Portable belt conveyor system, methods and apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11440739-B2
Application number	US-202117203104-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2021
Priority date	Mar 16, 2020
Publication date	Sep 13, 2022
Grant date	Sep 13, 2022

Abstract

Conveyors are disclosed having transport and operational configurations. Some embodiments include conveyor sections supportable on an upper support rail. Some embodiments are sized to be transported in a conveyor. Some embodiments include conveyor sections slidingly engaged with one another. Some embodiments include a reel for supporting a conveyor belt. Some embodiments include individually foldable conveyor sections.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A conveyor, the conveyor having a transport configuration in which the conveyor is collapsed in a first direction and supported on a transport apparatus for transport along a travel direction opposite the first direction, the conveyor having an operational configuration in which the conveyor is expanded in the first direction and at least partially supported apart from the transport apparatus, the conveyor comprising:
a plurality of conveyor sections, each conveyor section supporting a plurality of spaced conveyor idler assemblies, each conveyor section being slidingly connected to an adjacent conveyor section, wherein each conveyor section is generally upright in the transport configuration, wherein each conveyor section is generally horizontal in the operational configuration, wherein said each said conveyor section comprises a slot.

2. The conveyor of claim 1 , wherein at least some of said idler assemblies face rearward in the transport configuration, wherein said idler assemblies face upward in the operational configuration.

3. The conveyor of claim 1 , wherein said slot is slidingly engaged by an adjacent conveyor section.

4. The conveyor of claim 1 , wherein said slot is slidingly engaged by a pin of an adjacent conveyor section.

5. The conveyor of claim 4 , wherein said pin is mounted on a plate, said plate mounted to said adjacent conveyor section.

6. The conveyor of claim 1 , wherein each said conveyor section comprises one or more support legs, each said support leg engaging the ground in the operational configuration.

7. The conveyor of claim 1 , further comprising: a head section, said head section operably coupled to one of said conveyor sections.

8. The conveyor of claim 7 , further comprising: a tail section, said tail section operably coupled to one of said conveyor sections.

9. The conveyor of claim 1 , further comprising: a tail section, said tail section operably coupled to one of said conveyor sections.

10. The conveyor of claim 1 , wherein each conveyor section is pivotally connected to an adjacent conveyor section.

11. The conveyor of claim 10 , wherein each conveyor section has an intermediate position between the transport configuration and the operational configuration, wherein said conveyor section is disposed at a non-zero angle relative to horizontal in said intermediate position.

12. The conveyor of claim 1 , wherein each conveyor section has an intermediate position between the transport configuration and the operational configuration, wherein said conveyor section is disposed at a non-zero angle relative to horizontal in said intermediate position.

13. The conveyor of claim 1 , wherein each conveyor section has an intermediate position between the transport configuration and the operational configuration, wherein in said intermediate position a forward end of said conveyor section is disposed vertically higher than a rearward end of said conveyor section.

14. A method of reconfiguring a conveyor from a transport configuration in which the conveyor is collapsed in a first direction and supported on a transport apparatus for transport along a travel direction opposite the first direction into an operational configuration in which the conveyor is expanded in the first direction and at least partially supported apart from the transport apparatus, the method comprising:
moving a rearward end of a first conveyor section off of the transport apparatus;
by a slot in a second conveyor section adjacent to said first conveyor section, sliding a forward end of said first conveyor section downward relative to the second conveyor section;
pivoting said first conveyor section from an upright orientation to a horizontal orientation; and
supporting said first conveyor section on a ground surface rearward of the transport apparatus.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
moving a rearward end of said second conveyor section off of the transport apparatus;
sliding a forward end of said second conveyor section downward relative to a third conveyor section adjacent to said second conveyor section;
pivoting said second conveyor section from an upright orientation to a horizontal orientation; and
supporting said second conveyor section on a ground surface rearward of the transport apparatus.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein said sliding step and said pivoting step are simultaneous.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein said sliding step and said pivoting step are at least partly simultaneous.

18. A method of reconfiguring a conveyor from a transport configuration in which the conveyor is collapsed in a first direction and supported on a transport apparatus for transport along a travel direction opposite the first direction into an operational configuration in which the conveyor is expanded in the first direction and at least partially supported apart from the transport apparatus, the method comprising:
at least partially supporting first and second conveyor sections by supporting a pivotal connection between the first and second conveyor sections;
moving a rearward end of a said first conveyor section off of the transport apparatus;
pivoting said first conveyor section from an upright orientation to a horizontal orientation; and
supporting said first conveyor section on a ground surface rearward of the transport apparatus.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said step of supporting first and second conveyor sections by supporting a pivotal connection is carried out by an upper rail of the transport apparatus.

Assignees

• Superior Industries

Inventors

• Koehl Tom
• Rosen Philip
• Thooft Travis

Classifications

• B65G2812/02029

  Transportable conveyor frames · CPC title

• B65G2201/0235

  Containers · CPC title

• B65G21/14

  to allow adjustment of length or configuration of load-carrier or traction element (varying speed of conveyance by adjusting configuration of load-carrier B65G23/00; {tensioning arrangements for belt or chain B65G23/44}) · CPC title

• B65G41/008 Primary

  frames mounted on wheels or caterpillar (for movement on rail tracks B65G41/02) · CPC title

• B60P3/035

  for transporting reel units · CPC title