GB2180035A - Roller construction - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention relates to a roller for a conveyor of the type having an endless belt which is supported by a plurality of rollers, the invention comprising the provision of a bearing cap 11, preferably formed of non-ferrous material, which is fitted over each end of a metal cylinder 10 which forms the roller. Each of said bearing caps 11 is formed with a circular end portion 14 from one side of which may project a pair of co-axial spaced annular walls 12 and 13, the space between said walls forming an annular channel into which the adjacent part of the end of the cylinder fits with frictional engagement. Alternatively, each bearing cap (such as bearing cap 20) may have only one annular wall which fits over the adjacent end of the associated roller and which is provided on its interior surface with a plurality of inwardly projecting ribs. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Feeder roller The present invention relates to rollers, particularly to rollers for use with conveyors.

Conveyors typically comprise a movable endless belt which is supported at various locations along its length by elongate rollers, which, in use, are supported at either end thereof and which have an axis of rotation which extends transverse to the direction of travel of the belt.

Apreviously proposed elongate rollerofthetype described comprises a metal open ended tubular cylinder mounted between two spaced side walls which define the edges of the conveyor. The roller is mounted by means of a forging welded within each open end ofthe cylinder and having a journal provided thereon which is co-axial with the cylinder. The journal sits in a U-shaped bearing cup provided on the adjacent side wall. In orderthatthe conveyor belt can be supported across its whole width by each rol ler,the cylinder is dimensioned sothat it extendsfor substantially the whole distance between the side walls and thejournal and bearing cup are enclosed within the open end portion ofthe roller.However, in orderto be able to replace a roller easily, it is necessaryto provide a slot in the end portion ofthecylinderthrough which the bearing cup can pass. The provision of this slot at each end ofthe roller can cause damage to the belt and furthermore the operation of welding the forging carrying the journal intothe open end of the cylinder is difficult and expensive.

It is an object ofthe present invention to obviate or mitigate these problems.

In one aspect of the present invention there is provided a conveyor belt roller ofthe type described comprising a cylinder having a bearing cap at each end thereof, each bearing cap fitting over one end ofthe cylinder and enclosing the part of the outer surface of the cylinder adjacent said one end to provide a bearing surface thereon.

Preferably,the roller is supported ion a pairofU- shaped bearing cups which are respectively engaged at each end ofthe roller by a bearing cap as abovedefined.

It is preferred that the bearing cap is made from a non-ferrous material.

In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a conveyor comprising an endiess beltsup ported byatleastonerollercomprising acylinder having a bearing cap at each end thereof, each bearing cap fitting over one end ofthe cylinder and en closing the part of the outersurface ofthe cylinder adjacent said one end to provide a bearing surface thereon.

Preferably, the conveyor also comprises two parallel sidewalls, one at either side of the belt, defining the edges ofthe conveyor.

Conveniently, the rollers are mounted in U-shaped bearing cups provided on the mutually opposing faces ofthe side walls.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure lisa sectional side elevation of one end of a rollar according to one embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a view on the line A-A of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation showning an alternative form of bearing cap which can be used with a rolleraccordingtoafurtherembodimentof the invention.

Referring now to the drawing the rollershown therein forms part of the conveyor of the type previously described. The roller comprises a hollow, open ended cylinder 10 made from a steel tube. A bearing cap 11 is fitted over each end of the cylinder 10 (only one is shown in the present case). The bear ing cap 11 is made from polyamide or polyacetal and comprises a circularend portion 14 having a pairof coaxial annularwalls 12, 13 projecting therefrom.

The outerwall 12 has the same outer diameter as the end portion l4and the innerwall 13 ofa lesserdia- meter and is dimensioned so as to provide an an nularchannel 15 between said outer and innerwalls 12, 13. The width of the channel 15 approximately the same as the thickness of the wall ofthe cylinder 10 sothatthe cap 11 may be positioned over the open end ofthe cylinder 10 and held thereon by frictional engagement ofthe walls 12,13 and the wall ofthe cylinder 10.

The outer face 16 of the outerwall 12 is chamfered so that there is no abrupt step formed on the outer surface ofthe roller. Thiswill preventunduewearor damage to the belt (not shown) which can ride over the chamfered wall ofthe cap 11.

The roller is supported at its respective ends in a pair of U-shaped supports (only one shown) 17. The curved section 18 of each support is semi-circular and has a radius which is marginally largerthan that ofthe bearing cap 11. The supports 17 are mounted on opposing faces of a pairofspaced, parallel,walls (only one shown) 19 which define the edges ofthe conveyor.The roller has an overall length which is marginally smallerthan the space between the walls so that a roller can be easily removed or replaced by moving the belt to allow access to the roller and lifting the old roller out of supports and dropping a new roller in place. Becausethe hearing surface is onthe outsideofthe rollerratherthanwithintheroller,itis not necessary to provide slots in the roller to allow engagementofthe bearing with the support and con sequentlythe orientation of the roller has nosignifi- cance when it is being inserted into the supports.

Also, the absence of a slot in each end of the roller reduces wear on the belt passing over the roller.

In the alternative form of bearing cap shown in Figure 3, the cap 20 is moulded from a synthetic resin material and has a circular end portion 21 byonlyone an nular wal 122 (the outer face of which is chamfered as before) which fits over and around the outside of the adjacent end ofthe associated roller. The interior surface of said annular walls 22 is howeverformed in the moulding with a plurality of straight axially directed ribs 23 which may each beofsemi-circularform in cross-section. The exterior surface of the end portion 24 of said cap 20 is formed with a small projecting boss 25 of circular form which reduces the area of frictional contact between the cap and the adjacent side of the conveyor.

Aconveyor using either of the rollers described above can typicallyform part of a feeder wagon or other agricultural spreading device which normally employconveyors.

Claims (10)

1. A roller four a conveyorofthetype specified comprising a cylinder having a bearing cap at each end thereof, each bearing cap fitting over one end of the cylinder and enclosing that part ofthe outersur- face of the cylinder adjacent to said one end to provide a bearing surface thereon.

2. A roller as claimed in Claim 1 wherein each bearing cap hasa circularend portion and a pairof coaxial spaced annular walls which project from one side of said end portion.

3. A roller as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the space between said spaced annularwalls of each bearing cap forms an annular channel having a width which is approximately the same as the thickness of said cylinder so that the two bearing caps may be respectively positioned overthe two ends ofthe cylinderand held in frictional engagementtherewith.

4. A roller as claimed in Claim 1 wherein each bearing cap has a single annularwall which fits over and around the adjacent end ofthe assoicated roller, said wall being provided on its inner surface with a plurality of inwardly extending projections.

5. A roller as claimed in any one ofthe preceding claims wherein each of said bearing caps is formed of a non-ferrous material.

6. A roller conveyor of the type specified and embodying a plurality of rollers each formed as claimed in Claim 1 wherein there are provided two parallel side walls which are disposed on opposite sides of the belt and which define the edges of the conveyor.

7. Arollerconveyoras claimed in Claim 5 wherein each of said sidewalls is provided with at least one U-shaped bearing cup which engages and supports a bearing cap mounted on the adjacent end of a conveyor roller on which the conveyor belt is supported.

8. Arollerconveyorasclaimed in Claim 6 wherein each bearing cap is formed so that the outer face of its outer annularwall is chamfered around the free edge of said wall.

9. A rollerfor a conveyor of the type described, said roller being formed as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 and 2 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawing.

10. A roller conveyor of the type described, said conveyor having rollers which are each formed as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 & 2 or Figure 3 of the accompany- ing drawing.