US2216304A

US2216304A - Device for removing foreign matter from belts

Info

Publication number: US2216304A
Application number: US270221A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harvey J Thornton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-04-26
Filing date: 1939-04-26
Publication date: 1940-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 1957-10-01

Description

Oct. 1, 1940. H. J. THORNTON 2,216,304

DEVICE FOB. REMOVING FOREIGN MATTER FROM BELTS Filed April 26, 1939 29v 2&. 2g 1); Z 37 L Harvey l m (fl/bl Patented Oct. 1, 1940 PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR REMOVING FOREIGN MATTER FROM BELTS Harvey J. Thornton, Dover, N. J.

Application April 26,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a belt cleaning device. It has been proposed to clean conveyor belts of foreign matter by the use of revolving arms which periodically strike the exterior of the belt for shaking loose foreign matter, but in these types of construction the foreign matter is periodically beaten into the belt while the portions which are shaken off the belt clog the bearings and revolving parts of the agitators and it is then necessary to stop the machinery in order to clean the brushes or agitators together with the bearings before the operation of the conveyor belt can be resumed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a belt cleaning device in the form of an agitator which will periodically tap the inner face of a traveling conveyor causing the foreign matter to be loosened and thrown away from the belt while the bearings and agitators are maintained ina position where the foreign matter cannot fall upon the moving parts of the agitators.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device which is located between the moving sections of a conveyor belt and close to the lower moving section so that when the cleaning device is operated the interior face of the lower section of the conveyor will be periodically tapped throughout the full width for causing the foreign matter which has clung to the belt to be thrown downwardly and away not only from the moving belt, but from all of the moving parts of the cleaning device and also the operating elements of the conveyor.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cleaning device for endless traveling conveyors on which materials are carried with the materials having a tendency to stick to the belt and thus interfere with the proper operation of the conveyor, the device consisting of a plurality of arms equipped with rollers located in such a position that the rollers will periodically contact the inner surface of the lower section of the traveling conveyor for loosening and for causing the foreign matter sticking to the conveyor to be thrown away from the traveling conveyor whereby the foreign matter clinging to the conveyor will never come into contact with the arms, rollers or bearings supporting the arms.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, in view of the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view of the cleaning device 1939, Serial No. 270,221

constructed according to the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken along the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken along the line 44 of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, [0 designates a pair of standards having bearings II at their upper ends in which is mounted a driven shaft |2. This shaft is driven in any suitable manner, not shown.

A pulley or drum 3 is keyed to the shaft l2 and a traveling conveyor, generally designated by the numeral I4, is trained on the driving drum l3 and also on a similarly constructed drum at the opposite end of the conveyor. The last idling drum, however, is not shown.

A pair of idling rollers i5 and I6, supported in any approved manner, engage respectively the inner and outer faces of the upper and lower sections IT and I8 of the conveyor I4. These rollers, as is usual, support the section of the conveyor at spaced points.

A perforated pipe 20 is adapted to be connected to a source of water under pressure so that it will continuously spray water on the outer face of the lower section l8 of the conveyor M during the operation of the conveyor for thoroughly washing the surface of the belt after the main body of foreign matter has been removed.

A pair of bearings 2| are located at the opposite edges of the conveyor l4 and outwardly therefrom. Each bearing is slidably mounted in a standard 23 which has a horizontal flange 24. These flanges have a passage 25 to receive the smooth portion of a screw 26 which is threaded into a vertical passage 21 of the bearing 2|. An operating handle 28 is secured to the outer end of the screw 26 and a collar 29 secured to the l screw at opposite faces of the flange 24 maintains the screw against vertical movement when the screw is revolved for raising or lowering the bearing 2|.

The bearings 2| have lateral flanges 30 received within a guide 3| formed at the opposite edges of the standards 23 so that the hearings will be maintained in a predetermined position during vertical movements on. the standards.

A shaft 32 is carried by the bearings 2| and the opposite ends of the shaft project through elongated openings 33 formed in the standards 23. One end of the shaft 32 is provided with a sprocket 34 which has a hub 35 keyed at 36 to the shaft. A chain 3'! is trained on the sprocket 34 and likewise on a sprocket 38 secured to the shaft I2 outwardly of the drum or pulley l3.

A pair of hubs 40 are secured to the shaft 32 adjacent the outer edges of the traveling conveyor Id and these hubs have diametrically disposed arms 4|. Each arm has an enlargement 42 at its outer free end to receive a bearing 43 for the ends of a shaft 44 carrying a roller 45. These rollers when revolved move through an arc of a circle which cuts through the lower section l8 of the conveyor 14 so that the rollers will repeatedly strike the inner facev Instead of the chain and sprockets shown at 34, 31 and 38, pulleys, a belt may be employed to obtain the same result.

The operation of my device is as follows:

When the conveyor belt is being operated by the pulley l3 and the shaft [2 the sprocket 38 will operate the chain 31 which in turn rotates the sprocket 3d and the shaft 32. The speed of rotation of the shaft and likewise the rate of revolution of the arms 4| depends upon the. size of the sprocket 34 and the speed of the shaft 12. However, the speed of the shaft 32 may be controlled by a transmission which is well known in the arts.

When the arms M are revolved the rollers 45 will periodically contact the inner face of the lower section ill of the traveling conveyor I4 and thus the conveyor will be subjected to a plurality of beats by the rollers 45 which are loosely mounted in the bearings 43 so that no abrasive action will be had upon the belt. Furthermore, these rollers may be made of rubber or some composition in order to eliminate the abrasive action and thus prolong the life of the traveling conveyor M.

The repeated tapping of the belt by the rollers Q5 loosens and then removes the foreign matter which sticks to the conveyor belt in advance of the spray of water from the perforated pipe 29. The spraying of the belt removes all fine particles which would have a tendency to stick to the belt after the cleaning action by the rollers 45.

It will be noted that the operating mechanism for the rollers 45 is located beyond the confines of the belt l4 and above the lower section l8 of the belt so that when the belt is beaten by the rollers the foreign matter will be thrown downwardly and will not collect upon any of the operating parts of the rollers. Furthermore, the cleaner or beater for the belt is an independent unit and can be assembled or disassembled as desired without disturbing any of the operation of the conveyor belt [4.

A container or small conveyor may be placed below the lower section IQ of the conveyor belt M to carry away the foreign matter which has been removed from the conveyor M.

The force exerted by the rollers $5 on the inner face of the lower section l8 of the conveyor belt M is controlled by the screws 26 which are adjusted to raise or lower the shaft 32 so that where a greater or less force is required to remove the foreign matter from the belt this can be readily done by raising or lowering the bearings 2| for the shaft 32.

I claim:

A belt cleaner comprising a shaft passing transversely between the sections of a belt trained on a pair of pulleys, a pair of rollers diametrically disposed relative to the shaft, radial arms extending from the shaft and supporting the rollers. said rollers being located between the sections of the belt and adapted to contact the inner face of one section of the belt, means supporting the shaft at the opposite side edges of the belt, means rotating the shaft and revolving the rollers around said shaft in periodic whipping contact with the.inner face of the belt so that said rollers will be constantly spun, means engaging the outer face of the belt and support ing the belt at transverse points adjacent to the points of whipping contact between the rollers and the inner face of the belt, and means adjustably positioning the shaft for controlling the degree of contact between the rollers and the belt and the speed of rotation of said rollers.

HARVEY J. THORNTON.