Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Endless conveyor
Patent
1991-02-21
1992-01-28
Valenza, Joseph E.
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Endless conveyor
B65G 1510
Patent
active
050836587
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a belt conveyor comprising an endless belt with two force-absorbing members extending throughout the entire length of the belt and being each connected to a respective edge portion of the belt and projecting from the same side of the belt when this is in the straightened state, and support rollers for supporting the belt along at least a part of the conveying path.
Belt conveyors of this type are previously known from, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,164,238 and SE-C-7809688-0. They are advantageous in that they afford a closed conveyance of goods, require but little space, and can be opened for turning about and emptying over a deflecting roller.
Along the goods conveyance path, the belt is carried via the two force-absorbing members which have but low extensibility in the longitudinal direction. As a result, difficulties arise in horizontal curves along the belt path where the belt is closed, in that the force-absorbing members are conducted immediately adjacent one another. If the force-absorbing members are conducted in side-by-side relation through a horizontal curve, they will be forced to follow paths of different lengths, which is undesirable. If, instead the two force-absorbing members are conducted above one another through a horizontal curve, they will, it is true, have the same length of travel, but adjacent belt parts will be subjected to heavy wear, bending or elongation, whereby these parts are rapidly worn out.
It therefore is the object of the present invention to provide a belt conveyor which is of the type referred to in the introduction and which can be conducted through sharp horizontal curves without causing the force-absorbing elements to follow paths of different lengths, and without causing fatigue of the belt parts adjacent these members.
This and further objects of the invention are achieved in that the belt conveyor is characterised in that each force-absorbing member is connected to its belt edge portion via a narrow hinge portion enabling said member to turn through about .+-.90.degree. relative to said belt edge portion for guiding the belt about a deflecting roller whose axis is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the adjacent conveyor belt part, the two force-absorbing members being turned in the same direction relative to the respective belt edge portion and located at substantially the same distance from the axis of the deflecting roller. In this manner, also the bag-shaped part of the belt between the force-absorbing members will then with its centre follow a path which is spaced from the axis of the deflecting roller by the same distance as the force-absorbing members, whereby elongation of the belt is substantially avoided so that the belt can be conducted about a deflecting roller at a very small radius at an optional angle of wrap of up to 180.degree.. Because of the hinge portions according to the invention, substantially the entire belt, including the force-absorbing members, can move at one and the same radial distance about the deflecting roller.
The deflecting roller preferably is a V-belt pulley. It may have a single V-belt groove, in which case the two force-absorbing members together form a V-belt fitting into one V-belt groove, or two adjacent V-belt grooves, in which case each force-absorbing member forms a V-belt fitting into the respective groove.
To obtain clearance between the support rollers and the belt portions adjacent the force-absorbing members, these members are suitably polygonal in cross-section, with an acute angle between the two sides of the polygon that connect to the hinge portion.
Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, each force-absorbing member has a V-belt shape where the broad side of the V-belt is an extension of the belt in its straightened state.
To prevent any substantial elongation of the force-absorbing members in the longitudinal direction, they are preferably reinforced. The reinforcement may be a rope, such as a wire, which is circular in cross-section. Alternatively, the reinforcement m
REFERENCES:
patent: 3164238 (1965-01-01), McCullagh
Kristensson Kent
Loodberg Torsten
Siwersson, deceased Olle
Scaniaiinventor Conveyor Sicon AB
Valenza Joseph E.
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