Guide chains for feed lines

Abstract

A feeder chain for the supply of all types of consumable material to units that move on tracks. The chain comprises a plurality of chain links and has a continuous inner space for feed lines, whereby the chain links have pivotably interconnected outer side pieces that are provided with stops for delimiting the mutual pivot angle. Each chain link is provided with two detachable crosspieces for interconnecting the outer side pieces thereof. The crosspieces are tubular pieces that are insertable via a force fit onto projections of the outer side pieces.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a feeder chain for the supply of all types of consumable material to units that move on tracks, with said chain comprising a plurality of chain links and having a continuous inner space for feed lines, whereby said chain links have pivotably interconnected outer side pieces that are provided with stop means to delimit the mutual pivot angle, with each chain link being provided with two detachable crosspieces for interconnecting said outer side pieces thereof, the improvement wherein: said crosspieces are tubular pieces, at least one of which is insertable via a force fit onto projections that are disposed on facing sides of said side pieces, and   one of said tubular pieces is provided with a longitudinal slot, and the other of said tubular pieces is unslotted, with said longitudinally slotted tubular pieces of all of said chain links being disposed on only one side of said chain.   
     
     
       2. A feeder chain according to claim 1, in which each of said tubular pieces has an approximately constant thickness, has two oppositely disposed flattened outer sides, and has two other oppositely disposed rounded-off sides, whereby the distance between said flattened sides is less than the distance between said rounded-off sides, with said projections having corresponding flattened sides that are disposed parallel to longitudinal narrow sides of said outer side pieces of said chain links. 
     
     
       3. A feeder chain according to claim 1, in which said longitudinal slot is disposed on one of said rounded-off sides of said tubular piece. 
     
     
       4. A feeder chain according to claim 1, in which said longitudinal slot is disposed on one of said flattened sides of said tubular piece and has approximately the same dimension as that flattened side in the longitudinal direction of said chain. 
     
     
       5. A feeder chain according to claim 4, in which one of said rounded-off sides of said tubular piece is provided with a longitudinal groove. 
     
     
       6. A feeder chain according to claim 1, in which those projections of said outer side pieces that are associated with said longitudinally slotted tubular pieces are shorter than those projections that are associated with said unslotted tubular pieces. 
     
     
       7. A feeder chain according to claim 2, which has oppositely disposed end links in the form of connectors, each of which has two outer side pieces connected by a tubular piece that is provided with a securement lug for securement to a fixed connection or a movable consuming device. 
     
     
       8. A feeder chain according to claim 7, in which said tubular pieces are made of a lightweight metal. .[.9. A feeder chain according to claim 2, in which said outer side pieces of said chain links are provided with recesses that are gated and provided with undercuts in which one of said tubular pieces of each chain link is insertable onto said projections; and in which the other of said tubular pieces is disposed in said recesses of 
     
     
        said outer side pieces..]..[.10.  A feeder chain according to claim 9, in which said other of said tubular pieces, after being placed in said recesses, are adapted to be secured to said outer side pieces in a positive and formlocking manner by being rotated about their longitudinal axes..]..Iadd.11. In a feeder chain to units that move on tracks, with said chain comprising a plurality of chain links and having a continuous inner space for feed lines, which chain links have pivotably interconnected outer side pieces that are provided with stop means to delimit the mutual pivot angle, with each chain link being provided with two crosspieces for interconnecting said outer side pieces thereof, the improvement wherein: an outer side piece of each chain link has at least one inwardly-facing recess therein, which recess has a gate and first and second undercuts next to said gate; and   one of said crosspieces of each pair is a detachable crosspiece having a length between opposing ends thereof and a width between a first lateral surface and a second lateral surface at one of said ends of said detachable crosspiece, such that when said second lateral surface of said detachable crosspiece opposite said first lateral surface of said detachable crosspiece is positioned in said second undercut of said recess, said first lateral surface of said detachable crosspiece is insertable into said gate via an elastic force-fit when entering through said gate into said first undercut, the width of said one end of said detachable crosspiece between its first and second lateral surfaces being greater than the width of said gate, whereby engagement between said first and second lateral surfaces and said first and second undercuts, respectively, retains said detachable crosspiece in said   
     
     
        recess..Iaddend..Iadd.12.  A feeder chain according to claim 11, wherein both ends of said detachable crosspiece have said first and second lateral surfaces, and the ends of said detachable crosspiece are each insertable into a pair of said recesses provided in opposing positions on each of the outer side pieces in each chain link near the top of each outer side piece with each gate opening upwardly, the other of said two crosspieces being located near the bottom of each outer side piece..Iaddend..Iadd.13. A feeder chain according to claim 12, in which at least one of said first and second lateral surfaces of said detachable crosspiece is substantially 
     
     
        semi-cylindrical..Iaddend..Iadd.14.  A feeder chain according to claim 13, in which said detachable crosspiece is insertable by rotation of said crosspiece around a longitudinal axis when said second lateral surfaces of said detachable crosspiece are positioned in said second undercuts of said recesses, whereby the longitudinal axis interconnects centers of curvature defined by said semi-cylindrical second lateral surfaces..Iaddend..Iadd.15. A feeder chain according to claim 12, wherein the detachable crosspiece is tubular..Iaddend.