Conveyors: power-driven – Conveying system having plural power-driven conveying sections – With relatively adjustable sections
Patent
1996-09-05
1998-12-22
Bidwell, James R.
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveying system having plural power-driven conveying sections
With relatively adjustable sections
198812, B65G 1526
Patent
active
058509038
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to supports for endlessconveyor belts, and more particularly to a longitudinally extendable and retractable endless conveyor belt support structure and a setting device suitable for use in conjunction with a remotely sited belt storage device.
In many endless conveyor belt applications the belt loading point adjacent to the return end of the conveyor advances and retreats more or less frequently thereby requiring that the conveyor length should be extended or retracted. Erection and dismantling of a conventional conveyor belt support structure can be very time-consuming and labour-intensive resulting in significant down-time of the conveyor and hence loss of production.
Recently there has been proposed in WO90/08717 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,878 a telescopically extendable support structure made up of interlinked A-frames which close up and open out in generally concertina-like manner. The upper and lower belt run support rollers are mounted generally centrally of the limbs of the A-frames so that the structure has a relatively large overall height even in its deployed condition and the height is substantially further increased in the contracted condition of the support structure when the support structure is being moved into place or positioned awaiting deployment. This is particularly undesirable in the case of underground mining and tunnelling applications where overhead clearance and effective widths are often very restricted. In addition, whilst these systems may permit a degree of longitudinal extension or contraction of the support structure, a degree of assembly is generally necessary for insertion into an existing endless conveyor belt. Alternatively the endless belt itself may require dismantling should a transporting device be deployed loaded with fully assembled belt supports for insertion therein. A corresponding degree of dismantling is necessary when removing the contracted support structure from the conveying system, thereby still requiring a significant amount of labour as well as interrupting operation of the conveyor belt especially where dismantling thereof is required.
A further significant disadvantage of the use of an A-frame structure is that the weight of the belt and material being carried thereon is carried on inclined support members which results in bending stresses being applied to them and the need for suitably strong chains or other secondary links for preventing splaying out of the inclined supports. This also results in longitudinal extension of the support structure being substantially restricted in order to contain such problems.
It is an object of the present invention to avoid or minimize one or more of the abovementioned disadvantages.
The present invention provides an endless conveyor belt support structure which is longitudinally extendable between an extended condition for supporting the endless conveyor belt, and a contracted condition, which support structure comprises a plurality of pivotally interconnected support members at opposite sides of the support structure, at least some of said support members being substantially rigidly interconnected by crossmembers to corresponding support members at the opposite side of the support structure, at least some of said support members mounting upper belt run support roller means at an upper edge portion of the support structure and at least some of said support members mounting lower belt run support roller means, said support members being interconnected so as provide for longitudinal extension and contraction of said sides of the support structure in generally concertina-like manner, characterised in that said support structure comprises a plurality of generally vertically extending support members interconnected by generally V-shape arrangements of pivotally connected pairs of linked support members in which the V-shape opens out or closes up for extension or contraction of the support structure.
Preferably the generally vertically extending support members are telescopically extensible fr
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Bidwell James R.
Huwood International Limited
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