GB1597992A

GB1597992A - Conveyor

Info

Publication number: GB1597992A
Application number: GB675778A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Stork Bepak BV
Current assignee: Stork Bepak BV
Priority date: 1977-02-28
Filing date: 1978-02-21
Publication date: 1981-09-16
Also published as: BE864221A; FR2392902A1; FR2392902B1; ES467372A1; NL7702145A; DK87978A; DE2808270A1

Description

(54) CONVEYOR (71) We, STORK BEPAK B.V., a Netherlands limited liability company of 2, Groeneweg, Utrecht, the Netherlands, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to a conveyor comprising at least one driven endless belt which travels in a substantially horizontal path defined by a supporting frame. Although existing conveyors of the type having oppositely positioned profiled members supported at a number of spaced locations by support structures operate satisfactorily, improvement is possible in so far as reducing the expenditure on material is concerned, whilst maintaining a sufficient rigidity, and using narrower and broader chains, than the size mostly used heretofore.The principle of a pitchless construction has to be maintained, i.e. that there need not be regularity in the mutual distance between consecutive support structures.

It is an object of the invention to provide a conveyor which realises the possibilities of such improvements.

According to the present invention there is provided a conveyor comprising at least one driven endless belt arranged to travel with an upper and a lower flight in a substantially horizontal path defined by a frame which is mounted at spaced locations on support structures, the frame comprising oppositely positioned profiled members, and each of the latter having a substantially vertically extending central part, an upper and a lower flange, the upper flange being arranged to support the upper flight of the or a belt, and the lower flange being clamped to the support structures.

Preferably the clamping of the profiled members to each support structure is obtained by means of two superimposed clamping blocks which are fastened to the support structure with at least one bolt.

Preferably also each support structure comprises a pair of U-sections arranged with open ends facing one another and interconnected at a lower area by horizontally extending strips welded to the U-sections. Holes with internal threads may be provided in the U-sections of each support structure so as to co-operate with bolts for fastening supports for a railing and/or a holder for a supporting leg. The lower clamping block may have an inverted U-shaped cross-section, the legs of which are located on either side of the horizontal strips of the support structure.

Each profiled member may be gutter-shaped and the lower flange of each gutter-shaped profiled member preferably encloses an angle of greater than 90" with the central part of the member so as to improve the drainage of moisture from the supporting frame of the conveyor.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a cross sectional view of a conveyor which comprises two driven endless belts; Figures 2 and 3 show a side elevation and a top view respectively of the conveyor of Figure 1 as seen in the direction of the arrows II and III;and Figure 4 shows an exploded view of a conveyor comprising one single driven endless belt.

The conveyor comprises at least one driven endless belt which travels in a substantially horizontal path on a supporting frame 2. The latter is supported at a number of locations along the path on support structures 3. The conveyor according to the invention is different from the prior art by the structure of the supporting frame 2 to be described below more in detail and by the form of the support structures 3.

As shown in Figure 1, each belt 1 has its supporting frame 2. This frame is made up of two gutter-shaped profiled members 4 positioned mirror-symmetrically and at distance opposite each other. The profiled members 4 are each provided with a relatively long central part or body 5 and short raised flanges 6. The body 5 is positioned in a vertical plane and the lower flange 6 encloses an angle of more than 90" with said body 5. This diverging lower flange 6 is clamped on sleepers 7 defining the structures 3.

As can be seen clearly in Figure 4, each sleeper 7 consists of two raised U-sections 8 facing one another. In the lower area of the sleeper these said sections 8 are interconnected by two horizontal strips 9 welded to the sec tions 8. The clamping of the two gutter-shaped profile members 4 on the sleeper 7 is obtained by means of two superimposed clamps 10 and 11 in the form of blocks secured to the sleeper 7 by means of a bolt 12. The lower clamp 11 has a reverse U-shaped cross section (see Figure 4), the legs of which are on either side of the horizontal strips 9 of the sleeper 7.

Both raised sections 8 of each sleeper 7 have two holes 13 with an internal thread.

These holes cooperate with a bolt 23 for fastening a support 14 for a railing 15 and/or a holder 16 for a leg 17 (see Figure 1). The clamps 10 and 11 have a substantially complementary shape at the location of the lower flange 6 of the gutter-shaped profile member 4.

The bolt 12 may be provided with a hexagonal portion 18 engageable into a correspondingly profiled hole of the upper clamp 10. The bolt 12 extends in between the horizontal strips 9 and is fixed by means of an intermediate plate 19 and a nut 20. The upper face of clamp 10 has a shape which is somewhat adapted to the returning flight of the endless belt 1 travelling thereover. In connection herewith, there are grooves or recesses 21 in which a plastics strip can be disposed in order to reduce any friction and wear with respect to the belt 1.

Figure 1 shows two variants of the railing 15. The right-hand side of said Figure shows the simplest embodiment which may be fixed to the support 14 by means of a handle 22. The left-hand side of Figure 1 shows a railing with an adjustable height which can also be fixed to the support 14 via a handle 22.

In the embodiment of the conveyor according to Figures 1-3, there are two belts 1 parallel to one another, whilst the variant in Figure 4 shows an embodiment which is provided with one single belt 1. It goes without saying that the invention is not limited thereto and an embodiment with three or more parallel endless belts next to each other is also possible. The most important advantage of the conveyor according to the invention consists in that the supporting frame may be built up as a clamping structure as a result of which there is no need to drill holes for fastening bolts while there is great liberty in defining the mutual distance between the support structures 3. The structure comprising U-sections 8 and strips 9 of the sleeper 7 ensures a torsion-free arrangement of the conveyor.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A conveyor comprising at least one driven endless belt arranged to travel with an upper and a lower flight in a substantially horizontal path defined by a frame which is mounted at spaced locations on support structures, the frame comprising oppositely positioned profiled members, and each of the latter having a substantially vertically extending central part, an upper and a lower flange, the upper flange being arranged to support the upper flight of the or a belt, and the lower flange being clamped to the support structures.

2. A conveyor as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the clamping of the profiled members to each support structure is obtained by means of two superimposed clamping blocks which are fastened to the support structure with at least one bolt.

3. A conveyor as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein each profiled member is gutter-shaped and arranged mirror-symmetrical with respect to the other.

4. A conveyor as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the lower flange of each gutter-shaped profiled member encloses an angle of greater than 90" with the central part thereof.

5. A conveyor as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein each support structure comprises a pair of U-sections arranged with open ends facing one another and interconnected at a lower area by horizontally extending strips welded to the U-sections.

6. A conveyor as claimed in Claim 5, wherein holes with internal threads are provided in the U-sections of each support structure so as to co-operate with bolts for fastening supports for a railing and/or a holder for a supporting leg.

7. A conveyor as claimed in Claim 5 or 6, when dependent on Claim 2, wherein the lower clamping block has an inverted U-shaped crosssection, the legs of which are located on either side of the horizontal strips of the support structure.

8. A conveyor as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the strips of each support structure comprise two torsion-rigid parallel spaced strips.

9. A conveyor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

sleeper these said sections 8 are interconnected by two horizontal strips 9 welded to the sec tions 8. The clamping of the two gutter-shaped profile members 4 on the sleeper 7 is obtained by means of two superimposed clamps 10 and

11 in the form of blocks secured to the sleeper

7 by means of a bolt 12. The lower clamp 11 has a reverse U-shaped cross section (see Figure 4), the legs of which are on either side of the horizontal strips 9 of the sleeper 7.

Both raised sections 8 of each sleeper 7 have two holes 13 with an internal thread.

These holes cooperate with a bolt 23 for fastening a support 14 for a railing 15 and/or a holder 16 for a leg 17 (see Figure 1). The clamps 10 and 11 have a substantially complementary shape at the location of the lower flange 6 of the gutter-shaped profile member 4.

The bolt 12 may be provided with a hexagonal portion 18 engageable into a correspondingly profiled hole of the upper clamp 10. The bolt 12 extends in between the horizontal strips 9 and is fixed by means of an intermediate plate 19 and a nut 20. The upper face of clamp 10 has a shape which is somewhat adapted to the returning flight of the endless belt 1 travelling thereover. In connection herewith, there are grooves or recesses 21 in which a plastics strip can be disposed in order to reduce any friction and wear with respect to the belt 1.

Figure 1 shows two variants of the railing 15. The right-hand side of said Figure shows the simplest embodiment which may be fixed to the support 14 by means of a handle 22. The left-hand side of Figure 1 shows a railing with an adjustable height which can also be fixed to the support 14 via a handle 22.

In the embodiment of the conveyor according to Figures 1-3, there are two belts 1 parallel to one another, whilst the variant in Figure 4 shows an embodiment which is provided with one single belt 1. It goes without saying that the invention is not limited thereto and an embodiment with three or more parallel endless belts next to each other is also possible. The most important advantage of the conveyor according to the invention consists in that the supporting frame may be built up as a clamping structure as a result of which there is no need to drill holes for fastening bolts while there is great liberty in defining the mutual distance between the support structures 3. The structure comprising U-sections 8 and strips 9 of the sleeper 7 ensures a torsion-free arrangement of the conveyor.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A conveyor comprising at least one driven endless belt arranged to travel with an upper and a lower flight in a substantially horizontal path defined by a frame which is mounted at spaced locations on support structures, the frame comprising oppositely positioned profiled members, and each of the latter having a substantially vertically extending central part, an upper and a lower flange, the upper flange being arranged to support the upper flight of the or a belt, and the lower flange being clamped to the support structures.
2. A conveyor as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the clamping of the profiled members to each support structure is obtained by means of two superimposed clamping blocks which are fastened to the support structure with at least one bolt.
3. A conveyor as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein each profiled member is gutter-shaped and arranged mirror-symmetrical with respect to the other.
4. A conveyor as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the lower flange of each gutter-shaped profiled member encloses an angle of greater than 90" with the central part thereof.
5. A conveyor as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein each support structure comprises a pair of U-sections arranged with open ends facing one another and interconnected at a lower area by horizontally extending strips welded to the U-sections.
6. A conveyor as claimed in Claim 5, wherein holes with internal threads are provided in the U-sections of each support structure so as to co-operate with bolts for fastening supports for a railing and/or a holder for a supporting leg.
7. A conveyor as claimed in Claim 5 or 6, when dependent on Claim 2, wherein the lower clamping block has an inverted U-shaped crosssection, the legs of which are located on either side of the horizontal strips of the support structure.
8. A conveyor as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the strips of each support structure comprise two torsion-rigid parallel spaced strips.
9. A conveyor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.