Position limiter for flighted conveyor belt

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11787639-B2
Application number	US-202117563464-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2021
Priority date	Mar 22, 2018
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

A conveyor employs an assembly at a drive end having a position limiter assembly configured to accommodate flights in a conveyor belt while ensuring proper engagement between the conveyor belt and a drive. The end assembly includes opposing end plates, a drive extending between the end plates and a position limiter assembly extending between the end plates below the drive for ensuring proper engagement of a conveyor belt with the drive. The position limiter comprises a series of spaced apart rollers mounted to and spaced from a mounting bar extending between the end plates. Roller mounting arms connect the rollers to the mounting bars.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A position limiter assembly for a conveyor, comprising:
a mounting bar extending from a first end to a second end;
a mounting portion for mounting the mounting bar to a conveyor frame;
a plurality of roller mounting arms extending from the mounting bar at selected intervals along the length of the mounting bar, each roller mounting arm comprising a base and a slotted end; and
a roller assembly mounted to each roller mounting arm, each roller assembly comprising a pair of spaced-apart rollers rotatably mounted on an axle, the axle including roller mounting portions allowing free rotation of the rollers and a narrow central portion having flat sides configured to be received in the slotted end of an associated roller mounting arm.

2. The position limiter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the slotted end includes an operation slot and an open installation slot intersecting the operation slot at an angle.

3. The position limiter assembly of claim 2 , wherein the slotted end further includes a relief slot intersecting the operation slot.

4. The position limiter assembly of claim 3 , wherein the operation slot has a chamfer.

5. The position limiter of claim 1 , wherein the slotted end is thinner than the base of the roller mounting arm.

6. The position limiter assembly of claim 1 , wherein each roller mounting arm includes a threaded end opposite the slotted end configured to be received in a corresponding opening in the mounting bar.

7. The position limiter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mounting portion comprises:
a first assembly mounting arm extending from the mounting bar at the first end, and
a second assembly mounting arm extending from the mounting bar at a second end.

8. The position limiter assembly of claim 7 , wherein each assembly mounting arm including a vertical neck, a cylindrical head and a boss extending outward from the cylindrical head for connecting the position limiter assembly to the conveyor frame.

9. The position limiter assembly of claim 7 , wherein the roller mounting arms extend at an angle of between about 10° and about 30° relative to the assembly mounting arm.

10. A roller limiter for a conveyor belt, comprising:
a mounting arm having a base extending from a threaded end to a slotted end, the base end including an operation slot and an open installation slot intersecting the operation slot at an angle; and
a roller assembly mounted to the slotted end, wherein the roller assembly comprises a pair of spaced-apart rollers rotatably mounted on an axle, the axle including roller mounting portions allowing free rotation of the rollers and a narrow central portion having flat sides configured to be received in the slotted end of the mounting arm.

11. The roller limiter of claim 10 , wherein the slotted end further includes a relief slot intersecting the operation slot.

12. A roller limiter for a conveyor belt, comprising:
a mounting arm having a base extending from a threaded end to a slotted end, the slotted end comprising a pair of spaced-apart fingers; and
a roller assembly mounted between the pair of spaced-apart fingers, the roller assembly comprising an axle having a central roller-mounting portion and two flat-side protrusions received in slots in the fingers and roller mounted on the central roller-mounting portion using bearings.

13. The roller limiter of claim 12 , wherein each finger include an operation slot and an installation slot that intersects the operation slot at an angle and is open.

14. The roller limiter of claim 13 , wherein each finger further includes a relief slot intersecting the operation slot.

Assignees

• Laitram Llc

Inventors

• Degroot Michael Hendrik
• Downer Drew
• Hulshof Gerko
• Mohan Jake A

Classifications

• B65G39/12 Primary

  mounted on framework · CPC title

• B65G15/60

  Arrangements for supporting or guiding belts, e.g. by fluid jets · CPC title

• B65G21/06

  constructed to facilitate rapid assembly or dismantling · CPC title

• B65G23/12

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

• B65G2812/02168

  Belts provided with guiding means, e.g. rollers · CPC title