The continuous-chain installations at present in use comprise brackets to carry the objects to be treated, especially after a painting process, said brackets being connected by an arm to a continuous positioning chain that moves in concert with the chain hauling the brackets ensuring that they remain level to prevent objects from falling off.

These conveyors present a number of drawbacks.

Rapid wear on the components caused by mechanical friction.

Difficulties over replacing worn parts, as new ones must be welded in place, involving a fire risk and in any case creating heavy work.

Projecting parts, needed to support the brackets, prevent the hauling chain from being used on both sides thus causing the installation to form curves which may lie in opposite directions.

The outwardly projecting brackets may become unstable during movement of the conveyor.

The above invention eliminates or lessens these drawbacks, offering structural solutions that not only permit chain movement in any direction, but ensure long life for the various components and, if necessary, their easy replacement, as will be explained below.

Subject of the invention is a continuous chain conveyor for translating shelves.

Each shelf is hauled, by means of pins at its two ends, by a continuous hauling-positioning chain and by a continuous hauling chain respectively, maintaining during movement a horizontal trim ensured by its being connected, through a purposely provided arm, with the positioning chain translating at the same speed as that of the chains for hauling-positioning and hauling.

The chains are formed of links connected one to another by hollow pins.

At the position of each shelf, there is a specific link on the hauling- positioning chain, with a central hole through it.

These central holes are provided with self-lubricating bushes.

Each shelf is supported by a base bar of a rectangular vertical cross section, with a first head at one first end, adjacent to the hauling- positioning chain, and a second head at the other end adjacent to the hauling chain.

Fixed to the first head is a pin and to the second head a bushing.

Each larger face of the base bar presents a pair of squared C- shaped channels with grooves inside which plates, having a longitudinal raised portion, can freely slide, their shape corresponding to that of the channels and grooves, and there being in the raised portion a central threaded hole through which the parts composing the shelf can be screwed onto the supporting bar.

The heads are substantially fork-shaped, their width corresponding to the width of the bar.

In the sides of the fork-shaped heads are holes at the position of the channels in the base bar; through these holes the heads are joined to said bar by screws tightened on the shaped plates that slide inside the channels.

The pin fixed to the first head penetrates inside the central hole in the plates forming the specific link.

The first end of an arm, orthogonal to the shelf, is fixed to the end of said pin emerging from the specific link.

The second end of said arm is joined to the positioning chain.

At its first end the arm is fixed to the pin, in turn fixed to the first head of the supporting bar for each shelf and emerging from the hauling- positioning chain, the shape of said first end being that of a vice.

The two jaws of the vice are shaped internally to form a cylindrical cavity corresponding to the shape of said pin, and are tightened round it by one or more transversal screws.

The first end of a threaded rod is inserted in the bushing fixed to the second head on the second end of the base bar, while the second end is inserted into one of the hollow pins that join the links of the hauling chain.

The second end of the arm referred to above is joined to the positioning chain by a slot into which passes a threaded rod inserted into one of the hollow pins on the positioning chain.

The threaded rods, inserted into one of the hollow pins in the links of the hauling chain and of the positioning chain, are rendered stable by a nut screwed onto their threaded ends.

Fixed to the base bar are brackets to carry shelves to receive the objects to be dried, said brackets being mounted on uprights in which are holes for the screws to be tightened onto the shaped plates inside the channels referred to above.

Each upright presents a number of brackets.

The base bar for each shelf is made of anodized aluminium.

All components of the shelves are of metal protected from corrosion by a galvanizing or anodizing process.

The invention offers evident advantages.

A horizontal position for the shelves supporting the objects to be dried is assured by a hauling-positioning chain and by a hauling chain, one at each end of the shelves.

Assembly by mobile connections among the various parts of the shelving, such as the base bar, its two heads, uprights with brackets, connecting arm between the hauling-positioning chain and the positioning chain, threaded rods for joining the base bar heads to the continuous chains and others, make for quick and easy replacement of the parts of the conveyor most subject to wear.

Replacement and the various connections are all facilitated by the use of hollow pins in the continuous chains.

The use of galvanized ferrous material or of anodized aluminium for all component parts of the shelves ensures maximum resistance to stresses, avoiding the use of paints or other protective substances, so helping to respect the environment.

The self-lubricating bushes inserted into the links of the hauling- positioning chain, lessen friction and therefore wear on the most hard-working parts of the conveyor.

Adoption in the main parts of each shelf, such as the base bar heads and the brackets, of pairs of C-shaped channels on the faces of the bar, with means of connection consisting of the plates with a threaded hole and of hexagonal-headed screws, ensures high resistance to wear of the various parts making replacement, where required, a very simple matter.

Characteristics and purposes of the invention will be made still clearer by the following example of its execution illustrated by diagrammatically drawn figures.

Fig. 1 Shelves mounted on the conveyor for objects to be dried with continuous chain devices, respectively for hauling-positioning, for positioning and for hauling, perspective.

Fig. 2 Detail of one base bar head connected to the hauling- positioning chain and to the positioning chain, perspective.

Fig. 3 The shelving, exploded perspective view along the XX axis.

Fig. 4 Detail of the base bar carrying the shelves, perspective.

The shelf 4 comprises the base bar 6 joined to two heads 26 and 38 here called left and right respectively.

The transversal vertical cross section of the base bar 6 is substantially rectangular (Figure 4).

Pairs of internal channels, 12 and 14 respectively, of a substantially squared-C shape, with a groove 16, open into the vertical faces 8 and 10 of the base bar.

The shape of the heads 26 and 38 is substantially that of a square fork.

In the"prongs"of the fork are pairs of holes, 30 and 40, to receive hexagonal-headed screws 134 (Figure 3), the position of said holes corresponding respectively with that of the pairs of channels 12 and 14 on the two faces 8 and 10 of the base bar 6.

Into each of said pairs of channels 12 and 14, plates 128 (Figure 3) are inserted, said plates having a longitudinal ridge 130 the width of which corresponds to that of the groove 16 in said channels, with a central hole 132 threaded to fit the screws 134.

In this way said screws 134 can be screwed into the plates 128 thus fixing the heads 26 and 38 firmly onto the two ends of the bar 6.

The left head 26 comprises a pin 36 aligned on the same axis for connection to the continuous hauling-positioning chain 45.

Said chain 45 comprises links 48 formed by the plates 50 and 52 joined by hollow pins 54, with a spacer 56 in between, and by a link 58 formed by the substantially similar plates 60 and 62 (Figure 3), each link presenting pairs of lateral holes 64 and a central hole 72.

Self-lubricating bushes 74 are placed inside these holes, internal bush diameter being the same as that of pin 36 on the left head 26.

The two plates 60 and 62 are associated by two pins 66 held stably in place by fitting elastic rings 70 into their grooves 68.

Pin 36 on the left head 26 passes through the self-lubricating bushes

74 in said link 58, then fitting into the cylindrical hole 80 of the vice 82 formed at a first end of an arm 76, orthogonal to said hole 80, and then to pin 36 (Figure 3) on the left head 26.

Said vice is then tightened by screws (not shown) which, passing through the holes 84 of one jaw of the vice, screw into the threaded holes 86 of the other jaw.

At its second end, arm 76 presents a slot 78 fitted into which is a threaded rod 100 for connecting the continuous positioning chain 90.

Said chain 90 comprises the links 92 formed by the plates 94 joined together by the hollow pins 96 with a spacer 98 in between.

The end 102 of said threaded rod 100, emerging from the slot 78 (Figures 2 and 3), is fitted inside a hollow pin 96 in the chain 90, the connection being made stable by screwing the nut 106 onto the threaded end 104 of said rod 100.

Welded to the rear end of the right head 38 on the base bar 6, substantially the same as the left head 26, is the axial bush 42 (Figure 3), said bush being then connected to the continuous hauling chain 110 by a threaded rod 120.

Said chain 110 presents links 112 with plates 114 connected by hollow pins 116, with a spacer 118 placed between them.

One end of the rod 120 is fitted into said bush 42 while the other end 122 is inserted inside one of the hollow pins 116 of said chain 110, the connection being made firm by applying the nut 126 to the threaded tip 124 of said end 122 emerging beyond said hollow pin.

Assembled onto the base bar 6 for each shelf 4 are supports 18 formed of angular uprights 20 and welded brackets 22.

Said uprights 20 are associated to the base bar 6 by hexagonal headed screws, such as 134 which, placed in holes 24 in the uprights (axes YY and ZZ) are screwed into threaded holes in plates like 128 inserted in channels 12 of said base bar 6.