Apparatus and method for activating conveyor belt rollers
AssigneeLaitram, L.L.C.
InventorsAndrew N. Baker, Yorrick Mulder, Paul Edward Kirkpatrick, Jr., Jeffrey S. Schwai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and method for activating conveyor belt roller assemblies by lowering and extending wearstrips to selectively lower the conveyor belt to place the conveyor belt roller assemblies into contact with actuating rollers. A wearstrip module housing the wearstrips includes an upper support upon which the wearstrips are mounted that is longitudinally and vertically movable relative to a lower support fixed relative to the actuating rollers. Mounting brackets rotatably mount the lower support and actuating rollers in a fixed position and orientation.
Claims18
A conveyor comprising:
- a conveyor belt advancing longitudinally in a direction of belt travel and having a plurality of article-supporting roller assemblies arranged in longitudinal columns and lateral rows, each roller assembly comprising an upper roller protruding above a top surface of the conveyor belt and a bottom roller for actuating the upper roller protruding below a bottom surface of the conveyor belt;
- longitudinally-extending wearstrips laterally offset from the columns of article-supporting roller assemblies and extending in the direction of belt travel below the conveyor belt;
- longitudinally-extending actuating rollers disposed at a fixed level below the conveyor belt and between the wearstrips and aligned with the columns of roller assemblies;
- and
- means for moving the wearstrips vertically and longitudinally into and out of supporting contact with the conveyor belt to selectively raise the conveyor belt out of contact with the actuating rollers.
A wearstrip module for selectively raising and retracting a set of wearstrips, comprising:
- a lower frame comprising a pair of lower side walls connected by a top wall, the lower side walls including ramps at upper edges;
- an actuator housed between the lower side walls;
- an upper frame comprising a pair of upper side walls connected by a bottom wall, the upper side walls including downwardly angled edges that protrude below the bottom wall, the upper frame connected to the actuator;
- longitudinally extending wearstrips coupled to top edges of the upper side walls;
- a first set of low-friction inserts coupled to the ramps;
- and
- a second set of low-friction inserts coupled to the downwardly angled edges, wherein the second set of low-friction inserts rest on the first set of low-friction inserts, so that longitudinal movement of the upper frame relative to the lower frame effects vertical movement of the upper frame relative to the lower frame.
A method for operating an advancing conveyor belt having rows and columns of article-supporting roller assemblies extending through the thickness of the belt, the method comprising the steps of:
- deactivating the article-supporting roller assemblies by raising wearstrips into contact with portions of the conveyor belt between the columns of article-supporting roller assemblies to pull and raise the conveyor belt out of contact with actuating rollers mounted between mounting brackets, wherein the step of deactivating the article-supporting roller assemblies comprises moving an upper frame supporting the wearstrips relative to a lower frame housing an actuator, the upper frame comprising a pair of upper side walls for supporting the wearstrips, a bottom wall connecting the upper side walls and downwardly angled edges that protrude below the bottom wall;
- and
- activating the article-supporting roller assemblies by lowering the wearstrips relative to the mounting brackets, so that the article supporting roller assemblies contact the actuating rollers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.