Conveyor belt fastener and method of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9829067-B2
Application number	US-201715418196-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2017
Priority date	Aug 18, 2014
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

In one aspect, a conveyor belt fastener is provided having a rigid body made from a strip of cold-rolled or cold-drawn material such as steel. The body has an upper plate portion, a lower plate portion, and loop portions connecting the upper and lower plate portions. The upper and lower plate portions each have a variable cross-sectional thickness laterally thereacross including raised walls projecting outwardly and ribs projecting inwardly. The fastener has at least one attachment member, such as a staple, for connecting the plate portions to a conveyor belt end and the raised walls protect the staple once driven into the conveyor belt end.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A conveyor belt fastener for splicing conveyor belt ends together, the conveyor belt fastener comprising:
upper and lower plate portions each having an outboard edge and an inboard edge;
at least two channels of each of the upper and lower plate portions extending longitudinally from the inboard edge to the outboard edge thereof, the channels each having opposite ends that are open at the inboard and outboard edges;
apertures of the upper and lower plate portions at the channels;
a plurality of attachment members for extending through the apertures and securing the upper and lower plate portions to a conveyor belt; and
at least one loop laterally offset from the channels of the upper and lower plate portions and having an arcuate configuration extending between the upper and lower plate portions.

2. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 1 wherein the at least one loop includes a pair of loops laterally offset from the channels of the upper and lower plate portions.

3. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 1 wherein the upper and lower plate portions include inner surfaces for engaging a conveyor belt and outer surfaces for facing away from the conveyor belt, the upper and lower plate portions each including at least one raised outer portion between the channels to protect the attachment members, the at least one raised outer portion having a length extending longitudinally intermediate the inboard and outboard edges and having a thickness between the outer and inner surfaces that is substantially uniform for the entire length of the raised outer portion.

4. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 3 wherein the at least one raised outer portion of each of the upper and lower plate portions includes a pair of raised outer portions and the raised outer portions extend longitudinally along opposite sides of one of the channels of the plate portion.

5. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 3 wherein the upper and lower plate portions include reduced thickness portions extending laterally from the raised outer portions, the apertures being formed in the reduced thickness portions.

6. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 1 wherein a fastener body of rolled stock material having a predetermined high hardness level includes the upper and lower plate portions and the at least one loop, the at least one loop having the predetermined high hardness level of the rolled stock material.

7. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 6 wherein the high hardness level is in the range of approximately 95 to approximately 105 on the Rockwell B scale.

8. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 1 wherein the at least two channels of each of the upper and lower plate portions includes three channels of each of the upper and lower plate portions.

9. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 1 wherein the upper and lower plate portions each include opposite lateral sides and a ledge portion at one of the lateral sides with one of the channels including the ledge portion.

10. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 1 wherein the upper and lower plate portions include outer surface walls projecting outwardly away from the belt and extending longitudinally along the channels of the upper and lower plate portions.

11. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 10 wherein the upper and lower plate portions include inner surface ribs projecting inwardly toward the belt.

12. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 11 wherein the outer surface walls and the inner surface ribs are vertically aligned.

13. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 1 wherein the upper and lower plate portions each have an outer surface for facing away from the belt, an inner surface for engaging the belt, and a variable thickness between the outer and inner surfaces thereof and extending laterally across each of the plate portions.

14. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 1 wherein the apertures of the upper and lower plate portions at the channels includes a pair of apertures at each channel and the attachment members comprise staples having leg portions extending through the apertures in the upper plate portion.

15. A conveyor belt fastener for splicing ends of a conveyor belt, the conveyor belt fastener comprising:
upper and lower plate portions each having an outer surface for facing away from the belt and an inner surface for engaging the belt, the upper and lower plate portions each having lateral sides extending between the outer and inner surfaces;
a variable thickness of the upper and lower plate portions between the outer and inner surfaces thereof and extending laterally thereacross;
apertures of the plate portions;
at least one attachment member adapted to extend through the apertures of the plate portions and secure the plate portions to a conveyor belt;
outer surface walls of the upper and lower plate portions projecting outwardly away from the belt; and
reduced thickness ledge portions extending laterally from the outer surface walls and including one of the lateral sides of the upper and lower plate portion thereon.

16. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 15 wherein the upper and lower plate portions each include another outer surface wall at the other lateral side of the plate portion.

17. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 15 wherein the apertures of the plate portions include a pair of apertures in each of the reduced thickness ledge portions and the at least one attachment member comprises at least one staple having leg portions adapted to extend through the pair of apertures.

18. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 15 wherein the reduced thickness ledge portions each have a planar outer surface extending laterally from the outer surface wall to the one lateral side.

19. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 15 wherein the reduced thickness ledge portions include inner and outer surfaces and contoured lateral side surfaces extending therebetween.

20. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 15 wherein the upper and lower plate portions include inner surface ribs extending toward the belt.

21. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 20 wherein the outer surface walls and the inner surface ribs are vertically aligned.

22. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 15 wherein the upper and lower plate portions each include another outer surface wall and a reduced thickness web portion extending laterally between the outer surface walls.

23. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 22 wherein the apertures of the upper and lower plate portions include apertures in the reduced thickness web portion and the reduced thickness ledge portion; and
the at least one attachment member includes a plurality of attachment members adapted to extend through the apertures in the reduced thickness web portion and the reduced thick ness ledge portion.

24. The conveyor belt fastener of claim 15 further comprising at least one arcuate loop portion connecting the upper and lower plate portions.

Assignees

• Flexible Steel Lacing Co

Inventors

• Daniels William J

Classifications

• F16G3/02 Primary

  with series of eyes or the like, interposed and linked by a pin to form a hinge (F16G3/09 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16G3/04 Primary

  in which the ends of separate U-shaped or like eyes are attached to the belt by parts penetrating into it · CPC title

• F16G3/003

  Apparatus or tools for joining belts (stapler B25C5/00) · CPC title

• B25C5/06

  without provision for bending the ends of the staples on to the work · CPC title

• F16G3/16

  Devices or machines for connecting driving-belts or the like · CPC title