GB1567883A

GB1567883A - Hinge pin

Info

Publication number: GB1567883A
Application number: GB521178A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Kuester W & Co KG
Current assignee: Kuester W & Co KG
Priority date: 1977-02-15
Filing date: 1978-02-09
Publication date: 1980-05-21
Also published as: FR2380471B1; DE2706295A1; FR2380471A1

Description

(54) HINGE PIN (71) We, W.H. KÜSTER GMBH & BR< C.G, of 6332, Ehringshausen, Federal Republic of Germany, a Kommanditgesellschaft organised under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to a hinge pin member for pivotably connecting adjacent end portions of two conveyor belt portions.

For the manufacture of an endless conveyor belt, it is known to fit each belt end portion with a row of aligned and spaced hook or U-shaped elements which grip the belt between their free ends so that each element of one row of elements is disposable in a respective space between adjacent elements of another row of elements to provide a passageway for receiving a hinge pin member.

It is also known in conveyor belts which have extremely large dimensions for transmitting high loads not only to connect the belt end portions with each other in this manner, but to subdivide the belt into individual sections and to connect each section in such a manner with its two adjacent sections. The pin members are in this case as long as the conveyor belt is wide. Hitherto, stranded braids or ropes of stainless steel material have been used as pin members.

They have the advantage over solid round rods that they are more elastic and are able to adapt themselves better to possible transverse movements of the conveyor belt.

However, they have the disadvantage that the wear, which the elements bring about on them, is relatively high. This is particularly so because the stainless steel material, used to avoid corrosion, is not hardenable. Wear is often so great that individual wires of the braids or ropes are worn through. This results in the wires fanning out, which make easy withdrawal of the pin members from the elements impossible. The pin members must then be laboriously removed piecemeal from the connection.

According to the present invention there is provided a hinge pin member for pivotably connecting adjacent end portions of two conveyor belt portions, comprising a bundle of metallic filamentary members of substantially equal length, the bundle being surrounded by resilient sheathing of abrasion-resistant material.

The filamentary members may be stranded and may each be of stainless steel.

The bundle may comprise stainless steel.

The sheating may comprise a strip member helically disposed around the bundle. Each turn may be at a spacing from an adjacent turn. The sheathing may comprise a plurality of tubular elements. Each tubular element may be at a spacing from an adjacent tubular element. The sheathing may comprise hardened and tempered steel.

The hinge pin member may have at at least one end portion thereof an oval crosssection.

In the case of a pin member having a circular cross-section there is a tendency for the pin member to be displaced out of the connection during use of the belt. This tendency does not exist in the case of, a pin member having an oval cross-section. However, a pin member having an oval crosssection along its entire length tends to break in the trough zone of the connection. These disadvantages are eliminated by a pin having an oval cross-section at at least one end portion thereof and the oval cross-section gradually passing into a circular crosssection which is substantially more resistant to breakage.

The hinge pin member may be used for connecting together belt sections of for example belts of large dimensions.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows an exploded view of two belt end portions with a sheathed hinge pin member, Figure 2 shows one embodiment of a hinge pin member, Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of a hinge pin member, and Figure 4 shows an embodiment of a hinge pin member similar to that shown in Figure 2 but with an oval cross-section at its end portions.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in Figure 1, two end portions of a conveyor belt are designated by 1 and 2. The belt end portion 1 carries four spaced U-shaped elements 5 which grip the opposite faces of the belt end portion. These elements are fastened to the conveyor belt end portion by bent-over hooks which are pressed into the conveyor belt.

The belt end portion carries 2 three spaced U-shaped elements 5 so that the elements of the belt end portion 1 and of the belt end portion 2 interfit when the belt end portions are displaced towards each other in the arrowed direction. A continuous passageway into which a hinge pin member 6 is inserted is provided by the elements after the displacing together of the belt end portions.

The pin members 6 shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprise a bundle of filamentary members 6a of substantially equal length in the form of a rope or stranded braid and which are made of non-rusting material.

(The filamentary members are shown unstranded for the sake of simplicity of illustration). The bundle 6a is surrounded by a sheathing of a flat tape 7, which is wound helically on to the bundle. A spacing is left between the individual turns in order to maintain the elasticity of the pin member 6 transversely to its longitudinal direction.

A disc 8, which is intended to limit the depth of insertion of the pin member 6, is fixed at the one end of the pin member. Means for limiting the depth of insertion of the pin member may take any suitable form or may be omitted entirely.

Wear between the U-shaped elements and the pin member does not occur place at the bundle but between the U-shaped elements 5 and the sheathing. Since the sheathing comprises abrasion resistant material which may be hardened there is no longer a danger that the filamentary members will become chafed through and fan out.

As shown in Figure 3, the sheathing does not necessarily have to have the shape of a wound flat tape, but may comprise short tubular elements 9, which are drawn on to the bundle 6a and disposed at a small spacing from one another. They fulfil the same purpose as the sheathing of flat tape shown in Figures 1 and 2. These tubular elements, too, may comprise steel and be hardened and tempered.

Figure 4 shows a pin member 46 which over the greatest part of its length "a" has a circular cross-section. However, both end portions 46' are of oval cross-section. The oval deformations serve to secure the pin member against being displaced out of its passageway, while the portion having a circular cross-section provides the required breaking strength.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A hinge pin member for pivotably connecting adjacent end portions of two conveyor belt portions, comprising a bundle of metallic filamentary members of substantially equal length, the bundle being surrounded by resilient sheathing of abrasionresistant material.

2. A hinge pin member as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filamentary members are stranded.

3. A hinge pin member as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the bundle comprises stainless steel.

4. A hinge pin member as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of filamentary members is of stainless steel.

5. A hinge pin member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sheathing comprises a strip member helically disposed around the bundle.

6. A hinge pin member as claimed in claim 5, wherein each turn is at a spacing form an adjacent turn.

7. A hinge pin member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sheathing comprises a plurality of tubular elements.

8. A hinge pin member as claimed in claim 7, wherein each tubular element is at a spacing from an adjacent tubular element.

9. A hinge pin member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sheathing comprises hardened and tempered steel.

10. A hinge pin member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and having at at least one end portion thereof an oval cross-section.

11. A hinge pin member for connecting adjacent ends portions of two conveyor belt portions, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A hinge pin member for connecting adjacent ends portions of two conveyor belt portions, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. example belts of large dimensions. Embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows an exploded view of two belt end portions with a sheathed hinge pin member, Figure 2 shows one embodiment of a hinge pin member, Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of a hinge pin member, and Figure 4 shows an embodiment of a hinge pin member similar to that shown in Figure 2 but with an oval cross-section at its end portions. Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in Figure 1, two end portions of a conveyor belt are designated by 1 and 2. The belt end portion 1 carries four spaced U-shaped elements 5 which grip the opposite faces of the belt end portion. These elements are fastened to the conveyor belt end portion by bent-over hooks which are pressed into the conveyor belt. The belt end portion carries 2 three spaced U-shaped elements 5 so that the elements of the belt end portion 1 and of the belt end portion 2 interfit when the belt end portions are displaced towards each other in the arrowed direction. A continuous passageway into which a hinge pin member 6 is inserted is provided by the elements after the displacing together of the belt end portions. The pin members 6 shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprise a bundle of filamentary members 6a of substantially equal length in the form of a rope or stranded braid and which are made of non-rusting material. (The filamentary members are shown unstranded for the sake of simplicity of illustration). The bundle 6a is surrounded by a sheathing of a flat tape 7, which is wound helically on to the bundle. A spacing is left between the individual turns in order to maintain the elasticity of the pin member 6 transversely to its longitudinal direction. A disc 8, which is intended to limit the depth of insertion of the pin member 6, is fixed at the one end of the pin member. Means for limiting the depth of insertion of the pin member may take any suitable form or may be omitted entirely. Wear between the U-shaped elements and the pin member does not occur place at the bundle but between the U-shaped elements 5 and the sheathing. Since the sheathing comprises abrasion resistant material which may be hardened there is no longer a danger that the filamentary members will become chafed through and fan out. As shown in Figure 3, the sheathing does not necessarily have to have the shape of a wound flat tape, but may comprise short tubular elements 9, which are drawn on to the bundle 6a and disposed at a small spacing from one another. They fulfil the same purpose as the sheathing of flat tape shown in Figures 1 and 2. These tubular elements, too, may comprise steel and be hardened and tempered. Figure 4 shows a pin member 46 which over the greatest part of its length "a" has a circular cross-section. However, both end portions 46' are of oval cross-section. The oval deformations serve to secure the pin member against being displaced out of its passageway, while the portion having a circular cross-section provides the required breaking strength. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A hinge pin member for pivotably connecting adjacent end portions of two conveyor belt portions, comprising a bundle of metallic filamentary members of substantially equal length, the bundle being surrounded by resilient sheathing of abrasionresistant material.

13. A hinge pin member for connecting

adjacent ends portions of two conveyor belt portions, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A conveyor belt provided with a hinge pin member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

15. A conveyor belt as claimed in claim 14, wherein adjacent end portions of the conveyor belt each comprise a respective plurality of aligned and spaced generally U-shaped elements which are each so disposable in a respective space between the U-shaped elements of the respective other end portion as to provide a passageway receiving the hinge pin member.

16. A conveyor belt substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.