GB2133367A - Improvements relating to conveyor pans or trays as used in endless chain conveyors - Google Patents

Abstract

In the transport of minerals by means of chain conveyors, a conveyor pan comprises a flat base 1 and vertical sides 2 and 3, these two sides have U channel sections 4 and 5 attached to their inner faces to form races 6 and 7 between their bottom flanges 4A, 5A and the base of the said pan or tray, conveyor chains 8 and 9 are hauled along these races such that interconnected flight bars 10 sweep mineral from the base. After passing around the conveyor drive, the chains are returned along the upper flanges 4B and 5B of the channel sections, thus the width of the said channels determine the clearance between the two conveyor chains. Outer facing flanges 12 at each end of the tray allows several such trays to be connected together longitudinally to form a conveyor of any length. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to conveyor pans or trays as used in endless chain conveyors.

Endless chain conveyors are extensively used in the transportation of materials and minerals, in their basic form they consist of a number of steel pans which are connected together longitudinally and extend for the distance between the chain driving unit and the return unit around which direction of the chain is reversed.Each pan or tray consists of a flat steel plate or receiving surface onto which the items to be transported are placed, on two opposing sides of the tray and projecting above the receiving plate are attached U or L sectional beams which serve as races within which the chains of the conveyor run and are controlled in a vertical plane, the two chains are connected across the width of the conveyor by flight bars which are hauled along the receiving face of the conveyor pan by the moving chains thereby transporting any items placed on the receiving face; on the underside of the receiving plate, similar U or L beams are attached in order to guide the haulage chains as they return to the other end of the conveyor.

In certain circumstances where the conveyor is placed upon the floor and the material that is being transported is of a friable nature and likely to contain moisture, there is often a danger that when the bulk of the material is discharged from the driving unit, the fine particles will be carried by the chain and flight bars into the chain races on the underside of the receiving plate, here they may conglomerate thereby causing the chain driving motor to become overloaded, the chains to snap or the flight bars to become so distorted that they will not pass around either the drive or return units. When such situations do arise, the task of repairing the damaged components is long and arduous, entailing the disconnection of the conveyor drive and return units, uncoupling both chains, removing damaged sections of pans, etc.

and then reassembling the complete conveyor.

The main reason for the lack of preventative measures being carried out before the break-down situation is reached, is due to the fact that the chain return races are out of sight and not open to inspection thus it is not possible to see the build up of the adhering particles and so attempt to disperse them before the point of particle aglomeration is reached.

The present invention refers to pans or trays which are used in conjunction with endless chain conveyors and has for its object an improvement therein such that the mineral or material which is to be transported is carried along on the base of the tray or pan by the bottom chain of the conveyor while the return chain is carried in chain races which are located above the bottom chain thereby allowing all parts of the conveyor to be open to view and inspection and so overcoming the problems as described in the pre-amble; the height between the haulage and return chains can be altered, depending upon the size of the materials to be conveyed.

The object of the invention is to provide an improvement to pans or trays which are to be used in conjunction with endless chain conveyors and will comprise a rectangular sheet of steel, the edges of the two longest parallel sides are bent in the same direction through an angle of 90 degrees to form a generally U shaped cross-section, the base of the U being flat to form a trough, the width of this flat portion being approximately equal to the distance between the two inter-connected chains of the conveyor.Attached to the inner face of both vertical sides of the trough, is a bar of a channel section, this bar extends for the full length of the tray, the height above the base of the trough to the lower flange of the said channel section is determined by the overall width of the chain links, the chain race so formed between the base of the trough and the lower flange of the channel section will be of sufficient dimension to allow the chain to pass freely along it but without allowing too much vertical movement.The actual distance between the lower and upper flanges of the attached channel section In order that the invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings that accompany this specification, in which: FIG. 1 shows a Plan View of the invention complete with haulage chains and interconnecting flight bars.

FIG. 2 shows a Side Elevational View with portions of the side removed to show the chain races and chains.

FIG. 3 shows an End Elevational View of the invention complete with haulage chains and interconnecting flight bars.

FIG. 4 shows a Pictorial View of the invention complete with haulage chains and interconnecting flight bars.

A rectangular sheet of steel plate has its two longest, parallel sides bent through an angle of 90 degrees, in the same direction, to form a generally U shaped section comprising a flat base 1 and the two vertical side portions 2 and 3, to the inner facing sides of these portions are attached U channel sectional beams 4 and 5, the gaps created between the lower flanges 4A and 5A of the said channel section and the base 1 of the pan or tray, form races 6 and 7 within which the haulage chains 8 and 9 are guided as they hauled along by the conveyor drive (not shown). These chains are interconnected by flight bars 10 which sweep the base of the tray clear of any materials or mineral. After passing around the conveyor drive, the chains are returned to the other end of the conveyor by running along the upper flanges 4B and 5B of the channel section beam, the width of the web 11 of the channel section beam, determines the vertical distance between the hauled and returned chains. Each pan or tray is provided with outer facing flanges 12 at each end such that several trays may be joined together by abutting the flanges and securing them in that position by means of bolts passing through holes 13.

Claims (4)

1. A pan or tray to be used in conjunction with endless chain conveyors, comprising a rectangular sheet of steel in which the edges of the two longest parallel sides are bent to form a generally shaped fiat-bottomed trough, attached to each inner facing side of the trough is a beam of a channel section, the flanges of which protrude into the trough, the space so formed between the lower flange of the beam and the base of the trough, acts as a race within which the lower, hauled chains of the conveyor are guided; upon the chains returning from the drive unit, they are carried along the upper face of the channel section flange.

2. A pain or tray to be used in conjunction with endless chain conveyors, as claimed in claim 1, in which the width of the channel section web will determine the vertical displacement between the hauled and returning chains of the conveyor.

3. A pan or tray to be used in conjunction with endless chain conveyors, in which the ends of each pan is provided with outward facing flanges thereby allowing several such pans to be abutted end to end in order to traverse the distance between the conveyor drive and the chain return end, bolt-holes provided in these flanges allow the pans to be secured together.

4. A pan or tray to be used in conjunction with endless chain conveyors, constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.