Radius conveyor with guide rollers
First Claim
1. In a plastic modular conveyor belt capable of following a path including straight and curving sections and including a series of connected and serially interdigited elongated molded plastic belt module rows being connected by rods extending transversely to the length of the conveyor belt, each belt module row having a set of first aligned spaced projections or link ends extending in one direction from the row and a set of second aligned spaced projections or link ends extending in an opposition direction, the first and second projections of serially adjacent module rows being longitudinally overlapping and juxtaposed when the modules are connected serially in the conveyor belt by the connecting rods extending through transverse openings in the projections, the transverse openings of one of said sets of spaced projections being longitudinally elongated slotted holes to accommodate lateral curves wherein the module rows become angularly shifted and collapse together at the inside of the curve, with substantially all longitudinal tension in the belt from module to module carried generally at the outside of a curve, and including stationary belt supporting structure supporting the belt for movement, the improvement comprising,a series of guide rollers mounted generally centrally on the undersides of at least some of the belt modules, with low-friction bearing means supporting the guide rollers on the modules, anda stationary roller guide rail secured to the stationary belt supporting structure, the roller guide rail being positioned through a curving section of the path of the conveyor belt and having a roller engaging surface which is spaced away from the inside edge of the belt so as to present a smooth surface for engagement by the series of guide rollers to maintain the belt modules on a prescribed curving path through the curving section, thereby providing for smooth and low-friction traversal of the curving section by the conveyor belt modules.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plastic modular conveyor belt of the type having slotted openings in one set of projections for allowing collapse of the inner side of the belt in travel around curves includes a guide roller on the underside of the belt. The guide roller, with a low-friction bearing, smoothly guides the belt so that contact is avoided at the inner side belt edge. In some preferred embodiments the guide roller can also serve as a hold down for the belt around curves, by engaging upwardly against a guide strip. In another embodiment separate hold down tabs are included, so that the roller serves only a guiding function.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. In a plastic modular conveyor belt capable of following a path including straight and curving sections and including a series of connected and serially interdigited elongated molded plastic belt module rows being connected by rods extending transversely to the length of the conveyor belt, each belt module row having a set of first aligned spaced projections or link ends extending in one direction from the row and a set of second aligned spaced projections or link ends extending in an opposition direction, the first and second projections of serially adjacent module rows being longitudinally overlapping and juxtaposed when the modules are connected serially in the conveyor belt by the connecting rods extending through transverse openings in the projections, the transverse openings of one of said sets of spaced projections being longitudinally elongated slotted holes to accommodate lateral curves wherein the module rows become angularly shifted and collapse together at the inside of the curve, with substantially all longitudinal tension in the belt from module to module carried generally at the outside of a curve, and including stationary belt supporting structure supporting the belt for movement, the improvement comprising,
a series of guide rollers mounted generally centrally on the undersides of at least some of the belt modules, with low-friction bearing means supporting the guide rollers on the modules, and a stationary roller guide rail secured to the stationary belt supporting structure, the roller guide rail being positioned through a curving section of the path of the conveyor belt and having a roller engaging surface which is spaced away from the inside edge of the belt so as to present a smooth surface for engagement by the series of guide rollers to maintain the belt modules on a prescribed curving path through the curving section, thereby providing for smooth and low-friction traversal of the curving section by the conveyor belt modules.
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10. A method for guiding around a curve of a plastic modular conveyor belt capable of following a path including both straight and curving sections, the belt including a series of connected and serially interdigited elongated molded plastic belt module rows, the rows connected by rods extending transversely to the length of the conveyor belt, each belt module row having a set of first aligned spaced projections or link ends extending in one direction from the row and a set of second aligned spaced projections or link ends extending in an opposition direction, the first and second projections of serially adjacent module rows being longitudinally overlapping and juxtaposed when the modules are connected serially in the conveyor belt by the connecting rods extending through transverse openings in the projections, the transverse openings of one of said sets of spaced projections being longitudinally elongated slotted holes to accommodate lateral curves wherein the module rows become angularly shifted and collapse together at the inside of the curve, with substantially all longitudinal tension in the belt from module to module carried generally at the outside of a curve, and including stationary belt supporting structure supporting the belt for movement, comprising the steps of:
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providing on at least some of said belt modules a guide roller mounted generally centrally on the underside of the module, with low-friction bearing means supporting the guide rollers on the modules, driving the conveyor belt in a path including laterally curving sections, and guiding the conveyor belt around each such laterally curving section by a stationary roller guide rail secured to the stationary belt supporting structure and positioned through the curving section of the path of the conveyor belt, with a roller engaging surface of the guide rail spaced away from the inside edge of the belt and positioned to be engaged by the series of guide rollers on the belt, thereby maintaining the belt modules on a prescribed curving path through the curving section and restraining the belt from pulling inwardly relative to the curve, thereby providing for smooth and low-friction traversal of the curving sections by the conveyor belt modules. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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Specification