Slider bed conveyor apparatus and associated method

• US 4,789,056 A
• Filed: 02/03/1987
• Issued: 12/06/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Svedala Industries, Inc. (Neles Oyj)
• Original Assignee: Solidur Plastics Co.
• Inventors: Bourbeau, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, Frank E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAYOAN, DARRELL G
• Application Number:
  US07/010,409
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 198/841, 198/823, 198/830, 198/842, 198/861.1, 198/816, 198/818, 198/820, 198/821, 198/824, 193/35 R, 193/35.55
• US Class Current: 198/823
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 15/62 Guides for sliding belts
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 21/2081 for bulk material, e.g. skirts
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/04 Bulk
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2207/28 Impact protection

Abstract

A slider bed conveyor apparatus and associated method comprising a conveyor belt system having a frame, a slider bed and head and tail idler rollers on either end of the slider bed that are secured to and in recessed position to the slider bed and a conveyor belt running over the idler rollers. When loads such as impact loads are placed on the conveyor belt, the slider bed supports the conveyor belt at the point where the material is loaded. This action resists sagging and stretching of the conveyor belt and also reduces wear on the idler rollers. The idler rollers are each mounted on a shaft and are adapted to be vertically adjustable depending on load requirements. The conveyor belt system is modular and of unitary structure and several modules can be joined so as to form a conveyor belt system of any desired length.

Claims

1. A conveyor belt system comprising

a frame,

an elongated slider bed secured to said frame,

said slider bed having slider bed members including a plurality of spaced elongated generally parallel members,

said slider bed members oriented generally longitudinally with respect to said frame,

said slider bed having recesses defined by said slider bed members at opposed ends thereof,

a head idler roller secured to said frame and disposed in one said recess,

a tail idler roller secured to said frame and disposed in the opposite said recess,

an endless conveyor belt extending over said idler rollers and said slider bed,

said slider bed being treated with polyethylene whereby said polyethylene is transferred onto said conveyor belt to create a cross-link effect between said conveyor belt material and said slider bed,

said idler rollers each being rotatably mounted on a shaft,

said shaft extending axially beyond the sides of said idler roller, and

said shaft of said idler roller mounted in adjustable idler roller support means which include a generally horizontally oriented base, a generally vertically oriented sidewall, and a pair of generally vertically oriented support plates relatively spaced a distance greater than the axial length of said idler roller and receiving said extending portion of said shaft, whereby impact loads imposed on said conveyor belt can be supported by said idler rollers and said slider bed.

2. The system of claim 1, including

said extending portion of said shaft having connected to it a roller bearing cup to effect fixation of said idler roller to said adjustable idler roller support means while permitting said idler roller to rotate.

3. The system of claim 2, including

jack screw means engaging said adjustable idler roller supports to facilitate raising or lowering said adjustable idler roller supports.

4. The system of claim 3, including

said generally vertically oriented sidewall having slots.

5. The system of claim 4, including

said frame consisting of a plurality of frame members, said adjustable idler roller support means being slidably attached to the opposed end frame members by bolt means and nut means whereby said bolt means pass through said slots in said generally vertically oriented sidewall and said nut means engaging said bolt means to effect intimate engagement of said nut means with the exterior surface of said vertically oriented sidewall so as to fix the position of said adjustable idler roller support.

6. An adjustability mechanism comprising a conveyor belt system having a frame, a slider bed secured to said frame, a head idler roller secured to and in recessed position with respect to said frame, a tail idler roller secured to and in recessed position with respect to said frame adjacent to the opposite end thereof, a conveyor belt having a central portion and angularly upwardly extending side portions, said central portion extending over and contacting said idler rollers and said slider bed,

an adjustable idler support means slidably attached to said frame of said conveyor belt system, and

said adjustable idler support means comprising a generally horizontally oriented base and a generally vertically oriented sidewall and a pair of vertically oriented support plates relatively spaced a distance greater than the axial length of said idler roller, whereby said head and tail idler rollers may be vertically adjustable with respect to said frame and said slider bed.

7. The mechanism of claim 6, including

said generally vertically oriented sidewall having slots.

8. The mechanism of claim 7, including

said frame consisting of a plurality of frame members, the opposed end frame member being slidably attached to said adjustable idler roller support means by nut means and bolt means whereby said bolt means pass through said slots in said generally vertically oriented sidewall and said nut means engaging said bolt means to effect intimate engagement of said nut means with the exterior surface of said vertically oriented sidewall so as to fix the position of said adjustable idler roller support.

9. The system of claim 8, including

jack screw means engaging said adjustable idler roller supports.