US 11,987,449 B2
Gap filler for reciprocating floor slat conveyor
Daniel Jackson, Madras, OR (US); and John Cook, Madras, OR (US)
Assigned to Keith Manufacturing Co., Madras, OR (US)
Filed by Keith Manufacturing Co., Madras, OR (US)
Filed on Jul. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/861,978.
Application 17/861,978 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/357,655, filed on Jun. 24, 2021, granted, now 11,383,934.
Application 17/357,655 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/079,460, filed on Oct. 24, 2020, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/925,515, filed on Oct. 24, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0002166 A1, Jan. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. B65G 25/04 (2006.01); B65G 25/06 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 25/065 (2013.01) 1 Claim
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. For use with a reciprocating floor slat conveyor, a combination comprising:
a plurality of reciprocating floor slats that are roll-formed from steel, wherein each one of said roll-formed steel slats has a uniform wall thickness, said slat having a top portion, a pair of substantially vertical sidewall portions that depend downwardly from opposite sides of said top portion, and a pair of inwardly slanting portions that respectively depend downwardly and inwardly from said vertical sidewall portions, and with said inwardly slanting portions having end edges that are spaced apart, and further, said slats being installed with a lengthwise gap between adjacent side-by-side slats;
a gap filler member for filling said lengthwise gap between side-by-side slats, said gap filler member having an upper portion that extends generally vertically upwardly into said lengthwise gap, and said gap filler member further having a lower portion that is wrapped around an inwardly slanting portion of said slat, with said wall thickness of said slat being pinched between an end of the lower portion and the upper portion of said gap filler member;
a slat bearing received within a space defined by said top portion, said vertical side wall portions, and said inwardly slating portions of said steel slat, with said slat bearing having a flat top surface upon which the steel slat rides, and further, said slat bearing having a side-to-side width that is less that the width of said spaced apart end edges of said inwardly slanting portions of said slat; and
means near said lower portion of said gap filler member for preventing lateral and downward movement of said lower portion of said gap filler member.