GB2155884A - Checkout unit conveyor belt - Google Patents

Abstract

A conveyor belt for use with a checkout unit comprises a continuous belt 33 mounted for travel around a pair of spaced-apart rollers 25, 26, the rollers being mounted on a rigid timber support board 10, by means of aluminium extrusions, the support board lying between the upper and lower runs of the belt and being arranged to maintain the rollers in alignment. The use of a timber support board not only supports the upper run of the belt against the weight of the articles of merchandise but also serves to maintain the structure rigid and free from twist, thus maintaining the preset alignment of the rollers. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Conveyor belts The invention relates to conveyor belts and particularly to conveyor belts for use in conveying articles of merchandise past a checkout point, for example in a supermarket.

A number of types of conveyor belt are already in use as parts of checkout units for use in supermarkets. The known types comprise a pair of rollers mounted at opposite ends of a rectangular metal frame, a continuous rubber belt extending around the rollers, and a motor arranged to drive at least one of the rollers. A metal plate is mounted under the upper run of the belt to support the belt against the weight of the articles of merchandise.

It is desirable for conveyor belts for use with checkout units to be capable of running for long periods with a minimum of maintenance. However the belts are prone to get slightly out of alignment and subsequently jam unless the position of the rollers and belt is initially set up extremely accurately. Consequently, up to now, the conveyor belts have been factory fitted to the checkout units as an integral part of the units. Even so, it has been found that the rectangular frames are prone to twisting and can be knocked out of alignment with consequent jamming of the belts.

We have now developed a conveyor belt for use with a checkout unit which is a very rigid self-contained structure which can be subsequently fitted to any desired checkout unit or moved therefrom, and which is not prone to produce subsequent misalignment of the belt.

Accordingly the invention provides a conveyor belt for use with a checkout unit, comprising a continuous belt mounted for travel around a pair of spaced-apart rollers, the rollers being mounted on a rigid timber support board lying between the upper and lower runs of the belt and arranged to maintain the rollers in alignment.

The term 'timber' as used herein is intended to include not only solid wood but also wood substitute such as chipboard, plywood and the like.

The timber support board not only supports the upper run of the belt against the weight of the articles of merchandise but also serves to maintain the structure rigid and free from twist, thus maintaining the preset alignment of the rollers.

Preferably the timber support board has a thickness which is greater than 20 mm and a thickness of at least 25 mm is preferred.

Preferably the rollers are mounted on the support board by means of metal (e.g. aluminium) extrusions secured to the board.

Preferably the aluminium extrusions have channels extending therealong, the channels having a generally C-shaped cross-section.

Preferably the channels have holes drilled in their bases so that bolts may be passed through the extrusions and into the timber.

The bolts may be engaged with barrel nuts fitted into holes drilled in the timber at right angles to the bolt holes.

Preferably the channels have at least one slot formed in their base to receive an axle of one of the rollers, the axle being located in the slot by adjustment means located in the channels.

The adjustment means may comprise screwthreaded adjustment members extending along the channels.

The upper face of the timber support board may be provided with a groove adjacent to each edge of the belt, the conveyor belt being assembled by fitting the belt so that its edges initially cover the grooves, aligning the rollers and running the belt for a test period, trimming the edges of the belt so that they are in register with the inner edges of the associated grooves, once the belt is running truly, and fitting into the grooves guides for the belt edges.

Preferably the guides comprise strips of plastics material.

A lower support board may also be provided.

By way of example, a specific embodiment of conveyor belt according to the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional fragmentary side view of an embodiment of conveyor belt according to the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional end view, the lefthand portion of Figure 2 being a section through the driving roller of the belt and the righthand portion of Figure 2 being a section through the idler roller of the belt; Figure 3 is a sketch showing how each end of each axle of each roller is located; and Figure 4 is an end view partly in section of a side portion of the support board.

The conveyor belt shown in the Figures is mounted on an assembly the principal part of which is a rectangular piece of 25 mm thick chipboard 10. To each longitudinal side edge of the chipboard there is bolted an aluminium extrusion, the two extrusions being shown at 11 and 12 in Figure 2. Each extrusion is formed with two generally C-shaped channels 13, 14, an upper horizontal lip 15, and a lower horizontal lip 16, each lip 16 having a vertical flange 17.

Each extrusion is bolted to the chipboard 10 by drilling a hole 18 horizontally through the base of the upper channel 13 and into the chipboard, drilling another hole (not visible in the drawings) vertically down through the chipboard to meet the horizontal hole, inserting a barrel nut into the vertical hole, and screwing a bolt 19 into the barrel nut.

End extrusions 20 and 21 are also provided. Each end extrusion also has C-shaped channels 22 and 23 and an upper horizontal lip 24. The end extrusions are bolted in position by drilling holes similar to holes 18 in the side extrusions, in register with the channels 22, cutting a slot in each of the channels 22 to receive a nut, and passing a bolt through each hole drilling in the side extrusion, to extend along the channel 22 and into the nut.

The conveyor belt has a large drive roller 25 and a smaller diameer idler roller 26. A guide roller 27 supports the underside of the belt.

The rollers 25, 26 and 27 are all supported between the side extrusions 11 and 12 in a similar manner. Therefore only the support of one end of the roller 25 will be described in detail, with refer- ence to Figure 3, by way of example. A slot 28 is machined into the channel 23 and the axle 29 of the roller 25 protrudes into this slot. A bolt 30 is passed along the channel 23 and is screwed into a threaded hole in the axle 29. By tightening or slackening the bolt 30 the longitudinal position of the axle 29 with respect to the slot can be adjusted. Since each end of each axle of each roller can be independently adjusted, the alignment of the rollers can be adjusted appropriately.

The driving roller 25 is driven by an electric motor housed within the roller. Conduit is provided where appropriate, for example at 31 in Figure 1, to carry and protect cabling for the motor.

A further sheet of chipboard 32 is located between the side extrusions.

It will be seen that the upper run 33 of the belt extends horizontally over the chipboard 10.

Once the conveyor belt has been assembled end covers 34 and side covers 35 are fitted. The covers 35 have flanges 36 which are a press-fit over the flanges 17.

It will be seen that the conveyor belt according to this embodiment comprises a neat, generally rectangular, self-contained structure which can readily be bolted onto the upper surface of any desired checkout unit, for example by passing bolts through the lower lips 16 of the side extrusions.

The central substantial piece of chipboard 10 maintains all the extrusions in alignment with one another and prevents the structure from twisting. The roller axis mountings as shown in Figure 3 enable all the rollers to be independently adjusted to obtain the best possible preset alignment.

It is preferred that the chipboard 10 is provided with two parallel grooves in its upper face, one of these being shown at 37 in Figure 4. Initially the upper run 33 of the belt is wide enough to cover these grooves. The alignment of the rollers is adjusted and the belt is then continuously run for a substantial period of time for test purposes. Once the belt is running steadily and freely without the need for adjustment, the sides of the belt are trimmed so that they are in register with the inner edge of each groove 37. Finally side guides in the form of plastics strips 38 are tapped into the grooves 27 to provide a permanent guide for the sides of the belt.

The belt can be provided with any desired length or width to suit any given checkout unit.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment. For example, the side covers 35 may be provided with side grooves into which decorative laminates may be slid.

Claims (13)

1. A conveyor belt for use with a checkout unit, comprising a continuous belt mounted for travel around a pair of spaced-apart rollers, the rollers being mounted on a rigid timber support board lying between the upper and lower runs of the belt and arranged to maintain the rollers in alignment.

2. A conveyor belt as claimed in claim 1, in which the timber support board has a thickness which is greater than 20 mm.

3. A conveyor belt as claimed in claim 1, in which the timber support board has a thickness of at least 25 mm.

4. A conveyor belt as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the rollers are mounted on the support boards by means of metal extrusions secured to the board.

5. A conveyor belt as claimed in claim 4, in which the extrusions have channels extending therealong, the channels having a generally Cshaped cross-section.

6. A conveyor belt as claimed in claim 5, in which the channels have holes drilled in their bases so that bolts may be passed through the extrusions and into the timber.

7. A conveyor belt as claimed in claim 6, in which the bolts are engaged with barrel nuts fitted into holes drilled in the timber at right angles to the bolt holes.

8. A conveyor belt as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, in which the channels have at least one slot formed in their base to receive an axle of one of the rollers, the axle being located in the slot by adjustment means located in the channels.

9. A conveyor belt as claimed in claim 8, in which the adjustment means comprise screwthreaded adjustment members extending along the channels.

10. A conveyor belt as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the upper face of the timber support board is provided with a groove adjacent to each edge of the belt, the conveyor belt being assembled by fitting the belt so that its edges initially cover the grooves, aligning the rollers and running the belt for a test period, trimming the edges of the belt so that they are in register with the inner edges of the associated grooves, once the belt is running truly, and fitting into the grooves guides for the belt edges.

11. A conveyor belt as claimed in claim 10, in which the guides comprise strips of plastics material.

12. A conveyor belt as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which a lower support board is also provided.

13. A conveyor belt constructed and arranged substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.