Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor section – Pusher conveyor and separate load support surface
Patent
1987-11-16
1989-06-27
Spar, Robert J.
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor section
Pusher conveyor and separate load support surface
1988603, B65G 1928
Patent
active
048421286
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to inspection line pans for Armoured Face Conveyors (AFC).
A conventional AFC comprises a series of line pans joined end to end and an endless chain which runs over and under these pans. In order to gain access to the underside of the pans, inspection pans are placed at intervals along the conveyor. Thus it is possible to gain access to the bottom chain, to inspect for damage, to re-couple broken chains or to remove broken flight bars which are carried transversely of the conveyor by the chains.
To date, an inspection line pan has included a single door located in the centre of the deck plate of the pan, and retained closed by staples. Such a pan is only suitable for use with chains disposed along the sides of the pan, i.e, twin out-board chains, because if centre strand chain is used, the chain which runs along the centre of the deck plate prevents removal of the door. A centre strand chain therefore has to be uncoupled prior to removal of the door. This is a time consuming operation, particularly if a visual inspection of the bottom chain is all that is required during the search for broken or jammed chains.
So far, attempts to overcome the aforementioned disadvantage have normally led to a weakening of the structure because part of the sigma section of the inspection line pan has had to be removed.
An object of this invention is to obviate or mitigate the aforementioned disadvantages.
According to the present invention there is provided an inspection line pan having an opening in the deck plate thereof and a door in said opening, said door comprising three panels transversely disposed to each other, the centre panel being supported on a slideway on the line pan for transverse movement and the two outer panels being pivotal on the centre panel about the longitudinal sides thereof and supported, when horizontal, at their extreme outer sides by the line pan, each outer panel being pivotally liftable to allow inspection therebelow and to create a space into which the centre panel can slide transversely at the side of the line pan opening, for removal of the panels when repair is required below the line pan.
Thus, with centre strand chains passing over the line pans, it is possible to inspect and make repairs under the deck plate without the need to dismantle the upper run chains.
Preferably, the outer panels are hingedly attached to the centre panel.
Alternatively, the outer panels are pivotally supported on the centre panel preferably by lap joints.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view of the door of an inspection line pan according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the inspection line pan with the door partially open, for inspection purposes:
FIG. 3 is a transverse cross sectional view of the line III--III of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 illustrates a modified, lap joint door arrangement.
Referring to the drawings, the inspection line pan has a deck plate 10 in which is located an opening 11 closed by a three-piece door 12. A pair of side by side centre strand chains 13 run longitudinally over the centre of the door and carry transverse flight bars 14 by which coal or other minerals are drawn along the line pan assembly of which the inspection line pan forms part.
The door 12 comprises three substantially rectangular panels 15 to 17 of similar length and width disposed transversely of each other with their longer sides longitudinal of the line pan. The centre panel 16 has transverse end faces 18, grooved to engage a slideway tongue 18A, FIG. 3 (not shown) on each opposed transverse side of the opening 11. Each tongue is located centrally and has a length similar to the width of the centre door part 16. The two transversely outer panels 15, 17 of the door are hingedly attached along one side by hinges 19 to the centre panel 16 and their other side has protrusions 20 which locate over supporting flanges 21 (FIG. 4) on the longitudinal sides of th
REFERENCES:
patent: 4624362 (1986-11-01), Temme et al.
patent: 4637510 (1987-01-01), Tomlinson
patent: 4705160 (1987-11-01), Grundken et al.
Anderson Strathclyde PLC
Gastineau Cheryl L.
Spar Robert J.
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