AU704423B2

AU704423B2 - A conveyor belt structure

Info

Publication number: AU704423B2
Application number: AU45665/96A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Kevin Hall
Original assignee: Australian Longwall Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Australian Longwall Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1995-02-21
Filing date: 1996-02-21
Publication date: 1999-04-22
Anticipated expiration: 2016-02-21
Also published as: AU4566596A

Description

S F Ref: 331489

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT o ORIGINAL rr o o Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Australian Longwall Pty Limited Tate Street Wollongong New South Wales 2500

AUSTRALIA

Kevin Hall Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia A Conveyor Belt Structure ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION DETAILS [31] Application No(s) [33] Country PN1282 AU [321 Application Date 21 February 1995 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5815 ~I P-~r It 1 A CONVEYOR BELT STRUCTURE Technical Field The present invention relates to conveyor belts and more particularly but not exclusively to conveyor belt modules for the mining industry.

Background of the Invention Conveyor belt modules employed to form conveyor structures for the mining industry, generally consist of a pair of shaped frames joined by longitudinal stringers. Transoms then extend between the stringers, with the transoms being provided with rollers upon which the belt is supported. These stringers are generally fixed in lo position.

In some instances, it is desirable to be able to move the stringers relative to the belt for servicing purposes. It is known to pivot the tr,insoms about an axis generally o transverse of the stringers so that the transoms are movable between an upright position and an inclined position. This still does not provide access to the lower strand of the belt.

.o Still further to the above, to remove or install a module it is necessary to dismantle the module.

Object of the Invention It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

Summary of the Invention There is disclosed herein a conveyor structure comprising: a pair of generally parallel beams, which beams are generally horizontally extending and '0 :transversely spaced; at least one transom extending between the beams and being supported thereby, the transom including rollers to support a belt to extend generally parallel to the beams; and wherein the transom includes a first rigid transom portion and a second rigid transom portion, each portion including at least one roller, with the first transom portion being pivotally mounted on a first one of the beams about a generally upright first axis, the [N:\LITTo00467: KEII

I

2 second transom portion being pivotally mounted on the other beam so as to be pivotable about a generally upright second axis, so that the transom portions are pivotable from a position extending generally transverse with respect to the beams, and a position in which the first transom portion is angularly displaced from the transverse position, and the second transom portion is also angularly displaced from the transverse position.

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic top plan view of a conveyor belt module; Figure 2 is a schematic end elevation of the conveyor belt module of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a schematic side elevation of the conveyor belt module of Figure 1.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a conveyor belt module 10 for a conveyor structure, preferably the conveyor structure would be used in 9i 15 association with a mine. The module 10 has a pair of stringers 11 which are generally S parallel, coextensive and transversely spaced beams. Extending between the stringers 11 are transoms 12 which support rollers 13, 14 and 15. The rollers support a belt which moves in a direction generally parallel to the stringers 11.

Each transom 12 of this embodiment include a first transom part 16 and a second S 20 transom part 17. The transom parts 16 and 17 are each pivotally mounted on an 9associated one of the stringers 11. The transom part 16 includes a tubular base 18, which supports the rollers 13 and 15. The transom part 17 includes a tubular base 19 supporting the roller 14. The tubular bases 18 and 19 are pivotally mounted on pins 20, each fixed 9.o 9 to its associated stringer 11. The pins 20, by being slidably located within their associated tubular base 18 or 19, allows for the above mentioned pivoting of the transomn parts 16 and 17.

An extremity of the tubular base 18 includes a flange 21, while the extremity of the tubular base 19 includes a flange 22. The flanges 21 and 22 abut and bolts join them when the transom 12 extends generally transverse of the stringers 11. When the bolts are IN:\LIII'MT10467: KEJI 3 removed, the flanges 21 and 22 can separate thereby permitting pivoting movement of the transom parts 16 and 17.

Also extending between the stringers 11 and 12 is a tubular beam 23 which supports a pair of rollers 24, which support the lower strand of the belt.

In Figures 1 and 3, the transom parts 16 and 17 are illustrated in the transverse position, and are illustrated by "dashed lines" in the extreme pivoted positions. In these extreme positions, the lower strand of the belt is accessible. Still further, the module need not be dismantled for removal or installation purposes. All that is required is the pivoting of the transom parts 16 and 17 to permit the module to be removed or installed 10 from below the lower strand.

•Q

IN:\LI3TT]00467:1-IRW -p

Claims

1. A conveyor structure comprising: a pair of generally parallel beams, which beams are generally horizontally extending and transversely spaced; at least one transom extending between the beams and being supported thereby, the transom including rollers to support a belt to extend generally parallel to the beams; and wherein the transom includes a first rigid transom portion and a second rigid transom portion, each portion including at least one roller, with the first transom portion being pivotally mounted on a first one of the beams about a generally upright first axis, the second transom portion being pivotally mounted on the other beam so as to be pivotable about a generally upright second axis, so that the transom portions are pivotable from a position extending generally transverse with respect to the beams, and a position in which the first transom portion is angularly displaced from the transverse position, and the second transom portion is also angularly displaced from the transverse position.

2. The conveyor structure of claim 1 wherein the first and second transom portions are displaceable from the transverse position enabling exposure of the belt.

3. The conveyor structure of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second transom portions are displaceable so as to be generally co-planar with the parallel beams.

4. The conveyor structure of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the first and second axes are generally perpendicular to the parallel beams.

The conveyor structure of any one of claims I to 4, wherein said first transom portion includes a pair of rollers and said second transom portion includes a single roller.

6. The conveyor structure of any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the first portion and the second portion extend from their respective beam so as to terminate with an extremity, and said structure further includes means to releasably couple the extremities of the first and second portions.

7. The conveyor structure of claim 6, wherein the extremities are coupled by cooperating flanges and threaded fasteners. [N:\LITrIO0467: KEH

8. A conveyor structure, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated 19 February 1996 Australian Longwall Pty Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON A e *o ee [N:\LIBT]00467:HRW ABSTRACT A CONVEYOR BELT STRUCTURE A conveyor belt module (10) having a pair of stringers (11) which are actually parallel and coextensive. Extending between the stringers (11) is a transom (12) consisting of transom parts (16 17). The transom parts (16 17) are pivotally mounted about generally upright axes so as to be displaceable from a transverse position to a position in which they are generally co-planar with the stringers (11) to facilitate and dismantle and/or removal of the module S *l it [N:\LIBTTj00467:HRW