Apparatus to extend lift capacity of sidewall belt conveyor
AssigneeRobbins Mining, Inc.
InventorShirley Donnelly Riffe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A belt tension-reducing device is provided, which includes a support member; a pliable central wheel assembly configured to engage a both downwardly and upwardly moving portions of the conveyor belt; first and second outboard roller assemblies positioned to engage the downwardly and upwardly moving portions, respectively. A second effective rolling radius of the pliable central wheel assembly at a contact point with the upwardly moving portion of the conveyor belt can be greater than a first effective rolling radius of the pliable central wheel assembly at a contact point with the downwardly moving portion of the conveyor belt to reduce stresses on the belt in a vertical shaft. The belt tension-reducing devices can be arranged in a stacked configuration within the vertical shaft.
Claims20
A belt tension-reducing device, comprising:
- a support member;
- a pliable central wheel assembly rotatably coupled to the support member and having first and second pliable wheels spaced apart by an axle, wherein the first and second pliable wheels are configured to engage on a first side a downwardly moving portion of a conveyor belt, and on a second side an upwardly moving portion of the conveyor belt;
- a first outboard roller assembly rotatably coupled to the support member, the first outboard roller assembly having first and second outer rollers positioned to engage the downwardly moving portion of the conveyor belt, the first outer roller opposing the first side of the first pliable wheel, and the second outer roller opposing the first side of the second pliable wheel;
- and
- a second outboard roller assembly rotatably coupled to the support member, the second outboard roller assembly having third and fourth outer rollers positioned to engage the upwardly moving portion of the conveyor belt, the third outer roller opposing the second side of the first pliable wheel, and the fourth outer roller opposing the second side of the second pliable wheel,
- wherein a second effective rolling radius of the first and second pliable wheels at a contact point with the upwardly moving portion of the conveyor belt is greater than a first effective rolling radius of the first and second pliable wheels at a contact point with the downwardly moving portion of the conveyor belt.
A vertical conveyor assembly for extracting material upward through a vertical shaft, the vertical conveyor assembly comprising:
- a conveyor belt;
- an above-ground portion having a downturn deflection wheel configured to guide the conveyor belt downwardly and into the vertical shaft;
- a take-up pulley at the bottom of the vertical shaft and configured to guide the conveyor belt upwardly and out of the vertical shaft;
- a belt tension-reducing device positioned between the downturn deflection wheel and the take-up pulley, the belt tension-reducing device comprising:
- a support member;
- a pliable central wheel assembly rotatably coupled to the support member and configured to engage on a first side a downwardly moving portion of the conveyor belt, and on a second side an upwardly moving portion of the conveyor belt;
- a first outboard roller assembly rotatably coupled to the support member and positioned to engage the downwardly moving portion of the conveyor belt, the first outboard roller assembly opposing the first side of the pliable central wheel assembly;
- and
- a second outboard roller assembly rotatably coupled to the support member and positioned to engage the upwardly moving portion of the conveyor belt, the second outboard roller assembly opposing the second side of the pliable central wheel assembly,
- wherein a first effective rolling radius of the pliable central wheel assembly at a contact point with the downwardly moving portion of the conveyor belt is less than a second effective rolling radius of the pliable central wheel assembly at a contact point with the upwardly moving portion of the conveyor belt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.