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:
Oct. 08, 1996
Filed:
Apr. 12, 1995
Patrick A Brown, Fremont, MI (US);
Patrick J Murphy, Muskegon, MI (US);
Mark H Meade, Muskegon, MI (US);
Patco Sales & Service, Inc., Fremont, MI (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for automatically and accurately monitoring the wear of a continuous conveyor chain without having to stop the chain. The present invention provides first and sensors means fixedly spaced along the conveyor chain at a predetermined distance. The first and second sensors generate signals corresponding to the presence and absence of successive links provided in the conveyor chain. The generated signals are received and processed and the necessary time intervals are calculated for providing an output indicative of chain wear of any portion of the chain several parameters of chain wear may be calculated, including chain stretch and instantaneous chain speed. The calculated chain wear values may be compared to predetermined values previously input and stored, and if the calculated values exceed the predetermined values, an indicator means indicates that the conveyor chain should be serviced.