Moving walk

Abstract

The invention relates to a moving walk having an endless conveyor member comprising pallets and at least one longitudinal drive member to which the pallets are connected, which drive member is engaged by a drive unit, whereby the endless conveyor member runs in a middle section of the moving walk along an upper conveying track and along a lower return track; at both ends of the middle section a respective end section is located, whereby each end section comprises an entrance/exit area of the moving walk and a transfer means for transferring the endless conveyer member from the conveyor track to the return track and vice versa. The middle section comprises a self-supporting support structure, wherein the support structure is formed by roller rails, by cross beams and by support brackets, whereby the roller rails have an upper rail surface for rollers of the pallets, the cross beams connect the roller rails and/or the support brackets on both sides of the moving walk and the support brackets comprise the footing of the support structure and are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the roller rails and wherein the roller rails and/or the cross beams are mounted to the support brackets. This space saving support structure is easy to deliver to the building site and easy to install.

Claims

1. A moving walk having an endless conveyor member comprising: pallets; and at least one longitudinal drive member to which the pallets are connected, which drive member is engaged by a drive unit, the endless conveyor member runs in a middle section of the moving walk along an upper conveying track and along a lower return track; at both ends of the middle section the moving walk including a respective end section, whereby each end section comprises an entrance/exit area of the moving walk and a transfer means for transferring the endless conveyer member from the conveyor track to the return track and vice versa, which middle section includes, a self-supporting support structure, wherein the support structure is formed by roller rails, by cross beams and by support brackets, whereby the roller rails have an upper rail surface for rollers of the pallets, the cross beams connect the roller rails and/or the support brackets on both sides of the moving walk and the support brackets comprise the footing of the support structure and are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the roller rails and wherein the roller rails and/or the cross beams are mounted to the support brackets; wherein the cross beams and the roller rails are mounted to the support brackets with one common mounting bolt.

2. The moving walk according to claim 1, wherein the roller rails are directly mounted to the support brackets and the cross beams are mounted to the roller rails.

3. The moving walk according to claim 2, wherein each support bracket consists of a vertical U-profile comprising one middle section with the mounting areas of the roller rails and two side sections, to which U-profile a beam member comprising an adjustable foot is connected.

4. The moving walk according to claim 2, wherein the roller rail is a rectangular steel profile, which comprises a steel bushing for a mounting bolt.

5. The moving walk according to claim 1, wherein each support bracket consists of a vertical U-profile comprising one middle section with the mounting areas of the roller rails and two side sections, to which U-profile a beam member comprising an adjustable foot is connected.

6. The moving walk according to claim 5, wherein the middle section comprises a mounting area for the mounting of the roller rail and/or the cross beam.

7. The moving walk according to claim 5, wherein the moving walk includes a balustrade fastening element and a handrail belt, and wherein the two side sections comprise fixings for the balustrade fastening element and the recess for the handrail belt.

8. The moving walk according to claim 1, wherein the roller rail is a rectangular steel profile, which comprises a steel bushing for a mounting bolt.

9. The moving walk according to claim 8, wherein the cross beams are mounted to the roller rails via perpendicular end plates.

10. The moving walk according to claim 1, wherein the support brackets have fixings for a balustrade fastening element.

11. The moving walk according to claim 10, wherein the recess is located below the fixings for the balustrade fastening element.

12. The moving walk according to claim 1, wherein the support brackets have a recess for a handrail belt of the moving walk.

13. The moving walk according to claim 1, wherein the support brackets comprise fastening points for inner cover plates and outer cover plates.

14. The moving walk according to claim 1, wherein the balustrade fastening element is a holding clamp which form fits on the support bracket.

15. A moving walk having an endless conveyor member comprising: pallets: and at least one longitudinal drive member to which the pallets are connected, which drive member is enraged by a drive unit, the endless conveyor member runs in a middle section of the moving walk along an upper conveying track and along a lower return track; at both ends of the middle section the moving walk including a respective end section, whereby each end section comprises an entrance/exit area of the moving walk and a transfer means for transferring the endless conveyer member from the conveyor track to the return track and vice versa, which middle section includes, a self-supporting support structure, wherein the support structure is formed by roller rails, by cross beams and by support brackets, whereby the roller rails include upper roller rails for the conveyor track, and separate lower roller rails for the return track, whereby the support brackets have two vertically spaced apart mounting areas with the upper and lower roller rails respectively mounted thereto, the cross beams connecting the roller rails and/or the support brackets on both sides of the moving walk and the support brackets forming the footing of the support structure and being spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the roller rails and wherein the roller rails and/or the cross beams are mounted to the support brackets.

16. The moving walk according to claim 15, wherein the cross beams are mounted between the upper roller rails or between the upper roller rails and the lower roller rails, respectively.

Description

(1) The invention is now described via preferred embodiments in connection with the attached drawings. In these drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a support structure of a moving walk comprising upper and lower roller rails, cross beams and support brackets,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a side view of the support structure of FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a top view of the support structure of FIG. 1,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a front view of a moving walk having the support structure of FIG. 1 comprising balustrades and a handrail,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the moving walk of FIG. 4, and

(7) FIGS. 6a to 6c show three detailed views of the support bracket.

(8) FIG. 1 shows the support structure 10 of the inventive moving walk, which support structure comprises upper roller rails 12a,b extending in longitudinal direction of the moving walk on both sides thereof The upper roller rails 12a,b are configured to carry the loaded pallets on the conveyor track of the moving walk and are connected via cross beams 14 which are mounted via their end plates 16 directly to the upper roller rails 12a, 12b. The upper rails 12a, 12b are mounted to support brackets 18 which comprise a vertical extending U-shaped profile having a middle section 21 and two side sections 20, 22 extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the moving walk. In the interior between the three sections 20, 21, 22 a beam member 24 is connected, e.g. by bolts, by a form-fit lock or by welding (see FIGS. 2 and 6a to 6c). The beam member 24 carries an adjustable foot 26. The two side sections 20, 22 of the support bracket 18 comprise in their upper section fixings 28 for a balustrade fastening element as well as a horizontally extending recess 30 for passing a handrail belt there through (See FIG. 4).

(9) Furthermore, the support structure 10 comprises two lower roller rails 32a,b for guiding the unloaded pallet rollers on the return track. For this reason the cross-sectional area of the profile of the lower roller rails 32a,b is smaller than that of the upper roller rails 12a,b. As it may be seen in FIG. 4, the upper roller rails 12a, 12b are mounted to an upper mounting area 34 provided at (connected to) the two side sections 20, 22 whereas the lower roller rails 32a,b are mounted to a lower mounting area 36 also provided at (connected to) the both side sections 20, 22 of the support bracket 18. Accordingly, the support structure as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 discloses a compact easy mountable support structure comprising all necessary components for building up a moving walk. The support structure requires a minimum of components so that the logistic relating storing as well as delivering the parts to a construction site is reduced essentially.

(10) Although the new support structure of the inventive moving walk is very lightweight and space-saving, it is rigid enough to carry all load imposed to conventional moving walks which are generally located in public places as malls, airports or railway stations. The support structure is fitted to be used in on-floor constructions wherein moving walks are mounted after the building floor has been completed or for mounting in a pit so that the pallets of the conveyor track of the moving walk are essentially on the same level as the floor of the building.

(11) FIGS. 4 and 5 show the middle section of the inventive moving walk with the support structure being covered by cover plates and carrying a balustrade as well as a handrail belt.

(12) The fixings 28 of the side sections 20, 22 of the support brackets 18 carry a balustrade fastening element 38 in form of a clamp in which a glass balustrade 40 can be mounted and fitted in place as to extend vertically from the top of the support structure 10. The top of the glass balustrade elements comprises a handrail guide 42. Also the side sections 20, 22 of the support brackets 18 comprise a handrail guide 46. The handrail guides 42 carry a handrail belt 44 which is thus running together with the pallets of an endless conveyor member of the moving walk. In the support structure 10, the handrail belt 44 runs guided by the same handrail guides 46 in the recesses 30 of the side sections 20, 22. The support structure 10 consisting of the support brackets 18, the upper and lower roller rails 12a,b, 32a,b and the cross beams 14 further comprises inner cover plates 48 which are mounted to the side sections 20, 22 of the support brackets 18 on the side facing the endless conveying member and outer cover plates 50 mounted to said side sections 20, 22 on the outside of the support structure 10. The cross beams 14 are mounted via their end plates 16 directly to the upper roller rails 12a,b with the same bolts 52 with which the upper roller rails 12a,b are mounted to the upper mounting area 34 of the support brackets 18. On this behalf, the upper roller rails 12a,b comprise metal bushings so that the upper roller rails 12a,b are not deformed when the cross beams 14 and upper roller rails 12a,b are screwed to the mounting area 34 of the support bracket 18 whereby a horizontal force is imposed on the upper roller rails 12a,b.

(13) Also the lower roller rails 32a,b comprise bushings 56 in their interior to prevent deformation when fixed to the lower mounting area 36 of the support bracket 18 via lower mounting bolts 58. As it can be seen in FIG. 5, the upper and lower roller rails 12a,b and 32a,b are provided as elements with a certain length of 2-5 m. These elements are connected with connecting pieces 60, 62 which are inserted in the open ends of the upper and lower roller rail elements whereafter these connecting pieces are fixed via bolts to the ends of the upper and lower roller rail elements.

(14) The invention is not delimited by the described embodiments but it may be varied within the scope of the appended patent claims.

(15) Particularly, support bracket 18 needs not to be constructed from two separate side sections 20, 22 connected via a beam member 24. Instead the support brackets may be embodied as one piece profile or as a bended profile made from one or several pieces. It is also possible to use support brackets made from cast iron although this is not preferred for cost and weight reasons.

(16) Furthermore, the cross beams 14 can also be mounted between the lower roller rails 32a, 32b to provide an additional stability on the support frame 10. Furthermore, the cross beams 14 do not need to extend exactly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the moving walk but they may also be configured in an inclined geometry, e.g. in a zigzag construction or grid between the roller rails 12a,b, 32a,b on both sides of the moving ramp.

(17) FIGS. 6a to 6c show the support bracket in detail, whereby FIG. 6a is a perspective view, FIG. 6b is a side view and FIG. 6c is a top view. The support bracket 18 comprises (or consists of) a U-profile 19 having a middle section 21 extending in longitudinal direction of the moving walk and on both sides thereof a side section 20, 22 extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the moving walk, respectively. The middle section 21 forms or carries the upper mounting area 34 for the upper roller rails 12a,b and the lower mounting area 36 for the lower roller rails 32a,b. The mounting areas 34, 36 may carry nuts 35 to which the roller rails 12a,b, 32a,b are fixed via bolts.

(18) The side sections comprise fixings 28 for the balustrade fastening elements 38. In the embodiment the fixings are holes to which the balustrade fastening elements are connected via bolts or form-fitting protrusions.

(19) Furthermore, the side sections 20, 22 of the U-profile 19b comprise flanges 29 to which the inner cover plates 48 are mounted.

(20) The support bracket 18 of this embodiment can be manufactured very easily and inexpensive from two bent metal sheets, one for the U-profile 19 and the other for the beam member 24.