The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 18, 1992
Filed:
Nov. 30, 1990
Pauli T Reunamaki, Tampere, FI;
Glasstech, Inc., Perrysburg, OH (US);
Abstract
A drive mechanism (32) for a roller conveyor (28) of a furnace (12) for heating flat glass sheets includes a primary drive loop (34) received by primary drive wheels (36) and also includes a plurality of secondary drive loops (50) each of which is associated with a pair of conveyor rolls (30). Internal teeth (42) of the primary drive loop (34) and external teeth (52) of the secondary drive loops (50) are engaged to provide a driving relationship therebetween, while internal teeth (54) of the secondary drive loops (50) drive gears (56) secured to the conveyor rolls (30). A plurality of idler gears (64) mesh with the external teeth (54) of the secondary drive loops (50) to maintain tensioning that prevents backlash and provides uniform reversal of all conveyor rolls as the driving changes from one direction to the other as well as allowing the conveyor rolls to be positioned with their high sides aligned so as to maintain planarity during the conveyance. The primary drive loops (34) has a metal core (70) and an elastomeric covering (72) that forms its internal teeth (42). Engagement rollers (80) of the drive mechanism maintain engagement between inclined faces (42a,52a) of the internal teeth 42 of the primary drive loop (34) and the external teeth (52) of the secondary drive loops (50).