GB1601707A

GB1601707A - Belt conveyors

Info

Publication number: GB1601707A
Application number: GB5294277A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: GEC Mechanical Handling Ltd; GEC Elliott Mechanical Handling Ltd
Current assignee: Alstom Automation International Ltd
Priority date: 1978-05-18
Filing date: 1978-05-18
Publication date: 1981-11-04

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO BELT CONVEYORS (71) We, GEC MECHANICAL HANDLING LIMITED, of Beanacre Road, Melksham, Wiltshire SN12 8AX, a British Company, 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: This invention relates to belt conveyors.

For some applications a belt conveyor is required to carry its load around a curved path, and an object of the invention is to provide a form of belt conveyor which is suitable for this purpose.

According to the invention a belt conveyor has a conveyor belt constrained to follow a curved path, the conveyor belt carrying on one of its surfaces a continuous ridge formed of standard-section V-belt disposed at or adjacent the outermost edge, and the conveyor incorporating a plurality of constraint means at spaced positions between the ends of the conveyor belt path, each of which comprises a first wheel disposed so that its circumference bears against the inwardly facing surface of the ridge so as to provide a restraining force on the conveyor belt in an outward direction, and a second wheel disposed so as to bear against the opposite surface of the conveyor belt to maintain contact between the ridge and the first wheel.

The wheels may be of any convenient form, the surfaces which make contact with the ridge or belt, as the case may be, preferably being of substantially cylindrical shape.

In general it will be more convenient for the ridge to be carried by the non-operative surface of the belt, that is to say the surface which is lowermost on the upper run of the belt, the second wheel then bearing against the other, or operative, surface.

The ridge is conveniently formed of a standard section V-belt having its wider surface, that is to say the surface opposite the apex of the V, bonded to the respective surface of the conveyor belt, for example by means of an adhesive or hot vulcanising, which may be supplemented by mechanical fastenings, for example eyelets, spaced around the belts.

Preferably in such a case the first wheel of each constraint means is rotatable about an axis lying parallel to the said inwardly facing surface in a plane at right angles to the direction of movement of the belt. The second wheel of each constraint means is preferably rotatable about an axis lying in or near the same plane as the axis of the first wheel and parallel to the belt surface.

Both the upper and lower runs of the belt are preferably constrained by a plurality of substantially identical constraint means.

Preferably the first wheel of each constraint means is carried by a movable mounting which is biassed outwards to cause the wheel to bear resiliently against the inwardly facing surface of the ridge.

The biassing ma be achieved by at least one spring member, for example in the form of a compression spring, or by one or more blocks of resilient material, such as rubber, arranged to'be deformed due to the pressure of the said ridge on the first wheel, the elastic reaction of the block or blocks producing the outward biassing of the mounting. Preferably the or each said block of resilient material is supported so as to be stressed in shear.

The conveyor belt is conveniently of conical form supported at its end by tapered rollers disposed at an appropriate angle to each other. The upper run, i.e. the load supporting part, of the belt may be supported by a suitably curved slider bed, or by a series of spaced rollers.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a plan view of a belt conveyor in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 represents a view of one end of the conveyor, Figure 3, illustrates in more detail the form of belt constraining arrangements employed in the conveyor shown in Figures 1 and 2, Figure 4 shows part of a belt constraining unit illustrated in Figure 3 viewed in the direction of the arrow A, and Figure 5 represents a plan view of the unit.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the conveyor comprises a cone shaped belt 1 supported at each end by a tapered roller 2, one of which is driven in use of the conveyor, the axes of the rollers being set at an angle to each other so that the belt follows a curved path through a 90 arc, and such that the upper run of the belt is substantially horizontal. The belt is supported between the rollers 2 by an appropriately curved slider bed 3. The belt carries on its non-operative surface, near to its outer edge, a continuous ridge 4. This com- prises a standard-section V-belt, bonded to the main belt 1 by an adhesive or by hot vulcanising supplemented by eyelets or other suitable mechanical fastening devices, as at 5.Two curved rails 6 and 7, of square cross section, extend around the outside of the conveyor belt 1 just above and just below the upper and lower run of the conveyor belt respectively, the rails being carried by the main frame F of the conveyor.

The rails carry pairs of clamping plates 9 disposed at a plurality of spaced positions along the rails between the rollers 2, each pair of plates supporting a restraining unit 10 as shown more clearly in Figures 3 to 5. Only one constraining unit 10 is shown in Figure 1, and the units have been omitted from Figure 2 for the sake of simplicity.

Thus referring to Figures 3 to 5 each restraining unit 10 comprises a substantially L-shaped mounting 11, and each of the units associated with the upper run of the conveyor belt 1 is fixed to the rear one of the respective pair of plates 9 so that one arm 12 of the mounting is substantially normal to the conveyor belt and the other arm 13 lies beneath the belt and projects beyond the ridge 4.

The arm 13 carries a wheel 14 which is free to rotate about an axis lying in a vertical plane transverse to the conveyor belt, and also lying parallel to the inwardly facing surface of the ridge 4, the periphery of the wheel engaging said surface and providing a radial force reaction which restrains the belt against inward movement.

The other arm 12 also carries a wheel 15 which is rotatable about a radially extending horizontal axis lying in the same plane as the axis of the first wheel 14, and the periphery of the second wheel 15 bearing on the operative surface of the conveyor belt 1 so as to maintain the ridge in contact with the first wheel.

The units 10 associated with the lower run of the belt 1 are similar to those associated with the upper run, although they are inverted and set at an angle to correspond with the inclination of the lower run of the belt as shown in Figure 3.

The clamping plates 9 are conveniently mounted on the rails 6, 7 in a manner which permits the height of the respective units 10 to be adjusted, the units also being a;djustable laterally relative to the clamping plates.

Thus, as shown, more clearly in Figure 3 the clamping plates 9 are secured to the rails by four bolts 16.

Studs 31 screwed into flanges 32 projecting horizontally inwards from the outer clamp plate 9.1 'bear on the upper and lower surface respectively of the rail 6 or 7 to provide a degree of vertical adjustment.

The outer clamp plate 9.1 extends beyond the inner clamp plate 9.2, downwardly in the case of the units carried by the upper rail 6, and upwardly in the case of the units carried by the lower rail 7. A pair of studs 17 are secured to the extending part of the plate 9.1 by nuts 18 and project inwards from the plate 9.1 towards the conveyor belt 1 as shown in Figure 3, the inner ends of the studs 17 being screwed into tapped holes in a vertical support plate 19, forming part of the restraining unit 10, and thus support the unit from the clamp plates.

The extending part of each of the clamp plates 9.1 which supports a lower restraining unit 10 is bent through a small angle out of the plane of the remainder of the plate so as to support the restraining unit at the appropriate angle.

The L-shaped mounting 11 is secured to the support plate 19 by a pair of reinforced rubber blocks 20 (see Figure 5), which permit slight lateral movement of the mounting to take place.

Thus the inwardly facing surface of the support plate 19 has attached to it bv means of studs 21 a U-shaped bracket 22 having its two arms 23 projecting inwards therefrom as shown in Figure 5. A further U-shaped bracket 24, having its two arms 25 spaced closer together than those of the bracket 22, is similarly secured to the rear face of the verticallv extending arm 12 of the L-shaDed mounting 11, with the arms 25 of the bracket 24 between the arms 23 of the bracket 22. The rubber blocks 20 are fitted between respective arms 23, 25 of the two U-shaped brackets 22, 24 as shown, and are bonded to them in any convenient manner. The rubber blocks 20 are in shear and provide an outwardly acting restraint on the mounting 11, causing the wheel 14 to press against the ridge 4, thereby urging the conveyor belt 1 outwards.

The rubber blocks 20 thus provide a flexible support for the mounting 10, and compensate for small errors in the positioning of the ridge 4 on the belt, as well as reducing noise transmission to the main frame of the conveyor.

Two shoulder screws 26 are screwed into the outer surface of the vertical arm 12 of the mounting 11 through holes 27 in the support plate 19, the holes 27 being of sufficient diameter to permit the screws to move to a limited extent relative to plate 19. The heads 28 on the screws provide stops which limit the degree of inward movement of the mounting 11 relative to the support.

Each unit 10 can be moved laterally, i.e.

towards or away from the conveyor to vary the force of the wheel 14 against the ridge of the conveyor belt 1 by adjustment of the nuts 18 on the studs 17.

Instead of rubber blocks other forms of flexible supports for the mounting 11 can alternatively be employed. Thus the mounting may be supported by guides or pivots which permit a degree of lateral movement, and the mounting urged outwards by one or more springs, for example compression springs.

It will also be appreciated that the ends of the belt need not necessarily be at right angles as in the example shown: thus the bend may be designed to accommodate any angle provided sufficient drive can be applied to the belt.

The ridge need not, however, be attached directly to the main part of the conveyor belt. For example, it may be attached to a separate and relatively thinner web, and the web secured to the belt proper by bonding with an adhesive, stitching or in any other convenient manner.

Moreover, although it will, in general, be preferable to keep the operative surface of a conveyor belt clear, the ridge can in some instances be carried by the operative surface, instead of the non-operative surface.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A belt conveyor having a conveyor belt constrained to follow a curved path, the conveyor belt carrying on one of its surfaces a continuous ridge formed of standard-section V-belt disposed at or adjacent the outermost edge, and the conveyor incorporating a plurality of constraint means at spaced positions'between the ends of the belt path, each of which comprises a first wheel disposed so that its circumference bears against the inwardly facing surface of the ridge so as to provide a restraining force on the conveyor belt in an outward direction, and a second wheel disposed so as to bear against the opposite surface of the conveyor belt to maintain contact between the ridge and the first wheel.

2. A belt conveyor according to Claim 1 wherein the surfaces of the wheels which make contact with the ridge and/or belt are of substantially cylindrical shape.

3. A belt conveyor according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the said ridge is carried by the non-operative surface of the conveyor belt.

4. A belt conveyor according to any preceding claim wherein the ridge is formed of standard-section V-belt having its wider surface bonded to the respective surface of the conveyor belt.

5. A belt conveyor according to Claim 4 wherein the V-belt is bonded to the conveyor belt by means of an adhesive or hot vulcanising.

6. A belt conveyor according to Claim 5 wherein the V-belt is also secured to the conveyor belt by a plurality of mechanical fastenings spaced around the belts.

7. A belt conveyor according to any preceding claim wherein the first wheel of each constraint means is rotatable about an axis lying parallel to the said inwardly facing surface in a plane at right angles to the direction of movement of the conveyor belt.

8. A belt conveyor according to any preceding claim wherein the upper and lower runs of the conveyor belt are constrained by a plurality of substantially identical constraint means.

9. A belt conveyor according to any preceding claim wherein the upper and lower runs of the conveyor belt are con strained by a plurality of substantially identical constraint means.

10. A belt conveyor according to any preceding claim wherein the first wheel of each constraint means is carried by a movable mounting which is biassed outwards to cause the wheel to bear resiliently against the inwardly facing surface of the ridge.

11. A belt conveyor according to Claim 10 wherein the mounting is biassed outwards by at least one compression spring.

12. A belt conveyor according to Claim 10 wherein the mounting is supported by one or more blocks of resilient material which are deformed due to the inward pressure of the said ridge on the first wheel, the elastic reaction of the block or blocks producing the outward biassing of the mounting.

13. A belt conveyor according to Claim 12 wherein the or each said block of resili

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. compensate for small errors in the positioning of the ridge 4 on the belt, as well as reducing noise transmission to the main frame of the conveyor. Two shoulder screws 26 are screwed into the outer surface of the vertical arm 12 of the mounting 11 through holes 27 in the support plate 19, the holes 27 being of sufficient diameter to permit the screws to move to a limited extent relative to plate 19. The heads 28 on the screws provide stops which limit the degree of inward movement of the mounting 11 relative to the support. Each unit 10 can be moved laterally, i.e. towards or away from the conveyor to vary the force of the wheel 14 against the ridge of the conveyor belt 1 by adjustment of the nuts 18 on the studs 17. Instead of rubber blocks other forms of flexible supports for the mounting 11 can alternatively be employed. Thus the mounting may be supported by guides or pivots which permit a degree of lateral movement, and the mounting urged outwards by one or more springs, for example compression springs. It will also be appreciated that the ends of the belt need not necessarily be at right angles as in the example shown: thus the bend may be designed to accommodate any angle provided sufficient drive can be applied to the belt. The ridge need not, however, be attached directly to the main part of the conveyor belt. For example, it may be attached to a separate and relatively thinner web, and the web secured to the belt proper by bonding with an adhesive, stitching or in any other convenient manner. Moreover, although it will, in general, be preferable to keep the operative surface of a conveyor belt clear, the ridge can in some instances be carried by the operative surface, instead of the non-operative surface. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A belt conveyor having a conveyor belt constrained to follow a curved path, the conveyor belt carrying on one of its surfaces a continuous ridge formed of standard-section V-belt disposed at or adjacent the outermost edge, and the conveyor incorporating a plurality of constraint means at spaced positions'between the ends of the belt path, each of which comprises a first wheel disposed so that its circumference bears against the inwardly facing surface of the ridge so as to provide a restraining force on the conveyor belt in an outward direction, and a second wheel disposed so as to bear against the opposite surface of the conveyor belt to maintain contact between the ridge and the first wheel.

ent material is supported so as to be stressed in shear.

14. A belt conveyor substantially as shown in and as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.