CONVEYOR SYSTEM

• US 3,756,382 A
• Filed: 07/30/1971
• Issued: 09/04/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John S. Adey Jr, John T. Collins, Peter M. Cino
• Original Assignee: John S. Adey Jr, John T. Collins, Peter M. Cino
• Inventors: Adey, John S. Jr., Collins, John T., Cino, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Aegerter, Richard E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Valenza, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US05/167,598
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 198/129,193,198,201,184
• US Class Current: 198/690.2
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 15/42 having ribs, ridges, or other surface projections
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/04 Bulk

Abstract

A conveyor system is disclosed having a conveyor belt with corrugated chevron or V-shaped cleats extending across the belt wherein the cleats provide pockets for retaining flowable materials during upward movement of the belt at a substantial angle to the horizontal. The apex of each cleat extends between the ends of the next cleat so as to provide continuous transverse overlapping of the cleats. The corrugations in the cleats permit the cleats to extend longitudinally of themselves so that they remain upright as they pass around the rollers upon which the belt is mounted. The cleats also have the very advantageous feature of permitting stable support of the conveyor belt during its return run by transverse rollers.

Claims

1. In a conveyor which is adapted to elevate flowable products from a receiving station to a discharge station, the combination of, a flexible endless belt, a plurality of rollers upon which said belt is mounted with a product conveying run extending from said product receiving station along an upwardly inclined path to and around a roller at said product discharge station, said conveyor belt presenting a product conveying surface upon which the product is deposited and supported during the conveying movement, and a continuous array of closely nested cleats mounted on said belt along said product conveying surface, said cleats having a generally chevron-shaped configuration in plan with each of said cleats having two leg portions which extend respectively from the opposite side edges of said product conveying surface and which converge to an apex in the opposite direction to that of the belt movement, said leg portions being interconnected at said apex along the central portion of said product conveying surface and comprising a continuous base portion bonded to said belt and an integral upstanding flexible wall which is corrugated longitudinally and has a total wall height which is sufficient to permit the wall to remain substantially upright from said product supporting surface when said belt passes around one of said rollers, said cleats being bonded to said product conveying surface with the base portions thereof positioned adjacent each other and the apex of each cleat being located between the ends of an adjacent cleat, adjacent the apex of said adjacent cleat, to define a continuous array of overlapping and nested cleats whereby each pair of adjacent cleats defines a pocket therebetween with said product conveying surface during the upwardly inclined movement of said product conveying surfaces, to retain said flowable product therebetween, and the corrugations in said corrugated longitudinal walls of each of said cleats opening by flexing as they pass over said roller at said discharge opening while remaining upright to completely discHarge said flowable material from said pockets.

2. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein each of said cleats is substantially V-shaped in plan.

3. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said belt is formed from a textile-reinforced elastomer and wherein said cleats are formed of elastomer bonded to said belt.

4. An apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said belt has a return run substantially parallel to said product-conveying run, and a support roller for said conveyor run upon which said cleats are supported to thereby reduce the sag in said return run.

5. An apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein said product-conveying run extends from said inclined path along a horizontal portion to said discharge station.

6. An apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein said conveying run includes a horizontal portion at said product-receiving station.

7. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein each of said two leg portions comprises corrugation portions and interconnecting flat portions, each of said corrugation portions having a central wall which terminates in a bottom wall and two side walls each of which is integral with the respective adjacent flat portions.

8. An apparatus as described in claim 1 which includes product-receiving means at said discharge station.

9. An apparatus as described in claim 1 which includes a frame construction mounting said rollers.

10. An apparatus as described in claim 10 wherein there are two rollers upon which said belt is mounted supporting the product-conveying run along a single plane.

11. An apparatus as described in claim 10 which includes a horizontal product-receiving section and a horizontal section adjacent said discharge station, and wherein said rollers include rollers at the ends of the product-conveying run and additional rollers above the respective two runs of said belt at the bottom of said inclined path and a pair of rollers below the respective runs at the top of said inclined path.