GB1571981A

GB1571981A - Conveyor belt flights

Info

Publication number: GB1571981A
Application number: GB4663875A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: GANDY BELTING Ltd
Current assignee: GANDY BELTING Ltd
Priority date: 1977-02-08
Filing date: 1977-02-08
Publication date: 1980-07-23

Description

(54) CONVEYOR BELT FLIGHTS (71) We GANDY BELTING LI MITED. a British Company of Wheatland Works. Wallasey. Merseyside LAX 7EL, do herebv declare the invention. for which we prav that a patent may be granted to us, and the method bv which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and bv the followine statenoent:- The invention relates to belt-tvpe conveyors and to flights therefor.

Inclined endless belt convevors are often provided with flights to hold goods against the incline. These flights are usuallv bladelike members extending from the loadcarrying surface. often at about right angles thereto, and are secured firmlv to the belt via their bases either directlv or bv wav of suitable mounting means. Such structures, however. are of limited application in that clearance needs to he allowed for the flights on the return. i.e. non-load-carrying. part of the belt run and accommodation made for them in guide or snuh rollers where the belt return path is tortuous.

It is an object of the invention to at least reduce the disadvantages regarding clearance for belt flights.

Accordingly the present invention provides a conveyor belt having holes or slots therein through which are fitted flights. each said flight comprising an angled member pivotable relative to the belt at or adjacent to its angle and configured to present a load-engaging part to one side of the belt.

and at least one angled extension to the other side of the belt. Preferably the flights have two such extensions each at or near a different end of the load-engaging surface.

When mounted in a conveyor belt with the or each extension trailing and riding over a closelv spaced and extension engag ing surface for the load-carrving part of the belt run. such a flight will toe held with its load-engiging part angled to the belt surface as desired. bv the interaction of the or each extension and its engaging surface under the belt.On the return run of the belt however, if the load-engaging part of the flight meets any obstruction, for example a guide roller or an adjacent surface, it can tip about its angle to move towards the load-carrying or outer surface of the belt and to move the or each extension away from the other or inner side of the belt, so long as that movement is permitted. Then. as soon as the or each extension meets the feed and/or drive roller at the start of the load-carrying run. the flight will tip back to move the loadengaging part away from the outer, loadcarrying surface of the belt ready to engage the load.

Preferably the flight is notched or cut away at the angle where the or each extension meets the load-engaging part, and the or each extension may taper towards its free end so as to be readily engaged with a hole in the belt by its free end but then to require being forced fully through to the point where the notching accommodates the belt thickness and allows pivoting in relation to the belt.

Preferred materials for the flight have sufficient flexibilitv and resilience for the or each extension to conform to and then recover from curvatures of rollers or other surfaces about which it has to pass for drive and/or guidance purposes. Where such surfaces, e.g. rollers, are associated with the return belt run and the outer belt surface, the load-engaging flight part is advantageously also similarly flexible and resilient. Suitable materials include high density plastics materials for example appropriate grades of polyethylene. polypropylene, nvlon or the like.

The load engaging flight part may have any desired profile. Ribbing. particularly transverse to the belt. will allow slide-fitting and retention of flight extending or interconnecting members having a complemen tary internal shape. Such members are paflicularly well suited to formation by extrusion and allow small articles, even finelv particulate or powdered materials, to be carried without requiring long and cumbersome flights unsuited to fitment using onlv two end situated extensions.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now he described. by way of example.

with reference to the accompanying drawing. in which: Figure I shows one basic flight of the invention.

Fii,ire 2 shows how the flight of Figure 1 fits onto a conveyor belt. and hi$1lre 3 shows sections through the loadengaging part of a transversely ribbed flight and a cover therefor.

The flight of Figure 1 is a designated at 10 and comprises an angled member having a load-engaging part 12 of which only the back or non-load-bearing surface 14 is clearly visible. The angling at 16 of the member is relative to cranked extensions 18 at the ends of the load-engaging part 12. These extensions 18 are shown to be tapered towards their free ends 70 and to be cut away together with the load-engaging part to provide edge notches 22 at the angle 16. The cutting away of the load-engaging part 12 is shown to involve both a corner chamfer near each notch 22 and a relatively recessed portion between the extensions. In practice.

of course. the flight will be moulded to the desired overall shape in a single operation.

The notches 22 are at least adequate both to accommodate the thickness of a convevor belt indicated at 24 in Figures 2 and 3. and to allow the angle 16 to "pivot" in the belt thickness. In the course of this pivoting the angle 16 does. of course, pass to and fro through the belt thickness the actual movement also involving sliding and the term pivoting is intended herein to cover such combined rotating and sliding movement.

Figure 1 also shows load-carrvine surface '6. preferably of a laminated resilient convevor belt and holes 28 therein that are dimensioned to fit the narrowed notch defined portions 3() of the extensions, and vet can be distended bv pulling the tapered tree ends '() through the holes 28.

Once mounted in holes 28 of a convevor belt 24. a flight 1(1 can be tipped about the position of its angle 16. The mounting in a belt is done with the extensions 18 trailing in relation to movement of the load-carrying surface 36 when the flight is angled away from that surface. This load-feed part of the belt run is uppermost in Figure 7 which also shows an underlying surface 32. commonly referred to as a flat bed. which effectively traps the extensions 18 between it and the conveyor belt inner. non-loading bearing surface 34. and maintains the load-engaging parts 12 in the desired position.

Figure 2 also shows part of a guide or drive roller or pulley 38 and the wav in which the extensions 18 are flexible enough to conform thereto and yet resilient enough to recover their original position as indicated at the lowermost part of the same Figure for the return belt run which does not specifically show the other drive or feed pulley or roller that returns the belt, though its presence is implied as the belt is endless.

That lowermost part does, however, show conforming of a load-engaging part 12 with a guide roller or other curved surface 40 and its accommodation to a closely spaced surface 42. The surface 40 may be part of a snub roller for returning the belt back from the end drive pulley closer to the forward belt run than the diameter of a drive roller or pulley.

With the degree of flight flexibilitv and resilience implicit in the illustration of Figure 2, the flight will in fact negotiate gaps.

say between guide roller surfaces that are considerably less than the straight line distance from the free ends of the loadengaging part 12 and the extensions 18. It may even be that the flight will be designed to actually, or nearlv. double-over to contact both sides of the belt at the same time.

The flight is shown plain in Figures I and 2 and with a right angle. In practice other angles may be used, perhaps particularly one where the load-engaging part leans forwardly into the load. Also that surface may be curved or ribbed or both. Ribbing might extend along the surface awav from the belt and/or transverselv of the belt as shown at 48 in the section of Figure 3. In the latter case an extruded complementary covering 44 may be slid over one or more flights to make a longer load-engaging surface 46, though it should not obstruct pivoting of the flight about its angle 16 and so is shown with relatively rounded lower edges. Such a covering may be of any desired length and mav extend over substantially the entire width of a belt and/or over and between more than one flight.

Preference has been expressed for flights having two substantially edge disposed extensions. but this is not essential. One extension may be sufficient in some applications perhaps particularly where a cover such as 44 in Figure 3 is to be used. Three or more extensions may be used if care is taken to align the corresponding holes in the belt and/or the flight is sufficientlv flexible and/ or resilient to tolerate misalignment.

Covers such as 44 may be of similar or greater flexibility and/or resilience to the flights themselves. Also. the flights may have strengthening webs across the angle and/or along its rear face or extensions. and these may be particularly designed to give a desired load resistance before bending or flexing of the flight parts can take place.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: I. A convevor belt having holes or slots therein through which are fitted flights, each said flight comprising an angled member pivotable relative to the belt at or adjacent to its angle and configured to present a load-engaging part to one side of the belt, and at least one angled extension to the other side of the belt.

2. A belt according to claim 1, wherein the flights have two spaced such said extensions.

3. A belt according to claim 2, wherein each said extension is at or near a different end of the load-engaging part.

4. A belt according to any preceding claim. wherein the flight is notched or cut away at the angle where the or each extension meets the load bearing part, thereby to be retained in suitablv sized holes or slots. in the belt.

5. A belt according to claim 4. wherein the or each extension is tapered towards its free end. therebv to aid its insertion through the convevor belt hole.

6. A toelt according to any preceding claim. wherein the or each extension is of a material of sufficient flexibility and resilience for the or each extension to bend about a roller and then substantially recover from such bending.

7. A belt according to any preceding claim. wherein the flight load-engaging part is of a material of sufficient flexibilitv and resilience to bend about a roller and then substantiallv recover from such bending.

S. A belt according to any preceding claim. wherein the flight is of a single material.

9. A belt according to any preceding claim, wherein the load-engaging part is shaped to slidinglq accept and locate a flight extensing member.

1(). A belt according to claim 9. further comprising such a flight extending member fitted to its load-engaging part.

I I. A belt according to any preceding claim. wherein the holes or slots are in aligned groups extending transversely of the belt with aligned flights fitted therein.

1'. A belt according to claim 11 with claim 9, further comprising a flight interconnection member slidingly fitted to two or more aligned flights.

13. A convevor belt flight substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 3 of the drawings.

14. A flighted convevor belt substantial ly as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 and 2. or Figure 3 of the drawings.

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Claims

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desired load resistance before bending or flexing of the flight parts can take place.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: I. A convevor belt having holes or slots therein through which are fitted flights, each said flight comprising an angled member pivotable relative to the belt at or adjacent to its angle and configured to present a load-engaging part to one side of the belt, and at least one angled extension to the other side of the belt.

2. A belt according to claim 1, wherein the flights have two spaced such said extensions.

3. A belt according to claim 2, wherein each said extension is at or near a different end of the load-engaging part.

4. A belt according to any preceding claim. wherein the flight is notched or cut away at the angle where the or each extension meets the load bearing part, thereby to be retained in suitablv sized holes or slots. in the belt.

5. A belt according to claim 4. wherein the or each extension is tapered towards its free end. therebv to aid its insertion through the convevor belt hole.

6. A toelt according to any preceding claim. wherein the or each extension is of a material of sufficient flexibility and resilience for the or each extension to bend about a roller and then substantially recover from such bending.

7. A belt according to any preceding claim. wherein the flight load-engaging part is of a material of sufficient flexibilitv and resilience to bend about a roller and then substantiallv recover from such bending.

S. A belt according to any preceding claim. wherein the flight is of a single material.

9. A belt according to any preceding claim, wherein the load-engaging part is shaped to slidinglq accept and locate a flight extensing member.

1(). A belt according to claim 9. further comprising such a flight extending member fitted to its load-engaging part.

I I. A belt according to any preceding claim. wherein the holes or slots are in aligned groups extending transversely of the belt with aligned flights fitted therein.

1'. A belt according to claim 11 with claim 9, further comprising a flight interconnection member slidingly fitted to two or more aligned flights.

13. A convevor belt flight substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 3 of the drawings.

14. A flighted convevor belt substantial ly as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 and 2. or Figure 3 of the drawings.