FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a travelator, moving ramp or escalator as defined in the preamble of claim 1.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In prior art, a travelator, moving ramp or escalator is known which comprises a conveyor and a fixed pro¬ tective skirting placed beside the conveyor. The gap between the protective skirting and the conveyor is substantially narrow to prevent objects from getting into the gap when the conveyor is moving.

Usually the protective skirting and interior cladding of a travelator, moving ramp or escalator are separate parts. The skirting usually consists of straight or bent sheet metal. Mounting and dismounting the protec- tive skirting is a very time-consuming task.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to overcome the above- mentioned drawbacks.

A specific object of the invention is to disclose a skirting of economically advantageous construction that is easy to mount and dismount so that the time required for assembly a disassembly is reduced and cost savings are achieved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The travelator, moving ramp or escalator of the inven- tion is characterized by what is disclosed in the characterization part of claim 1. Other embodiments of the invention are characterized by what is disclosed in the other claims. Inventive embodiments are also presented in the description part and drawings of the present application. The inventive content disclosed in the application can also be defined in other ways than is done in the claims below. The inventive content may also consist of several separate inventions, especially if the invention is considered in the light of explicit or implicit sub-tasks or in respect of advantages or sets of advantages achieved. In this case, some of the attributes contained in the claims below may be super¬ fluous from the point of view of separate inventive concepts. Within the framework of the basic concept of the invention, features of different embodiments of the invention can be applied in conjunction with other embodiments.

According to the invention, the protective skirting is made from extruded metal profile.

The invention has the advantage that the protective skirting formed from extruded metal profile can be easily shaped in an appropriate manner so that it will be easy to mount and dismount, and several functions can be integrated in one and the same object so that the assembly and disassembly of the protective skirt¬ ing is rendered as fast and easy as possible.

In an embodiment of the travelator, moving ramp or es¬ calator, the protective skirting is made of light al¬ loy, such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

In an embodiment of the travelator, moving ramp or es- calator, the protective skirting consists of a number of mutually identical protective skirting profile pieces connected together end to end one after the other.

In an embodiment of the travelator, moving ramp or es- calator, the travelator, moving ramp or escalator com¬ prises a frame structure to which the protective skirting is designed to be fastened with fastening bolts or the like. The fastening bolts used are pref¬ erably quick-release fastening bolts that can be tightened and released by turning them a quarter of a turn (Dzus Fasteners, England) .

In an embodiment of the travelator, moving ramp or es¬ calator, the metal profile forming the protective skirting comprises one or more of the following items integrated in it : an external wall forming the outwardly visible outer surface of the protective skirting, - a bolt slot made in the external wall and opening inwards to receive the head of a fastening bolt or the like, - a channel for a joint pin for joining the protective skirting profile pieces together end to end, - reinforcing flanges which together with the external wall form at least one box-like space inside the protective skirting piece, and/or - joining means for joining the metal profile piece to the frame structure.

In an embodiment of the travelator, moving ramp or es¬ calator, the joining means comprise a handrail fasten¬ ing element for fastening a handrail to the frame structure. The handrail fastening element comprises a projection extending towards the bolt slot. The pro¬ jection is provided with a hole for receiving the head of the fastening bolt in the bolt slot. In an embodiment of the travelator, moving ramp or es¬ calator, the joining means comprise a first flange in the upper part of the skirting profile piece and a first groove in the upper part of the handrail fasten¬ ing element, said groove being adapted to receive the first flange.

In an embodiment of the travelator, moving ramp or es- calator, the joining means comprise a second flange in the frame structure and a second groove in the lower part of the skirting profile piece, said groove being adapted to receive the second flange.

In an embodiment of the travelator, moving ramp or es¬ calator, the second flange and the second groove are adapted to extend at a sharp angle α relative to the horizontal direction, said angle α determining the mounting angle of the skirting profile piece relative to the frame structure.

In an embodiment of the travelator, moving ramp or es¬ calator, the first flange and the first groove are adapted to extend at the same angle α relative to the horizontal direction as the second flange and the sec¬ ond groove.

In an embodiment of the travelator, moving ramp or es¬ calator, the travelator, moving ramp or escalator is a low-construction travelator, moving ramp or escalator having a frame structure designed to be mounted on a fixed base, such as a floor or other support.

The protective skirting of the invention can be coated with friction reducing material, e.g. Teflon or simi¬ lar material, to lessen the inconvenience or annoyance experienced by a passenger who happens to touch the protective skirting. The protective skirting can be anodized or treated in other ways to create a hard and/or smooth and/or slippery surface and/or to pre¬ pare the protective skirting so as to make it suitable to be provided with a friction reducing coating and/or some other type of coating, e.g. a decorative coating. Decorative patterns or equivalent can also be created in connection with anodization or other treatment modifying the surface of the material of the protec- tive skirting.

LIST OF FIGURES

In the following, the invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiment examples and the attached drawing, wherein

Fig. 1 presents a diagrammatic and axonometric view of an embodiment travelator of the invention,

Fig. 2 presents a diagrammatic section II-II from Fig. 1, illustrating the fastening of the protective skirt¬ ing to the frame structure,

Fig. 3 presents the profile shape of the skirting pro- file piece in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 presents an axonometric view of the handrail fastening element in Fig. 2, to which the protective skirting can be fastened.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 presents a low-construction travelator, moving ramp or escalator designed to be mounted on a fixed base, such as a floor or other support. The figure shows only a partial view of the travelator and only one half of it. The opposite half, which is not visi¬ ble in the figure, is a mirror image of the half shown in the figure. 'Low-construction' here means that no pit has to be made in the fixed base for the travela- tor machinery. In the following description of an ex¬ ample, the invention is described with reference to a travelator, but it is obvious that corresponding prin¬ ciples of the invention are also applicable to moving ramps and escalators.

The travelator comprises a conveyor 1, which may be e.g. a pallet conveyor or a belt conveyor. The trave¬ lator comprises a frame structure 5, which rests on a floor. Attached to the fixed structure 5 is protective skirting 2, which extends longitudinally alongside the conveyor 1. A substantially narrow gap (about 3 - 4 mm) is formed between the protective skirting 2 and the upper surface, so that e.g. the shoes of passen¬ gers using the conveyor can not get stuck and wedged in the gap. The outer surface of the protective skirt¬ ing 2 is smooth and even so that nothing can stick fast to it, either. The protective skirting 2 also forms an interior cladding having a pleasant appear¬ ance. The protective skirting 2 consists of a number of skirting profile pieces 3, 4 of mutually identical cross-section and suitable length connected together one after the other end to end. The skirting profile pieces are formed by extruding from a light metal al¬ loy, such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

Fig. 3 shows the profile of the protective skirting and Fig. 2 shows how a skirting profile piece 3, 4 like this is secured.

In the skirting profile piece 3, 4 forming the protec¬ tive skirting 2, many different functions are combined in the same piece. Integrated in the skirting profile piece 3, 4 is an external wall 7, which forms the out¬ wardly visible outer surface of the protective skirt¬ ing 5. In addition, the skirting profile piece com¬ prises a bolt slot 8 provided in the external wall 7 and opening inwards to receive the head of a fastening bolt 6 or the like. Furthermore, the skirting profile piece comprises a channel 9 for a joint pin 10 for the alignment and connection of the skirting profile pieces 3, 4 end to end to each other. Moreover, the skirting profile piece comprises reinforcing flanges 11, 12, 13, 14 which, together with the external wall 7, form at least one box-like space within the skirt¬ ing profile piece, thus making the skirting profile very stiff and stable in shape. In the box-like space it is possible to place e.g. electric conductors for conducting electricity to a skirting light (not shown), which can be set in the skirting profile.

As can be seen from Fig. 2 and 4, the skirting profile piece 3, 4 is joined to the frame structure 5 by util¬ izing a handrail fastening element 15, which is also used for fastening a handrail 16 to the frame struc¬ ture 5. As shown in Fig. 2, the frame plate of the handrail 6 is firmly secured with a bolted joint be- tween the stop faces of the frame structure 5 and the handrail fastening element 15.

For securing the skirting profile piece 3, 4, the handrail fastening element comprises a projection 17 extending at an angle α towards the bolt slot 8. The projection 17 is provided with a hole 18 to receive the head of a fastening bolt 6 in the bolt slot 8. If the fastening bolt 6 is an ordinary threaded bolt, then the hole is provided with an inner thread. How- ever, the skirting profile piece 3, 4 is secured using quick release bolts 6, which are preferably e.g. of the "Dzus fastener" type, which can be tightened and released by turning them a quarter turn. In this case the sleeve part of the quick fastening device is placed inside 18 the hole. To allow the fastening bolt 6 to be mounted, a hole 23 is made in the area of the bolt slot 8. The hole 23 can be covered with a plug 24 as shown in Fig. 2.

As can further be seen from the figures 2 and 3, to allow joining of the skirting profile piece 3, 4, it has in its upper part a first flange 19 directed down¬ wards at angle α. The handrail fastening element 15 has in its upper part a first groove 20 at the same angle α, adapted to receive the first flange 19. Fur¬ ther, the frame structure 5 comprises a second flange 21, which is directed obliquely upwards at angle α. Correspondingly, the lower part of the skirting pro¬ file piece 3, 4 is provided with a second groove 22, which is directed obliquely upwards at angle α and adapted to receive the second flange 21. The angle α determines the orientation in which the skirting pro¬ file piece 3, 4 is mounted relative to the frame structure 5. Thus, the mounting direction is obliquely downwards. In the example illustrated, this angle α is preferably 45°.

Fig. 4 presents an embodiment of the handrail fasten¬ ing element 15, wherein the handrail fastening element is a short profiled piece. Profiled pieces 15 like this are arranged with an interspace between them. In another embodiment, the handrail fastening element 15 may be implemented as a long profiled piece extending throughout the length of the protective skirting 2.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment exam- pies described above; instead, many variations are possible within the scope of the inventive concept de¬ fined in the claims. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

conveyor (D protective skirting (2) skirting profile piece (3, 4) frame structure (5) fastening bolt (6) external wall (7) bolt slot (8) channel (9) joint pin (10) reinforcing flanges (H, 12 13, 14) handrail fastening element (15) handrail (16) projection (17) hole (18) first flange (19) first groove (20) second flange (21) second groove (22) angle (α) hole (23) plug (24)