GB2029354A

GB2029354A - Improvements in or Relating to Conveyor Equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2029354A
Application number: GB7836436A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Atlantic Conveying Equipment Ltd
Current assignee: Atlantic Conveying Equipment Ltd
Priority date: 1978-09-12
Filing date: 1978-09-12
Publication date: 1980-03-19
Also published as: DE2926453A1

Abstract

A roller conveyor including a separate roller support for each roller. Each support is of U-shaped section with bores 16 in the limbs 12 which receive the shaft 20 of a roller. The U- shaped section supports are provided conveyor support structure. This construction prevents rollers being dislodged from their roller supports when a heavy load is placed on the conveyor or when a load is moved across the conveyor at an angle to the direction of transport of the conveyor. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or Relating to Conveyor Equipment This invention relates to a roller conveyor.

As described in our British Patent No.

1129259 roller conveyor equipment is known which comprises a moulded plastics roller journalled in a plastics support member, the support member being adapted for resilient engagement on a support structure. The plastics support member is provided with two apertures which form bearings for the roller, there being lead-in slots extending to the apertures by which a roller is mounted on a support member.

When originally invented the conveyor equipment of Patent No. 1 129259 aforesaid was not intended for very heavy loads. However, the utility of the equipment has made it desirable to adapt it to heavier loads than those for which it was originally designed. To that end it has been proposed to replace the plastics spindle of the moulded roller, that is, the weakest part, by a stainless steel spindle. The consequence of such a change however was excessive wear around the aperture forming the bearing surface of the plastics support member. To counter that problem therefore, it was proposed to alter the material of the support member from a polycarbonate to a polyamide. Whilst that change did in fact reduce the wear aforesaid it unfortunately introduced a much more serious problem.Due to the greater resilience of the polyamide it was found that the rollers could be dislodged from their correct position in the support members. This was found particularly liable to happen if a heavy load was dropped on the conveyor or if a load was pulled across the conveyor at an angle to the general direction of transport offered by the conveyor.

Even one dislodged conveyor can seriously interfere with the proper working of such conveyor equipment.

The present invention has been made from a consideration of this problem.

According to the invention there is provided a support member for a roller, said member being of substantially U-shaped cross-section, oppositely disposed bores being provided in the limbs of the member for receiving the shaft of a roller whereby the roller can be rotatably supported by the member, the outer surface of the limbs being provided with formations adapted to engage complementary formations on a support structure.

A specific embodiment ofthe invention will now be described by way of example with reference of the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of a support member and roller; and Fig. 2 illustrates a conveyor system incorporating the support member and roller.

Referring to Fig. 1 a support member comprises a web 10 and two limbs 12. A trapezoidal projection 14 is provided at the free end of each limb and a bore 1 6 extends through each projection, the axes. of the bores being aligned. A groove 18 extends on the inner face of each trapezoidal projection, from the free edge thereof to the bore. The shaft 20 of a plastic roller 22 can be urged down the grooves 18 and be received for rotation in the bores 1 6 by slight deformation of the limbs. The support member is preferably made of plastics material such as a polyamide which readily provides the appropriate degree of deformation for assembly of the roller aforesaid. Preferably a lubricant additive such as molybdenum disulphide is incorporated in the polyamide plastics material.

A channel 24 is provided along the outer free edge of each limb, the purpose of which is to mount the support member on a support structure, one example of which is shown in Fig.

2. As can be seen the support structure comprises a U-shaped channel 30, the free ends of the limbs of which are inturned to form flanges 32. To construct a conveyor, rollers are first located in supports and the channels 24 on the supports are slidably located on the flanges 32. The channels 30 fitted with the desired number of rollers can then be fixed where required to a framework.

The arrangement just described enabies rollers to be arranged in line and very close to each other. If it is desired to increase the distance between rollers a spacer can be provided between adjacent support members.

Claims

1. A support member for a roller, said member being of substantially U-shaped cross-section, oppositely disposed bores being provided in the limbs of the member for receiving the shaft of a roller whereby the roller can be rotatably supported by the member, the outer surface of the limbs being provided with formations adapted to enage complementary formations on a support structure.

2. A support member as claimed in Claim 1, wherein lead-in grooves extend from the free edge of the limbs on the inner surface thereof to the bores for the roller shaft.

3. A support member as claimed in Claim or Claim 2, wherein the bores for the roller shaft are formed in trapezoidal projections on the limbs.

4. A support member for a roller substantially as described herein with reference to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.

5. A conveyor comprising a support structure, roller support members mounted on the support structure and rollers mounted in the roller support members, the support structure comprising a Usection channel the free edges of which are in

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements in or Relating to Conveyor Equipment This invention relates to a roller conveyor. As described in our British Patent No. 1129259 roller conveyor equipment is known which comprises a moulded plastics roller journalled in a plastics support member, the support member being adapted for resilient engagement on a support structure. The plastics support member is provided with two apertures which form bearings for the roller, there being lead-in slots extending to the apertures by which a roller is mounted on a support member. When originally invented the conveyor equipment of Patent No. 1 129259 aforesaid was not intended for very heavy loads. However, the utility of the equipment has made it desirable to adapt it to heavier loads than those for which it was originally designed. To that end it has been proposed to replace the plastics spindle of the moulded roller, that is, the weakest part, by a stainless steel spindle. The consequence of such a change however was excessive wear around the aperture forming the bearing surface of the plastics support member. To counter that problem therefore, it was proposed to alter the material of the support member from a polycarbonate to a polyamide. Whilst that change did in fact reduce the wear aforesaid it unfortunately introduced a much more serious problem.Due to the greater resilience of the polyamide it was found that the rollers could be dislodged from their correct position in the support members. This was found particularly liable to happen if a heavy load was dropped on the conveyor or if a load was pulled across the conveyor at an angle to the general direction of transport offered by the conveyor. Even one dislodged conveyor can seriously interfere with the proper working of such conveyor equipment. The present invention has been made from a consideration of this problem. According to the invention there is provided a support member for a roller, said member being of substantially U-shaped cross-section, oppositely disposed bores being provided in the limbs of the member for receiving the shaft of a roller whereby the roller can be rotatably supported by the member, the outer surface of the limbs being provided with formations adapted to engage complementary formations on a support structure. A specific embodiment ofthe invention will now be described by way of example with reference of the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of a support member and roller; and Fig. 2 illustrates a conveyor system incorporating the support member and roller. Referring to Fig. 1 a support member comprises a web 10 and two limbs 12. A trapezoidal projection 14 is provided at the free end of each limb and a bore 1 6 extends through each projection, the axes. of the bores being aligned. A groove 18 extends on the inner face of each trapezoidal projection, from the free edge thereof to the bore. The shaft 20 of a plastic roller 22 can be urged down the grooves 18 and be received for rotation in the bores 1 6 by slight deformation of the limbs. The support member is preferably made of plastics material such as a polyamide which readily provides the appropriate degree of deformation for assembly of the roller aforesaid. Preferably a lubricant additive such as molybdenum disulphide is incorporated in the polyamide plastics material. A channel 24 is provided along the outer free edge of each limb, the purpose of which is to mount the support member on a support structure, one example of which is shown in Fig. 2. As can be seen the support structure comprises a U-shaped channel 30, the free ends of the limbs of which are inturned to form flanges 32. To construct a conveyor, rollers are first located in supports and the channels 24 on the supports are slidably located on the flanges 32. The channels 30 fitted with the desired number of rollers can then be fixed where required to a framework. The arrangement just described enabies rollers to be arranged in line and very close to each other. If it is desired to increase the distance between rollers a spacer can be provided between adjacent support members. Claims

5. A conveyor comprising a support structure, roller support members mounted on the support structure and rollers mounted in the roller support members, the support structure comprising a Usection channel the free edges of which are in turned to form flanges, the roller support members being constructed in accordance with any of Claims 1 to 4.

6. A conveyor substantially as described herein with reference to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawing.