GB2196936A - Winding core for use in a belt reeler - Google Patents

Abstract

A central winding core (21, Fig. 1) for use in a belt reeler comprises at least two core members (25,26, Fig. 3) which together define an elongate spindle on which a belt section may be wound, and which are kept spaced apart by end caps (23). Removable clamping means (27) serves to clamp the belt against a core member (Fig. 3). The core members are removably mounted on mounting shaft (6,7) which are connected to the drive arrangement (8,9,10) of the belt reeler by means of which the winding core is rotated about its central axis. Upon removal of an end cap (23) the said at last two core members (25,26) are released so that they can collapse together and with the clamping means (27) be removed from the centre of a belt section wound thereon. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A belt reeler The present invention relates to a bent reeler and more particularly, to a central winding core for use therewith. The belt reeler is especially, although not exclusively, suited for use in winding up sections of a continuous belt conveyor.

Continuous belt conveyors are used extensively in the mining industry to carry material.

When it is required to remove the conveyor or shorten the overall length of the continuous belt, as in retreat mining, sections of the belt are wound up into compact rolls for ease of handling and storage. Usually, a belt reeler comprising a rotatably driven central winding core is provided for this purpose. A free end of the belt section is secured to the winding core which is then rotated to reel the belt section on to it. Once the belt section is wound up the winding core is detached from the belt reeler so that it may be used again.

Unfortuately though, with conventional winding core it is not a simple matter to remove one from the centre of a wound up belt section.

Brute force may be used to puil the winding core out, but as the innermost end of the belt section is usually secured to the belt core itself to facilitate winding, this is liable to pull out the innermost end and result in the wound up belt section unravelling.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a central winding core for a belt reeler which facilitates securing of the free end of a belt section thereto and which can easily be removed from the centre of a wound up belt section According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a central winding core for use in a belt reeler comprising mounting means whereby, in use, the winding core may be releasably connected to a drive arrangement of the belt reeler which serves to rotate the winding core about its central axis, at least two core members which together define an elongate spindle on which a belt section may be wound, and removable spacing means which, in use, serve to maintain the said at least two core members in fixed spaced positions with respect to each other, but which upon removal release the said at least two core members so that they can collapse together and be removed from the centre of a belt section wound thereon.

Preferably, said spacing means comprises a pair of end caps in which the ends of the said at least two core members are received, which end caps comprise key-ways therein to separate the adjacent edges of the core members from each other.

Preferably, a removable clamping member is provided between the said at least two cone members. Conveniently, the clamping member is located in position between the said at least two cone members by a pair of end plugs, each of which forms an inwardly extending extension of an end cap and is releasably engaged with a respective end of the clamping member.

Preferably, the mounting means, whereby the winding core is mounted in a belt reeler comprises an outwardly extending extension of each end cap, each of which is adapted in use to be releasably secured to a respective one of a pair of axially aligned support shafts.

The support shafts are each rotatably mounted in bearing mounts, and conveniently, one is driven, whilst the other is freely rotatable.

In use, the central winding core is made up by securing the said at least two core members and the clamping member between the two end caps. Each of the said at least two core members is spaced from its neighbour by the keyways on the inside of the two end caps, and the clamping member is secured in position between the core members by the end plugs which extend inwardly from the end caps. The winding core is then secured to the rotatable support shafts of the belt reeler, and the free end of a belt section to be wound up is passed through the gap between an adjacent pair of said at least two core members and wedged between the clamping member and the inner surface of one of the core members. This arrangement ensures that there is little likelihood of the end of a belt section pulling out from the winding core as it is rotated to wind the belt section onto it.When the belt section is fully wound onto the winding core it is released from the support shafts and removed from the belt reeler, and the end caps are then removed to release the core members and the clamping member. Being unsecured these are now free to be withdrawn from the centre of the wound up belt section.

Conveniently, a belt guide wheel is releasably secured to each end cap to prevent the belt section from slipping to one side or the other of the winding core as it is wound thereon.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a belt reeler comprising drive means, a pair of spaced but axially aligned support shafts, one of which is rotatably driven by said drive means, and re leasable securing means for releasably securing a central winding core according to the first aspect of the present invention between the said pair of support shafts.

Preferably, the free end of each support shaft has an open topped cut-out in its end in which the said outwardly extending projection of a respective one of the two end caps is received. Conveniently, a retaining collar is slidably mounted on each supportshaft which can be slid over the outwardly extending projection of the end cap in its open topped cut out to secure it therein. Preferably, the retaining collar is releasably locked in position on the support axle by means of a spring loaded locating peg which engages in a hole in the surface of the supporting axle.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a front view of a belt reeler according to the present invention with the left-hand side of the central winding core shown in section; Fig. 2 shows a side view of the belt reeler of Fig. 1 to a slightly larger scale; and Fig. 3 shows a cross-section through the spindle assembly of the central winding core of the belt reeler of Fig. 1 along lines l-l, with the free end of a section of belt secured thereto.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings there is shown a base plate 1 upon which are mounted two spaced bearing support pillars 2,3. Secured to the top of each bearing support pillar 2,3 are a pair of pillow block bearings 4,5 in which is rotatably mounted a support shaft 6,7. The righthand support shaft 6 is free running in its bearings 4,5, but the lefthand support shaft 7 is rotatably driven in its bearings 4,5 by means of an electric motor 8 which is connected to the support shaft 7 through a gear box 9 and a sprocket and chain arrangement 10. The gearbox 9 is mounted on an adjustable support frame 11 so that the position of the gearbox output shaft 12 can be varied to increase or decrease the tension in the chain 13 connecting the sprocket wheel 14 on the gearbox output shaft 12 to the sprocket wheel 15 on the driven support shaft 7.

Located over the free end of each support shaft 6,7 is a retaining collar 16 which comprises a spring loaded locating peg 18 to its rear. In the end of each support shaft 6,7 is an open topped box-shaped cut-out and the retaining collar 16 is free to slide on the support shaft 6,7 back and forth over this cutout. Each box-shaped cut-out is intended in use to receive a corresponding box-shaped projection or peg 19 extending outwardly from the side of a central winding core 21. Each retaining collar 16 can be slid forward over the box-shaped projection 19 received in the box-shaped cut-out to retain it therein and secure the central winding core 21 to the support shafts 6,7.Once the retaining collar 16 is slid fully forward on its support shaft 6,7 the spring loaded locating peg 18 drops into a hole in the surface of the support shaft 6,7 to fix the retaining collar 16 in position over the cut out.

The central winding core 21 comprises a spindle assembly 22 which is held together between a pair of end caps 23. Referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the spindle assembly 22 comprises two arcuate core members 25,26, between which is positioned a square section, tubular clamping member 27.

The arcuate core members 25,26 are secured at each end in one of the end caps 23 and are maintained in fixed, spaced positions with respect to each other by means of keyways 28 inside the end caps. The clamping member 27 is secured in position between the core members 25,26 by means of a box-shaped plug member 29 which extends inwardly from each end cap 23 and is received in the hollow end of the clamping member 27. In actual fact, each plug member 29 forms an extension of one of the box-shaped projections 19 which secure the winding core to the support shafts 6,7 and is itself plugged into an aperture in the end cap 23. In order to prevent a belt section from sliding to one side of the spindle as it is wound on a belt guide 30 which is secured to each end cap 23 by bolts 31.

In use, the belt reeler, and especially the central winding core 21, is assembled as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 A free end of a section of belt to be wound up is inserted into one of the gaps between the two spaced arcuate core members 25,26 and onward into the gap between the inner surface of one of the arcuate core members 25, 26 and the clamping member 27 (see Fig. 3). The electric motor 8 is then switched on and the driven support shaft 7 rotates in its bearings 4,5 rotating the winding core 21 with it. As the winding core 21 rotates it winds up the belt section. Once the belt section is fully wound onto the winding core 21 the motor is stopped and the winding core 21 is released from the belt reeler by disengaging the locating pegs 18 and sliding back the retaining collars 16,17. The box-shaped projections 19 are now free to be disengaged from the corresponding open topped box-shaped cut-outs in the support shafts 6,7. Once the winding core 21 is released from the support shafts 6,7 the end cap 23 can be pulled off to release the core members 25,26 and the clamping member 27. These are now free to move within the aperture at the centre of the wound up belt section and can easily be pulled out.

Once free, the winding core 21 can be reassembled and put back in the belt reeler, ready for the next belt section to be wound up.

Claims (13)

1. A central winding core for use in a belt reeler comprising mounting means whereby, in use, the winding core may be releasably connected to a drive arrangement of the belt reeler which serves to rotate the winding core about its central axis, at least two core members which together define an elongate spindle on which a belt section may be wound, and removable spacing means which, in use, serve to maintain the said at least two core members in fixed spaced positions with respect to each other, but which upon removal release the said at least two core members so that they can collapse together and be removed from the centre of a belt section wound thereon.

2. A central winding core according to claim 1, wherein said spacing means comprises a pair of end caps in which the ends of the said at least two core members are received, which end caps comprise keyways therein to separate the adjacent edges of the core members from each other.

3. A central winding core according to claims 1 or 2, wherein a removable clamping member is provided between the said at least two core members.

4. A central winding core according to claim 3, wherein the clamping member is located in position between the said at least two core members by a pair of end plugs, each of which forms an inwardly extending extension of an end cap and is releasably engaged with a respective end of the clamping member.

5. A central winding core according to claims 2, 3 or 4, wherein the mounting means, whereby the winding core is mounted in a belt reeler, comprises an outwardly extending extension of each end cap, each of which is adapted in use to be releasably secured to a respective one of a pair of axially aligned support shafts.

6. A central winding core according to claim 5, wherein the support shafts are each rotatably mounted in bearing mounts, and one is driven, whilst the other is freely rotatable.

7. A central winding core according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein a belt guide wheel is releasably secured to each end cap to prevent the belt section from slipping to one side or the other of the winding core as it is wound thereon.

8. A belt reeler comprising drive means, a pair of spaced but axially aligned support shafts, one of which is rotatably driven by said drive means, and releasable securing means for releasably securing a central winding core in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 7 between the said pair of support shafts.

9. A belt reeler according to claim 8, wherein the free end of each support shaft has an open topped cut-out in its end in which the said outwardly extending projection of a respective one of the two end caps is received.

10. A belt reeler according to claim 9, wherein a-retaining collar is slidably mounted on each support shaft which can be slid over the outwardly extending. projection of the end cap in its open topped cut-out to secure it therein.

11. A belt reeler according to claim 10, wherein the retaining collar is reieasably locked in position on the support axle by means of a spring loaded locating peg which engages in a hole in the surface of the supporting axle.

12. A central winding core substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A belt reeler substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.