CA1093493A - Belt elevator with laterally stiff belts - Google Patents
Belt elevator with laterally stiff beltsInfo
- Publication number
- CA1093493A CA1093493A CA245,758A CA245758A CA1093493A CA 1093493 A CA1093493 A CA 1093493A CA 245758 A CA245758 A CA 245758A CA 1093493 A CA1093493 A CA 1093493A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- belts
- change
- belt
- rollers
- zone
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Landscapes
- Structure Of Belt Conveyors (AREA)
Abstract
BELT ELEVATOR WITH LATERALLY STIFF BELTS
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A bulk material handling apparatus especially adapted for handling granular material wherein a pair of flexible belts are arranged about drive and idler pulleys to provide a material receiving run of one belt, a change of elevation zone where the belts are held in face-to-face contact solely by opposed sets of edge rollers and a material delivery run of the other belt where the material is discharged at a different level. The belts are of sufficient lateral stiffness so that only the opposed sets of edge rollers are required to hold the belts in proper thrust transmitting engagement with the material being conveyed to a different level. Auxiliary fluid pressure means are not required to maintain the belts in proper engagement with the conveyed material in the change of elevation zone.
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A bulk material handling apparatus especially adapted for handling granular material wherein a pair of flexible belts are arranged about drive and idler pulleys to provide a material receiving run of one belt, a change of elevation zone where the belts are held in face-to-face contact solely by opposed sets of edge rollers and a material delivery run of the other belt where the material is discharged at a different level. The belts are of sufficient lateral stiffness so that only the opposed sets of edge rollers are required to hold the belts in proper thrust transmitting engagement with the material being conveyed to a different level. Auxiliary fluid pressure means are not required to maintain the belts in proper engagement with the conveyed material in the change of elevation zone.
Description
- 109349;~ -B~CKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known to convey bulk materials including granular materials between various levels by belt conveyors having a pair of belts which face one another.
In some prior art conveying apparatus, compressible foam, varyin~ in compressability from the side to the middle is used, so as to provide edge-to-edge belt contact with the central portion of the belts in engagement with the material being elevated. While this arrangement may be satisfactory for discrete package handling, it has not been found satisfactory for handling granular material such as crushed rock or coal because of the fines present.
In order to overcome the problems just enumerated the -~
use of fluid pressure applied to the outer sides of the belts in the elevating zone of a belt elevator has been suggested, see recently issued ~.S. patent 3,762,534. It has also been suggested that edge rollers may be employed to maintain the belt edges in contact in the elevating zone of a belt elevator, such as is described and claimed in co-pending patent application, serial No. 246,986, filed March 2, 1976 and entitled "Belt Elevtor With Staggered Edge Rollers."
Heretofore it has also been suggested that rollers be placed to engage outer portions of the belts in the elevating zone of a belt elevator to maintain the belts in contact with the material being elevated. This last mentioned arrangement has not been entirely satisfactory because it is not able to adjust for variation in the cross-section of the material being elevated. The use of auxiliary rollers and air plenum apparatus in the change of elevation zone of a belt elevator substantially increases the initial cost and cost of operation.
"~
~- -- 1 .. ~
~ ~093493 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention there is provided a conveying mechanism for transferring bulk material from one level to another which includes a pair of opposed belts having a change of elevation zone in which the belts are in face-to-face relationship, belt support rollers, and opposed sets of edge rollers in said change of elevation zone for supporting the pair of opposed belts so that the latter travel in a vertical direction. The belts, which are flat and resiliently flexible, are supported on support rollers and pass together in confronting relation to one another between the sets of edge rollers whereby the edge rollers maintain the belt edges in sealing engagement with one another and serve as the sole support for the belts in said change of elevation zone. The belts have predetermined width, thickness and resiliency, and sufficient lateral stiffness whereby the force they exert against the material being conveyed in the change of elevation zone times the coefficient of friction of the material against the belts exceeds the gravitational force acting on the material. Furthermore, the belts are sufficiently stiff so that the force exerted by the belts against the material being conveyed in the change of elevation zone times the coefficient of friction of the material against itself exceeds the gravita-tional force acting on the material. The belts exert suffi-cient force against the conveyed material to maintain it in column form as it passes vertically through the change of elevation zone.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a side view of a belt elevator incorporat-ing the present invention;
,.~
A
-` ~" 1093493 .
Fig. 2 is a section view taken along the line II-II
in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a section view taken along the line III-III
in Fig. l; and Fig. 4 is a section view taken along the line IV-IV
in Fig. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
__ The belt elevator illustrated in Fig. 1 includes a suitable frame 11 on which belt pulleys 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21 and 22 are rotatably supported on parallel axes. The elevator includes a loading zone 26 where a feeding hopper ~A
-`- 1093~93 27 is located, a lower transition zone 28, a change of eleva-tion zone 29, an upper transition zone 31 and a discharge zone 32. A first flexible belt 36 is carried by the pulleys 12, 13, 14, 16 and 17 and a second flexible belt 41 is carried by pulleys 18, 19, 21 and 22. In the load receiving zone 26 a plurality of rollers 42 support the belt 36 and in the discharge zone 32 a plurality of rollers 44 support the belt 36. In the lower transition zone the belts 36, 41 are supported, as shown in Fig. 4, by a plurality of circumfer-entially spaced sets of rollers, each set having a pair of edgerollers 51, 52 and a central load roller 53. The rollers 51, 52 and 53 are rotatably mounted on a stationary shaft 54 by suitable bearings, not shown, and the shaft 54 is mounted on brackets 56, 57 secured to the frame 11. In the upper transition zone 31 the belts 36 and 41 are supported by a plurality of sets of circumferentailly spaceà rollers, each set including a pair of edge rollers 61, 62 and a central load roller 63. The edge rollers 61, 62 are rotatably mounted on brackets 64, 66 secured to the elevator frame 11 and the central roller 63 is rotatably mounted on a pair of brackets 68, 69 on the frame 11. In the elevation chanqe zone 29, confronting runs of belts 41, 36 are held in contact with one another by sets of edge rollers 71, 72 rotatably mounted on the frame 11 in staggered relation to one another. These rollers are more fully described in co-pending patent application, serial No. 246,986 filed 3/2/76, entitled "Belt 1evator With Staggered Edge Rollers."
It will be noted that the present elevator aoes not employ fluid pressure means to hold the belts in contact with one another and with the material being elevated. The rollers 71, 72 are the sole means for maintaining the belts into `` 1093493 engagement with one another in the elevation change zone.
This is made possible by pxoviding belts with sufficient lateral stiffness and resiliency to exert the proper amount of force against the material being elevated. In order to elevate the material, the force exerted by the belt against the material times the coefficient of friction of the material against the belt or the material against itself (whichever) is less must exceed the force of gravity. The lateral resiliency of the belts must be such as to exert as great or greater force - 10 against the material as the material is capable of exerting against the belts as the cross-section of material varies between predetermined limits. The cross-section of the material being conveyed can be controlled by the design or adjustment of the feeding hopper 27.
It should be understood that this belt elevator can be used to lower material as well as elevate material, and in either usage the belts, because of their lateral stiffness, will exert sufficient force against the material to cause the material to move in a uniform manner. The belts will flex to accommodate some changes in the cross-section of material being conveyed but still exert the necessary force to keep the material in column form in the change of elevation zone 29.
Although the material retains its granular form in the change of elevation zone 29 the force of the belts cause it to act like a substantially integral mass.
The lateral flexibility of the belts is such that as the volume of the column of material in the change of elevation zone 29 increases to cause greater flexing of the belts, the belts will automatically assert greater force against the material to hold the larger column in a relatively rigid form.- This self-adjusting feature permits the belts to efficiently move loose bulk material with only edge rollers in the` change of elevation zone 29 to hold the beIts in edge contact with one another. The expense of an air plenum for the elevating zone of a ~elt elevator is avoided. Support rollers for the central parts of the belts in the elevating zone ar~e not required and the functional problems and expense connected therewith are avoided.
- , . ,
It is well known to convey bulk materials including granular materials between various levels by belt conveyors having a pair of belts which face one another.
In some prior art conveying apparatus, compressible foam, varyin~ in compressability from the side to the middle is used, so as to provide edge-to-edge belt contact with the central portion of the belts in engagement with the material being elevated. While this arrangement may be satisfactory for discrete package handling, it has not been found satisfactory for handling granular material such as crushed rock or coal because of the fines present.
In order to overcome the problems just enumerated the -~
use of fluid pressure applied to the outer sides of the belts in the elevating zone of a belt elevator has been suggested, see recently issued ~.S. patent 3,762,534. It has also been suggested that edge rollers may be employed to maintain the belt edges in contact in the elevating zone of a belt elevator, such as is described and claimed in co-pending patent application, serial No. 246,986, filed March 2, 1976 and entitled "Belt Elevtor With Staggered Edge Rollers."
Heretofore it has also been suggested that rollers be placed to engage outer portions of the belts in the elevating zone of a belt elevator to maintain the belts in contact with the material being elevated. This last mentioned arrangement has not been entirely satisfactory because it is not able to adjust for variation in the cross-section of the material being elevated. The use of auxiliary rollers and air plenum apparatus in the change of elevation zone of a belt elevator substantially increases the initial cost and cost of operation.
"~
~- -- 1 .. ~
~ ~093493 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention there is provided a conveying mechanism for transferring bulk material from one level to another which includes a pair of opposed belts having a change of elevation zone in which the belts are in face-to-face relationship, belt support rollers, and opposed sets of edge rollers in said change of elevation zone for supporting the pair of opposed belts so that the latter travel in a vertical direction. The belts, which are flat and resiliently flexible, are supported on support rollers and pass together in confronting relation to one another between the sets of edge rollers whereby the edge rollers maintain the belt edges in sealing engagement with one another and serve as the sole support for the belts in said change of elevation zone. The belts have predetermined width, thickness and resiliency, and sufficient lateral stiffness whereby the force they exert against the material being conveyed in the change of elevation zone times the coefficient of friction of the material against the belts exceeds the gravitational force acting on the material. Furthermore, the belts are sufficiently stiff so that the force exerted by the belts against the material being conveyed in the change of elevation zone times the coefficient of friction of the material against itself exceeds the gravita-tional force acting on the material. The belts exert suffi-cient force against the conveyed material to maintain it in column form as it passes vertically through the change of elevation zone.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a side view of a belt elevator incorporat-ing the present invention;
,.~
A
-` ~" 1093493 .
Fig. 2 is a section view taken along the line II-II
in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a section view taken along the line III-III
in Fig. l; and Fig. 4 is a section view taken along the line IV-IV
in Fig. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
__ The belt elevator illustrated in Fig. 1 includes a suitable frame 11 on which belt pulleys 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21 and 22 are rotatably supported on parallel axes. The elevator includes a loading zone 26 where a feeding hopper ~A
-`- 1093~93 27 is located, a lower transition zone 28, a change of eleva-tion zone 29, an upper transition zone 31 and a discharge zone 32. A first flexible belt 36 is carried by the pulleys 12, 13, 14, 16 and 17 and a second flexible belt 41 is carried by pulleys 18, 19, 21 and 22. In the load receiving zone 26 a plurality of rollers 42 support the belt 36 and in the discharge zone 32 a plurality of rollers 44 support the belt 36. In the lower transition zone the belts 36, 41 are supported, as shown in Fig. 4, by a plurality of circumfer-entially spaced sets of rollers, each set having a pair of edgerollers 51, 52 and a central load roller 53. The rollers 51, 52 and 53 are rotatably mounted on a stationary shaft 54 by suitable bearings, not shown, and the shaft 54 is mounted on brackets 56, 57 secured to the frame 11. In the upper transition zone 31 the belts 36 and 41 are supported by a plurality of sets of circumferentailly spaceà rollers, each set including a pair of edge rollers 61, 62 and a central load roller 63. The edge rollers 61, 62 are rotatably mounted on brackets 64, 66 secured to the elevator frame 11 and the central roller 63 is rotatably mounted on a pair of brackets 68, 69 on the frame 11. In the elevation chanqe zone 29, confronting runs of belts 41, 36 are held in contact with one another by sets of edge rollers 71, 72 rotatably mounted on the frame 11 in staggered relation to one another. These rollers are more fully described in co-pending patent application, serial No. 246,986 filed 3/2/76, entitled "Belt 1evator With Staggered Edge Rollers."
It will be noted that the present elevator aoes not employ fluid pressure means to hold the belts in contact with one another and with the material being elevated. The rollers 71, 72 are the sole means for maintaining the belts into `` 1093493 engagement with one another in the elevation change zone.
This is made possible by pxoviding belts with sufficient lateral stiffness and resiliency to exert the proper amount of force against the material being elevated. In order to elevate the material, the force exerted by the belt against the material times the coefficient of friction of the material against the belt or the material against itself (whichever) is less must exceed the force of gravity. The lateral resiliency of the belts must be such as to exert as great or greater force - 10 against the material as the material is capable of exerting against the belts as the cross-section of material varies between predetermined limits. The cross-section of the material being conveyed can be controlled by the design or adjustment of the feeding hopper 27.
It should be understood that this belt elevator can be used to lower material as well as elevate material, and in either usage the belts, because of their lateral stiffness, will exert sufficient force against the material to cause the material to move in a uniform manner. The belts will flex to accommodate some changes in the cross-section of material being conveyed but still exert the necessary force to keep the material in column form in the change of elevation zone 29.
Although the material retains its granular form in the change of elevation zone 29 the force of the belts cause it to act like a substantially integral mass.
The lateral flexibility of the belts is such that as the volume of the column of material in the change of elevation zone 29 increases to cause greater flexing of the belts, the belts will automatically assert greater force against the material to hold the larger column in a relatively rigid form.- This self-adjusting feature permits the belts to efficiently move loose bulk material with only edge rollers in the` change of elevation zone 29 to hold the beIts in edge contact with one another. The expense of an air plenum for the elevating zone of a ~elt elevator is avoided. Support rollers for the central parts of the belts in the elevating zone ar~e not required and the functional problems and expense connected therewith are avoided.
- , . ,
Claims
1. In a conveying mechanism for transferring bulk material from one level to another having a change of elevation zone, and belt support rollers, the combination comprising:
opposed sets of cylindrical edge rollers in said change of elevation zone for supporting a pair of opposed belts so that the latter travel in a vertical direction, a pair of endless resiliently flexible flat belts on said support rollers and passing together in confronting relation to one another between said sets of edge rollers whereby said edge rollers are in rolling contact with the flat, sides of said belt edges so as to main-tain the confronting sides of said belt edges in sealing engagement with one another and serve as the sole support for said belts in said change of elevation zone, said belts having predetermined width, thickness and resiliency, and sufficient lateral stiffness whereby the force they exert against the material being conveyed in the change of elevation zone times the coefficient of friction of the material against said belts exceeds the gravitational force acting on the material, said belts exerting sufficient force against the conveyed material to maintain it in column form as it passes vertically through said change of elevation zone, said belts shifting laterally on said cylindrical edge rollers as the volume of bulk material elevated by said belts varies.
opposed sets of cylindrical edge rollers in said change of elevation zone for supporting a pair of opposed belts so that the latter travel in a vertical direction, a pair of endless resiliently flexible flat belts on said support rollers and passing together in confronting relation to one another between said sets of edge rollers whereby said edge rollers are in rolling contact with the flat, sides of said belt edges so as to main-tain the confronting sides of said belt edges in sealing engagement with one another and serve as the sole support for said belts in said change of elevation zone, said belts having predetermined width, thickness and resiliency, and sufficient lateral stiffness whereby the force they exert against the material being conveyed in the change of elevation zone times the coefficient of friction of the material against said belts exceeds the gravitational force acting on the material, said belts exerting sufficient force against the conveyed material to maintain it in column form as it passes vertically through said change of elevation zone, said belts shifting laterally on said cylindrical edge rollers as the volume of bulk material elevated by said belts varies.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US56443375A | 1975-04-02 | 1975-04-02 | |
| US564,433 | 1975-04-02 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1093493A true CA1093493A (en) | 1981-01-13 |
Family
ID=24254455
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA245,758A Expired CA1093493A (en) | 1975-04-02 | 1976-02-06 | Belt elevator with laterally stiff belts |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1093493A (en) |
-
1976
- 1976-02-06 CA CA245,758A patent/CA1093493A/en not_active Expired
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |