Clutch and brake for a conveyor drive roll

• US 6,837,364 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2003
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VAN Der Graaf Inc.
• Original Assignee: VAN Der Graaf Inc.
• Inventors: Kanaris, Alexander D
• Primary Examiner(s): Bidwell, James R.
• Application Number:
  US10/372,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20040163934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 198/780, 198/782, 198/788, 198/789
• US Class Current: 198/782
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 13/075 Braking means
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 23/08 with self-contained driving mechanisms, e.g. motors and associated gearing

Abstract

An intermittent internal drive system for a drum conveyor, where the conveyor is started, stopped and restarted and having a drive drum with a hollow interior, a drive motor mounted within and enclosed by the drum for rotating the drum, a clutch located within and enclosed by the drum and connected to the motor and for transmitting rotation from the motor to the drum, and, a brake within and enclosed by the drum and connected to the drum for restraining rotation of the drum.

Claims

1. An intermittent internal drive system for a rum conveyor, wherein said conveyor is started, stopped and restarted repeatedly, and comprising:

a drive drum defining a hollow interior;

a drive motor mounted within and enclosed by said drum and operable to rotate said drum;

a clutch located within and enclosed by said drum and connected to said motor and operable to transmit rotation from said motor to said drum, and being operable to discontinue transmission from said motor to said drum; and

a brake within and enclosed by said drum and connected to said drum and being operable to stop rotation of said drum, and being operable to permit rotation of said drum, and an actuator,

wherein the intermittent internal drive system is operable to maintain the clutch in a disengaged position, and the brake in an engaged position such that the drum is in a rotating stopped position; and

wherein the actuator is operable in substantially the same moment to activate the clutch to achieve an engaged position, and further to activate the brake to achieve a disengaged position, thereby transferring rotation from said motor to said rum and permitting said drum to rotate.

2. An intermittent internal drive system for drum conveyor, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said clutch includes a moveable member, and said actuator including an electromagnetic device operable to cause attraction of said moveable member to a rotating member of said drum.

3. An intermittent internal drive system for a drum conveyor, as claimed in claim 2 wherein said moveable member includes a resilient spring ring and an armature that normally biased away from said electromagnetic device and being moveable in response to said electromagnetic device to move towards said electromagnetic device.

4. An intermittent internal drive system for a drum conveyor, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said moveable member is mounted on a driven member, and wherein said clutch further includes a drive member coupled to said motor, said moveable member being moveable into driven engagement with said drive member, for driving said driven member thereby driving said drum and being moveable away from said drive member to disconnect said engagement.

5. An intermittent internal drive system for a drum conveyor, as claimed in claim 1 wherein said brake includes a non-rotatable brake member, and a rotatable brake member coupled to said drum and rotatable therewith, and an electromagnetic device operable to case interengagement between said non-rotatable member and said rotatable member for restraining rotation of said drum.

6. An intermittent internal drive system for a drum conveyor, as claimed in claim 5 wherein said clutch includes a driven member driveable by said motor, and wherein said rotatable brake member is coupled to said driven member of said clutch.

7. An intermittent internal drive system for a drum conveyor, as claimed in claim 6 including a clutch control and a brake control connected to respective clutch electromagnetic and brake electromagnetic devices, operation of said clutch control to release said clutch electromagnetic device, being simultaneous with operation of said brake electromagnetic device to cause restraining of said drum.

8. An intermittent internal drive system for a drum conveyor, as claimed in claim 1 including a driven shaft driven by said clutch and a reduction gear train connected to said shaft and operatively coupled to said drum for driving said drum upon operation of said driven shaft.

9. An intermittent internal drive system for a drum conveyor, as claimed in claim 8 and including a stub shaft extending from said drum at each end of said drum coaxial with said driven shaft, said drum being freely rotatable on said stub shafts whereby said drum may be mounted in position in a conveyor by means of said stub shafts.

10. An intermittent internal drive system for a drum conveyor, as claimed in claim 8 and including wiring extending through one said stub shaft and connected with said drive motor and with respective said clutch and brake electromagnetic device.

11. An intermittent internal drive system for a drum conveyor, wherein said conveyor is started, stopped and restarted repeatedly, and comprising:

a drive drum defining a hollow interior;

a drive motor mounted within and enclosed by said drum and operable to rotate said drum;

a clutch located within and enclosed by said drum and connected to said motor and operable to discontinue transmission from said motor to said drum; and

, a brake within and enclosed by said drum and connected to said drum and being operable to stop rotation of said drum; and

being operable to permit rotation of said drum;

wherein said clutch include a moveable member, and including an electromagnetic device operable to cause attraction of said moveable member;

wherein said moveable member include a resilient spring ring and an armature normally biased away from said electromagnetic device and being moveable in response to said electromagnetic device to move towards said electromagnetic device.

12. An intermittent internal drive system for a drum conveyor, wherein said conveyor is started, stopped and restarted repeatedly, and comprising

a drive drum defining a hollow interior,

a drive motor mounted within and enclosed by said drum and operable to rotate said drum,

a clutch located within and enclosed by said drum and connected to said motor and operable to discontinue transmission from said motor to said drum, and, a brake within and enclosed by said drum and connected to said drum and being operable to stop rotation of said drum, and being operable to permit rotation of said drum, wherein said brake includes a non-rotatable brake member, and a rotatable brake member coupled to said drum and rotatable therewith, and an electromagnetic device operable to cause interengagement between said nonrotatable member and said rotatable member for restraining rotation of said drum.

13. An intermittent internal drive system for a drum conveyor, as claimed in claim 12 wherein said clutch includes a driven member driveable by said motor, and wherein said rotatable brake member is coupled to said driven member of said clutch.

14. An intermittent internal drive system for a drum conveyor, as claimed in claim 13 including a clutch control and a brake control connected to respective clutch electromagnetic and brake electromagnetic devices, operation of said clutch control release said clutch electromagnetic device, being simultaneous with operation of said brake electromagnetic device to cause restraining of said drum.