GB2490726A

GB2490726A - Diverter arrangement for a roller conveyor

Info

Publication number: GB2490726A
Application number: GB201108011A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Adrian Smart
Original assignee: ASTEC CONVEYORS Ltd
Current assignee: ASTEC CONVEYORS Ltd
Priority date: 2011-05-13
Filing date: 2011-05-13
Publication date: 2012-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 2031-05-13
Also published as: GB201108011D0; GB2490726B

Abstract

A diverter arrangement 10 for a roller conveyor 12 includes plural rows of switch rollers 24. Drive arrangements 36 are provided for the switch rollers 26, and each arrangement 36 comprises a pair of stub shafts 38. At least one spool 46 is provided on each side of each stub shaft 38, and a respective drive belt 34 extends around each spool 46 and a respective switch roller 26. For replacement, the drive belts 34 can be moved off a free end of the respective stub shaft 38.

Description

Diverter Arrangement This invention concerns diverter arrangements for conveyors.

Conveyors may take a number of different forms, and one type is a roller conveyor which has a plurality of relatively closely spaced transverse driven rollers. Such conveyors may be used in a wide range of applications such as, for instance moving parcels or other goods.

In many instances there is a requirement for a junction to be provided to permit items to move onto or from a selective one of two or more interconnecting conveyors. A diverter arrangement is generally required to guide items onto or from a selected conveyor.

One form of diverter arrangement comprises a plurality of discrete rollers across the width of the conveyor, with each roller selectively rotatable about a vertical axis to guide an item straight along the conveyor, or at a required inclination to for instance guide the item to join a branching conveyor.

Such discrete rollers may be driven by belts which extend beneath the conveyor to a drive arrangement.

Such drive belts will require periodic maintenance and inspection and often replacement Conventionally it has been necessary to dismantle a significant part of the diverter arrangement to enable belt replacement. Such an operation is obviously time consuming and hence costly. This means that the conveyor will be out of operation for a significant time, which again can involve significant cost implications and also inconvenience.

According to the present invention there is provided a diverter arrangement for a conveyor, the arrangement including a plurality of rollers arranged in a number of transverse rows of rollers, a drive belt is provided for each roller, and each drive belt is engageable with a respective roller and extends beneath the roller to a drive shaft arrangement to drive the belt, the drive shaft arrangement including for each row of rollers a plurality of stub shafts each engageable with one or more drive belts, such that for replacement, the drive belts can be moved off a free end of the respective stub shaft.

Each stub shaft may extend either side from a mounting, with a respective drive belt engageable on each stub shaft on each side of the mounting.

In one embodiment two drive belts are engageable on each stub shaft on each side of the mounting.

A spool or spools may be mounted on each stub shaft, with the respective drive belts engageable around the spools. The spools may be mounted on the stub shafts in a friction fit to permit slippage therebetween when a significant resistive force is encountered.

A stop member may be selectively mounted on the free end of each stub shaft to retain any spool or spools thereon, and the stop member may be in the form of a retaining washer.

The rollers may include a groove to receive a respective drive belt, such that the drive belt does not extend substantially above an outer surface of the roller.

A pulley may be provided for each stub shaft, with each pulley being driven by a motor. A plurality of line means driven by a motor may engagingly extend between aligned pulleys in adjacent rows of rollers.

A mounting may be provided for each roller, which mounting permits rotation of the roller about a horizontal axis, and also permits the rollers to be lifted off the mounting to facilitate maintenance.

The rollers may be selectively pivotally movable about vertical axes to and from a transverse alignment to guide articles moving over the arrangement in a required direction.

A roller pivot arrangement may be provided for selectively moving the rollers about vertical axes, and the roller pivot arrangement may be in the form of a plurality of longitudinally movable racks engageable with pinions on the roller mountings, and each rack may be engageable with a plurality of roller mounting pinions in adjacent rows of rollers. The racks may be selectively movable by a plurality of piston and cylinder actuators.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a diverter arrangement according to the invention located on a conveyor; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the arrangement of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic end view of the arrangement of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 3, but of a second diverter arrangement according to the invention.

Figs. 1 to 3 show a first diverler arrangement 10 located within a roller conveyor 12. The diverter arrangement 10 comprises a main frame 14 which can be mounted within the length of the roller conveyor 12 by fixings 16 as shown in Fig. 2.

The diverter arrangement 10 includes a plurality of main full width rollers 18 at each end, which rollers 18 correspond to the rollers in the remainder of the roller conveyor 12. The rollers 18 extend transversely across the arrangement 10 and have a pair of grooves 20 towards each outer end of the rollers 18. A one of the grooves 20 on each roller 18 can receive a drive band 22 to drive the rollers 18.

The diverter arrangement 10 includes eight rows of switch rollers 24, with eight switch roller arrangements 24 in each row. Each switch roller arrangement 24 comprise a roller 26 with a central circumferential groove 28.

Each switch roller 26 has axial projections 30 at each end which can rotatingly locate in a respective mounting 32 with appropriate recesses (not shown) to receive the projections 30. A drive belt 34 extends around each switch roller 26 and locates in normal use within the groove 28.

A drive arrangement 36 for the switch rollers 26 is located beneath the roller arrangements 24. Each drive arrangement 36 comprises a pair of stub shafts 38. Each stub shaft 38 rotatingly extends on either side of a substantially central mounting 40. A pulley 42 is located within the mounting and engages with a respective main drive belt 44 to cause rotation of the respective stub shaft 38.

A pair of spools 46 are provided on each side of each stub shaft 38 on either side of the central mounting 40. Each spool 46 is located beneath a respective switch roller 26, and the respective drive belt 34 which extends in the groove 28 also in normal use extends around the respective spool 46. A retaining washer 48 is selectively mounted on each end of each stub shaft 38 to retain the spools 46 thereon. The spools 46 are a friction fit on the stub shafts 38 to permit slippage thereon if a resistive force above a particular level is encountered, for instance if something was caught on the conveyor.

The main drive belt 44 engages on top of the eight pulleys 42, and around two further pulleys 50 towards the left hand end of the main frame 14 as shown in Fig. 2. The further pulleys 50 are mounted on a shaft 52 which mounts two further drive belts 54 engageable with the respective grooves 20 in a main roller 56 located directly thereabove. Drive bands 58 extend from this main roller 56 to adjacent rollers 18 to provide a drive therefore, the bands 58 locating in the respective grooves 20.

A further similar shaft 60 is provided to the right of the right most stub shafts 38 as shown in Fig. 2. This further shaft 60 drives a pair of belts 62 which engage with a main roller 64 thereabove. The further shaft 60 is driven by a belt 64 extending from a motor 68 located therebeneath.

The main drive belt 44 extends in a loop around pulleys 70 around the further shaft 68, across the tops of the pulleys 42 beneath the switch rollers 24, around the pulleys 50 mounted on the shaft 52, extending to the underside of the left most pulley 42 then extending beneath a further freely rotating pulley 72 located a little lower on the frame 14, before returning to the lower side of the pulleys 70.

The diverter arrangement 10 also includes a switch arrangement 74 for moving the switch rollers 26 between a transverse alignment, and an inclined alignment. The switch arrangement includes a plurality of racks 76 engageable with pinions 78 provided on the switch roller mountings 32. Each rack 76 is engageable with pinions 78 on four mountings 32, such that each half of the switch rollers 26 can be moved independently of the other half.

The racks 76 are selectively movable by respective piston and cylinder actuators 80.

In use, the respective switch rollers 26 and main rollers 18 can be driven by the motor 68 via the various belts as described above. If required for instance to divert an item to either side of the conveyor and/or to adjacent branch conveyors, the switch rollers 26 can be moved from a transverse alignment by actuation of the actuators 80 to cause movement of the racks 76 engaging with the pinions 78, to rotate the respective switch roller arrangements 24 and hence rollers 26.

When it is required to carry out maintenance, or for instance to replace a damaged or broken drive band 22 on a one of the switch roller arrangements 24, this can be achieved as follows. The drive band 22 if still in place can be removed from the respective switch roller 24, which roller 24 can then be lifted off the mounting 32. The drive band 22 can then be moved outwardly off the free end of the respective stub shaft 38. If the drive band 22 is an inner one of a pair of drive bands on a stub shaft 38, it will also be necessary to remove the outer one of the pair. This described procedure can readily be carried out without the requirement of any tools within a very short space of time, thereby meaning that a conveyor will not be out of action for any significant length of time, and skilled maintenance staff would not be required to carry out such a procedure.

Fig. 4 shows a second diverter arrangement 90 which is similar to the arrangement 10 except that in this instance four stub shafts 92 are provided, with each stub shaft 92 only mounting a single spool 94 on each end thereof.

The arrangement 90 operates in a similar way to the arrangement 10, and will have a corresponding required configuration of drive belts and the like.

Similar reference numerals have been used for corresponding components in this arrangement.

There are thus described diverter arrangements which have a straightforward configuration yet readily provide for replacement of switch roller drive bands without the requirement of any tools, or any significant dismantling of the arrangement. Therefore much lower maintenance times and hence costs will be required.

Various other modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance a different arrangement of drive belts could be used. A different number and/or configuration of switch rollers could be provided.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

BCLAIMS1. A diverter arrangement for a conveyor, the arrangement including a plurality of rollers arranged in a number of transverse rows of railers, a drive belt is provided for each railer, and each drive belt is engageable with a respective roller and extends beneath the roller tO a drive shaft arrangement to drive the belt, the drive shaft arrangement including for each raw of rollers a plurality of stub shafts each engageable with one or more drive belts, such that for replacements the drive belts can be moved off a free end of the io respective stub shaft.
2. A diverter arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each stub shaft extends either side from a mounting, with a respective drive belt engageable on each stub shaft on each side of the mounting.
3. A diverter arrangement according to claim 2, wherein two drive belts are engageable on each stub shaft on each side of the mounting.
4. A diverter arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, in which a spool or spools is mounted on each stub shaft, with the respective drive belts engageable around the spools
5. A diverter arrangement according to claim 4, in which the spools are mounted on the stub shafts in a friction fit to permit slippage therebetWeen when a significant resistive force is encountered.
6. A diverter arrangement according to claims 4 or 5, in which a stop member is selectively mounted on the free end of each stub shaft to retain any spool or spools thereon.
7. A diverter arrangement according to claim 6, in which the stop member is in the form of a retaining washer.
8. A diverter arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, in which the rollers include a groove to receive a respective drive belt, such that the drive belt does not extend substantially above an outer surface of the roller.
9. A diverter arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, in which a pulley is provided for each stub shaft, with each pulley being driven by a motor.
10. A diverter arrangement according to claim 9, in which a plurality of line means driven by a motor engagingly extend between aligned pulleys in adjacent rows of rollers.
11. A diverter arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, in which a mounting is provided for each roller, which mounting permits rotation of the roller about a horizontal axis, and also permits the rollers to be lifted off the mounting to facilitate maintenance.
12. A diverter arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, in which the rollers are selectively pivotally movable about vertical axes to and from a transverse alignment to guide articles moving over the arrangement in a required direction.
13. A diverter arrangement according to claim 12, in which a roller pivot arrangement is provided for selectively moving the rollers about verUcal axes.
14. A diverter arrangement according to claim 13, in which the roller pivot arrangement is in the form of a plurality of longitudinally movable racks engageable with pinions on the roller mountings
15. A diverter arrangement according to claim 14, in which each rack is engageable with a plurality of roller mounting pinions in adjacent rows of rollers.
16. A diverter arrangement according to claims 14 or 15, in which the racks are selectively movable by a plurality of piston and cylinder actuators.
17. A diverter arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.
18. A diverter arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.
19. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.