AU631695B2

AU631695B2 - Conveyor belt weighing device

Info

Publication number: AU631695B2
Application number: AU66588/90A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ian Burrell
Original assignee: CONTROL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY Pty Ltd
Current assignee: CONTROL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1989-11-13
Filing date: 1990-11-13
Publication date: 1992-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 2010-11-13
Also published as: AU6658890A

Description

3003M/PP 'Our Ref: 299286

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act FORM COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: I II

I~

Ir lrl I It I Applicant(s): Address for Service: Control Systems Technology Pty. Ltd.

Unit 8/62 Blackshaw Avenue MORTDALE NSW 2223

AUSTRALIA

ARTHUR S. CA'E CO.

Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 10, 10 Barrack Street SYDNEY NSW 2000

I

ii F'~14 Complete specification for the invention entitled "Conveyor belt weighing system".

The following statement is a full description of this invention, inc.uding the best method of performing it known to me:- Itt 111111 4 17 'I'S -l 1 5020 CONVEYOR BELT WEIGHING DEVICE The present invention relates to a conveyor belt weighing device, and in particular, to a cdnveyor.belt weighing device, which, due to its unique configuration minimises the number of components, consequently minimising costs of production, whilst maintaining the integrity of conventional conveyor belt weighing devices.

Conveyor belts are utilised in a wide variety of applications, including the mining and manufacturing industries. To weigh the material transferred by means of a o conveyor belt, for instance, to weigh a quantity of material conveyed during a mining operation, weighing devices have been .s provided along the length of conveyor belts. These are o.

4normally implemented by modifying the normal mechanical oo 0C6 connection of the idlers of the conveyor belt to the conveyor belt frame or stringer, such that some form of measuring device is provided between the idlers and between the frame or stringer.

Presently, in order to implement a conveyor belt weighing device, a pair of load cells is generally provided under each of idler, one on each side. Alternatively, a pair of idlers are often connected by means of a rigid support and four load cells are provided, one under each corner of the support.

Then, when the material passes over the weighing device, the information obtained from each of the four load cells is processed and averaged, such that an indication of the total weight is provided to an operator.

2 AMD/0137a

-M

rpl i -II It will be thus understood to persons skilled in the art that such prior art weighing devices for conveyor belts have numerous disadvantages. The relatively unsophisticated prior art devices, requiring large number of load cells results in a high cost to such devices. Therefore, such prior art weighing devices are relatively unreliable, in that their downtime for repair and maintenance is quite high.

The present invention seeks to provide a conveyor belt weighing device which obviates the disadvantages of the prior art.

The present invention also seeks to provide a conveyor belt weighing device wherein the number of load cells is minimised, consequently resulting in cost saving and increased reliability of such devices.

,.:oIn one broad form, the present invention provides a conveyor beltweighing device comprising: a first member connected to an idler; a second member connected to a conveyor belt frame;.

a transducer means operatively connected between each of 4t said first and second member for monitoring displacement therebetween; indicator means to provide an indication of the weight of a load provided on the conveyor belt, detected by said transducer means; and stabilising means connected between said first and second member such that lateral and/or torsional stability is substantially maintained therebetween.

X- 3 i ~nr~-~rrua i r~pl L~ Preferably, the conveyor belt weighing belt device is embodied, wherein said stabilising means is comprised of a first component connected to said first member and a second component connected to said second member, wherein said first component is substantially vertically disposed connected to said first member, and said second component is substantially horizontally disposed, connected to said second member, said first and second components being connected, wherein said second component is flexible in nature and/or is provided with a flexible gonnection to said second member and/or said first component.

Again, preferably, the conveyor belt weighing device is implemented wherein said stabilising means is embodied as a parallelogram structure.

o Such a parallelogram structure as hereinabove mentioned, Sis preferably comprised of four components, a first component being substantially vertically connected to said first member and a second component also substantially vertically connected to said second member, the third and fourth components being S provided transverse to said first and second components whereby vertical movement between said first and second components is allowed.

Preferably, a slidable connection is allowed between said each of said first and second components and at least one of said third and fourth components, when said third and fourth I-4- 137a I :I components are rigid in construction.

Again, preferably, a rigid connection is provided between each of said first and second components and each of said third and fourth components when said third and fourth components are of a flexible nature.

The present invention will become more fully understood, from the following detailed description thereof in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a conveyor belt weighing device in accordance with the present invention, Fig. l(a) illustrating a plan view of the preferred embodiment, Fig. l(b) illustrating a side elevational view of the preferred 4 44 j embodiment, Fig. l(c) illustrating an end elevational view of the preferred embodiment, and Fig. 1(d) illustrating a suitable calibration weight, for calibrating the conveyor belt weighing device.

Fig. 2 illustrates some possible variations to the stabilising means, Fig 2(a) to Fig 2(e) illustrating varying embodiments thereof.

In Fig l(a) is illustrated a plan view of the centrally suspended weighing device, in accordance with the present invention. The device is inserted within the longitudinal run of any conventional conveyor belt. The device comprises a pair of transverse members i, connected to the conveyor belt frame or stringer by bolts 2 or the like. At a substantially intermediate portion of each transverse bar i, is provided a loadcell 3. Extending between each loadcell 3 is a longitudinal member 4, the longitudinal member 4 supporting a AMD/0137a

I

pair of idlers 5 in a substantially central portion thereof, the idlers 5 in turn supporting a conveyor belt thereon (not shown).

i ii-_-r

I

ra a 0 a -rJ 'ya *4 4 61 a1 4* 04.4* 4. 4 4 4 4.

4.49 00P 44 4.

1i a 4 o~ j 0 Adjacent each load cell 3, a parallelogram structure 6 is provided, which acts to prevent the longitudinal member 4 from twisting about the longitudinal axis thereof. The parallelogram structure 6, best detailed in the elevational view of Fig is comprised of upper and lower members, 7 and 8 respectively, and left and right members, 9 and respectively. The parallelogram structure 6 may be slidably connected to either the transverse member 1 or the longitudinal member 4, such that movement in the direction indicated by arrow A is permitted, but movement in the direction of arrow B is prevented. For instance, the right member 10 of the parallelogram structure 6 may be embodied as a plate (as shown in Fig affixed to the transverse bar 1, and the ends of the upper and lower members 7 and 8 may be adapted to slide about the plate 10 in the directions of arrows A. The left member 9 may then be rigidly affixed to the upper member 7 underneath the idler 5 and, at the lower end thereof, to the lower member 8 and the longitudinal member 4. Therefore in operation of such an embodiment, the transverse member 1 and the plate 10 attached thereto would remain stationary, whilst the idler 5, the longitudinal member 4 and the parallelogram structure 6 would move in the direction of arrows A.

"onsequently, the load cell 3, connected between the transverse member 1 and the remaining components 5, 6) would monitor the movement therebetween and provide a signal to the display 6 AMD/0137a i .1

I

C

0 0 0 0 0 means indicative of the weight of the load on the conveyor belt.

In Fig. 1(d) is illustrated a suitable calibration weight which may be utilised for calibrating the conveyor belt weighing device in accordance with the present invention. The calibration weight, designated 11, is able to be simply mounted on the longitudinal member 4, by simply hooking the weight over a U-shaped member 12, connected to the top of the longitudinal member 4. Referring back to Fig the calibration weight is shown connected in position on the longitudinal member 4 via the U-shaped member 12.

In Fig. 2 are illustrated some variations which are envisaged to the conveyor belt weighing device of the present invention. Fig. 2(a) illustrates an embodiment having one vertical component 13,j and a horizontal component 14, connected to the longitudinal beam 4. As illustrated in Fig, the vertical beam 13 is provided as a rigid member, and the horizontal beam 14 is provided as a flexible member, such that vertical movement of the central beam 4 is allowed relative to the fixed point 15, which is connected to the conveyor belt frame. Fig. 2(b) illustrates a variation of Fig. the difference being that the horizontal member 14 is provided in connection with the conveyor belt frame by means of two fixed points 15. This embodiment of Fig. 2(b) would consequently be slightly more stable than the embodime~it of Fig. 2(a).

Naturally, rather than providing flq,-,ible arms as the members 14, a rigid arm may be supplied, connected by some form of flexible connection at the point 15 on the conveyor belt frame. Such flexible connection may in the form of a slidable -7- AND /0137 a connection, or a rubberised connection. Fig. illustrates a third variation for the stabilising means. In this case, the longitudinal member 4 is provided with a member 16 which extends both upwardly and downwardly from the longitudinal member 4, and two flexible members 17, are attached between each end thereof, the other ends of the flexible members 17 being connected to the fixed points 18 on the conveyor belt frame. Once again, as with the embodiments of Fig. 2(a) and Fig. upwards and downwards movement of the longitudinal bar 4 is enabled, relative to the conveyor frame at fixed points 18, whilst sideways movement or torsional movement is prevented. Fig. 2(d) illustrates yet a further embodiment of the stabilising means. In this case, either one or more torsion restraints, illustrated by reference numeral 19 is provided. In this embodiment, a connection 20 extends from the S longitudinal member 4 upwardly therefrom, such that it is provided between the torsion restraints 19, which may be in the form of rubber contacts or rubber blocks in close contact or bolted to the vertical torsion member 20. Fig. 2(e) illustrates a slight variation to Fig. in that rubber mounts 21 are provided, rather than the torsion restraints 19.

It will become obvious to persons skilled in the art that numerous other variations and modifications are envisaged to the present invention. Such variations and modifications should however be considered to fall within the scope of the present invention as hereinbefore described and as hereinafter claimed.

8 AMD/0137a

Claims

2. A conveyor belt weighing device as claimed in claim i, wherein said stabilising means is comprised of a first component connected to said first member and a second component connected to said second member, wherein said first component is substantially vertically disposed connected to said first It member, and said second component is substantially horizontally t. t disposed, connected to said second member, said first and second components being connected, wherein said second component is flexible in nature and/or is provided with a j flexible connection to said second member and/or said first component.
3. A conveyor belt weighing device as claimed in claim i, whereih said stabilising means is embodied as a parallelogram structure. 9 '0137a
4. A conveyor belt weighing device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said parallelogram structure is comprised of four components, a first component being substantially vertically connected to said first member and a second component also substantially vertically connected to said second member, the third and fourth components being provided transverse to said first and second components whereby vertical movement between said first and second components is allowed. A conveyor belt weighing device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a slidable connection is allowed between said each of said first and second components and at least one of said third and fourth components, when said third and fourth components are rigid in construction.
6. A conveyor belt weighing device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a rigid connection is provided between each of said Sfirst and second components and each of said third and fourth components when said third and fourth components are of a flexible nature.
7. A conveyor belt weighing device, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
8. A method of weighing a conveyor belt, substantially, as herein described. DATED this 7th day of August, 1992. CONTROL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY PTY LTD By Its Patent Attorneys ARTHUR S. CAVE CO. 10