Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Spiral
Patent
1988-06-21
1990-07-17
Spar, Robert J.
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Spiral
198831, B65G 2118
Patent
active
049415670
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a conveyor belt which is adapted in endless design to follow, through part of its length, a path comprising a number or superimposed, helically extending tiers forming a belt pile.
Such a conveyor belt is previously known from SE patent No. 381,241 and SE patent application No. 8206760-4 and consists of mutually articulated and relatively adjustable link means, each comprising a bottom part and spacer means arranged at the longitudinal edges of said bottom part, said spacer means forming the two sides of the belt and being adapted, with their upper edge portions, to bear against the lower edge portions of the overlying tier of the conveyor belt. In this manner, each belt tier is supported by an underlying belt tier and supports itself an overlying belt tier.
In order to prevent relative lateral displacement of the superimposed belt tiers, at least a part of the spacer means according to the SE patent are adapted to engage shoulders at the lower edge portions of said spacer members on at least one side of the overlying tier of the conveyor belt.
According to SE patent application No. 8206760-4, the spacer means through part of their length are fixedly connected to the longitudinal edges of the bottom part, while the remaining part is movable relative to the bottom part and provided with a flange which is inclined downward and inward, i.e. toward the center of the belt, said flange forming, together with the flanges of adjacent spacer means, shoulders with which the upper edge portions of the spacer means on the underlying belt tier are adapted to engage to prevent relative lateral displacement of the belt tiers.
If it is attempted to increase the eight of the belt pile or to increase the width or height of the link means, and thus the width or height of each tier, the above conveyor belt constructions constitute an obstacle in so far as the risk that the belt pile may collapse will quickly exceed permissible limits. Although higher strength and rigidity may be obtained by increasing the dimensions of the parts included in the link means, this will also increase the weight of the conveyor belt, resulting in such an increased load on the bottom tier of the belt pile that the entire belt pile tends to collapse.
It therefore is the object of the present invention to make it possible to increase the dimensions of both the conveyor belt and the belt pile without causing the risk of a collapse to exceed a safe limit.
The construction according to the invention precludes any possibility of an undesired lateral relative displacement of the belt tiers in the belt pile, and this is accomplished by the mutual positive guiding in the lateral direction between the spacer means in superimposed belt tiers.
More particularly, the present invention pays regard to the fact that one important cause of a collapse is the tensile force which is generated in the conveyor belt by the friction in the return path from the point where the belt leaves the belt pile to the point where it reenters the pile. The tensile force strives to contract the lowermost belt tier which, however, normally is held in position by an internal supporting ring. In the prior art conveyor belts, the tensile force must then be absorbed completely by the first belt tier free from the supporting ring.
The conveyor belt construction according to the invention makes the belt pile act essentially as a single stable drum which thus is able, via several belt tiers, to absorb the belt tension caused by said tensile force and to effectively prevent contraction of the belt pile immediately above the supporting ring.
By the construction according to the invention, the link means positioned in superimposed belt tiers will be firmly interengaged, at least on the outer side of the belt pile, in contrast to the loose interengagement of the prior art constructions. In this manner, the strength of the belt pile could be increased many times over.
The considerable increase in strength can be utilised for selecting thinner and thus lighter mate
REFERENCES:
patent: 3938651 (1976-02-01), Alfred et al.
patent: 4036352 (1977-07-01), White
patent: 4450953 (1984-05-01), LeCann et al.
patent: 4565282 (1986-01-01), Olsson et al.
patent: 4603776 (1986-08-01), Olsson
patent: 4741430 (1988-05-01), Roinestad
Frigoscandia Contracting AB
Gastineau Cheryl L.
Spar Robert J.
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