ZA200102334B

ZA200102334B - Chain conveyors.

Info

Publication number: ZA200102334B
Application number: ZA200102334A
Authority: ZA
Inventors: Cornelis Johannes Pieterse; Daniel Johannes Pieterse; Hendrik Christiaan Pieterse
Original assignee: Cornelis Johannes Pieterse; Daniel Johannes Pieterse; Hendrik Christiaan Pieterse
Priority date: 1999-08-25
Filing date: 2000-07-28
Publication date: 2002-01-15

Description

GUIDE FOR CONVEYOR CHAIN

THIS INVENTION relates to chain conveyors.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a conveyor segment for a chain conveyor including a track and a chain of a magnetisable material defining a load-bearing surface, that is moveable over the track, the conveyor segment being a two-part segment comprising a track-defining portion defining the track over which the chain is moveable, and a magnet- holding portion holding at least one magnet, the track- defining portion and the : magnet-holding portion being removably secured to one another in an arrangement wherein the magnetic lines of force of the magnetic field produced by the magnet extend through the track-defining portion thereby to attract the chain against the track-defining portion.

The track-defining portion may define a pair of spaced parallel rails on which the chain is slidably moveable.

The track-defining portion may have a connecting portion extending between said parallel rails, the track-defining portion having a substantially U-shaped configuration when viewed in cross-sectional end view.

The magnet-holding portion may define at least one pocket in which the

CONFIRMATION COPY magnet is located, in use.

The magnet-holding portion may define a number of pockets in an operative upper side thereof, the pockets being open-topped, with a magnet being retained in each pocket between the magnet-holding portion and an underside of the track-defining portion.

The pockets may be disposed equidistant from one another and arranged in a plane disposed along a centre line of the track-defining portion defined between said rails thereof.

The magnet-holding portion may define an elongate recess formation that is disposed operatively below said pockets, in which a strip of a ferromagnetic material is retained for enhancing the magnetic effect provided by the magnets, in use.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a magnet- holding portion for a conveyor segment of a chain conveyor including a track and a chain of a magnetisable material defining a load-bearing surface, that is movable over the track, the conveyor segment including a track-defining portion defining the track over which the chain is movable, the magnet-holding portion defining at least one pocket in which a magnet can be located, the magnet-holding portion being removably securable to the track-defining portion so as to form a two-part conveyor segment wherein the magnetic lines of force of the magnetic field produced by the magnet extend through the track-

defining portion thereby to attract the chain against the track-defining portion.

The rmagnet-hoiding portion may define a number of pockets in a operative upper side of the magnei-hoiding puriion, ihe pockets being open-topped, with the magnets being operatively retained in the pockets between the maagnet- holding portion and an underside of the track-defining portion when the track- defining portion is secured to the magnet-holding portion, in use.

The magnet-holding portion may define an elongate recess formation that is disposed operatively below the pockets, in which a strip of a ferromagnetic material can be retained for enhancing the magnetic effect provided by the magnets, in use.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a chain conveyor including a track and a chain of a magnatisable material defining a load-bearing surface, that is moveable over the track, the chain conveyor including a two- part conveyor segment comprising a track-defining portion defining the track over which the chain is moveable, and a magnet-holding portion holding at least one magnet, the track-defining portion and the magnet-holding portion being removably secured to one another in an arrangement wherein the magnetic lines of force of the magnetic field produced the magnet extend through the track-defining portion thereby to attract the chain against the track-defining portion.

~ WOo1/14225 : PCT/IB00/01054

The track-defining portion of the conveyor segment may define a pair of spaced parallel rails on which the chain is slidably moveable.

The track-defining portion of the conveyor segment may have a connecting portion extending between said parallel rails, the track-defining portion having a substantially U-shaped configuration when viewed in cross-sectional end view.

The magnet-holding portion of the conveyor segment may define at least one pocket in which the magnet is located, in use.

The magnet-holding portion of the conveyor segment may define a number of pockets in an operative upper side thereof, the pockets being open-topped, with a magnet being retained in each pocket between the magnet-holding portion and the underside of the track-defining portion.

The pockets defined in the magnet-holding portion of the conveyor segment, may be disposed equidistant from one another and arranged in a plane disposed along a centre line of the track-defining portion defined between said rails thereof.

The magnet-holding portion of the conveyor segment may define an elongate recess formation that is disposed operatively below said pockets, in which a strip of ferromagnetic material is retained for enhancing the magnetic effect provided by the magnets, in use.

Further features of the invention are described hereinafter by way of a non- limiting example of the invention, with reference tc and as Hiustrates in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. in the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a schematic fragmentary top plan view of a chain conveyer in accordance with a third aspect of the invention;

Figure 2 shows an enlarged schematic sectional end view of the chain conveyor of Figure 1, as viewed along section line lI-ll of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows a schematic exploded three-dimensional view of a conveyor segment for the chain conveyor of Figure 1, in accordance with a first aspect of the invention;

Figure 4 shows a schematic top plan view of a track-defining portion of the conveyor segment of Figure 3;

Figure 5 shows a schematic sectional end view of the track-defining portion of Figure 4, as viewed along section line V-V of Figure 4;

Figure 6 shows a schematic top plan view of a magnet-holding portion of the conveyor segment of Figure 3, in accordance with the second aspect of the invention;

Figure 7 shows a schematic sectional end view of the magnet-holding portion of Figure 6, as viewed along section line VII-VIII of Figure 6;

Figure 8 shows a schematic sectional end view of the magnet-holding portion of Figure 6, as viewed along section line IX-1X of Figure 6; and

Figure 9 shows a schematic sectional end view of the conveyor segment of

Figure 3, sectioned along a section line passing through a pocket of the magnet-holding portion thereof. : With reference to the drawings, a chain conveyor, in accordance with the third : aspect of the invention, is designated generally by the reference numeral 10.

The chain conveyor 10 comprises a track designated generally by the reference ) numeral 12 and a chain designated generally by the reference numeral 14, of ] a magnetisable stainless steel that defines a load-bearing surface 16 on which articles to be conveyed can be supported. The chain 14 is moveable over the track 12 and comprises a number of chain sections that are pivotally connected to one another so as to provide the load-bearing surface 16.

The chain conveyor 10 includes a number of conveyor segments that are connected to one another end-to-end so as to define the track which is continuous and on which the chain 16 is slideably movable. The conveyor segment depicted in the drawings is a bend segment 18 and thus defines a curved track along which the chain is moveable. The bend segment 18 is a two-part segment comprising a plastics track-defining portion 20 and a plastics magnet-holding portion in the form of a base portion 22, that ars removably secured to one another.

The track-defining portion 20 and the base portion 22 are secured tn one another by means of screws 24. More particularly, the screws 24 extend from an underside of the base portion 22 into the track-defining portion 20. As such, the base portion 22 defines through-holes 25 through which the screws 24 can extend and the track-defining portion 20 defines holes 27 that are in register with the holes of the base portion, the holes of the track-defining portion 20 including screw-threaded inserts 26 into which the screws 24 can be screwed.

The track-defining portion 20 defines a pair of spaced parallel rails 28 on which the chain is slidably movable, in use, and a central connecting piece 30 which extends between the rails 28. As such, the track-defining portion 20 has a U- shaped configuration when viewed in cross-sectional end view.

The base portion 22 defines a number of pockets 32 in which permanent magnets 34 are located. The pockets are centrally defined in an operative upper side of the base portion 22. The pockets 32 are open-topped and as such when the track-defining portion 20 is secured to the base portion 22, the magnets 34 are retained in the pockets between the base portion 22 and an under side of the track-defining portion 20.

The base portion 22 defines a curved elongate slot 36 that is disposed operatively below the pockets 32 and in which a strip 38 of magnetisable steel is retained for enhancing the magnetic effect provided by the magnets 34, in use.

The base portion 22 defines recess formations 40 at the ends of the slot 36, in which ends of the strip 38 can be received, for enhancing the location of the strip 38 in the slot.

Although the conveyor segment may be straight in other embodiments, the conveyor segment will in most applications be a bend segment where the tendency of the chain to lift off the track is greatest. " In use, the surfaces of the track of a chain conveyor that is in contact with the chain is subject to wear. This is particularly the case along inner and upper portions of the inner rail of a bend segment of a track including a bend. When the track becomes so worn that it is no longer operational, it becomes necessary to replace the affected segments of the track at great cost. This cost is particularly exacerbated where the permanent magnets are formed integrally with the track, as is the case with many currently available chain conveyors. These permanent magnets are relatively expensive. However, because of the cost involved in attempting to remove the magnets, the magnets are often discarded together with the worn track segments. In contrast thereto, a worn track-defining portion 20 of the bend segment 18 can merely be removed by unfastening the screws 24 and replacing the affected portion with a new track-defining portion.

This allows for 2asy maintenance oi worn tracks and furthermore has the advarilage that the permanent magnets are not discarded together with a worn track segment.

Claims

1. A conveyor segment for a chain conveyor including a track and a chain of a magnetisable material defining a load-bearing surface, that is moveable over the track, the conveyor segment being a two-part segment comprising a track-defining portion defining the track over which the chain is moveable, and a magnet-holding portion holding at least one magnet, the track- defining portion and the magnet-holding portion being removably secured to one another in an arrangement wherein the magnetic lines of force of the magnetic field produced by the magnet extend through the track-defining portion thereby to attract the chain against the track-defining portion.

2. A conveyor segment as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the track-defining portion defines a pair of spaced parallel rails on which the chain is

. slidably moveable.

:

3. A conveyor segment as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the track-defining portion has a connecting portion extending between said parallel rails, the track-defining portion having a substantially U-shaped configuration when viewed in cross-sectional end view.

4, A conveyor segment as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the magnet-holding portion defines at least one pocket in which the magnet is located, in use.

5. A conveyor segment as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the magnet-holding portion defines a number of pockets in an operative upper side thereof, the pockets being open-topped, with a magnet being retained in each pocket between the magnet-holding portion and an underside of the track-defining portion.

6. A conveyor segment as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the pockets are dispused equidistant froin one anoiher and arranged in a piane disposed along a centre line of the track-defining portion defined between said rails thereof.

7. A conveyor segment as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 8, wherein the magnet-holding portion defines an elongate recess formation that is disposed operatively below said pockets, in which a strip of a ferromagnetic material is retained for enhancing the magnetic effect provided by the magnets, in use.

8. A magnet-holding portion for a conveyor segment of a chain conveyor including a track and a chain of a magnetisable material defining a load- bearing surface, that is movable over the track, the conveyor segment including a track-defining portion defining the track over which the chain : is movable, the magnet-holding portion defining at least one pocket in which a magnet can be located, the magnet-holding portion being : removably securable to the track-defining portion so as to form a two- part conveyor segment wherein the magnetic lines of force of the magnetic field produced by the magnet extend through the track- defining portion thereby to attract the chain against the track-defining portion.

9. A magnet-holding portion as claimed in Claim 8, which defines a number of pockets in a operative upper side of the magnet-holding portion, the pockets being open-topped, with the magnets being operatively retained in the pockets between the magnet-holding portion and an underside of the track-defining portion when the track-defining portion is secured to the magnet-holding portion, in use.

10. A magnet-holding portion as claimed in Claim 9, which defines an elongate recess formation that is disposed operatively below the pockets, in which a strip of a ferromagnetic material can be retained for enhancing the magnetic effect provided by the magnets, in use.

11. A chain conveyor including a track and a chain of a magnatisable material defining a load-bearing surface, that is moveable over the track, the chain conveyor including a two-part conveyor segment comprising a track-defining portion defining the track over which the chain is moveable, and a magnet-holding portion holding at least one magnet, the track-defining portion and the magnet-holding portion being . removably secured to one another in an arrangement wherein the magnetic lines of force of the magnetic field produced the magnet extend through the track-defining portion thereby to attract the chain against the track-defining portion.

12. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the track-defining : portion of the conveyor segment defines a pair of spaced parallel rails on which the chain is slidably moveable.

13. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the track-defining portion of the conveyor segment has a connecting portion extending between said parallel rails, the track-defining portion having a substantially U-shaped configuration when viewed in cross-sectional end view.

14. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 12 or Claim 13, wherein the magnet-holding portion of the conveyor segment defines at least one pocket in which the magnet is located, in use.

~-13-

15. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 14, wherein the magnet-holding portion of the conveyor segment defines a number of pockets in an operative upper side thereof, the pockets being open-topped, with a magnet being retained in each pocket between the magnet-holding sertion and the underside of the track-defining portion.

18. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 15, wherein the pockets defined in the magnet-holding portion of the conveyor segment, are disposed equidistant from one another and arranged in a plane disposed along a centre line of the track-defining portion defined between said rails thereof.

17. A chain conveyor as claimed in any one of Claims 14 to 16, wherein the magnet-holding portion of the conveyor segment defines an elongate recess formation that is disposed operatively below said pockets, in which a strip of ferromagnetic material is retained for enhancing the magnetic effect provided by the magnets, in use. 18 A new conveyor segment substantially as described in the specification.

19. A conveyor segment substantially as described in the specification, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

20. A new magnet-holding portion substantially as described in the specification. 21 A magnet-holding portion substantially as described in the specification, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

22. A new chain conveyor substantially as described in the specification.

23. A chain conveyor substantially as described in the specification, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.