A LINK FOR A CONVEYOR CHAIN, A CONVEYOR CHAIN MADE UP OF SAID LINKS AND A METHOD OF OPERATION OF SAID CONVEYOR CHAIN

摘要

A conveyor chain link a main body, a top plate to which a handling product or part thereof is restable thereupon; said main body having a front portion and a rear portion; said front portion and rear portion having means to be interconnected such that one link can be connectable to another in order for the establishment of a multi-linked conveyor chain; a first guide member arrangement including a pair of rotably-supported laterally extending on opposing sides of an underneath side of said top plate, adapted to roll in the direction of movement of said conveyor chain, wherein said rollers of the first guide member arrangement are adapted to rest and rotate along a corresponding top face of a wear strip as part of a conveyor assembly support structure for the conveyor chain; a second guide member arrangement, including two rotably-supportable guide members on opposing sides of said main body, rotably about a longitudinal axis, perpendicular to the top plate, wherein the peripheral edge of the respective guide members are adapted to engage a side edge of a wear strip face of the conveyor support assembly or a similar such configured structure arrangement of said conveyor support assembly; a third guide member arrangement, including a roller member adapted to rest and rotate upon a conveyor bed of the conveyor assembly support or other similar structure of the conveyor support assembly, wherein said roller of the third guide member arrangement is laterally rotatably-supported by an axis substantially in parallel to the top plate; such that the first, second and third guide member arrangements can work independently or in combination to reduce frictional force between the contact positions of the conveyor chain with the conveyor chain support assembly, resulting in a reduced level of power required to drive the conveyor chain upon the conveyor support assembly during operation, along with reduced wear and tear of the link against the conveyor support assembly.