Apparatus and method for tracking conveyor belts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016264358-A1
Application number	US-201615160915-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 20, 2016
Priority date	Mar 8, 2012
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A tracking apparatus and method for urging a mistracking conveyor belt back towards a correct travel path are provided. The apparatus and method both utilize downstream shifting of an end portion of an idler roller due to mistracking of the conveyor belt for directing or steering the belt back toward its correct travel path and a reaction force from the belt due to the steering thereof for energizing a tilting action of the idler roller to raise the downstream end portion thereof. In this manner, the tilting of the idler roller is not mechanically coupled to the downstream shifting of the roller end portion allowing the belt tracking apparatus herein to be bi-directional for use with conveyor belts that may be run in opposite travel directions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A tracking apparatus for urging a mistracking conveyor belt back toward a correct travel path, the tracking apparatus comprising:
at least one idler roller for supporting the conveyor belt and having a neutral position when the conveyor belt is traveling along the correct travel path; and a frame assembly configured to operatively mount the idler roller to conveyor structure, allow the idler roller to shift when the conveyor belt is mistracking so that one of the end portions of the idler roller is further downstream from the neutral position thereof and further downstream than the other end portion of the idler roller for directing the belt back toward the correct travel path, and allow the idler roller to use a reaction force from the belt as the belt is being directed by the shifted idler roller to actuate the idler roller to be tilted so that the one end portion of the idler roller is raised upwardly relative to a lower position thereof with the idler roller in the neutral position for urging the belt back toward the correct travel path, whereby tilting and raising up of the idler roller one end portion only occurs as a result of the shifting of the idler roller one end portion further downstream, but does not occur with the idler roller in the neutral position and the idler roller one end portion in the lower position thereof that is lower relative to the tilted and raised upwardly position thereof.

Assignees

• Flexible Steel Lacing Co

Inventors

• Kuiper Daniel J
• Devries Brett E
• Gilman Richard W

Classifications

• B65G39/16

  for aligning belts or chains · CPC title

• B65G15/64 Primary

  for automatically maintaining the position of the belts · CPC title

• B65G2812/02168

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