Handrail for escalators and moving walkways with improved dimensional stability

摘要

An improved handrail construction is provided. Normal handrail for use on escalators moving walkways and the like have a C-shaped cross-section with a stretch inhibitor extending longitudinally of the handrail to maintain dimensional stability of the handrail during use. Multiple plies of reinforcing fabric are also located in the handrail where both the stretch inhibitor and multiple plies are molded in a rubber composition to provide the completed handrail. The improvement which provides increased lateral stiffness, dimensional stability and greater lip strength, comprises two spaced apart plies of reinforcing woven fabric orientated to have stiff principal yarns extending perpendicular to the stretch inhibitor. The two spaced apart plies are interconnected by a rubber composition which has a higher strength in terms of stiffness, hardness and viscosity than the normal rubber composition used to encase the fabric plies and stretch inhibitors. The two spaced apart plies with the transversely extending principal yarns, as interconnected by the tougher rubber composition, forms a structural sandwich construction to provide the improved structural properties of the handrail.