US 11,667,471 B2
Modular spiral chute
Jeremy Kirk Stock, Florence, KY (US); and Jim Louis Greathouse, Loveland, OH (US)
Assigned to Stock Manufacturing and Design Co., Inc., Cleves, OH (US)
Filed by Stock Manufacturing and Design Co., Inc., Cleves, OH (US)
Filed on Sep. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/486,115.
Application 17/486,115 is a continuation of application No. 17/018,592, filed on Sep. 11, 2020, granted, now 11,155,413.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/994,562, filed on Mar. 25, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/899,808, filed on Sep. 13, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0009717 A1, Jan. 13, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65G 11/18 (2006.01); B65G 11/06 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 11/183 (2013.01) [B65G 11/063 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A spiral chute comprising:
a center column assembly including a first center column segment, the first center column segment being circular in transverse cross-sectional shape and having a plurality of pairs of opposed apertures arranged in a spiral configuration;
a first plurality of chute assembly sections, each including
a chute support arm having proximal end and a distal end, the chute support arm having a nut secured to the proximal end;
a chute section coupled to the chute support arm;
an outer wall support coupled to a distal end of the chute support arm;
an outer wall segment coupled to the outer wall supports; and
a support arm bolt having a distal end and a proximal end,
wherein the distal end of each support arm bolt passes through a corresponding one of the first plurality of opposing apertures and threadingly engages the nut at the proximal end of the chute support arm such that the proximal end of the chute support arm abuts the first center column segment, whereby, at each chute assembly section, the spiral chute is defined at a radially interior by the first center column segment and at a radially exterior by the outer wall segment.