Portable belt conveyor system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016016736-A1
Application number	US-201514868730-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 29, 2015
Priority date	Sep 13, 2010
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A belt conveyor system for creating an overland material transport assembly on a ground surface comprises a frame configured for transportation over the ground surface, a plurality of pivotally connected conveyor belt support sections, a head pulley assembly mounted to the first end of the frame, a tail pulley assembly mounted to one of the conveyor belt support sections, and a conveyor belt. The frame includes first and second elongate rails, each of which have a first support surface and a second support surface spaced from the first support surface. The plurality of pivotally connected conveyor belt support sections are supportable on the frame in a transport configuration wherein the plurality of support sections are accordion-folded relative to one another and are generally perpendicular to the first and second elongate rails. The plurality of pivotally connected conveyor belt support sections are movable to a material transport configuration wherein the plurality of support sections are unfolded to be generally parallel to the first and second rails. The belt conveyor is carried by the head pulley assembly, the plurality of conveyor belt support sections and the tail pulley assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for creating an overland material transport assembly on a ground surface, method comprising:
providing a frame configured for transportation over the ground surface, the frame comprising a first end, a second end and first and second elongate rails; providing a plurality of conveyor belt support sections, each conveyor belt support section of the plurality of conveyor belt support sections having a first end and a second end, and being pivotally connected to an adjacent conveyor belt support section at one of the first and second ends, the plurality of conveyor belt sections carrying a conveyor belt; supporting the first end of each conveyor belt support section on the frame in a transport configuration wherein the plurality of support sections are immediately adjacent to one another, wherein a first end of the conveyor belt is connected to a head pulley assembly that is mounted on a first end of the frame, and wherein a second end of the conveyor belt is connected to a tail pulley assembly that is mounted to one of the conveyor belt support sections; moving at least some of the plurality of conveyor belt sections off of the frame and supporting the at least some of the plurality of conveyor belt sections on the ground surface to form the overland material transport assembly.

2 . A portable belt conveyor system comprising:
a transport trailer having a support surface; a plurality of side-by-side conveyor belt support sections, each section having a pivotal connection to an adjacent section, each section having a first end and a second end, the first end of each section supported on the support surface of the trailer, the second end of each section supporting a conveyor belt; wherein at least some of the plurality of conveyor belt support sections are capable of unfolding from the trailer to form a linear belt conveyor system supported on a ground surface, and wherein at least some of the plurality of conveyor belt sections remain on the transport trailer.

Assignees

• Superior Industries

Inventors

• Fehr Corbin J
• Berlinger Bruce J
• Felton Jarrod J

Classifications

• B65G39/16

  for aligning belts or chains · CPC title

• B65G15/26

  extensible, e.g. telescopic {(adjustment of length or configuration of load-carrier B65G21/14)} · CPC title

• B65G41/008 Primary

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