Snap-on position limiter for a conveyor belt

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10427880-B2
Application number	US-201816122501-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2018
Priority date	Jan 24, 2014
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

A conveyor employs a low-tension, direct drive conveyor belt, and a snap-on position limiter for ensuring proper engagement of the belt and a drive sprocket. The position limiter includes a body, a limiting surface and a snap clap opposite the limiting surface for snapping the position limiter to a mounting shaft. The position limiter may include a mounting arm for mounting a conveyor belt scraper at the front of the position limiter. Mounting plates at the end of the conveyor support a mounting shaft for mounting the position limiter or other conveyor components in place relative to the drive sprocket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shaft for mounting components in a conveyor frame, comprising:
an axial member extending from a first end to a second end;
a channel extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the axial member perimeter for receiving a tip of a conveyor component; and
a slot in an end face of the shaft for receiving a pin on a handle to selectively shift the shaft relative to the conveyor frame.

2. The shaft of claim 1 , further comprising an alignment notch intersecting the channel for receiving an axial tab on the conveyor component.

3. The shaft of claim 1 , further comprising a position limiter mounted on the shaft, the position limiter having a tip received in the channel.

4. The shaft of claim 3 , wherein the position limiter comprises a snap clamp forming the tip and a limiting surface connected to the snap clamp, the limiting surface having a rounded nose, a concave portion, a straight portion and a rounded end portion that transitions to an outer surface of the snap clamp.

5. The shaft of claim 1 , further comprising a scraper mount mounted on the shaft, the scraper mount having a tip received in the channel and a recess for receiving a mounting bar of a conveyor belt scraper assembly.

6. The shaft of claim 5 , wherein the conveyor belt scraper assembly comprises the mounting bar, which is configured to be inserted in the recess of the scraper mount, a blade receptacle connected to the mounting bar and a scraper blade mounted in the blade receptacle.

7. The shaft of claim 6 , wherein the conveyor belt scraper assembly further comprises a counterweight for biasing the scraper blade into contact with a conveyor belt.

8. The shaft of claim 1 , wherein the shaft is formed of stainless steel.

9. A shaft for mounting components in a conveyor frame, comprising:
an axial member extending from a first end to a second end;
a channel extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the axial member perimeter for receiving a tip of a conveyor component; and
an axial alignment notch intersecting the channel for receiving an axial tab of the conveyor component.

10. The shaft of claim 9 , wherein the shaft comprises a plurality of axial alignment notches for mounting a plurality of conveyor components to the shaft.

11. The shaft of claim 9 further comprising a slot in an end face of the shaft for receiving a pin on a handle to selectively shift the shaft relative to the conveyor frame.

12. The shaft of claim 9 , further comprising a position limiter mounted on the shaft, the position limiter having a tip received in the channel.

13. The shaft of claim 9 , further comprising a scraper mount mounted on the shaft, the scraper mount having a tip received in the channel and a recess for receiving a mounting bar of a conveyor belt scraper assembly.

14. The shaft of claim 13 , wherein the conveyor belt scraper assembly comprises the mounting bar, which is configured to be inserted in the recess of the scraper mount, a blade receptacle connected to the mounting bar and a scraper blade mounted in the blade receptacle.

15. The shaft of claim 9 , wherein the shaft is formed of stainless steel.

16. A method of mounting conveyor components to a conveyor frame, comprising the steps of:
providing a shaft having channel extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the perimeter of the shaft for receiving a tip of a conveyor component;
providing a conveyor component having a functional portion and a snap clamp for mounting the conveyor component on the shaft, the snap clamp comprising a curved body having a first leg forming a tip and a second leg;
inserting the tip of the snap clamp into the channel on the shaft;
rotating the second leg about the shaft to lock the conveyor component on the shaft;
inserting the shaft between two mounting plates of the conveyor frame; and
securing the shaft to the mounting plates by inserting a tool through an opening of the mounting plate.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of securing the shaft comprises inserting a handle having an eccentric pin through the opening so that the eccentric pin engages a slot in an end face of the shaft.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising the step of rotating the handle to shift the shaft into position relative to a conveyor drive mounted to the drive plates.

Assignees

• Laitram Llc

Inventors

• Batchelder Jeff
• Degroot Michael Hendrik
• Oonk Friso Antonius Maria
• Wolters Laurentius G J
• Mol Edward T
• Ma Ruizhe

Classifications

• B65G21/105

  having demountable driving or return heads · CPC title

• B65G23/06

  with projections engaging abutments on belts or chains, e.g. sprocket wheels · CPC title

• B65G23/44

  Belt or chain tensioning arrangements · CPC title

• B65G23/12

  Arrangements of co-operating drums or rollers to augment tractive effort applied to the belts · CPC title

• B65G15/62 Primary

  Guides for sliding belts · CPC title