Trolley assembly with non-rotatable axle

Abstract

A trolley assembly for a conveyor includes a wheel assembly and a trolley arm. The wheel assembly includes a wheel that is rotatably mounted to an axle, with the axle extending along an axis of rotation of the wheel and comprising a mounting portion that is non-rotatably mounted to or at least partially received in the trolley arm. The mounting portion of the axle may be inserted into a passageway and at least partially expanded to limit retraction of the axle from the passageway, or a fastener or other retaining means may secure the axle at least partially within a passageway of the trolley arm. The mounting portion of the axle may comprise a non-cylindrical mounting portion that is received in a non-cylindrical-shaped passageway of the trolley arm.

1 . A trolley assembly for a conveyor, said trolley assembly comprising:
 a wheel assembly, said wheel assembly including a wheel that is rotatably mounted to an axle, said axle extending along an axis of rotation of said wheel and comprising a mounting portion having a non-cylindrical outer surface; and   a trolley arm, said trolley arm having a non-cylindrical-shaped passageway at least partially therethrough, said passageway non-rotatably receiving said mounting portion of said axle at least partially therein, wherein said axle is non-rotatably mounted to said trolley arm, while said wheel is rotatable about said axle.   
   
   
       2 . The trolley assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said non-cylindrical outer surface of said mounting portion of said axle is substantially similar in shape to said non-cylindrical-shaped passageway. 
   
   
       3 . The trolley assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said non-cylindrical-shaped outer surface of said mounting portion of said axle comprises a hexagonal-shaped axle and said passageway comprises a hexagonal-shaped passageway. 
   
   
       4 . The trolley assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a fastener for securing said mounting portion of said axle at least partially in said passageway to mount said wheel assembly to said trolley arm. 
   
   
       5 . The trolley assembly of  claim 4 , wherein said trolley arm has a first surface at a first end of said passageway that opposes said wheel and a second surface at a second end of said passageway that is opposite said first surface, said fastener having a head portion and a fastening portion, said fastening portion engaging said axle and said head portion being at said second surface of said trolley arm when said fastener secures said axle at least partially in said passageway. 
   
   
       6 . The trolley assembly of  claim 5 , wherein said axle includes a threaded fastener receptacle, said fastener comprising a threaded fastener and being threadedly received within said threaded fastener receptacle to secure said axle at least partially in said passageway. 
   
   
       7 . The trolley assembly of  claim 6 , wherein said head portion of said fastener engages a washer at said second surface when said fastener is tightened in said threaded fastener receptacle of said axle. 
   
   
       8 . The trolley assembly of  claim 4 , wherein said fastener includes a lubrication port and said axle includes a lubrication passageway, said lubrication port and said lubrication passageway being configured to allow lubricant to flow through said fastener and to bearings of said wheel assembly. 
   
   
       9 . The trolley assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said mounting portion of said axle includes a lubrication port and said axle includes a lubrication passageway, said lubrication port and said lubrication passageway being configured to allow lubricant to flow through said axle and to bearings of said wheel assembly. 
   
   
       10 . The trolley assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said axle is secured within said passageway via a portion of said axle being radially expanded to limit longitudinal movement of said axle relative to said trolley arm. 
   
   
       11 . The trolley assembly of  claim 10 , wherein said portion of said axle is radially expanded to substantially correspond to a radially expanded portion of said passageway of said trolley arm. 
   
   
       12 . The trolley assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said portion of said axle that is radially expanded comprises an outer end region of said mounting portion of said axle that is opposite from said wheel. 
   
   
       13 . The trolley assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said axle further comprises a hub portion, said wheel being rotatably mounted to said hub portion of said axle and rotatable thereabout via at least one bearing element. 
   
   
       14 . The trolley assembly of  claim 13 , wherein said hub portion comprises a generally cylindrical hub portion. 
   
   
       15 . A trolley assembly for a conveyor, said trolley assembly comprising:
 a wheel assembly, said wheel assembly including at least one wheel that is rotatably mounted to a hub portion, said hub portion extending along an axis of rotation of said wheel and comprising a non-cylindrical passageway at least partially therethrough;   a trolley arm; and   an axle at said trolley arm, said axle comprising a mounting portion having a non-cylindrical outer surface, wherein said passageway of said hub portion non-rotatably receives said mounting portion of said axle at least partially therein, and wherein said hub portion is non-rotatably mounted to said axle, while said wheel is rotatable about said axle and said hub portion.   
   
   
       16 . The trolley assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said non-cylindrical-shaped outer surface of said axle comprises a hexagonal flange and said passageway comprises a hexagonal-shaped passageway. 
   
   
       17 . The trolley assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a bearing assembly at said wheel assembly, said bearing assembly having at least one inner race comprising a passageway therethrough;   at least one recess in an inner surface of said inner race at said passageway; and   wherein said hub portion defines an outer surface, said outer surface having at least one ridge corresponding to said at least one recess, said passageway of said inner race receiving said hub portion and said at least one recess receiving said at least one ridge, whereby said inner race non-rotatably receives said hub portion.   
   
   
       18 . The trolley assembly of  claim 17 , wherein said hub portion is swaged to retain said at least one inner race at said hub portion. 
   
   
       19 . The trolley assembly of  claim 17 , wherein said at least one inner race comprises an inner surface defining said passageway, and wherein at lease one of said outer surface of said hub portion and said inner surface of said inner race comprises a knurled surface. 
   
   
       20 . The trolley assembly of  claim 15  further comprising:
 an axle mount, said axle mount defining an outer surface and comprising a longitudinal passageway therethrough, said axle mount defining an inner surface at said longitudinal passageway, said axle mount having a radial passageway extending from said outer surface to said inner surface;   a radial passageway in said axle;   a pin; and   wherein said longitudinal passageway of said axle mount receives said axle, and wherein said radial passageway of said axle mount is aligned with said radial passageway in said axle when said axle is received in said axle mount, and wherein said pin is inserted through said radial passageway of said axle mount and into said radial passageway of said axle such that a portion of said pin remains in said radial passageway of said axle mount, whereby said pin substantially prevents relative rotation of said axle in said axle mount.   
   
   
       21 . The trolley assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said wheel assembly comprises two wheels, each of said wheels being rotatably mounted to a hub portion, each of said hub portions extending along an axis of rotation of said wheels and comprising a non-cylindrical passageway at least partially therethrough; and
 wherein said axle comprises two mounting portions, each of said mounting portions having a non-cylindrical outer surface, wherein said passageways of said hub portions non-rotatably receive said mounting portions of said axle at least partially therein, while each of said wheels is rotatable about said axle and a respective one of said hub portions.   
   
   
       22 . The trolley assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said axle is swaged to retain said at least one wheel assembly at said axle.