Granted Patent B2

US 12,330,886 · App. 18/075,184 · Granted Jun 17, 2025

Inventor: Mark Steven Pettinga (Hudsonville, MI)

Assignee: Flexible Steel Lacing Company

B65G47/66B65G2047/685

Abstract

Claims (28)

1. A transfer system for transferring objects in a longitudinal direction across a gap between conveying surfaces, the transfer system including:

a mounting member;

a plurality of transfer members adapted to be connected to the mounting member;

at least one mount configured to be secured to a mounting surface adjacent the conveying surfaces for supporting the mounting member; and

the mounting member and the at least one mount are configured to form a snap-fit connection therebetween when moved in a first predetermined direction relative to each other, the snap-fit connection being in vertical alignment with the gap.

2. The transfer system of claim 1 wherein one of the mounting member and the at least one mount include at least one detent adapted to engage at least one recess of the other of the mounting member and the at least one mount.

3. The transfer system of claim 1 wherein the snap-fit connection includes a pair of spaced arms and an engagement portion, the engagement portion being configured to engage and deflect the arms apart for fitting therebetween when the mounting member and the at least one mount are moved in the first predetermined direction relative to each other.

4. The transfer system of claim 1 wherein the at least one mount includes a resilient support member configured to permit the mounting member to resiliently shift in the longitudinal direction.

5. The transfer system of claim 4 wherein the at least one snap-fit connection includes a portion of the resilient support member.

6. The transfer system of claim 1 wherein the transfer members include upper transfer surfaces and attachment portions below the upper transfer surfaces configured to be detachably fixed to the mounting member.

7. The transfer system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of transfer members includes pairs of longitudinally aligned upstream and downstream transfer members.

8. The transfer system of claim 1 wherein the mounting member and the at least one mount are configured to form a slide fit connection therebetween when moved in a second direction relative to each other transverse to the first direction.

9. A method of installing a transfer system for transferring objects in a longitudinal direction across a gap between conveying surfaces, the method including:

securing at least one mount to a mounting surface adjacent the conveying surfaces;

engaging at least one detent and at least one recess of a mounting member and the at least one mount to connect the mounting member to the at least one mount, the mounting member being associated with a plurality of transfer members adapted to transfer an object across the gap,

wherein the engaging the at least one detent and the at least one recess includes moving the mounting member and the at least one mount in a predetermined direction relative to each other to form a snap-fit connection therebetween with the snap-fit connection being in vertical alignment with the gap.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

lowering the mounting member in the predetermined direction downward into the gap; and

engaging the mounting member and the at least one mount as the mounting member is lowered in the predetermined direction.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein engaging the mounting member and the at least one mount includes stopping movement of the mounting member in the predetermined direction; and

wherein engaging the at least one detent and the at least one recess includes advancing the mounting member farther in the predetermined direction.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein securing the at least one mount to the mounting surface includes securing the at least one mount to the mounting surface so that at least a portion of the at least one mount extends in vertical alignment with the gap; and

engaging the at least one detent and the at least one recess of the mounting member and the at least one mount includes engaging the at least one detent and the at least one recess in the gap between the conveying surfaces.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein engaging the at least one detent and the at least one recess includes engaging portions of the mounting member and at least one resilient support member of the at least one mount.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising connecting the plurality of transfer members to the mounting member.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein connecting the plurality of transfer members to the mounting member includes detachably fixing the transfer members to the mounting member.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein engaging the at least one detent and the at least one recess includes deflecting apart arms of one of the mounting member and the at least one mount.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the mounting member is elongated and engaging the at least one detent and the at least one recess includes moving the mounting member and the at least one mount relative to each other in a predetermined direction parallel to a length of the mounting member to form a slide fit connection therebetween.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (225)