| US 7,464,806 B2 | ||
| Suspension device for linked products | ||
| Zbigniew S. Borkiewicz, Sun Prairie, Wis. (US); Timothy J. Drebing, Middleton, Wis. (US); Kris K. Hulett, Rocheport, Mo. (US); Tatsuo Nakamura, Setagaya-Ku (Japan); and Minoru Kasai, Ebina (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Kraft Foods Global Brands LLC, Northfield, Ill. (US) | ||
| Filed on Apr. 07, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/101,811. | ||
| Application 11/101811 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/903259, filed on Jul. 29, 2004, abandoned. | ||
| Application 10/903259 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/286386, filed on Nov. 01, 2002, granted, now 6,786,321. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2005/0263371 A1, Dec. 01, 2005 | ||
| Int. Cl. B65G 29/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 198—465.4 [99/443 C] | 36 Claims |
| 1. A suspension device for a chain of linked products comprising:
a link support portion pivotally coupled to a conveyor, the link support portion configured to suspend a portion of the chain
of linked products therefrom; and
a lower portion downwardly extending from the link support portion, the lower portion configured to engage a portion of a
respective link of the chain upon a pivoting motion of the link support portion about a pivot axis in order to open a respective
loop suspended from the link support portion to an unloading orientation for unloading;
wherein the lower portion comprises two downward extending portions spaced apart from each other and adapted to engage the
portion of the respective link upon the pivoting motion; and
wherein the lower portion further comprises a bottom portion coupling the two downward extending portions and adapted to engage
the portion of the respective link upon the pivoting motion.
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