Importance

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Abstract

A series of rigid I-beams are secured to the underside of a driven endless looped chain and supported by a leading trolley and a trailing fixed connector. The chain is supported in a track by trolleys. End hooks on the beam support a load crossbar. A drive and brake assembly includes a reciprocating drive unit having a rail with a drive member sliding therein. The rail is mounted adjacent the chain and includes an inverted U-shaped arm pivotally mounted with the rail at one end. The slide has coupling fingers spaced in accordance with the chain links. A cylinder is coupled to the rail support and pivots the rail and slide member to selectively engage the chain link. A brake member secured to the U-shaped arm opposite side of the rail and has locking fingers spaced corresponding to the chain links. Pivoting of the rail to engage the slide member disengages the brake member to move the chain unit. Alternately, the brake member is engaged and the drive member disengaged and reset with positive alignment to the chain unit. A drive cylinder unit is secured to the rail and coupled to reciprocate the slide member. Alternately, parallel support units are connected by a load carrier for corresponding movement connected to trolleys moving along a track. A drive and brake assembly for each support unit includes a rail and slide and a brake pivotally mounted to the opposite side of tracks and trolleys. Both rails and brakes are mechanically coupled to a single cylinder for appropriate timed and alternate engagement of the drive to the trolleys to move the load one step and of the brake to hold the trolleys for resetting the slide unit.

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First Claim