JPS6271631A - Reinforced conveyor belt made of polyurethane and manufacture and device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a conveyor belt product reinforced with longitudinally stretched cords that impart a predetermined amount of elongation to the belt, and The present invention relates to a manufacturing method and apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Polyurethane conveyor belts are used in the food industry because they allow food products to be handled without contamination. Such belts can be easily cleaned and sanitized and are therefore approved for use in food handling; however, the belt is highly stretchable and therefore not suitable for such use. There were practical limitations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a means for limiting such elongation and thereby broadening their practical use in handling food products. A plurality of horizontally spaced cords are arranged in this manner in a wavy or serpentine manner such that as the belt stretches lengthwise, the cords are arranged in a parallel, linear arrangement, limiting their elongation. The cords are arranged and embedded into the body of the polyurethane belt itself. The degree of elongation can be initially adjusted by the degree of non-linear placement of the cord. Elongation can be increased by increasing the corrugation or serpentine shape of the cord.

As the belt stretches, the cord gradually changes position from a non-linear position to a straight position, which is the limit of belt stretch. Since there are no exposed plies of fabric in the present invention, the belt will not wear out even when hung over edge guides. Due to the fact that polyurethane is transparent, it is possible to visually inspect through the belt for foreign objects that may fall under the belt of conveyor equipment and become lodged there, thus making it very suitable for use in handling food products. Become desirable. The conveyor belt of the present invention is homogeneous throughout and does not have ply separation or top cover delamination as occurs with belts of conventional construction. The belt of the present invention has a good belt advancing force Z because the tension in the cords is uniform compared to the uneven tension that can occur in ply-finished conveyor rubber belts having multiple plies. Another important advantage of the present invention is the ease, i.e.
The belt strength can be easily adjusted or changed by changing the type of yarn (rn), the strength of the yarn, or the texture of the fabric.

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for manufacturing a new conveyor belt made of polyurethane in which the strand material is arranged within the belt body itself to provide limited elongation to the belt. The strands are given a wavy or tortuous pre-shape that allows for the desired elongation of the conveyor belt. One option is to place a single woven ply with sufficient wavy resiliency in its structure within the body of the polyurethane belt to provide limited elongation to the conveyor belt. By adjusting the degree or amount of corrugation of the parallel strands, the extent of longitudinal elongation can be limited. Maintaining the strands in a perfectly parallel alignment will not cause elongation, whereas by placing the strands in a wavy arrangement in the belt, elongation can occur until the wavy strands are in a straight alignment. A variation of the wavy strands is to provide strands of fibers that are linearly arranged but have limited elongation in the machine direction and are embedded in polyurethane to control the elongation. Preferably, the elongation of the polyurethane belt is limited to 10 percent of its initial length.

〔Example〕

When referring to the drawings in which the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts throughout different drawings, FIG. 1 and FIG.
A cord unwinding means 10 is shown having support means 11 for supporting a plurality of bobbins 12 supplying a strand of cord 13 to a tension adjustment means 15 . The tension adjustment means 15 includes:
A plurality of rollers 16, 17, 18 are included which are arranged on suitable support members not shown in the figures. One such roller 17 may be a dancer roll to facilitate tension adjustment. Such dancer rolls are traditional and well known in the art.

Guide rod 2 with multiple apertures lined up horizontally
0 serves to guide the cord 13 from the tension adjustment means 15 to the cord alignment device 22. The code alignment device 22 includes
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a movable member or rod 2
A fixed or stationary guide rod 23 having a T-shaped groove for receiving the guide rod 5 is included. Bar 25 has a plurality of laterally spaced apertures through which the laterally spaced cords 13 pass. The movable member 25 is a crank or a cam 2
7 and connected by an axial pin. The cam 27 is suitably keyed to a shaft 28 connected to the output side of a gearbox 30, which is driven by a motor 31.

In front of the cord alignment device 22, a box-type belt forming device, ie, a conveyor belt forming device 35 is mounted on sight rails 37 at regular intervals on a table 36 spread out in the vertical direction. Such conveyor belt forming apparatus 35 is adjustably mounted in a manner well known in the art.

A guide roll 38 and a supply roll 39 are attached to the receiving end, ie, one end, of the table 36. Supply roll 39 has a flexible film or support 40 wound thereon, which supports roll 3 for movement over table 36.
8.

The width of the film or support 40 is greater than the width of the table 36 so that each side edge of the support 40 curls upwardly along a respective sight rail 37. The support 40 moves over the table 36 and from there along guide rolls 42 , 43 at the take-off or other end of the table 36 for winding onto a take-up roll 45 .

The support body 40 is placed on the table 36 toward the belt forming device 35.
A pair of laterally spaced guide means 50 are associated with the belt forming device 35, which fold the side edges of the support 40 upwardly as it is fed onto the belt. The support 40 is adapted to move longitudinally on the table between the table 36 and the belt forming device 35. Belt forming device 35 (third to
6) has a forwardly located plate or side plate 51 spaced upwardly from the table 36 through which the laterally aligned cords 13 pass. The forming device 35 is open at its rear side over the entire width of the table 36, and the forming device 35 has a forming amount of Beltra support or film 40.
Let them pass together. A pair of laterally spaced, vertically extending places 52 are suitably secured to opposite sides of the belt forming apparatus 35 and are connected to guide rails 53 at their upper ends.
(Figure 6). As seen in FIGS. 2 and 6, the top of such a guide rail 53 slidingly receives a recess in a movable support member 56 that supports the lad 60 into the mixing pour.

A pair of conduits 61 for directing the formulation to the mix head 60
, 62 are connected to the mixing rod 60. This mixed herad 60
then drains liquid polyurethane 65 from its lower end (FIG. 6), which forms a conveyor belt 66 shown downstream from mixing head 60 (FIG. 2). As the liquid polyurethane leaves the belt forming device 35, it is shaped into a rectangular shape, the width of which is determined by the laterally spaced, upwardly curved sides of the film or support 40. The liquid polyurethane rapidly solidifies in the belt forming device 35 and embeds the tortuously shaped cord 13. The table 36 is heated, for example by a plurality of steam pipes applied through the table, to facilitate the regulation of the heating of the table which serves to promote the solidification of the belt during forming, which solidification is caused by the belt being exposed to the support 40. The row is completed as it moves on the table 36.

As the newly formed reinforced conveyor belt 66 emerges from the table 36, the film or support 40 is separated from the conveyor belt 66 and the roll 42
, 43 to a take-up roll 45, while a conveyor belt 66 is guided along rolls 68, 69 for winding onto a roll 70.

The polyurethane used to make conveyor belts is
It can be any conventional or conventional urethane known in the art having a basic intermediate of a low molecular weight polymer with hydroxyl end groups. This may be a polyester, polyether or mixed polyester-polyamide and polycaprolactone. The basic intermediate is reacted with a diisocyanate, preferably an aromatic diisocyanate, to form a prepolymer. 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate, 4,4-diphenylmethane diisocyanate,
A large number of diisocyanates are available, such as those of the trusted variety. Urethane or polyurethane is code 13
is embedded in a ready-made case and cured by chain extension resulting from reaction of the isocyanate end groups with a curing agent such as a gelcol, diamine, diacid, or amino alcohol.

The cords used include steel or Kevlar™ or polyester and/or blends of polyester and cotton blends with very low elongation but high strength.

When forming the conveyor belt 66, a plurality of cords 13 spaced laterally are attached to the spool or bobbin 1.
2 to the belt forming device 35, the film or support 40 is fed onto the heated table 36 towards the belt forming device 35. The table 36 can be heated with steam to accelerate curing of the belt during forming.

The cord 13 is connected to a vibrating cord alignment device 22 and a cam 2.
7 gives a slow oscillating motion in the horizontal plane. This action by the cord alignment device 22 causes the cords 13 to be embedded in the form of a sinusoidal wave into the polyurethane body being formed in the belt forming device 35. By varying the size and number of waves, the percentage of elongation allowed for the belt can be varied. The cord 13 is connected to the belt 66 on the heated table 36.
．． As it quickly gels and hardens, it becomes embedded within the belt 66. The conveyor belt is cooled as it moves downstream over table 36 while being carried by support 40 . The cured polyurethane reinforced belt is wound onto a roll 70. Such polyurethane belts can be spliced into endless belts by any of a number of known splicing methods, including splicing projections together, mechanical splices, or stiff finger splices. be able to.

A variation of the above-described embodiment includes code alignment device 22 that includes:
The belt forming device 35 to which the cords 13 are fed for embedding into the belt being formed is provided with a fixed, non-vibrating system in which the cords 13 are fed in a parallel linear array without being wavy or tortuous. Substantially as described above, except for. As described above, as the liquid polyurethane leaves the belt forming device 35, it is formed with parallel straight cords incorporated therein, and its shape becomes rectangular, and its width is constant across the support 40. Depends on the upturned sides keeping the distance. The liquid polyurethane rapidly solidifies in the belt forming device 35 and embeds the linearly arranged cords 13. In this case, the cord 13 formed from a collection of filaments twisted by -sh
has some elasticity or elongation in the longitudinal direction,
Therefore, when such cords are embedded in a polyurethane belt, they provide limited elongation to the so formed belt. As in the first embodiment, the cured polyurethane reinforced helt is wound into a roll 70.

Another type of conveyor belt is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, in which a fabric 9 consisting of warp yarns 81 and weft yarns 82 embedded in a polyurethane body 83 is shown.
2 is shown. As seen in Figure 10, the warp threads 81
has a slight sinusoidal shape that stretches the fabric in the longitudinal direction. If greater elongation is required for the fabric, the Mi weave can be adjusted to provide the desired elongation.

The apparatus for manufacturing this conveyor belt includes a fabric unwind roll 90 mounted on a shaft 91 and feeding fabric 92 through tension adjustment means 94 . Such tension adjustment means 94 include a plurality of rollers 95, 96, 97 arranged on suitable support means not shown in the drawings. One such roller 96 may be a dancer roll to facilitate tension adjustment. Such dancer rolls are traditional and well known in the art.

In front of the rollers 97 is a table 10 spread out in the vertical direction.
A box-shaped belt forming device, that is, a conveyor belt forming device 98 attached to a site rail 99 spaced at regular intervals at 0
is installed. Such conveyor belt forming apparatus 98 is adjustably mounted in a manner well known in the art.

A guide roll 101 and a supply roll 102 are attached to the receiving side, ie, one end, of the table 100. Supply roll 102 has a flexible film or support 105 wound thereon, which film 105 is attached to table 100.
is fed via rolls 101 for movement over.

The width of the film or support 105 is such that the width of the film or support 105 is such that each side edge of the film or support 105 is rolled up along the respective sight rail 99 on the table 10.
Wider than 0 width.

The support 105 is passed over the table 100 and from there to the table 100 for winding onto a take-up roll 108.
A guide roll 106 at the take-out end, that is, the other end.

107.

The belt forming device 98 is fitted with a pair of laterally spaced guide means 110 for folding the side edges of the film 105 upwardly as the film 105 is fed onto the table 100 towards the belt forming device 98. match.

The support 105 is adapted to move longitudinally over the table and between the table 100 and the belt forming device 98. Belt forming apparatus 98 (FIGS. 8 and 9) has a front plate or side plate 111 spaced above table 100 through which fabric 92 and support 105 pass. Molding device 98
is open at the back side over the entire width of the table 100, and the belt being formed is covered with a film or support 105.
let them pass together. A pair of laterally spaced, vertically extending places 112 are suitably secured to opposite sides of the belt forming device 98 and are connected to the guide rails 11 at their upper ends.
Supports 3. As can be seen in FIG. 9, the top of such a guide rail 113 slidingly receives a recess in a movable support member 115 that supports a mixing pouring head 116.

A pair of conduits 11 for directing the formulation to a mix head 116
7, 118 to the mixing head 116. This mixing head then drains liquid polyurethane 119 from its lower end (FIG. 9), which forms the polyurethane body 83 of the conveyor belt 120 shown downstream from the mixing head 116. As the liquid polyurethane leaves the belt forming device 98, it is shaped into a rectangular shape, the width of which is determined by the laterally spaced upwardly curled sides of the film or support 105. The liquid polyurethane rapidly solidifies in the belt forming device 98 and embeds the fabric 92. Embedding is defined as, for example, completely surrounding the main body so that the entire surface of the fabric 92 as used herein, including both sides of the top and bottom surfaces, is completely surrounded by polyurethane 83. The table 100 is heated, for example by a plurality of steam pipes applied through the table, to facilitate adjustment of the heating of the table which serves to promote the solidification of the belt during forming, which solidification is caused by the belt being exposed to the support 105. As it moves on the table 100, it finishes on the support 105.

As the newly formed reinforced conveyor belt 120 emerges from the table 100, the film or support 1
05 is separated from the conveyor belt 120 and sent along rolls 106 and 107 to a take-up roll 108; It will be destroyed.

The polyurethane used to make the conveyor belt in this embodiment is the same as mentioned in the first embodiment.

The fabric used has very little elongation but high strength.
Includes Kepler™ cord or polyester and/or blends of polyester and cotton blends.

When molding the conveyor belt 120, the shaft 91
The film or support 105 is fed to the heated table 100 toward the belt forming device 98 while the fabric 92 is fed to the belt forming device 98 . table 1
00 can be heated with steam to accelerate curing of the belt during molding.

When the fabric 92 is taken into the polyurethane body being formed in the belt forming device 98, the fabric is transferred to the dancer roll 96.
This keeps the tension constant. The fabric is embedded in the belt 120 as the polyurethane rapidly gels and hardens on the heated table 100. after that,
Conveyor belt 120 is cooled as it moves downstream over table 100 while being carried by support 105 .

The cured polyurethane reinforced belt is wound onto roll 123. Such polyurethane belts can also be spliced into endless belts by a number of known splicing methods, including splicing the ends together, mechanical splices, or hardened finger splices. can. The conveyor belt acquires a limited elongation determined or allowed by the non-linear shape of the warp yarns 81 of the fabric 92. When such warp yarns 81 of the fabric 92 reach their limit of elongation, the fabric 92 becomes an effective material that reinforces the conveyor belt at the limit of elongation and increases the strength of the belt due to the uniform tension of its cords. provide the means.

The strength of the conveyor belt can be adjusted and varied by changing the number of threads and the strength of the threads as well as the m-weave.

Although particular aspects and limited variations of the invention have been described in detail, it is understood that changes may be made without departing from the principles of the invention as set forth in the claims. It will be clear that the invention is not limited to the described configurations.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an apparatus for producing A-belts for reinforced concrete. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 for manufacturing a conveyor belt. FIG. 3 is a partial plan view showing the cord embedded within polyurethane being cast onto a moving support. FIG. 4 is a partial side view of the conveyor belt during forming described in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a 5-5 wA cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 of a casting head for casting a conveyor belt. FIG. 6 is a side partial cross-sectional view taken along line 6--6 in FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a conveyor belt section showing the serpentine or undulating cords embedded within the belt. FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of an alternative type of apparatus for manufacturing an alternative type of reinforced conveyor belt. FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the fabric embedded in the polyurethane belt. FIG. 11 is an enlarged plan view of the alternative conveyor belt shown in FIG. 10, with some of the polyurethane removed to show the fabric. In the figure, 10 is a cord unwinding means, 13 is a cord, 15 is a tension adjusting means, 22 is a cord aligning device, 35 is a belt forming device, 36 is a table, 38, 42°, 43, 68
, 69 is a guide roll, 39 is a supply roll, 40 is a support, 45 is a take-up roll, 50 is a guide means, 51 is a side plate, 60 is a mixing pouring head, 66 is a conveyor belt, 70 is an S take-up roll, Also, 81 is the warp thread, 8
2 is a weft, 83 is a polyurethane main body, 90 is a fabric unwinding roll, 92 is a fabric, 94 is a tension adjustment means, 98 is a belt forming device, 100 is a table, 101. 106
．． 107. 121. 122 is a guide roll, 108 is a take-up roll, 110 is a guide means, 111 is a side plate, 116 is a mixing pouring head, 120 is a conveyor belt, and 123 is a take-up roll. Below (white FIG, 5

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A method for manufacturing a reinforced conveyor belt, comprising the following steps: vertically orienting a plurality of parallel cords arranged in a horizontally spaced manner; forming the cords into a non-linear shape while being embedded in the body of the liquid polyurethane; stretching the polyurethane belt until the cords are arranged in a straight line; Curing the polyurethane having a cord embedded therein. 2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the cord is stretched uniformly and then formed into the non-linear shape. 3. The manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein the non-linear shape is a sine wave shape. 4. A method of manufacturing a reinforced conveyor belt, comprising the following steps: orienting a plurality of laterally spaced cords in a longitudinal direction; feeding a support having side portions in said longitudinal direction; , providing the cord with a serpentine shape as it is fed in the longitudinal direction; pouring a fast-curing polyurethane onto the support while incorporating the cord therein; and providing the cord with the serpentine shape. Curing the polyurethane while embedding it therein. 5. A method of manufacturing a reinforced conveyor belt, comprising the steps of orienting a plurality of laterally spaced cords in a longitudinal direction, and providing a support having side portions in said longitudinal direction. feeding the cords in the longitudinal direction at vertically spaced intervals from the support; pouring a fast-curing polyurethane onto the support while incorporating the cords therein in a parallel linear array; and curing the polyurethane while embedding the cord therein to provide limited elongation to the finished cured belt. 6. A method for manufacturing a reinforced conveyor belt, comprising the following steps: non-linear passes parallel to the longitudinal direction (p
multiple vertical cords (warp co
rds) in the longitudinal direction, pouring liquid polyurethane onto a moving support, embedding the fabric in the body of the polyurethane, feeding the polyurethane belt with the fabric in the belt. A method of manufacturing comprising curing the polyurethane embedded with the fabric to provide a limited elongation defined by. 7. The fabric has weft cords woven together with the warp cords giving the belt the limited elongation.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method has a t code). 8. A belt body made of polyurethane, stretched longitudinally through the belt body and completely embedded therein;
a plurality of cords in laterally spaced relation, said cords having a predetermined longitudinal elongation with respect to said belt body of polyurethane, providing said belt body with said limited elongation in said longitudinal direction; , conveyor belt. 9. The conveyor belt of claim 8, wherein the elongation of the polyurethane belt is limited to 10 percent of the belt's initial length. 10. The conveyor belt of claim 8, wherein the polyurethane is transparent. 11. The conveyor belt of claim 10, wherein the cord is embedded in the shape of a sine wave. 12. A belt body made of transparent polyurethane, having a plurality of cords extending longitudinally through the belt body and embedded therein, the cords having a non-linear shape, and having a plurality of cords embedded therein; A conveyor belt that provides limited longitudinal elongation until it assumes a straight shape. 13. The conveyor belt of claim 12, wherein the cord is embedded in the shape of a sine wave. 14. The conveyor belt of claim 12, wherein the elongation of the polyurethane belt is limited to 10 percent of the belt's initial length. 15. A belt body made of clear, transparent polyurethane, and a fabric having warp and weft cords in interwoven relationship stretched longitudinally and transversely therethrough, the fabric being embedded in the belt body; a conveyor belt, wherein the woven fabric has a predetermined longitudinal elongation with respect to the belt body of polyurethane, providing a limited longitudinal elongation to the belt body. 16. The conveyor belt of claim 15, wherein the elongation of the polyurethane belt is limited to 10 percent of the belt's initial length. 17. The conveyor belt of claim 16, wherein the warp cords are woven into the fabric in a non-linear configuration. 18. A device for forming reinforced polyurethane belts, which includes the following: a horizontally arranged table;
a support placed on the table and moved thereon; a take-up reel attached to one end of the table for winding up the support; a take-up reel for holding the support and moving it over the table and along it; a reel device at the other end of the table for moving the table; a box-shaped molding device attached to the table having a slit toward the other end of the table; said box-forming device for pouring polyurethane into said box-forming device and onto said support to form a conveyor belt thereon as the support advances through and towards said box-forming device; and a mixing head mounted on the support and operative to feed a plurality of transversely arranged cords into the slit for serpentine placement of the cords into the polyurethane belt being formed and cured on the support. A molding processing device having a cam-operated reciprocating cord device. 19. said apparatus for handling cords comprises: cord unwinding means for vertically supplying a plurality of laterally spaced cords towards said table; The patent includes tension adjustment means for maintaining a predetermined tension therebetween, and heating means coupled to the table for heating the table and the support to accelerate curing of the polyurethane belt during molding. A molding processing apparatus according to claim 18. 20. Said apparatus for handling cords includes a cord alignment apparatus operated by said cam-operated reciprocating apparatus which imparts a tortuous manner to said cords as they are fed to said box forming apparatus. 20. The molding device according to item 19. 21. The molding apparatus of claim 20, wherein the support has an upwardly curved side portion that maintains the polyurethane at a predetermined thickness until the polyurethane is cured. 22. Spaced guiding means located between said box-forming device and said cord handling device cooperate with said box-forming device and said table guiding means to guide said side portions of said support. Claim 21 which rolls up
The molding processing device described in Section 1. 23. A table whose surfaces are on the same plane, a cord unwinding device for vertically supplying a plurality of cords arranged at horizontal intervals onto the table, and a guide means installed at right angles to the longitudinal direction. a cord aligning device for reciprocating the cord aligning device mounted on the guide means for imparting a meandering manner to the arranged cords as they are fed longitudinally to the table; A cam means coupled to the device, a box-shaped forming device attached to the table with the rear open in the longitudinal direction and a slit arranged in the front, and a flexible support attached to the table and the box-shaped forming device. a dispensing device mounted on one end of the table for feeding the polyurethane into the box-forming machine and onto the support; and for drawing from the table a molded polyurethane belt reinforced by cords fed through the slit to the box-forming device and embedded in the belt in a tortuous manner by the reciprocating cord alignment device; A reinforced polyurethane belt forming apparatus having a take-up reel attached to the other end of the table. 24. The molding apparatus according to claim 21, wherein heating means is attached to the table for heating the table and promoting curing of the polyurethane material placed on the support. 25. A device for forming reinforced polyurethane belts, which includes the following: a horizontally arranged table;
a support placed on the table and moved thereon; a take-up reel attached to one end of the table for winding up the support; a take-up reel for holding the support and moving it over and along the table; a reel device at the other end of the table for forming a mold, a molding device attached to the table, the molding device having a slit toward the other end of the table and opening the one end side of the table, and the support body. a mixing head mounted on the forming apparatus for flowing polyurethane into the forming apparatus and onto the support to form a conveyor belt thereon as it passes through and towards the forming apparatus; A fabric supply means that serves to supply the fabric to the forming device for embedding the fabric in the polyurethane, and a fabric supply means that serves to wind the polyurethane belt with the fabric embedded therein from the support as a finished product. A forming processing device having a take-up roll. 26. A device for forming reinforced polyurethane belts, which includes the following: a horizontally arranged table;
a support placed on the table and moved thereon; a take-up reel attached to one end of the table for winding up the support; a take-up reel for holding the support and moving it over and along the table; a reel device at the other end of the table for forming a mold, a molding device attached to the table, the molding device having a slit toward the other end of the table and opening the one end side of the table, and the support body. a mixing head mounted on the forming apparatus for flowing polyurethane into the forming apparatus and onto the support to form a conveyor belt thereon as it passes through and towards the forming apparatus; supply means operative to supply a plurality of parallel cords to said forming apparatus for embedding the cords in parallel relationship in polyurethane, and said supporting belt of said polyurethane with said cords embedded therein as a finished product; A forming processing device having a winding roll that functions to wind up from the body.