US2077189A

US2077189A - Roller conveyer

Info

Publication number: US2077189A
Application number: US70203A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hubert M Rishel
Original assignee: Mathews Conveyer Co
Current assignee: Mathews Conveyer Co
Priority date: 1936-03-23
Filing date: 1936-03-23
Publication date: 1937-04-13
Anticipated expiration: 1954-04-13

Description

A ril 13, 1937. H. M. RISHEL ROLLER CONVEYER Filed March 25, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheei 1 mL T F N mm m N w T-MNMA T R Emv B I U V! B J A ril 13, 1937. HEL 2,077,189

ROLLER CONVEYER Filed March 25, 1 936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .J 1, j J1 N INVENTQR HUBERT M. HISHEL ATTORNEY$ Patented Apr. 13, 1937 PATENT OFFICE ROLLER. ooNvEYEir Hubert M. Rishel, Edwardsville, m, as'signor to Mathews conveyer Company, Ellwood City, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania I Application March 23, 1936, Serial No. 70,203

, 1 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in conveyers and more particularly -to conveyers of the general character disclosed in my co-pending application, filed March 23, 1936, Serial No. 70,202.

An object of the present invention is to provide a conveyer comprising a plurality of conveyer units, and in which each unit is complete'in itself, whereby the units may be spaced apart, both lengthwise and crosswise of the conveyer, to best suit the type or character of the load to be conveyed, and whereby passages are provided between the conveyer units so that trucks may be propelled across the conveyer, when desired, and also whereby cleaning and sweeping between the units is greatly facilitated. I

A further object is to provide a conveyer unit comprising a base member having a plurality of resilient supports thereon adapted to support a frame provided with suitable load-carrying rollers, said frame being inseparably connected to the base member whereby said frame and member may be moved about as an integral unit.

A further object is to provide a conveyer comprising a plurality of independent conveyer units each comprising one or more resiliently mounted rollers and the resilient means supporting said rollers being under a controlled compression, based upon the weight of the load to be carried, whereby the rollers may not yield,under ordinary operating conditions, but are free to yield when subjected to an abnormal or overload.

A further object is to provide a conveyer unit comprising a rectangular base member having a plurality of spring elements thereon, and a roller carrying frame being supported directly on said spring elements, whereby when a heavy load passes over the unit, said frame will yield, thereby to prevent the rollers from becoming overloaded and also whereby a load conveyed over a plurality of conveyer units will be approximately uniformly distributed over said units; and means being provided for controlling the'pre-compression of the spring elements and retaining them under a predetermined tension, determined by the weight of the load to be conveyed' Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes may be made within the scope of follow.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view showingv my improved conveyer unit; 5 Figure 2 is a side elevation, partially broken away, to show the means for resiliently supporting the roller carrying frame on the basemember;

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; w

' Figure 4 is a plan view showing a conveyer composed of a plurality of conveyer units, such as the claims which illustrated in Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of Figure 1, on a larger scale, showing a load being transported over the conveyer with its forward end about to engage one of the rollers of a conveyer unit.

The novel conveyer unit, herein disclosed, comprises a base member, generaly indicated by the 20 numeral 2, and shown having a plurality of upright portions or bosses 3, apertured to receive suitable bolts 4. The bosses 3 are preferably 10-: 1 cated at the corners of the base member, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1, and provide means for retaining a plurality of spring elements 5 in position thereon. ,A frame, generally indicated by the numeral 6, is seated directly upon the spring elements 5, and preferably has its side rails l notched as shown at 8 in Figures 1 and 2, adapted to receive the end portions of the axles 9 of a plurality of conveyer rollers ll, preferably of theanti-friction type. The notches 8 are relatively smaller in width than the diameter of the axles 9, and .the latter are flattened, as indicated at l2 in Figure 3, whereby the axles, when supported in the notches 8, are prevented from relatively rotating. If desired, other means may be provided for preventing the axles from relatively rotating in their supports. 40

The frame 6 is shown provided at its corners with suitable enlargements or lugs I3, each having a recess i l; and the bottom wall of said recesses are provided with apertures i5, as shown in Figure 2, for receiving the upper ends of the bolts l, whereby the frame 6 is supported directly upon the springs 5, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2. Suitable nuts iii are received in threaded engagement with the bolts 4 and provide means whereby the compression in the springs 5 may be 50 varied, to suit the weight of the load to be conveyed, and also whereby the springs may be retained undera controlled compression. Under ordinary operating conditions, thesprings 5 hold the frame 6 firmly against the nuts i6, and do 55 rollers ,l I.

The roller supporting frame 6, in the present instance, is shown made from cast metal but it is to be understood that it may be otherwise constructed without departing from the scope of the invention. The recesses l4 receive and protect the nuts l6, as is clearly illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure ,4 illustrates a conveyer composed of a plurality of units, such as illustrated in Figure 1. These units maybe arranged in a single row or in two rows, as shown in Figure 4, dependingupon the character of the load or material to be conveyed. By constructing the units, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, whereby each unit is complete in itself, the units may be arranged in any suitable manner to meet the requirements of each installation as, for example, if the loads to be conveyed are relatively short, the conveyermost portions of the rollers ll of said units .are

preferably alined horizontally so that the rollers of each unit will contact with the load beingtransported over the conveyer, assuming, of course, that the load has a flat bottom, whereby each roller spanned by the load will carry approximately its proportionate share of the load.

The novel conveyer unit herein disclosed, readily lends itself for use in various types of conveyer installations. ,Because of the unitsbeing independent of one another, they'may be arranged in close proximity, or they may be spaced relatively farther apart lengthwise of the conveyer, depending upon the nature of the load to be conveyed. In like manner, the spacing between units crosswise of the conveyer may be varied to suit conditions. By thus spacing apart the various units, both lengthwise and crosswise of the conveyer, ample space may be provided between the units to permit trucks to pass between the units or whereby the wheels of the trucks may pass therebetween, and the operation of cleaning a and sweeping around the units is also greatly facilitated.

If desired, the conveyer unit may be mounted directly upon a concrete floor, or they may be mounted on suitable foundations IT, as shown in Figure 5. The units may be arranged in alinement -crosswise. of the conveyer, as shown in Figure 4, or they may be staggered. Because of each unit being complete in itself, any desired size of conveying surface may readily be provided, as .will readily-be understood by reference to Figure 4, and by proper alinement ofthe uppermost portions of the rollers of the units, each conveyer unit will carry substantially its proportionate share of the load, wherebytheweight of the load having a reasonably smooth bottom surface, is substantially uniformly distributed on all of the units disposed therebetween, with the result that none of the rollers will be overloaded. Should the load have an uneven bottom, or a bump thereon, each roller, as it is engaged by said bump, will yield to the overload temporarily imposed thereon, whereby the load may pass uninter ruptedly over the conveyer without, in any way, damaging the rollers or their bearings.

It is to be understood that the compression of the springs or resilient elements 5 of each roller is so regulated as to permit the roller to yield only when subjected to an overload. In other words,

- if the load transported over the conveyer, does not exceed the safe carrying capacity of the rollers l l, the springs will retain the frame 6 in the position shown in Figure 2, against the abutment nuts I6. Should the load or any part thereof impose an overload on any of the rollers, the springs 5 supporting said rollers will flex and permit the rollers to yield and thereby permit the overload to pass over the rollers without damaging the rollers or their bearings.

I claim as my invention;

1. A conveyer comprising a plurality of independent conveyer units arranged in spaced relation lengthwise of the conveyer, each of said units having a resiliently mounted conveyer roller, and means for pre-compressing the resilient mounting of each unit independent of the other units, said rollers each being freely rotatable at all times independent of the weight of the load transported thereover. v v

2. A conveyer comprising a plurality of independent conveyer units arranged in spaced relation lengthwise of the conveyer, each of said units having a spring mounted roller support. and a conveyer roller carried by said support, whereby said roller is resiliently mounted, and means for pre-compressing the springs of each of said resilient supports independent of the resilient supports of the other units, said rollers being freely rotatable at all times independent of the precompression of said resilient supports or the weight of the load transported thereover.

3. A conveyer unit comprising a resiliently mounted roller support and a conveyer roller carried by said support, means for placing said resilient support under a pre-compression independent of the weight of the roller and associated elements, said roller being freely rotatable at all times independent of the 'pre-compression of said resilient support or the load adapted to be supported by said roller, and said units each being independent structures whereby a conveyer line may be formed from a plurality of said units arranged in any desired spaced relation.

4. An independent. conveyer unit comprising a base and a roller supporting frame having a conveyer roller carried thereby, resilient means interposed between said base and said frame, and means for pre-compressing said resilient means, said roller being freely. rotatable at all times independent of the weight of the load adapted to be transported, thereover or the pie-compression of said resilient means. 7 5. An independent conveyer unit comprising a base and a roller supporting frame having a conveyer roller carried thereby, springs interposed between saidbase and frame whereby said frame is held in spaced relation to said base, means interconnecting said base and frame for pre-compressing said springs thereby to provide a resilient support for said conveyer roller, said roller being freely rotatable at all times independent of the pre-compression .of said springs or the weight of the load adapted to be transported over the unit. I

6. An independent conveyer unit comprising a pair of substantially rectangular frame members.

being freely rotatable at all times independent of the pre-compression of said springs or the load adapted to be supported bysaid roller.

'7. A conveyer comprising a plurality of independent roller units capable of being arranged in any desired spaced relation with respect to each other, each of said units having a conveyer roller resiliently mounted thereon and the resilient mounting of each unit pre-compressed independent of the other units, the roller of each unit being freely rotatable at all times independent of the rare-compression of said resilient mounting Or the weight of the load adapted to be transported '5