Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor having impinging fluid to feed – shift or discharge... – Having cleaning means
Patent
1998-07-22
1999-11-30
Bidwell, James R.
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor having impinging fluid to feed, shift or discharge...
Having cleaning means
B65G 4516
Patent
active
059926147
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tensioning device for adjusting the force with which the blade of a conveyor belt scraper contacts the conveyor belt surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,402, assigned to ASGCO Manufacturing, Inc., assignee of the present application, describes a tensioning device for adjusting the contacting force of a scraper blade on an endless conveyor belt. The tensioning device described therein is a rotary tensioner which adjusts the contacting force of the scraper blade on the conveyor belt surface by controlling the torque exerted on a rotatable shaft that supports the scraper blade. To that end a tensioning collar and an adjustment collar are disposed adjacent to one another on the support shaft. The adjustment collar is fixed to and rotates with the support shaft. The tensioning collar is attached to one end of a torsional bias mechanism such as a coil spring. The other end of the bias mechanism is fixed to the conveyor belt frame. Each collar has a series of holes formed therethrough, the holes being arrayed at a selected radial distance from the axis of the support shaft. As the collars are rotated relative to each other, the torsional bias on the support shaft is increased or decreased, and the holes on one collar move into and out-of axial alignment with the holes on the other collar. Each series of holes has different spacing between respective holes so that the torsional bias can be adjusted in very small increments. The collars are locked into relative position by the insertion of a lock-pin through two aligned holes.
Although the known device works well, in practice it was found that adjustment of the torsional bias of the tensioning device requires the efforts of two persons. In the arrangement described in the aforesaid patent, one hand is necessary to rotate the tensioning collar and a second hand is necessary to hold the scraper blade in engagement with the conveyor belt surface by rotating the support shaft. The latter operation is usually performed by rotating the adjustment collar in a direction counter to that of the tensioning collar. A third hand is then necessary to insert the locking pin through the aligned holes in the collars because the first two hands must be used to maintain the two collars in proper alignment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a tensioning device for adjusting the contacting force of a scraper blade on an endless conveyor belt is provided. The tensioning device adjusts the contacting force of the scraper blade on the conveyor belt surface by controlling the torque exerted on the rotatable shaft by the torsion bias mechanism. The tensioning device is designed to be operated by a single person with very little difficulty.
The tensioning device has a support shaft with an axis parallel to the conveyor belt. The tensioning device comprises three collars and a torsion bias mechanism located on the support shaft. A rotatable collar is fixed to the free end of the shaft. An adjusting collar is rotatable about the axis of the shaft and has a sequence of apertures spaced circumferentially about the adjusting collar in equal increments. A torsion bias mechanism, disposed between the rotatable collar and the stationary collar, is attached at one end to the adjusting collar and attached at the other end to the rotatable collar. A stationary collar, located adjacent to the adjusting collar, is fixed to the conveyor frame and has a sequence of apertures spaced circumferentially about the stationary collar in equal increments.
As the adjusting collar is rotated, holes from the adjusting collar and the stationary collar move into and out of registry with one another. The tensioning device is locked by inserting a lock pin in a pair of registered holes. The bias placed on the torsion bias mechanism by the rotation of the adjusting collar causes the shaft to rotate and maintain tension in the scraper blade against the belt. A single person can both rotate the adjusting co
REFERENCES:
patent: 4533036 (1985-08-01), Gordon
patent: 4541523 (1985-09-01), Stockton
patent: 4754868 (1988-07-01), Hughes et al.
patent: 4825997 (1989-05-01), Bowman et al.
patent: 4854443 (1989-08-01), Gordon
patent: 5201402 (1993-04-01), Mott
patent: 5378202 (1995-01-01), Swinderman
patent: 5385507 (1995-01-01), Swearingen et al.
ASGCO Manufacturing, Inc.
Bidwell James R.
LandOfFree
Tensioning device for a belt scraper does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Tensioning device for a belt scraper, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Tensioning device for a belt scraper will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1661247