Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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~EL~I° T(,~RI~1 CONb'E~'OR
BACKGRO~ OF TI-~E 1N'~'I~.NTION
This invention relates generally to belt conveyors and, mare particularly, to
belt turn
conveyors which extend around a curve.
Belt turn conveyors are capable oJ~ interconnecting conveyor sections through
a turn of up to
180°. Such conveyor section includes a pair of pulleys, one at each
end, and a continuous belt
having a smaller length at the inner radius of the turn and increasing in
length toward the outer
radius of the turn. A planar support surface supports the upper surface of the
belt which slides
across the support surface. Means are provided to resist radial forces tending
to pull the belt inward
of the turn. These typically include wheels mounted to the belt engaging a
surface on a stationary
frame or wheels mounted to a stationary frame engaging a lip on the belt.
Known belt turn conveyors tend to have a poor utilization rate because
maintenance is
difficult and time-consuming when required. This is especially the case with
replacement of the
belt which has required disassembly of virtually the entire conveyor section.
Additionally, difficult
alignment procedures have added to the downtime of the conveyor undergoing
maintenance or
installation.
SL1MMAR'Y OF THE INVEN ~jON
The present invention provides a belt turn conveyor that is exceptionally easy
to maintain.
In particular, the replacement of the belt is a quick and simple procedure
requiring disassembly of,
at most, only minor portions of the conveyor.
A belt turn conveyor, according to the invention, includes a vertical support.
A lateral
support is provided that is cantilevered fr<ym the vertical support. An
endless belt rides on the
lateral support. In this manner, the belt can be removed from or installed on
the conveyor without
disassembling the vertical support by slipping the endless belt over an end of
the lateral support
opposite the vertical support.
According to another aspect of the invention, the lateral support is mounted
by a rigid
bracket having a central support portion. Preferably, the bracket is formed in
either a T-shape or an
E-shape but other shapes are possible. Wheel guide surfaces are mounted to the
bracket in order to
engage wheels mounted to the belt. In this manner, the belt may be readily
removed by removing
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the guide surfaces from the bracket. Additionally, the bracket provides rigid
cantilever support for
the lateral support.
The lateral support, according to another aspect of the invention, is formed
as a truss.
Preferably, the truss is made up of a planar bed which e:~tends below the
upper surface of the belt
including at least one laterally extending member spaced below the top bed
surface and
interconnected therewith by a vertical strut. This truss configuration
provides a rigid lateral support
that is capable of cantilever mounting.
According to another aspect of the invention, an elongated drive pulley
rotates about a first
axis in order to fractionally engage the belt to thereby drive the belt. A
motor assembly rotates
about a second axis for rotating the drive pulley. The first and second axes
are maintained in
parallel configuration by a beveled spacer. 'The beveled spacer provides
alignment notwithstanding
the compound angles required by the tapered drive pulley without requiring
adjustment devices.
These and other objects, advantages, and features of this invention will
become apparent
upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF t~FSCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a belt turn conveyor, according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is an end elevation in the direction II-II in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines III-III in Fig. l;
Fig. 4 is the same view as Fig. 3 with the belt removed;
Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the lines V-V in Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is the same view as Fig. 2 of an alternative embodiment of the
invention;
Fig. 7 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 3 of an alternative embodiment of
the invention
concentrating on the radial support for the belt;
Fig. 8 is an end elevation of an alternative embodiment of a vertical support;
and
Fig. 9 is an end elevation of a drive assembly according to the invention.
QESCRIPTION OI~' THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now specifically to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments
depicted
therein, a belt turn conveyor 10 includes an endless belt 12 driven by a
driven pulley 1~ and an idler
pulley 16 (Fig. 1 ). As is conventional, endless belt 12 has a shorter inner
length at an inner
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conveyor end 26 than an outer length than at an inner conveyor end 23 and
pulleys 14, 16 are
tapered. Belt 12 and pulleys 14, lfi ~~re supported by a support frame 18.
Support frame 18 includes a vertical support 2t) at outer end 22 of the belt
turn and a
cantilevered support 24 for supporting inner end 26 of the conveyor. Because
inner end 26 is
cantilevered from vertical support 2O, minimal vertical support is required
for inner end 26. As
such, belt 12 may be removed by sliding the belt toward the right as viewed in
Figs. 2-6 to remove
and replace the belt.
Cantilever support 24 includes a support bracket 28 mounted to vertical
support 20 and a
truss member 30 cantilevered fz~om support bracket 28 (Figs. 3-p). Truss 30 is
made up of a planar
support member 32 which extends under substantially the entire upper surface
of endless belt 12.
Truss 30 additionally includes a plurality of elongated members ~4, which in
the illustrated
embodiment are steel rods, which are spaced below planar surface ~2 and
interconnected with the
planar surface by struts 36. Each strut 3(~ is welded to a steel rod 34 and to
planar support 32 (Fig.
5). Ends of planar support 32 and each steel rad ~4 opposite support bracket
28 are welded to plate
27 at inner conveyor end 26. Each steel rod 34 is additionally rigidly affixed
to support bracket 28
by a fastener (not shown) extending through an opening 38 in bracket 28..
Planar support 32 is
rigidly attached to bracket 28 through a plate 40. As will be apparent to
those skilled in the art, the
rigid interconnection of elongated members 34 and planar support 32 at support
bracket 28 at one
end and to plate 27 at the opposite end, in combination with a rigid
interconnection at strut 36,
provides a rigid truss which is capable of supporting a substantial vertical
load and thereby is
capable of providing cantilever support to endless belt 1'? even at inner end
26. Additional rigidity
could be provided by using more than one strut ~6 for each steel rod 34.
Support bracket 28 includes a central support portion 39 which provides
cantilevered
support for truss 30 and outer portions 42a and 42b. A plate 44a attached to
end portion 42a, a plate
44b attached to end portion 42b, and a second plate 44c attached to central
support portion 3'~
provide wheel guides which extend the entire length of outer end 22 of support
frame 18. A wheel
assembly 46 is attached at even spacing along the outer end of endless belt
12. Each assembly
includes a first support wheel 48a and a second support wheel 48b on an
opposite side of the belt.
Liner surfaces ~0 are provided along the surface of plates 4(~ and 44a-44c,
which are engaged by
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' wheels 48a, 48b. A vertical support wheel 50 mounted to plate 44b provides
vertical support for the
lower surface of belt 12.
In order to replace belt 12, plates 44a, 44b are removed, which allows the
wheel assemblies
46 to be separated from the support brackets 28 so that the belt may be slid
to the right as viewed in
Figs. 2-6 and thereby removed from the belt turn conveyor for replacement. The
same procedure is
followed in reverse in order to apply a new belt to the assembly.
In an alternative embodiment, belt turn conveyor 10' includes an endless belt
12' having
wheel assemblies 46' at outer ends thereof (Figs. 6 and 7). Each wheel
assembly 46' includes a
lateral support wheel 54 and a vertical support wheel ~6. Belt turn conveyor
10' includes a plurality
of support brackets 28', each of which are supported by a vertical support
20'. Each support bracket
28' includes a central support portion 39', which supports a truss 30' (not
shown in Figs. 6-8) and
end portions 42a', 42b'. A plate 58 attached to central support portion 39'
provides a wheel guide for
wheels 54. A plate 60a attached to end portion 42a' and a plate 60b attached
to end portion 42b'
provide wheel guides for wheels 56. A pair of liners 62 are affixed to plate
58 in order to provide a
running surface for wheels 54. A pair of liners 64 attached to plates 60a, 60b
provide nmning
surfaces for wheels 56. In the illustrated embodiment, wheels 54 include outer
tires made from a
polymeric material such as urethane. Liners 62 are made from a metal, such as
steel. This provides
a plastic-to-metal interface which reduces noise. Conversely, wheels 56 have
outer tires made from
a metal, such as steel, and liners 64 are manufactured from a polymer, such as
urethane. This also
provides a plastic-to-metal interface which reduces noise.
Liners 62, 64 are replaceable. Liners 62, 64 are mounted to their respective
plates 58, 60a,
60b by a hook and Loop fabric fastener 66, such as the type marketed under the
brand Velcro~. This
allows for rapid replacement of liners 62, 64.
In order to provide stable support to support brackets 28', belt turn conveyor
10' includes a
support frame 18' having vertical supports 20' configured as illustrated in
Fig. 8. Each vertical
support 20' includes a pair of vertical legs 70 interconnected by a horizontal
support 72. begs 70
extend upwardly in order to mount support bracket 28'. Although vertical
support 20' has a wide
support base, the support for endless belt 12' is cantilevered from the
vertical support through
support brackets 28'. A dampening member 74 attaches an outer end of truss 30'
(not shown) in
order to provide vibration dampening to the truss. However, dampening member
74 does not
_4_
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provide any significant load support ~c> truss 3C~'. (n this manner, dampening
member 74 is readily
removable from the truss in order to provide easy removal oi~endless belt 12'.
Alternatively. each
vertical support 20' could include one L-:;hoped leg having a. cantilevered
horizontal ground-
engaging portion. In addition to being Moor-supported, the vertical support
may be attached to a
wall or beam or suspended from the ceiling or the like.
Belt turn conveyor i0, 10' includes a drive assembly 76 (Fig. 9). Drive
assembly 76
includes a motor assembly 78 attached to vertical support 20, 20' through a
beveled plate 80.
Beveled plate 80 aligns rotation axis 82 of motor assembly 78 in parallel with
rotation axis 84 of
driven pulley 14, 14'. This provides an alignment ofa sheave 86 on pulley 14,
14' with a sheave 88
driven by motor assembly 78 in order to avoid stress on a belt 90 which
couples pulleys 85, 88.
Furthermore, beveled spacer 80 provides alignment between axes 82, 84 in a
vertical plane running
laterally across the conveyor as well as the vertical plane through belt 90.
This solves the difficulty
of compound angles which are present because of the curved nature support
frame 18 as well as the
inclined nature of the rotational axis of driven pulley 14, 14'. Beveled
spacer 80 includes an
opening (not shown) which receives the shaft of motor assembly 78 to further
assist in proper
positioning of the spacer. Thus, it is seen that proper alignment between
pulleys 86, 88 is
maintained without the necessity for any adjustment device which requires
manual field adjustment.
Although the invention is described as it pertains to a belt turn conveyor, it
may be applied
to other belt conveyors including straight sections of belt transport
conveyors and belt accumulation
conveyors.
Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be
carried out
without departing from the principles of the invention which is intended to be
limited only by the
scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of
patent law including the
doctrine of equivalents.
