Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Load simultaneously engaged between and moved by a plurality...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-14
2001-10-02
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Load simultaneously engaged between and moved by a plurality...
C198S626500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296107
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to an off-take conveyor device with a top track and bottom track supported on a bed frame, as described in the preamble of claim
1
. An off-take conveyor device for elongated components is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,595 A which comprises a top track and a bottom track supported on a bed frame. These two tracks have conveyor means respectively which are in the form of an endlessly circulating conveyor element and are reversed by guide pulleys assigned thereto and spaced apart from one another. The conveyor means for the elongated components are formed by endlessly circulating press bands. Between the guide pulleys individual guide frames are arranged, which are pressed by means of adjustment drives onto the side of the conveyor means facing way from the elongated component. Here the adjustment drives for the individual guide frames are supported on a common bed frame. Furthermore, the individual guide frames on the side facing the conveyor means has guide elements in the form of stationary rollers which produce a linear support of the conveyor means in the region of the rollers of the individual guide frames. By means of the arrangement of the individual guide frames on both sides relative to the conveyor means in the region facing the component a pressing force is obtained on both sides on the component. An adjustment to different operating conditions could not be achieved in all application cases.
A further device for taking off extrusion products is known from DE 24 56 830 A1 which comprises a top track and a bottom track supported in a bed frame. The two tracks also have endlessly circulating conveyor means respectively which are directed on two spaced apart guide pulleys. Between the guide pulleys a holding frame is provided, on which several chain pinions arranged one after the other and supporting the conveyor means are supported by a piston arrangement and a common hydraulic bed in the latter. By means of the self-contained hydraulic bed an automatic adjustment of the chain pinion to a changing cross sectional dimension of the throughput off-take product can be performed. A uniform off-take force during different operating conditions could not be achieved in all application cases as between the immediately consecutive chain pinions a large relative adjustment is made possible.
A different off-take conveyor device for the continual removal of an extruded rod is known from DE 41 29 461 A of the same Applicant, which is formed by two tracks bearing on opposite surfaces of the rod to be removed and coupled with a drive, and said tracks are supported on a machine frame. The two tracks have endlessly circulating conveyor means which are designed in engagement position with the object to be removed so that they have support elements projecting opposite one another which overlap one another in the linear extension position and are supported on top of one another. In this way a tilting of the individual chain pinions is avoided and thus a uniform bearing of the cleats on the object to be removed is achieved. To support the drawing element between the guide pulleys a beam-shaped carrier beam is provided which is supported by adjustment devices on the machine frame mounting the tracks.
Furthermore, various off-take conveyor devices are already known and are commonly referred to as track conveyors. Track conveyors of this type are used for drawing sections and objects made from plasticized plastic material as they are dischared from an extruder after having been calibrated and cooled, to prevent a back-log as plasticized material continues to be drawn into the calibrating region and cooling area. The track conveyor is used as a means of overcoming friction resistance occuring during passage through the calibrator and cooling devices. In order to ensure that the extruded items are of a uniform quality, it is necessary to maintain as even a conveyor speed as possible so that the extruded objects are moved along at as uniform a speed as possible through the calibrator and the cooling devices, to avoid causing further stress in the objects. This being the case, it is essential that an exactly identical speed is maintained in the region of the top track as the sections are conveyed in order to avoid distorting the section. On the other hand, as the objects arrive, at which point they have not yet assumed their final shape in terms of cross-section, it is also essential to be able to control or swivel at least one of the two tracks of the track coveyor in such a way that it can adapt to the hardened profile both as regards height and in terms of inclined position whilst it is being made to the final shape of cross-section as it emerges from the cooling bath.
The underlying objective of the present invention is to provide an off-take conveyor device which is capable of adapting rapidly and with a high degree of operating safety to the most varied of operating conditions during an extrusion process.
This objective is achieved by the invention due to the characterising features outlined in claim
1
. The advantage produced is that by guiding the conveyor means through several individual guide frames, the conveyor means is able to adapt individually, across the length of the individual track, to the different states of the section from initial drawing to structuring of the full cross-section of the section. In an unforeseeable and surprising manner, when several objects are running parallel with one another in a parallel extrusion process, in a construction of this type the individual tracks can adapt to different heights of these objects and to portions of these objects having differing thicknesses. It is also advantageous that a simple adjustment of the individual off-take tracks to one another to different requirements is performed automatically. It is also possible to adapt more efficiently and optimally in multiple ways to different component designs. This is of particular advantage if several components are disposed alongside one another or in a stepped arrangement. Furthermore, the conveyor means is capable of adapting individually and more efficiently to the different heights and states of the section across the length of the individual track, from the initial drawing process to structuring of the full cross-section of the section. This is achieved in that the individual guide frames can be even more efficiently adjusted or regulated in terms of height relative to the base frame. It is also advantageous that only one of the individual guide frames has to be retained in its position relative to the base frame in the direction of conveyance in order to prevent any reciprocal shifting in the direction of conveyance. In addition, the transition and perfect guiding of the conveyor means in the transfer region between the single individual guide frames is stepless and free of backlash. By means of a common base frame a more uniform pressure force of the individual tracks can be obtained in the top and/or bottom track on the component. Furthermore, in this way also an opening movement of the top track relative to the object and the base frame can be achieved.
The embodiment defined in claim
2
makes possible an even more sensitive height adjustment or regulation of the single individual guide frames relative to the base frame, enabling greater additional and, above all, more uniform pressure forces to be applied to the object being conveyed.
The embodiment define in claim
3
provides an arrangement in which the supporting roller is able to maintain an even pressure force and can do so across the entire length, when the individual guide frames are in an angled position. This also reduces wear on the guide rails at their inlet and outlet ends.
Also advantageous is the embodiment defined in claim
4
, since thre is no need to provide extra specific tensioning devices for the conveyor device or devices. Furthermore, additional longitudinal balancing is guaranteed in the individual states of motion of the individual guide frames relative to the base frame.
In an emb
Collard & Roe P.C.
Deuble Mark A.
Ellis Christopher P.
Greiner Extrusionstechnik GmbH
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