GB2452330A

GB2452330A - Belt conveyor with lever-mounted roller

Info

Publication number: GB2452330A
Application number: GB0717038A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Habberley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-09-01
Filing date: 2007-09-01
Publication date: 2009-03-04
Also published as: GB0717038D0

Abstract

A belt conveyor including a belt; a frame; an upper set of rollers mounted to said frame; and, a lower set of rollers or return rollers which are also mounted to the frame. The lower set or return rollers are mounted to the frame by a bracket 1 which includes a body member 2 that is securable to the frame. A handle 3 is pivotally mounted to said body member 2 towards one end of the handle 3 and which handle 3 includes mounting means 14 for said rollers and means 4 to secure the handle 3 in place with respect to the body member 2. The belt conveyor may allow for a mounting in which the changing of a roller set or individual rollers is achievable with reduced manhandling.

Description

1 2452330 Belt Conveyor This invention relates to a belt conveyor and in particular the mounting of the bottomlreturn roller of a belt conveyor.

Conventional belt conveyors comprises a belt: a frame on which spaced apart along the length of the conveyor are usually two types of rollers, normally an plurality of upper sets of rollers and a bottom or return set of rollers with the belt running on the rollers in a continuous loop.

Normally these types of conveyors are used to transport materials, for example, powdered materials or cut coal from a mine face. As will be appreciated this a hard and difficult environment and in use the rollers often seize up, or wear out or be damaged due to the effects of the environment in which they are used. Where the rollers do fail in this way the accepted response is to replace the roll(s) completely.

In my earlier patent application, published as GB 2317375 1 proposed a manner in which the upper roller set could be pivotally mounted so that the rollers could be easily replaced. However this still left the problems associated with the return roller.

set where the belt still has to be lifted mechanically or manhandled to enable the rollers to be lifted out of the mountings and a new roller to be slotted into place. This is a difficult operation when the roller is stationary and not the belt is not under load.

It will be appreciated that where the belt is under load then the operation is all the more difficult and possibly dangerous often requiring the removal of the fixing bolts and the associated brackets in its entirety. In addition the longer that a belt conveyor is down the more costly that down time becomes.

In addition there is a continuous safety drive in the conveyor industry and operators are required to adopt safer working practices which would eliminate the physical manhandling of the conveyor to change the rollers. Consequently there is a need in the industry to provide a design for the mounting of the return roller that would enable the changing of the roller set or individual rollers in a set with a major reduction in the degree manhandling.

The present invention is concerned with providing such a solution.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a belt conveyor including a belt; a frame; an upper set of rollers mounted to said frame and a lower set of rollers or return rollers which are also mounted to the frame wherein the lower set or return rollers ase mounted to the frame by a bracket which includes a body member that is securable to the frame; a handle pivotally mounted to said body member towards one end of the handle and which handle includes mounting means for said rollers; and means to secure the handle in place with respect to the body member.

The purpose behind the invention is to provide a system in which the bottom/return rollers may be easily and safely disengaged from the belt and removed from a loaded position so that they may be easily lifted out and a new roller slotted into place simply and conveniently. Therefore the need to manhandle the belt and the brackets etc, removed making the operation simple and safer to perform.

The handle may also include stop means that limits the movement of the handle about the pivot mounting to the body member. In one arrangement the stop member comprises an outward shaping of the handle so that it engages the sides of the body member.

The actual position of the stop and the angular position/opening of the handle at which the handle is limited, or stopped, depends on the particular working conditions and criteria for operation of the system. With the present invention this position may be varied to suit.

The rollers of the belt conveyor will include an axle, or a pair of stub axles, that protrude from the side of the roller and allow rotational movement of the roller with respect to the body member of the bracket. In one arrangement of the present invention the axle, or stub axles, are located in a slot provided in the body member of the mounting bracket. The slot will normally be provided in the upper surface of the handle so that as the handle is pivoted to allow the roller to be lifted into an operational configuration the upper surface of the handle and the lower surface of the mounting bracket are brought into close proximity to one another. This effectively locks the roller into position, and preferably the slot is sized so as to prevent the axle from jumping Out of or being dislodged from the slot.

In one arrangement of the present invention the means to secure the handle comprises a link member which is pivotally mounted to the body member or the handle and which engages in holding means provided in either the body member or handle. In one configuration of the invention the link comprises a D-link. The D link may be made from any suitable material, for example metal or a plastic material, which may be reinforced, for example reinforced nylon.

In one configuration of the D-link, the D-link comprises a member having two side plates interconnected at one end via a cross bar member and each side plate at the end remote from the cross bar includes means to pivotal mount the D-link. The D-link on at least one of the side plates may also include a thumb key for disengaging the link member from the holding means.

In one configuration of the invention, the link member is pivotally mounted to the body member and the holding means is provided on the handle. The holding means may comprise a slot that is shaped to accept and hold the means to secure, for example, the cross bar member, in position. Where the means to secure comprises a link member the holding means is preferably a slot that is shaped so that the link member has to be positively disengaged from the slot to enable the handle to be pivoted. The holding mechanism is so designed as to lock itself in, and be unlocked from, its position without the need for threaded fasteners or such, to eliminate a time consuming procedure. Furthermore, the means of engaging/disengaging the lock member can be achieved with the same one handed handle operation thus requiring less manpower and tools.

One of the advantages of the present invention is that the position of the fixing slots in the body member sets the position and tracking of the roller so that when the roller is replaced the tracking and position of the roller are maintained. Whereas with the conventional arrangement all the manhandling of the equipment means that the tracking of the roller often has to be reset.

In one configuration of the present invention there may also be provided on the handle means to allow for the mounting of a safety guard, for example a grill that prevents physical access to the "nip point" between the belt and the roller.

The advantage with this configuration of the invention is that access can be allowed to the rollers for maintenance/replacement without the need to separately completely demount the safety guard that may have to be provided.

The present invention may be used for the mounting of individual rollers in a roller set or alternatively for the mounting of a complete roller set.

The invention will now be illustrated by way of description, of an example of the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of a bracket made in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows an end view of the bracket of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a side view of the handle of the bracket of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a plan view of the handle of Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a side view of an alternative D-link suitable for use with the invention; and Figure 6 is an end view of the D-link of Figure 5.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings there is shown a bracket I for mounting to the frame of a belt conveyor made in accordance with the present invention. The belt conveyor comprises a frame having mounted thereon an upper set of rollers and a lower or return set of rollers, and a belt mounted to run around the rollers.

The upper rollers of the conveyor are shaped and configured to form the belt into a trough and may comprise any conventional design of roller set, for example the roller set shown in GB 2317375 the description of which is incorporated herein by way of reference.

The bracket I of the present invention is intended for the mounting of the lower or return set of rollers to the belt conveyor. The bracket comprises a body member 2 having pivotally attached thereto a handle 3 and a securing means 4.

The body member 2 comprises mild steel having a L shaped cross section with a fixing upper section 5 including fixing holes 6 which allow the body member 2 to be securely attached to the frame of the conveyor by bolts, and a main section 7 depending from the upper section including at it's lower edge and towards one end thereof a protrusion including a pivot mounting 8 for the mounting of the handle 3 to the body member 2. At the other end of the lower edge to the pivot mounting 8 is a second pivot mounting 9.

The handle is made from mild steel and is shown in more detail in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings and comprises a main section 10 and a handle section 11 extending from one end thereof in the lower part thereof.

At the end of the handle 3 remote from the handle section 11 there is provided a pivot mounting 12 for pivotal mounting of the handle to the body member 2, and the end section of the main section 10 is bent outwardly to form a stop member 13. The stop member is configured so that during use the stop member 13 engages the edge of the body member 2 limiting the pivotal movement about the pivot mounting 12 of the handle 3.

At a point approximately half way along the upper surface of the main section 10 of the handle 3 there is provided a cutaway 14.

In the preferred arrangement, the pivotal movement of the handle 3 is limited so that the handle 3 separates sufficiently at the cutaway 14 from the body member 2 to allow the roller to lifted clear of the bracket 1. However the handle 3 is stopped at an angle that maintains the cut away 14 at an upward angle so that the roller does not roll out of the cutaway 14.

At the end of the main section from which the handle section 11 extends there is provided a hook 15 formed with the slot 16 for the engagement of a suitable D-link.

In the lower section of the main section 10 of the handle 3 there is provided a couple of mounting holes 17. The mounting holes 17 allow for the simple mounting of a safety guard between the brackets 1 associated with a particular roller or roller set.

The securing means 4 of this particular example comprises a D-link 18 pivotally mounted to the pivot mounting 9 provided on the body member 2. In use the lower section of the D-link engages in the slot 16 of the hook 15 in the handle 3.

In use it is envisaged preferably a pair of brackets are used to either support a roller or a roller set between parts of the frame of the belt conveyor. The handle 3 and the securing means 4 may already be assembled to the body member 2 by means of bolts or pin arrangements. Alternatively the body member 2 may be supplied as a separate component and the securing means 4 and the handle 3 have to be fixed in position once the body member 2 has been fitted in place.

The body member 2 of the bracket is bolted to the frame of the conveyor and if necessary the handle 3 and the securing means 4 are assembled to the body member 2.

When the brackets have been fitted and the position of the arrangement checked the rollers may be located between the brackets I by simply sliding the axles on the roller into the appropriate cutaway 14 in the handle 3. The handle 3 can then be lifted by the handle section 11, so that the upper surface of the handle 3 and the lower surface of the body member 2 are in close proximity to one another and the axle of the roller engages the lower part of the cutaway 14 in the handle 3 and can closely engage the lower surface of the body member 2. In this way the roller is secured into position in the bracket 1.

To secure the handle 3 in position the D-link 18 of the securing means 4 is slotted into the slot 16.

To change a roller or gain access to the roller the D-link is disengaged from the slot 16 and the handle lowered so that the stop 13 bears against the body member 2.

Sufficient access may be gained to a roller by the lowering of one of the handles 3 only that supports the roller. If the fit of the axle in the cutaway 14 is sufficiently loose the axle will be pulled and lowered at one side enabling safe and easy access.

It is envisaged that in one arrangement of the present invention that only one handle 3 of the type described is fitted with the other side of the roller being slotted into a slot provided in a solid fixing bracket provided on the other side of the mounting.

Now referring to Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings there is shown an alternative D-link arrangement suitable for use with the present invention. In the embodiment of the invention shown and described above the securing means 4 is shown with a conventional D-link member 18 normally of the standard type provided from the shelves. There are some inconveniences with using this type of arrangement in certain systems and circumstances and these primarily relate to the movement in the mounting and the space between the sides of the D-link and the body member 2.

The alternative design of the D-link illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 has been designed with the potential areas for problems in mind and therefore seeks to design these potential areas of problem out of the D-link.

The alternative form of D-link 18' is of similar basic design to that described above in that the D-link 18' includes two sidebars 181 interconnected at one end by a cross bar 182 and being provided at the end remote from the cross bar with means for pivotally mounting the D-Iink member 18'.

This D-link member has been designed to meet a particular set o conditions and also With the belt conveyor described above there is a small offset in the vertical planes of the body member 2 and the handle 3 and in order to accommodate this is the design the side bars are made with an offset also. Consequently the sidebars include two distinct sections 181 a & 181 b. The cross bar 182 is circular in cross section.

In addition on one of the sidebars a thumb portion 183 is provided. The thumb portion 183 extends from the centre of the sidebar towards the end of the sidebar to which the cross bar ifs fitted and comprises a generally flat triangular shaped Section which can be easily thumb operated to enable disengagement of the D-link from the handle 3 to allow the handle 3 and roller to pivot so as to allow access to the roller.

The D-link 18' is formed at least in part from reinforced nylon and is a cast product.

Claims

Claims A belt conveyor including a belt; a frame; an upper set of rollers mounted to said frame and a lower set of rollers or return rollers which are also mounted to the frame wherein the lower set or return rollers are mounted to the frame by a bracket which includes a body member that is securable to the frame; a handle pivotally mounted to said body member towards one end of the handle and which handle includes mounting means for said rollers; and means to secure the handle in place with respect to the body member.
2 A belt conveyor as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the handle also includes stop means that limits the movement of the handle about the pivot mounting to the body member.
3 A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 2 wherein the stop member comprises an outward shaping of the handle to engage the sides of the body member.
4 A belt conveyor as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the rollers include an axle, or a pair of stub axles, that protrude from the side of the roller and the axle, or stub axles, are located in a slot provided in the body member of the mounting bracket.
A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 4, wherein the slot is provided in the upper surface of the handle so that as the handle is pivoted into an operational condition the upper surface of the handle and the lower surface of the mounting bracket are brought into close proximity to one another.
6 A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 5, wherein the slot is sized to prevent the axle from jumping out of or being dislodged from the slot.
7 A belt conveyor as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the means to secure the handle comprises a link member which is pivotally mounted to the body member, or the handle, and which engages in holding means provided in either the body member or handle.
8 A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 7, wherein the link comprises a D-link.
9 A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 8, wherein the D link is formed from a metal or a plastic material.
A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 8 wherein the D-link is formed from a reinforced plastic or reinforced nylon.
11 A belt conveyor as claimed in any of claims 8, 9 or 10, wherein the D-link comprises a member having two side plates interconnected at one end via a cross bar member and each side plate at the end remote from the cross bar includes means to pivotal mount the D-link.
12 A belt conveyor as claimed in claim 11, wherein the D-link on at least one of the side plates includes a thumb key for disengaging the link member from the holding means.
13 A belt conveyor as claimed in any of claims 7 to 12, wherein the link member is pivotally mounted to the body member and the holding means is provided on the handle.
14 A belt conveyor as claimed in of claims 7 to 13 wherein the holding means comprises a slot that is shaped to accept and hold the means to secure in position.
15 A belt conveyor as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the handle includes means to allow for the mounting of a safety guard.