GB2282116A

GB2282116A - Screw conveyor drive

Info

Publication number: GB2282116A
Application number: GB9319547A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kelvin Taylor Robertson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-09-22
Filing date: 1993-09-22
Publication date: 1995-03-29
Also published as: GB9319547D0

Abstract

A unit 12 in a conveyor drive is able to rotate to cause material to be driven within a tube 30 by a spiral flute 38 forming part of the unit 12. The ball 54 of a hexagonal ball joint member is located in a hexagonal socket 50 of an adjacent unit whereby the adjacent units can pivot relative to each other in a direction transverse to the rotational axis but with the hexagonal portions cooperating with each other to constrain the units to rotate with each other. <IMAGE>

Description

CONVEYOR DRIVE.

The present invention relates to a conveyor drive, a conveyor unit arranged, in use, to be included in a conveyor drive and a method of operating a conveyor drive.

According to one aspect of the present invention a conveyor drive includes a plurality of units extending along the intended direction of conveyance, at least one unit being connected to an adjacent unit such that the units are constrained to rotate with each other, the rotation of those units being arranged to cause material to be conveyed, the units also being arranged to be capable of moving relative to each other such that the direction in which their rotational axes extend relative to each other is altered.

At least one of the units may be connected to an adjacent unit such that the direction in which their rotational axes extend relative to each other may be altered by moving one unit in more than one direction relative to the other, in any relative angular direction, through a curve or about a pivot relative to the other, or any combination thereof. Movement about a pivot may also be arranged to be movement about the rotational axes of the units.

The rotational axes of adjacent units may be arranged to be coincident with each other in the region where the units are adjacent.

At least one of the cooperating surfaces of adjacent units about which relative movement occurs may be curved in at least one direction and may be arcuate in at least one direction or may be flat in a plane transverse to the rotational axes of that unit, or any combination thereof.

Adjacent units may be held in cooperating relationship and may be urged towards each other.

The connection between adjacent units may include a joint associated with one unit extending into a socket associated with the other unit. At least one of the joint or socket may be integral with another part of a unit with which the joint or socket is associated and may be integrally moulded with the associated unit. At least one of the joint or socket may be connected to the unit with which it is associated.

The units may be located in a surrounding hollow member. The hollow member may be flexible. The hollow member may comprise a tube of circular internal crosssection.

The units may include a driving surface projecting outwardly from the rotational axis of the unit. The driving surface may extend at least partially around the rotational axis and along the rotational axis. Driving surfaces of adjacent units may be arranged to cooperate with each other to provide a substantially continuous driving surface along two units.

According to another aspect of the present invention a conveyor unit is arranged, in use, to be included in a conveyor drive, the unit being adapted to cooperate with an adjacent unit such that the units are constrained to rotate together but may have the direction in which their axes of rotation extend relative to each other altered.

The unit may include a socket with which a projection of an adjacent unit is arranged to cooperate.

Alternatively or additionally the unit may include a projection arranged to cooperate with a socket of an adjacent unit. One of the socket or projection at least may include a curved surface whereby the relative direction in which the rotational axes of adjacent units extend may be altered.

The unit may be arranged to cooperate with an adjacent identical unit.

The unit may comprise an integrally moulded unit.

The present invention includes a conveyor unit when incorporated in a conveyor drive as herein referred to.

According to a further aspect of the present invention a method of operating a conveyor drive in which the drive includes a plurality of conveyor units extending along the direction of conveyance with the units being constrained to rotate together comprises altering the path of the conveyor by altering the relative direction in which the rotational axes of adjacent units extend and rotating the units to convey material along the path.

The conveyor units may be located in a flexible hollow member and the method may comprise bending the hollow member to alter the path of the conveyor.

The present invention also includes a method of operating a conveyor drive substantially as herein referred to.

The present invention may be carried into practice in various ways, but one embodiment will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from one end of a first type of unit 10 which can be incorporated into an auger drive; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 from the other end of the unit 10; Figure 3 is a schematic cross-section through a second type of unit 12, and Figure 4 is a schematic view of a flexible auger drive 14 which may incorporate either of the units 10 or 12.

The unit 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a spiral flute 16 which extends through 1800, and projects from a cylindrical body 18. If desired, the flute could extend through less than 1800 or more than 1800, for instance 360". A hexagonal ball joint 20 protrudes from one end of the body 18 and the other end of that body is provided with a socket 22.

In use, the ball joint 20 of one unit is inserted into the socket 22 of an adjacent unit. The ball joint 20 is provided with six generally flat faces 24 which extend around its periphery and which cooperate with six drive surfaces 26 of a socket 22. The end of the spiral flute of one unit is aligned with the end of the flute of adjacent units such that the two flute surfaces are adjacent to each other, and may even touch each other, and present a generally continuous surface in both directions along the units. One or both mating ends of the flute may include a stepped edge 28 with which the adjacent, possibly stepped edge of another flute is arranged to cooperate. If desired, it may be that the step 28 faces the opposite side of the flute from that shown in Figures 1 and 2.

With ball joints and sockets of adjacent modules cooperating with each other, as one unit is rotated an adjacent unit is also caused to rotate as a result of their ball joint and socket cooperation. The unit can be located in a tube 30 (shown in Figure 3) with the outwardly facing wall of the flutes being adjacent to or in sliding contract with the inwardly facing surface of the tube 30. A drive motor 32 (shown in Figure 4) is connected to the socket or ball joint of an end unit to cause the rotation of all of the units. That rotation causes the flutes of the module to drive any material in the tube along the tube in the required direction of travel. That direction of material travel is dependent upon the direction of rotation of the units.

The material which is conveyed may be slurry, powder or semi-fluid, for example and may be a food product such as mashed potato or flour. If desired, the units and therefore the flutes may be caused to spin to increase the rate of conveyance along the tube or to impart sufficient upwards force on the material to ensure satisfactory conveyance.

It can be seen that each of the generally flat faces 24 of the ball joint is curved in the direction along the intended axis of rotation. Each face is curved generally about an arc of a circle of common radius, the radius of each arc coming from a common point on the axis of rotation of the unit. This feature allows adjacent units to pivot relative to each other to permit an auger drive to convey material around a curve, as shown in Figure 4.

If adjacent units are to pivot about the axis 34, shown in Figure 1, then two opposed flat faces 24a will simply rock about the axis 34 relative to the walls of the socket that they contact. However, the flat faces 24b and 24c will slide further into the socket and the opposed flat surfaces 24d and 24e will slide outwardly of the socket. As the portion of the opposed surfaces 24k and 24d which are nearest their associated side wall of the socket are equidistant from each other (with that distance being twice the radius from the pivot point), the connection between the ball joint and socket does not develop any undue rotational slack and rotation is still able to be transmitted between the adjacent units.

It will be appreciated that if the flutes 16 of adjacent units meet vertically below the axis 34 (when viewed in Figure 1) then there will be minimal relative movement between the cooperating portions of the flutes occasioned by the pivoting of the units about the axis 34.

The unit 10 can be comprised by a single integrally formed piece. Alternatively, the unit can be formed at two pieces with the ball joint being attached into a hexagonal socket later. The piece or pieces may be plastics and may be injection moulded.

The piece 12 shown in Figure 3 will now be described.

It will be appreciated that the piece 12 may have any of the features or characteristics of the piece 10 and vice versa.

The piece 12 comprises a cylindrical hollow body 36 having a spiral flute 38 formed integrally around its exterior surface. The interior of the body 36 includes an enlarged hexagonal socket 40 and a reduced hexagonal socket 42.

A ball joint member 44 protrudes from the socket 42 and is retained in that socket by a hexagonal stem 46 extending into the socket. Reverse barbs 48 protruding from the stem 46 permit insertion of the stem into the socket but cooperate with the walls of the socket, or with ribs or channels formed in the socket to prevent or inhibit retraction.

At the opposite end of the unit from the ball joint member, a hexagonal socket 50 is inserted fully home into the hexagonal opening in the body 36. Inwards movement is limited by abutment with the step 52 between the different sized sockets 40 and 42 and retraction is prevented or inhibited by the reverse barbs 52 operating in the same manner as the barbs 48.

In use, the ball 54 of a hexagonal ball joint member of one piece 12 is located in a hexagonal socket 50 of an adjacent unit whereby the adjacent units may pivot relative to each other in a direction transverse to a rotational axis with the units being constrained to rotate with each other. The ball 54 and socket 50 cooperate in the same manner as the corresponding portions shown in Figures 1 and 2. It can be seen that there is, in addition to the relative pivotal movement which can occur between adjacent units, room for relative translational movement of the ball 54 along the socket 50.

The socket 50 includes an inwardly projecting hexagonal lip 56 at its outer end. That lip may serve to reduce the amount of conveyed material tending to enter the socket 50. Alternatively or additionally the lip 56 may act to retain the ball 54 in the socket 50 by means of a snap fit.

The flexible auger shown in Figure 4 can be used to convey material either upwardly or downwardly in dependence upon the direction of rotation. Furthermore, a user of the drive can raise one end of the auger and manoeuvre it by relocation the direction in which that end extends in relation to the other end and, alternatively or additionally, swinging that end relative to the other.

Accordingly, providing the auger is of sufficient length, it can be manipulated to connect any two locations where material may be located. As shown in Figure 4, both ends of the auger are able to extend downwardly into the spaced regions where material is being picked up from or deposited.

In either of the units shown, adjacent units of an auger may be constrained such that they do not move away from each other by passing a common member through the units. That common member may comprise a flexible member which may be placed in tension, for instance by resilient means such as a tension spring being included in a length of wire. The common member may be arranged to pass along the rotational axis of each unit. Alternatively or additionally the ends of the auger may include end abutments which prevent the units from moving apart to any significant extent.

Claims

1. A conveyor drive including a plurality of units extending along the intended direction of conveyance, at least one unit being connected to an adjacent unit such that the units are constrained to rotate with each other, the rotation of those units being arranged to cause material to be conveyed, the units also being arranged to be capable of moving relative to each other such that the direction in which their rotational axes extend relative to each other is altered.

2. A drive as claimed in Claim 1 in which at least one of the units is connected to an adjacent unit such that the direction in which their rotational axes extend relative to each other may be altered by moving one unit in more than one direction relative to the other.

3. A drive as claimed in Claim 2 in which the relative alteration is in any relative angular direction.

4. A drive as claimed in Claim 2 or 3 in which the relative angular alteration is through a curve.

5. A drive as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 4 in which the relative angular alteration is about a pivot.

6. A drive as claimed in Claim 5 in which the movement about a pivot is also arranged to be movement about the rotational axes of the unit.

7. A drive as claimed in any preceding claim in which the rotational axes of adjacent units is arranged to be coincident with each other in the region where the units are adjacent.

8. A drive as claimed in any preceding claim in which at least one of the cooperating surfaces of adjacent units about which relative movement occurs is curved in at least one direction.

9. A drive as claimed in Claim 8 in which the cooperating surfaces of adjacent units about which relative movement occurs is arcuate in at least one direction.

10. A drive as claimed in any preceding claim in which at least one of the cooperating surfaces of adjacent units about which relative movement occurs is flat in a plane transverse to the rotational axes of that unit.

11. A drive as claimed in any preceding claim in which adjacent units are held in cooperating relationship with each other.

12. A drive as claimed in any preceding claim in which adjacent units are urged towards each other.

13. A drive as claimed in any preceding claim in which the connection between adjacent units includes a joint associated with one unit extending into a socket associated with the other unit.

14. A drive as claimed in Claim 13 in which at least one of the joint or socket is integral with another part of a unit with which the joint or socket is associated.

15. A drive as claimed in Claim 14 in which the joint or socket is integrally moulded with another part of a unit with which the joint or socket is associated.

16. A drive as claimed in any of Claims 13 to 15 in which at least one of the joint or socket is connected to the unit with which it is associated.

17. A drive as claimed in any preceding claim in which the units are located in a surrounding hollow member.

18. A drive as claimed in Claim 17 in which the hollow member is flexible.

19. A drive as claimed in Claim 17 or Claim 18 in which the hollow member comprises a tube of circular internal cross-section.

20. A drive as claimed in any preceding claim in which the units include a driving surface projecting outwardly from the rotational axis of the unit.

21. A drive as claimed in any preceding claim in which the driving surface extends at least partially around the rotational axis and along the rotational axis.

22. A drive as claimed in Claim 20 or 21 in which the driving surfaces of adjacent units are arranged to cooperate with each other to provide a substantially continuous driving surface along two units.

23. A conveyor drive substantially as herein referred to with reference to, and as shown in any of the accompanying drawings.

24. A conveyor unit arranged, in use, to be included in the conveyor drive, the unit being adapted to cooperate with an adjacent unit such that the units are constrained to rotate together but may have the direction in which their axes of rotation extend relative to each other altered.

25. A unit as claimed in Claim 24 including a socket with which a projection of an adjacent unit is arranged to cooperate.

26. A unit as claimed in Claim 24 or 25 in which the unit includes a projection arranged to cooperate with a socket of an adjacent unit.

27. A unit as claimed in Claim 26 in which one of the socket or projection at least includes a curved surface whereby the relative direction in which the rotational axes of adjacent units extend may be altered.

28. A unit as claimed in any of Claims 24 to 27 which is arranged to cooperate with an adjacent identical unit.

29. A unit as claimed in any of Claims 24 to 28 comprising an integrally moulded unit.

30. A conveyor unit as claimed in any of Claims 24 to 29 when incorporated into a conveyor drive as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 23.

31. A conveyor unit substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

32. A method of operating a conveyor drive in which the drive includes a plurality of conveyor units extending along the direction of conveyance with the units being constrained to rotate together comprising altering the path of the conveyor by altering the relative direction in which the rotational axes of adjacent units extend and rotating the units to convey material along the path.

33. A method as claimed in Claim 32 in which the conveyor units are located in a flexible hollow member and the method comprises bending the hollow member to alter the path of the conveyor.

34. A method of operating a conveyor drive substantially as herein referred to with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

35. A method of operating a conveyor drive in which the conveyor drive is as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 23.