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:
May. 02, 2006
Filed:
Nov. 13, 2003
Thomas P. Hartness, Greenville, SC (US);
William R. Hartness, Iii, Greenville, SC (US);
Mark W. Davidson, Greer, SC (US);
Frank Brennan, Pelzer, SC (US);
Robert C. Beesley, Greenville, SC (US);
Thomas P. Hartness, Greenville, SC (US);
William R. Hartness, III, Greenville, SC (US);
Mark W. Davidson, Greer, SC (US);
Frank Brennan, Pelzer, SC (US);
Robert C. Beesley, Greenville, SC (US);
Hartness International, Inc., Greenville, SC (US);
Abstract
Various conveyor designs suitable for conveying objects along a transport direction and various related link designs are disclosed. The conveyor may include a plurality of the connected links. Each link may have a length extending across the direction of transport and a width extending along the direction of transport, a conveying surface, and at least one gripping member moveable along at least a portion of length of the link from a first position to a second position. The gripping member when in the first position is disposed below the conveying surface of the link, and the gripping member when in the second position is disposed above the conveying surface of the link for contacting one of the objects to hold the object during transport. Various designs of gripping members and related elements are disclosed, including spring loaded, cam driven, rack and pinion, and overhead designs. Various elements of the disclosed designs may be combined in various ways to form numerous link and conveyor options.