Chain conveyor and drive sprocket for same
AssigneeJoy Global Underground Mining LLC
InventorGareth Rimmington
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A conveyor assembly for moving material includes a plurality of chains each defining a longitudinal axis, and a plurality of flights coupled to the at least two chains and configured to contact and move the material in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axes. Each of the plurality of flights extends along a central axis oriented oblique with respect to the longitudinal axes. Each flight includes a first portion offset from a second portion in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axes.
Claims21
A conveyor system configured to move material relative to a mine face, the conveyor system comprising:
- a conveyor pan configured to support the material;
- a drive unit including a drive shaft and a plurality of sprockets secured to the drive shaft, the drive shaft driven about a rotational axis;
- and
- a conveying element including a plurality of chains and a plurality of flights, each of the chains driven by one of the sprockets to move the chain and the flights over the conveyor pan, each of the flights coupled between the plurality of chains, each of the plurality of flights including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion coupled to the second portion by a movable joint, the flights configured to move the material over the conveyor pan;
- wherein the plurality of sprockets are angularly offset about the rotational axis relative to each other, and wherein the first portion moves relative to the second portion at the movable joint in response to the plurality of chains engaging the plurality of sprockets and moving about the rotational axis.
A conveyor assembly for moving material, the conveyor assembly comprising:
- at least two chains configured to be driven by a sprocket that is rotatable about a sprocket axis;
- and
- a plurality of flights, each of the plurality of flights including a first portion coupled to a second portion by a movable joint, the first portion fixedly coupled to one of the at least two chains, the second portion extending between the at least two chains, each flight of the plurality of flights configured to contact and move the material, the first portion moving relative to the second portion as the flight is driven about the sprocket axis.
A conveyor assembly for moving material, the conveyor assembly comprising:
- at least two chains, the at least two chains driven along a path including a carry run and a return run;
- and
- a plurality of flights coupled to the at least two chains for movement along the path, the flights configured to contact and move the material along the carry run in a first direction, the flights moving in a second direction along the return run, each of the plurality of flights extending along a central axis oriented obliquely with respect to the first direction;
- wherein the central axis of each of the plurality of flights is configured to bend in response to each of the plurality of flights transitioning between the carry run and the return run.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.