A drive system for an escalator or a moving walkway includes at least one drive motor, at least one drive chain and a reversing element for the drive chain. A device for modifying the speed of the drive chain is arranged in at least an entry or exit area of the reversing element.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP03/04145 filed Apr. 22, 2003, designating the U.S. and claiming priority of German Patent Application Nos. 102 18 374.0 filed Apr. 25, 2002, and 102 22 992.9 filed May 24, 2002, the disclosures of all of the foregoing applications being incorporated herein by reference.
The subject matter of this application is additionally related to the subject matter of the following U.S. Patent Applications: (1) concurrently filed and co-owned application Ser. No. 10,971,789 filed in the name of Alexander Pietz, titled "Drive System For Escalators or Moving Walkways; " (2) Ser. No. 10/728,852 filed Dec. 8, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,874,613; (3) Ser. No. 10/693,825 filed Oct. 27, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,892,874; and (4) Ser. No. 10/464,555 filed Jun. 19, 2003.
In order to suppress speed irregularity of step rollers (5) in a passenger conveyor, a bent section (17) is formed in a step guide rail (3) and a restraining member (18) is provided upstream thereof, the shape of the height of the bent section (17) and the restraining member (18) is corrected beforehand by the amount of the compression of resilient members of the step rollers (5), which are formed with such resilient members around their shafts, by the compressive force acting between the bent section (17) and restraining member (18). Thus generation of speed irregularity of the steps (4) is suppressed and passenger comfort is improved. Also, by providing a recess (3aa) in the step guide rail (3), gripping of the step rollers (5) as they execute rolling movement along the undersurface of the restraining member (18) from below can be avoided, thereby preventing damage to the step rollers (5), restraining member (18) and step guide rail (3).
