GB2053122A

GB2053122A - Belt conveyor

Info

Publication number: GB2053122A
Application number: GB7941978A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Fabreeka Products Co
Current assignee: Fabreeka International Holdings Inc
Priority date: 1979-07-12
Filing date: 1979-12-05
Publication date: 1981-02-04
Also published as: AU531012B2; AU5364579A; CA1133414A; GB2053122B; NL7908983A

Abstract

A belt conveyor comprises a conveyor belt, rollers for supporting the belt, arranged at the undersides of the upper and lower runs 18a, 20a of the conveyor belt and flanges 26 provided on the conveyor belt at its longitudinal edges for material confining or/and guiding purposes. Preferably, the flanges project on the underside of the belt to constitute guides in cooperation with the rollers 22a, 22b, 22c to maintain the belt centered with respect to its path of travel, also project upwardly to provide confining members for increasing the capacity of the conveyor belt when traveling along the upper run, and for guiding the belt on the idler rollers 24a of the lower run. The conveyor belt according to a preferred embodiment is uniformly thick throughout its width except at its edges and the flanges are attached to the edges by suitable fastening means or are moulded thereto. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Belt conveyor system The principal objects of this invention are to provide an improved conveyor belt system wherein the conveyor belt is constrained to travel along a predetermined path without deviating therefrom and a conveyor belt system of improved capacity, the invention residing in combining these two desirable features without requiring any substantial alteration of existing conveyor equipment. A conveyor supported on troughing rolls to increase its capacity for transporting material is shown in Patent 3,679,044 and the conveyor belt as illustrated is provided with thickened edges to reinforce these edges. These thickened edges, however, do not function to prevent lateral deviation of the belt as it travels along its path. Stein 3,424,296 shows a rope driven belt conveyor in which the belt instead of being directly supported on idlers is supported by driven ropes.For this purpose, the belt is provided with grooves for receiving the ropes. The primary purpose of the structure shown therein is to distribute the load when traveling over considerable distances. Design Patent 24,679 shows a conveyor belt with flanges on the supporting side at its opposite longitudinal edges. Patent No.4,051,223 shows a belt conveyor wherein the belt has at its opposite longitudinal edges upwardly extending flanges which cooperate with guide rolls supported at each side of the belt to maintain the belt centered with respect to its path of travel. Except for Patent 4,061,223, the patents referred to do not combine in a conveyor belt both means for guiding the belt and improving its carrying capacity. However, while this latter patent embodies both these advantages, extensive modification of the conventional conveyor system are required.In contrast, the system as herein illustrated can be used with conventional conveyor structure without modification of the latter.

As herein illustrated, the belt conveyor is disposed about a pair of terminal rollers with a plurality of idler rollers disposed below the upper and lower runs thereof and has means at the opposite longitudinal edges comprising on the one hand guides cooperative with the idler rolls to maintain the conveyor belt centered with respect to its path of travel and on the other hand means for confining material being conveyed by the upper run of the conveyor. The guides comprise flanges at the longitudinal edges of the conveyor belt projecting upwardly from the supporting surface thereof for engagement with the opposite ends of the idler rolls which correspond in length to the distance between the flanges. Optionally there are flanges projecting downwardly from the supporting surface of the belt.

The belt is substantially uniformly thick throughout its width and the flanges may be attached to the belt or be formed integral therewith. The ends of the terminal rollers and idler rollers may be notched to receive the flanged edges.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a conveyor assembly showing terminal rollers at the ends and idler rollers intermediate the ends; Figure2 is an elevation as seen from one end of the conveyor belt assembly; Figure 3 is an elevation at one end of a conveyor assembly provided with trough idlers; Figure 4 is a transverse section of a belt with flanges projecting upwardly from the support surface; Figure 5 is a transverse section of a belt with flanges of a different configuration at its opposite longitudinal edges projecting upwardly from the support surface; Figure 6 is a cross-section of a belt with flanges such as shown in Figure 5 upwardly and downwardliy from both surfaces;; Figure 7 is a cross-section of a belt with flanges such as shown in Figure 6 projecting upwardly and downwardly from both surfaces; Figure 8 is a fragmentary portion of a flange strip; Figure 9 is a fragmentary portion of a belt showing attachment of a preformed flange strip to one of its longitudinal edges; Figure 10 is an elevation of a roller notched at its ends to receive a belt provided with flanges such as shown in Figures 4 and 6; and Figure ii is an elevation of a roller notched at its end to receive a belt provided with flanges such as shown in Figures 5,7 and 9.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a conveyor assembly 10 comprising terminal rollers 12 and 14 about which a belt 16 is entrained so that it has an upper run 18 and a lower run 20 and idler rolls 22 at the underside of the upper run 18 supporting the same and idler rolls 24 at the underside of the lower run 20 supporting the same.

The length of the conveyor belt and spacing of the terminal rollers and the number of idler rollers will depend upon the use for which the conveyor assembly is designed.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2,theterminal rollers and idler rollers support the belt in a transversely horizontal position and in accordance with this invention, there are provided at the opposite longitudinal edges of the belt upstanding flanges which function on the one hand to increase the capacity of the belt for holding material being conveyed on the portion of the belt comprising the upper run and on the other hand as means for guiding the portion of the belt comprising the lower run by engagement with the opposite ends of the terminal rollers and the idler rollers. The flanges 26-26 may comprise portions 26a and 26b projecting from the opposite faces of the belt as shown in Figure 2.The flanges 26a when traveling along the upper run constitute means for increasing the capacity of the belt for carrying material and when traveling along the lower run, guide means engaged with the ends of the rolls. The flanges 20b comprise guides when traveling along the upper run and about the terminal rollers.

The flanges 26-26, Figures 1,2 and 6 are shov as being formed integral with the longitudinal f of the belt and extending from both surfaces.

However, the belt may be provided with flanges 26a extending from only one surface as shown in Figure 4, preferably the surface which will provide for increasing the capacity of the belt as a conveyor while traveling along the upper run as well as providing guiding means.

In lieu of integrally formed flanges, strips of welting 26c of substantially truncated cross-section may be fastened to one or both sides of the belt as shown in Figures 5 and 7. Optionally, a channeled welting strip 26d may be formed, for example, as an extrusion with a channel 28 for receiving the edge of the belt and for attachment thereto, for example, by means of adhesive as shown in Figure 9.

While as illustrated above, ther terminal rollers and idler rolls are of uniform cross-section from end to end, it may be desirable to provide notches or recess 30 at the ends of the rollers to receive the flanges as shown, for example, in Figures 10 and 11.

The invention is also applicable to a conveyor system wherein the belt is supported centrally on terminal rolls and idler rolls and at its opposite sides by trough idlers inclined to the horizontal as shown in Figure 3. As illustrated therein, the upper run 18a of the belt rests on horizontally-disposed rollers 22a and the opposite sides of the belt rest on inclined rollers 22b. The lower run 20a rests on I o n g horizontal rollers 24a. As in the previously described structure, the belt is provided with end flanges 26-26 which project from the opposite faces on the carrying side to increase the capacity of the belt and on the return side to provide guidance for the belt.

The belt is comprised of any suitable laminate and the flanges may be affixed to the longitudinal edges by hot or cold cure or by mechanical fasteners.

The flanges such as disclosed in Figures 4 and 5 desirably are 112 inch in thickness and 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches in height. The flanges shown in Figures 5 and 7 are 1 1/2 to 1 1/4 inches wide at the base and 1132 to 3/4 of an inch in height. To be effective, the minimum roller diameter for the terminal rollers for either type must be approximately 8 inches.

The advantage of this construction is that it is suitable for use on existing conveyor systems where a clearance space between the bearings, shafts and frames is available and so without redesign or modification of existing equipment.

Claims

1. A belt conveyor disposed about a pair of terminal rollers, a plurality of idler rollers disposed below the upper and lower runs of the conveyor belt and means at the opposite longitudinal edges of the conveyor belt comprising on the one hand guides adapted to co-operate with the idler rolls to maintain the conveyor belt centered with respect to its path of travel and on the other hand means for confining material being carried by the upper run of the conveyor.

2. A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 1, in which the idler rollers are disposed at longitudinally spaced intervals, flanges being disposed at the longitudinal edges of the conveyor belt which pro ject upwardly from the supporting surface thereof.

3. A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 2, in which the idler rolls correspond in length to the distance between the guides at the longitudinal edges of the conveyor.

4. A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 1, in which guides are arranged at the longitudinal edges of the conveyor belt on both the supporting and nonsupporting sides, the terminal rollers and idler rolls corresponding in length to the distance between the guides such that the guides on the non-supporting side maintain the upper run of the conveyorcen- tered and the guides on the supporting side main tails the lower run of the conveyor centered.

5. A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 4, in which the guides on the supporting side constitute the means for retaining material on the conveyor.

6. A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 4 in which the guides comprise flanges projecting upwardly and downwardly from the supporting and nonsupporting sides of the conveyor belt.

7. A belt conveyor as claimed in any preceding claim, in which inclined rollers are disposed one at each end of the horizontal rollers supporting the upper run of the belt whilst horizontal rollers support the lower run of the conveyor belt, the guides at the longitudinal edges of the conveyor belt on the supporting side being co-operable with the ends of the inclined guide rollers along the upper run and the horizontal guide rollers along the lower run to maintain the conveyor belt centered and to increase the capacity of the upper run to transporting material.

8. A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 7, in which means on the non-supporting side consitute guides for the upper run of the conveyor belt.

9. A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 7, in which the conveyor belt is substantially uniformly thick throughout its width and the flanges are attached to the top and bottom sides of the conveyor belt at the longitudinal edges.

10. A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 9 in which the flanges are attached to the longitudinal edges of the belt by fastening elements.

11. A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 9, in which the flanges are adhesively attached to the longitudinal edges ofthe belt.

12. A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 10, in which the flanges are molded to the longitudinal edges of the belt.

13. A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 10, in which the flanges are channelled strips attached to the longitudinal edges of the belt.

14. A conveyor belt as claimed in claim 1, in which the rollers about which the belt is entrained at the underside of the top and bottom runs thereof comprise a body portion of approximately uniform thinkness except at the longitudinal edges.

15. A conveyor belt as claimed in claim 7, in which the supporting rollers have notches for receiv ing the guides at their opposite ends.

16. A belt conveyor constructed and arranged to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.