned closely to other machinery, a pin punch and hammer is often awkward to use in the required close quarters. Other means have been developed to address this problem as described in the patents discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,862, issued to Reisenauer, discloses a breaker for roller chains that includes a rigid frame with a chain receiving opening. A clamp member with an open pin receiving bore is mounted to the rigid frame on one side of the opening for adjustment along an axis. A punch block with a central bore is releasably mounted to the rigid frame on an opposite side of the opening. The punch block is located by a positioner with its central bore substantially coaxial with the axis. The punch block and clamp member include chain link engaging surfaces positioned relative to the opening to releasably clamp a roller chain with a pin thereof aligned with the axis and with the link engaging surfaces in clamping engagement with chain side plates adjacent the pin. A punch pin is slidably mounted within the punch block central bore, with a pin driving end movable through the opening and receivable axially within the pin receiving bore of the clamp member. A headed end of the punch pin is releasably mounted to the ram shaft by a freely rotatable cleat on a saddle that is releasably mounted at the end of a ram shaft. A ram drives the ram shaft and attached punch pin to move along the axis through a prescribed axial stroke to force the pin from the chain.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,657, issued to Teravainen is directed to a portable hydraulic press with two opposing plates connected by bolts can be clamped on a conveyor chain that has interference-fit connecting pins between pairs of rectangular plates forming the chain links to assemble or disassemble the chain. Once the press is clamped in place, a hydraulic cylinder of the press is then actuated to force the connecting pin in or out of the chain. If the pin is being pushed out, it passes through a hole in a back plate of the press in order to disassemble or break the chain.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2007/0193247, published for Daniels et al. illustrates a fluid activated connecting pin removal tool that includes a body defining a first cavity adapted to receive a portion of a work piece and a second cavity positioned substantially perpendicular to and intersecting the first cavity. When a fluid activated cylinder is mounted to the body in a first orientation relative to the second cavity, expansion of the fluid activated cylinder results in a piston extending from the cylinder into the first cavity in which the work piece is positioned to exert a force upon a connecting pin connecting portions of the work piece. When the fluid activated cylinder is mounted to the body in a second orientation relative to the second cavity, the secondary cavity serves as a storage compartment for the fluid activated cylinder.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,748,637, issued to Meggiolan disclose a tool for inserting and extracting pins of roller chains, comprising a body having a pair of teeth designed to engage two chain links to be connected or separated by insertion or extraction of a pin. The tool comprises a screw member which can be operated manually and which is provided with a punch designed to co-operate with a pin that is to be inserted or extracted. The tool comprises two retaining elements which can move between an inoperative position, in which the chain links can freely engage and disengage the teeth, and an operative position, in which the teeth block the chain links in a pre-set position with respect to the teeth.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,061, issued to Smith is directed an apparatus for assembling and disassembling roller chain and the like is provided. The apparatus includes a base portion made up of a base plate and side plates, a rotatable cam and an interchangeable die set inserted into the base portion which is in contact with the cam. The die set is sized to fit a particular type and size of chain. The particular die set may be designed to punch out connecting pins in a link of the chain. Alternatively, the die set may be for purposes of installing a link plate onto connecting pins or for purposes of deforming the ends of connecting pins during the assembly process.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a compact, easy-to use system for servicing roller chains. It is a further objective to provide such a system that does not require an external power source. It is a still further objective of the invention to provide a system that can be operated with one hand and that will work in tightly confined locations. Finally, it is an objective of the present invention to provide such apparatus that is durable, inexpensive and simple for the operator to use.
While some of the objectives of the present invention are disclosed in the prior art, none of the inventions found include all of the requirements identified.
The present invention addresses all of the deficiencies of prior conveyor chain pin remover inventions and satisfies all of the objectives described above.
(1) A conveyor chain pin remover providing the desired features may be constructed from the following components. A gear case is provided. The gear case has an attached handle, an actuating lever, a ratchet mechanism engaged by the actuating lever and first and second aligned passthrough openings. A retaining bar is provided. The retaining bar has a first end and a second end, is attached adjacent the first end to the gear case and has a chain retaining fixture located adjacent the second end. The chain retaining fixture has a barrier portion located orthogonally to the retaining bar and has a central aperture located in the barrier portion. A ram is provided. The ram has a first end, a second end, a pin punch portion located at the first end and a rack portion extending substantially from the second end toward the pin punch portion.
The rack portion is sized and shaped to fit slidably through the first and second aligned passthrough openings with teeth of the rack portion engaging the ratchet mechanism. The pin punch portion is sized, shaped and located to fit slidably through the central aperture and is smaller in diameter than pins of a roller chain.
(2) In a variant of the invention, a ratchet release is provided. The ratchet release moves between a first position and a second position, alternately engaging and disengaging the ratchet mechanism and the actuating lever. A spring is provided. The spring urges the ratchet release toward the first position. When the ratchet release is in the second position, the rack portion of the ram slides freely through the first and second aligned passthrough openings.
(3) In another variant, the ratchet mechanism further includes a spur gear. The spur gear has teeth sized and shaped to engage the teeth of the rack portion. A ratchet wheel is provided. The ratchet wheel has angled teeth and is fixedly attached to the spur gear at a common central axis. A locking pawl is provided. The locking pawl has a first end, a second end, is pivotally mounted to the gear case at the first end, has a disengaging lip at the second end and has an engaging notch located between the first end and the second end. The engaging notch is sized, shaped and located to fit the angled teeth of the ratchet wheel. A driving hand is provided. The driving hand has a proximal end and a distal end and has an engaging claw at the distal end. The claw is sized, shaped and located to engage the angled teeth of the ratchet wheel.
The driving hand is pivotally mounted to the actuating lever between the proximal and distal ends and has a spring mount at the proximal end. A spring is provided. The spring is mounted between the spring mount of the driving hand and the locking pawl and urges the engaging notch of the locking pawl to engage the angled teeth of the ratchet wheel as the engaging claw of the driving hand causes the ratchet wheel to rotate. A release cam is provided. The release cam is pivotally mounted to the gear case between the locking pawl and the driving hand. A ratchet release is provided. The ratchet release urges rotation of the release cam in a first, releasing direction. The release cam has first and second lobes. The first lobe engages the disengaging lip of the locking pawl and the second lobe bears against an inner lateral portion of the driving hand. The release cam causes the engaging notch and the engaging claw to disengage from the angled teeth of the ratchet wheel when rotated, thereby permitting the spur gear to rotate freely and the rack portion to be moved through the first and second aligned passthrough openings. The spring urges rotation of the release cam in a second, locking direction, thereby permitting motion of the ratchet wheel only in a direction urged by the engaging claw.
(4) In still another variant, the pin punch portion is formed of hardened material.
(5) In yet another variant, the pin punch portion has a pointed tip.
(6) In a further variant, a magnet is provided. The magnet is attached adjacent the second end of the retaining bar and has sufficient strength to secure a pin of a roller chain after removal from a chain.
(7) In a final variant, an illuminating fixture is provided. The fixture is attached to either the retaining bar or the gear case and has a beam directed to the barrier portion of the retaining bar.
An appreciation of the other aims and objectives of the present invention and an understanding of it may be achieved by referring to the accompanying drawings and the detailed description of a preferred embodiment.
(1)
The rack portion 78 is sized and shaped to fit slidably through first 30 and second 34 aligned passthrough openings with teeth 82 of the rack portion 78 engaging the ratchet mechanism 26. As illustrated in
(2) In a variant of the invention, as illustrated in
(3) In another variant, as illustrated in
The driving hand 150 is pivotally mounted to the actuating lever 22 between the proximal 154 and distal 158 ends and has a spring mount 166 at the proximal end 154. A spring 106 is provided. The spring 106 is mounted between the spring mount 166 of the driving hand 150 and the locking pawl 130 and urges the engaging notch 146 of the locking pawl 130 to engage the angled teeth 122 of the ratchet wheel 118 as the engaging claw 162 of the driving hand 150 causes the ratchet wheel 118 to rotate. A release cam 174 is provided. The release cam 174 is pivotally mounted to the gear case 14 between the locking pawl 130 and the driving hand 150. As illustrated in
(4) In still another variant, the pin punch portion 74 is formed of hardened material.
(5) In yet another variant, as illustrated in
(6) In a further variant, a magnet 206 is provided. The magnet 206 is attached adjacent the second end 46 of the retaining bar 38 and has sufficient strength to secure a pin 86 of a roller chain 90 after removal from a chain 90.
(7) In a final variant, an illuminating fixture 218 is provided. The fixture 218 is attached to either the retaining bar 38 or the gear case 14 and has a beam 222 directed to the barrier portion 54 of the retaining bar 38.
The conveyor chain pin remover 10 has been described with reference to particular embodiments. Other modifications and enhancements can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims that follow.
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