US3055489A

US3055489A - Take-up mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3055489A
Application number: US786971A
Authority: US
Inventors: Daniel M Schwartz; Donald E Hendrickson
Original assignee: Eimco Corp
Current assignee: Eimco Corp
Priority date: 1959-01-15
Filing date: 1959-01-15
Publication date: 1962-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 1979-09-25

Description

p 1962 D. M. SCHWARTZ ET AL 3,055,489

TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed Jan. 15, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 INVENTORS.

DAN/EL M. SCHWARTZ DONALD E HENDR/CKSON By xwz ATTORNEYS.

/ 5M WWW p 1962 D. M. SCHWARTZ ET AL 3,055,489

TAKE-UP MECHANISM 6 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed Jan. 15, 1959 00% E HENDRICKSON er 47m ATTORNEYS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 m llmr 0 5: 5: Wm M I IIIWHIYIIIIIHFIIIHIIII lh wif/ m Sept. 25, 1962 D, M. SCHWARTZ ET AL TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed Jan. 15, 1959 Sept. 25, 1962 D. M. SCHWARTZ ET AL 3,055,489

TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed Jan. 15, 1959 e Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS. EL M SCHWARTZ D4N/ T=- DONALD E HENDRICKSON KM B A TTORNE KS Sept. 25, 1962 SCHWARTZ ET AL 3,055,489

TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed Jan. 15, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS.

SCHI444RTZ ATTORNEYS p 1962 D. M. SCHWARTZ ET AL 3,055,489

TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed Jan. 15, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS DAN/EL M SCHWARTZ DONALD E. HENDPICKSON BV KM ATTORNEY3 United States Patent OfifiC 3,055,489 Patented Sept. 25, 1962 3,055,489 TAKE-UP MECHANISM Daniel M. Schwartz and Donald E. Hendrickson, Salt Lake City, Utah, assignors to The Eimco Corporation, Salt Lake City, Utah, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 15, 1959, Ser. No. 786,971 9 Claims. (Cl. 198-208) This invention relates to new and improved take-up mechanism and, in particular, to resilient take-up mechanism for conveyors, traveling webs and belts, and the like.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide improved resilient take-up mechanism including adjusting means for moving the take-up rod against resilient urging of resilient means for assembling and disassembling the mechanism.

A further object is to provide such a device wherein the adjusting means includes cooperating threadedly engaged elements which only takes the force of the resilient means during assembly and disassembly.

A further object is to provide such a device that is reliable in use, sturdy in construction, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

The invention will be described with reference to the incorporation of the novel resilient take-up mechanism in an endless belt conveyor and in conjunction with a novel sliding pan arrangement for the coveyor and movable with the resilient take-up mechanism.

The invention generally comprises a resilient take-up mechanism including a frame having an opening therein, a take-up member guided for axial movement through said frame opening, resilient means normally urging the takeup member in one direction axially of the frame opening,

means for longitudinally adjusting the take-up member against the resilient urging of the resilient means including a threaded portion on the take-up member and a mating threaded member, the threaded member being adjustable into abutting engagement with the frame to longitudinally move the take-up member in the other direction axially of the frame opening against the resilient urging of the resilient means.

The invention will be more particularly described in reference to the accompanying illustrative embodiments thereof, wherein:'

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a pivoted bucket material handling machine including'a conveyor incorporating the features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of the front end portion of the structures shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed view of the tensioning mechanism shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in partial section of the rearward portion of the conveyor; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view in partial section of a modified form of take-up member.

Referring to the illustrative embodiments of the invention, there is shown a material handling and excavating apparatus as disclosed in United States patent application Serial No. 739,751, filed June 4, 1958, of which this is a continuation-in-part.

The machine generally comprises a main frame 1.0 mounted on paired laterally extending crawler frames 12 carrying self-laying endless traction chains 16 and 18.

The vehicle carries at its forward end a material handling structure 20 of the type adapted to load or gather material at a low forward position and to discharge the material at an elevated position into a material conveying apparatus generally designated 22 adapted to receive material from the material handling device at its forward end 24 and to convey the material upwardly and rearwardly to a discharge end 30 positioned rearwardly of the rear end of the main frame of the vehicle.

The conveyor 22 includes spaced

side walls

32 and 34, the forward ends of which flare outwardly to provide a material receiving bin having

side walls

36 and 38 and a front end wall 40. The

side walls

36 and 38 and the front end wall 40 are shaped to provide a substantially enclosed receiver for the bucket 50 when the bucket is in the discharge postion as shown in FIG. 1.

Between the

side walls

36 and 38 is a bed plate 52 suitably supported on transverse structural members 54. The bed 52 receives, on the upper surface thereof, an endless conveyor chain 56 provided with laterally extending chain flights 58 which gather the material discharged into the hopper and conveys the material upwardly and rearwardly to the discharge end 30. The return flight of the endless conveyor chain 56 is below the deck plate 52 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 of the drawings.

Positioned at the forward end 24 of the conveyor is an idler shaft 60 which is reciprocally mounted in front conveyor support members or frames generally designated 62 and 64. Each'of the side plates of

support members

62 and 64 of the conveyor is provided with a

wing portion

66 and 68, respectively. These wing portions are bored and connected by pins 70 to the bosses 72 of the main frame 10. The rearward portion 30 of the conveyor 22 is secured to the rearward deck portion of the main frame 10 of the vehicle by vertically extending structural members 74. The lower ends of the members 74 are pin connected as at 76 to the rear end .78 of the main frame 10 of the vehicle while the upper ends are pin connected as at 80 to a bracket 82 secured to each

side

32 and 34 of the conveyor.

By pin connecting the conveyor 22 at its rearward end to the main frame of the vehicle through the vertically extending structural members 74 and at its forward end through the

winged frames

62 and 64 to the main frame 10 stresses and strains placed upon the vehicle when operating on unlevel ground and the like are kept to a minimum as relative movement is permitted at the points of the plural pin connections.

The front idler shaft 60 has a centrally positioned sprocket 84 formed thereon to provide a guide for directing the passage of the flexible conveyor chain 56 about the forward end of the conveyor structure and to insure rotation of idler shaft 60 with movement of conveyor chain 56. The extended ends 85 of the idler shaft 60 are rotatably mounted in bearings 86 maintained in bearing blocks 88 provided with quadrangular faces 90 which are slidably received in an elongated traekway 92 formed in each of the front mounting members or frame portions 62 and '64 for the conveyor. The trackways 92 formed in each of the

support members

62 and 64 are enlarged as at 94 at their rearward ends whereby the bearing blocks 88 may be inserted in or removed from their respective trackways as to be more fully described hereinafter.

As more clearly shown in FIG. 4, the rearwardly extending portions of each of the bearing retaining blocks 88 is provided with plural bosses designated 100, 102 and 104. Bosses are received in the bifurcated ends 106 of take-up members 108 which control the longitudinal receiprocating movement of the bearing blocks 88. The bifurcated ends 106 are bored and connected by pins 110 to bearing block bosses 100. The bifurcated 3 end 106 of each take-up member or shaft 108 is also provided with a lower seat 112 for spring 114 while the other end of each spring abuts the end 116 of its respective conveyor support frame.

Each of the ends 116 of the

frames

62 and 64 is bored to receive a sleeve 118 freely therethrough, with clearance 120 between the outer surface of the sleeve 118 and the inner surfaces of the openings through the rearward portions 116 of the frames.

The sleeves 118 protect the threaded portion 122 of each of the take-up members 108 during reciprocation of the take-up members in the bores in the end plates 116 of the

frames

62 and 64. The rearwardmost end of each of the sleeves 118 engages a boss 124 at the inner end of each of the capstan nuts 126 which capstan nuts are threadedly mounted on the extended ends of the threaded portions 122 of each of the take-up members 108. The sleeves 118 may be press-fitted to the bosses 124 or welded thereto to insure that the sleeves remain in their protective location relative to the threaded portions 122 of the take-up members.

Each of the capstan nuts 126 may be provided with a pin 128 whereby the nuts may be pin-connected to the extended end of its take-up member 108 in a normal operating position. While in the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the resilient means or spring 114 is of the compression type, it will be apparent that extension spring or other types of resilient means acting between the

frames

62 and 64 and respective takeup members 108 could be employed for urging the bearing blocks 88 in a direction remote from the ends 116 of the frames to place tension on the endless conveyor chain 56 or other member passing about the roller 60.

In operation of the idler shaft tensioning structure, with the mechanism positioned as shown, the springs 114 maintain a predetermined forward pressure on their respective bearing retaining blocks 88 urging the roller 60 forward against the endless conveyor chain 56 while permitting the chain to resiliently give in the event rocks and other foreign material lodge between the chain links which would normally interfere with the passage of the chain about the idler and drive shafts, thus relieving the conveyor chain of unnecessary strains. The tensioning mechanism also provides the means whereby the conveyor chain may be manually placed in a slack condition for easy removal, replacement and repair. To remove the tension on the chain, pins 128, where they are employed, are removed and each of the capstan nuts 126 is screwed toward the bifurcated ends of the guide rods. When the capstan nuts 126 are screwed downwardly until their inner faces are in engagement with the outer surfaces of frame members 116 of their respective support members, further rotation of the capstans compress the springs 114 and slide the bearing blocks 88 toward the rearward ends of their tracks 92 formed in respective

conveyor support frames

62 and 64.

If it is necessary to remove or replace the take-up springs 114, if they have been broken or damaged, this may be readily accomplished without dismantling the whole conveyor.

To remove the spring take-up assembly, nut 126 is turned to compress the spring 114 until the resilient force of the spring is restrained and transferred from a direct force on the pin 110 to restraint against the frame. The pin 110 can then be removed freely. After the pin is removed the nut 126 is turned further to move the bifurcated end 106 to the rear until it is clear of boss 100. The whole assembly may then be cocked to the outside in clearance 120 provided in the opening in end frame 116. Nut 126 is then turned in the opposite direction and removed from the take-up member 108, allowing complete disassembly.

To install a new spring the procedure is reversed by tightening nut 126 and compressing the spring 114, at the same time advancing end 106 to the rear until it can be inserted over the boss 100. Turning capstan nut 126 in the opposite direction will allow the spring to expand and the bifurcated end 186 to advance over boss until the pin can be replaced.

As hereinbefore described, each of the bearing blocks 88 also includes

bosses

102 and 104. These bosses are bored to receive the pins 110 which couple the bifurcated ends 106 of the guide rods 108 to the bosses 100. Between each of the pair of

bosses

102 and 104, and maintained therein by pins 110, are plates which are interconnected by a depending rib 132 secured such as by welding to the under surface of a plate 134 corresponding to a front extension of the bed 52 of the conveyor. The most rearward edge of the bed extension 134, designated 136, is tapered to provide a narrow edge for sliding contact with the bed 52. It will also be noted from FIGS. 3 and 4 that the bed extension 134 overlaps the forward edge of the main bed 52 to insure that as the bearing blocks 88 carrying the idler shaft 60 are caused to reciprocate, by foreign material which may engage the links in the conveyor chain 56 no open space is formed in the conveyor deck.

The conveyor chain 56 is driven from the discharge end 30 of the conveyor by sprocket 138 secured to live shaft 140 rotatably mounted in bearing blocks 142 secured to each side wall of the conveyor. The shaft 140 has also secured thereto a sprocket 144 about which a drive chain 146 is trained. The drive chain 146 extends about a pair of idler sprockets 148 and 150 and then about a driven sprocket 152 keyed to the output shaft 154 of a reduction gear unit 156 driven by a motor 158 supported between the vertical support members 74 at the rearward end of the conveyor.

As more clearly shown in FIG. 1, the lower flight of the drive chain 146 passes over chain guides 160 while the upper flight of the drive chain 146 is provided with guide elements 162.

In order to reduce the headroom requirements of the material handling machine, in the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the rearward portion of the conveyor 22 is disposed in a plane generally parallel with the bed of the main frame 10 of the vehicle. Referring particularly to FIG. 6 of the drawings, at the line of juncture 164 between the generally horizontal portion and the inclined portion of the conveyor, the bed 52 of the conveyor 22 is apertured and an idler sprocket generally designated 166 is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 168 with a segment of the barrel portion 170 of the idler sprocket 166 projecting through the aperture to engage the conveyor chain 56. The toothed portion 172 of the sprocket 166 provides lateral stability to the conveyor chain and the location of the idler sprocket 166 supports the upper conveyor flight of the conveyor chain to minimize wear on the conveyor pan 52 in the area of the conveyor bend from the inclined portion to the generally horizontal portion.

The lower flight 174 of the conveyor chain 56 is also supported in the area of the juncture between the inclined and the horizontal portions of the conveyor structure. The lower flight 174 is supported by a pair of idler sprockets 176 and 178. Each of these idler sprockets rotate with motion of conveyor chain 56 and each is suitably supported in bearings carried by brackets generally designated which brackets are secured to the conveyor structure. As more clearly shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings, the lower idler sprocket 176 and the upper idler sprocket 178 for the lower chain flight 174 are positioned generally forwardly and rearwardly of the upper chain flight support and idler sprocket 166, whereby the lower flight 174 of the conveyor chain is elevated and the weight of the lower flight of the conveyor chain is effectively carried minimizing unnecessary loading and wear of the conveyor chain during its return flight.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the conveyor fully accomplishes the aims and objects hereinbefore set forth. It will also be apparent that other advantages are inherent in the improved conveyor structure. For example, with the conveyor chain 56 driven by the rear sprocket 140 the tension side of the chain is upper material conveying flight thereof, whereby the tension required for proper operation of the structure is reduced and in addition the conveyor chain 56 is to a large measure prevented from bunching up as it drags material being conveyed across the pan 52 to the discharge end 30 of the conveyor bed.

Having described our invention, it will be seen that a novel resilient take-up mechanism is provided for belts, chains and the like and an improved conveyor fiight including a sliding pan extension movable with the extension and retraction of a conveyor chain or web passing about the take-up mechanism. 'It will be apparent that various modifications may be made in the form of construction shown in the drawings without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, the nut 126 for the take-up member 108 could comprise an externally threaded bolt as illustrated in FIG. 7. Referring to FIG. 7, the take-up member 108' is bored and internally threaded as shown at 200. The internal threads of the take-up member 108 mate with the external threads 202 of a capstan bolt 204 which bolt is provided with a boss 206 to which the sleeve 118 is secured.

In operation of this form of the invention, the mating threads on the capstan bolt and the take-up member 108' do not take any of the force of spring 114'. However, when it is desired to assemble or disassemble the unit bolt 204 is screwed inwardly of the take-up member 108' until the face 208 of the bolt head comes into contact with surface 210 of the frame portion 116'. Further inward movement of the bolt 204 compresses spring 114" as the lower end 106' of the take-up member 108' is moved toward the frame portion 216' as described with reference to the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-6.

We claim:

1. A resilient take-up device comprising a frame having an opening therein, a bearing member slidably mounted in said frame, a take-up member guided for axial movement through said frame opening and connected to said bearing member for reciprocation therewith, resilient means normally urging said take-up member in one direction axially of said frame opening, means for longitudinally adjusting said take-up member against the resilient urging of said resilient means including a threaded portion on said take-up member and a mating threaded member, said threaded member being adjustable into abutting engagement with said frame to longitudinally move said take-up member in the other direction axially of said frame opening against the resilient urging of said resilient means when said threaded member is screwed toward said resilient means from a position of abutting engagement with said frame.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said re silient means comprises a compression spring.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said mating threaded member comprises a nut.

4. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said mating threaded member comprises. a bolt.

5. A resilient take-up device comprising a frame having an opening therein, a bearing member slidably mounted in said frame, a take-up member guided for axial movement through said frame opening and pivotally connected to said bearing member for reciprocation therewith, resilient means acting between said frame and said take-up member and normally urging said take-up member in one direction axially of said frame opening, means for longitudinally adjusting said take-up member against the resilient urging of said resilient means including a threaded portion on said take-up member and a mating threaded member normally maintained out of engagement with said frame, said threaded member being ad- '6 'justable into abutting engagement with said frame to longitudinally move said take-up member in the other direction axially of said frame opening against the resilient urging of said resilient means when said threaded member is screwed toward said resilient means from a position of abutting engagement with said frame.

6. A resilient take-up device comprising a frame hav-- ing an opening therein, a bearing member slidably mounted in said frame, a take-up member guided for axial movement through said frame opening and pivotally connected to said heating member for reciprocation therewith, resilient means acting between one face of said frame and the take-up member normally urging said take-up member in one direction axially of said frame opening, means for longitudinally adjusting said take-up member against the resilient urging of said resilient means including a threaded portion on said take-up member and a mating threaded member on said take-up member and positioned adjacent the other face of said frame, said threaded member being adjustable along said take-up member into abutting engagement with the said other face of said frame to longitudinally move said take-11p member in the other direction axially of said opening against the resilient urging of said resilient means.

7. In an endless conveyor comprising a material receiving end and a material discharge end, an endless conveyor means extending between said receiving and discharge ends, drive means for said endless conveyor chain connected to one of said ends, an idler shaft at the other end about which said endless conveyor means pass, and means for urging said idler shaft away from said drive end comprising a pair of side frames for said conveyor, means slidably mounting the ends of the idler shaft in the respective side frames, each of said side frames having an opening therein, a take-up member guided for axial movement through the opening in each of the side frames and having connection to its respective mounting means for the idler shaft ends, resilient means acting between one face of said frame and the take-up member and normally urging said take-up mem her in one direction axially of said frame opening, means for longitudinally adjusting said take-up member against the resilient urging of said resilient means including a threaded portion on said take-up member and a mating threaded member on said take-up member and position adjacent the other face of said frame, said threaded member being adjustable into abutting engagement with the said other face of its respective frame to longitudinally move said take-up members toward the drive end of the conveyor axially of each of said frame openings against the resilient urging of said resilient means.

8. In an endless conveyor comprising a material receiving end and a material discharge end, an endless conveyor means extending between said receiving and discharge ends, drive means for said endless conveyor chain connected to one of said ends, an idler shaft at the other end about which said endless conveyor means pass, and means for urging said idler shaft away from said drive end comprising spaced bearing blocks for the ends of said conveyor shaft, said bearing blocks mounted for reciprocating motion in guideways, rear stop members for said guideways having openings therethrough, a takeup member guided for axial movement through the openings in each of the stop members and having connection to its respective mounting means for the idler shaft ends, resilient means normally urging each of said take-up members in one direction axially of said stop member openings, means for longitudinally adjusting each of said take-up members against the resilient urging of said resilient means including a threaded portion on each of said take-up members and a mating threaded member therefor, said threaded member being adjustable into abutting engagement with its respective stop member to longitudinally move the take-up members in the other direction axially of said stop member openings against the resilient urging of said resilient means when said threaded member is screwed toward said resilient means from a position of abutting engagement with said frame.

9. The invention defined in claim 8 including a conveyor pan extension adjacent the idler shaft and means connecting said conveyor pan extension to said bearing blocks whereby said pan extension reciprocates with said conveyor shaft.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Ian. 22, 1912