Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Endless conveyor
Patent
1995-12-15
1998-04-14
Valenza, Joseph E.
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Endless conveyor
198805, B65G 1706
Patent
active
057382050
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention concerns a conveyor belt, comprising links, which form a load-carrying top surface, and which extend crosswise in a zig-zag pattern across the belt width, and which include a first row and a second row of eyeparts, and connection parts, which at an angle relative to the conveying direction tie eyeparts at the first row to eyeparts at the second row, and where the eyeparts are provided with holes for the connection rods, and where the holes at the second row of eyeparts have been extended as slots, in which the connection rods can move freely in the direction of the eyeparts at the first row, and where the side links incorporate L-shaped guide/lock tabs for horizontal and vertical guidance of the conveyor belt, and where the L-shaped guide tabs also are intended to retain the conveyor belt properly in the conveyor track.
Conveyor belts of this kind are known and for example described in Danish patent 162.348. In installations in which the conveyor belt passes a number of bends or curved, the L-shaped guide tabs, which are integral parts of the side links, are exposed to sever friction forces and are consequently exposed to considerable wear, when the tabs are in sliding contact with the supporting members. The wear occurring at the guide tab is, due to the narrow contact area towards the supporting member, and through which the lateral forces are transferred, in praxis considerably higher, than the wear occurring at other loadcarrying parts of the conveyor belt. Consequently, the service life of the L-shaped guide tabs is significantly reduced relative to other sections of the belt. The necessary change and replacement of side links with worn out guide tabs is a time-consuming and tedious process, which can be performed only by disassembly of the conveyor belt, which results in a prolonged stop of the conveying system.
The object of the invention is to provide a design, which allows the incorporation of exchangeable guide tabs, and where the change and replacement can be performed without taking apart the conveyor belt, and by which the duration of the stop can be considerably reduced. Further, the design of the belt consider maximum protection of the ends of the connection rods and consider the need of maintenance of a high hygienic standard. The design facilitates in this regard the cleaning and avoids open slits and cavities, where dirt might accumulate.
The above object is met according to the invention with a conveyor belt, which is characterized that the side links have downwards extensions, perpendicular to the load carrying top surface of the conveyor belt, and which incorporate cavities, through which the connection rods can be inserted, and into which guide/lock inserts incorporating snap-fit parts to engage with the corresponding connection rods.
According to the invention, the guide tab is locked to the side link and to the connection rod by means of snap-fit locks, which arrangement in a safe and reliable manner locks the guide tab insert to the side link, and by which the guide tab is able to resist the considerable forces, acting on the guide tab, particularly when passing through curves. The guide tab can be removed and be replaced, without taking apart the belt. Due to the fact, that the weight of the guide part insert constitute a minor part of the belt, it is possible and economical feasible to mould the insert from a composite, which is characteristic of high resistance to wear and by low coefficient of friction during sliding contact with the wear and supporting members.
According to a preferred design the guide tab insert is locked to the side link by means of double snap-fit locks, which allow the guide tab insert to be removed and replaced by a new insert, and where the procedure can be performed without the need of special tools. According to a preferred design, the connection rod is provided with circular keyways, positioned close to the ends of the connection rod, into which the female lock parts, incorporated in the guide tab insert, can engage. The surface of the s
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