Conveyor support structure and retainer for same
AssigneeJoy Global Underground Mining LLC
InventorPaul John Summerell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A conveyor support includes a frame, a roller, and a retainer. The frame includes a support arm. The roller includes a shaft and a shell supported for rotation relative to the shaft, and the shaft includes an end. The retainer releasably secures the end of the shaft relative to the support arm. The retainer includes a first portion engaging a first side of the support arm and a second portion engaging a second side of the support arm. The second portion is biased toward the first portion to exert a compressive force on the support arm. At least one of the first portion and the second portion engages the shaft of the roller.
Claims20
A conveyor support comprising:
- a frame including a support arm;
- a roller including a shaft and a shell supported for rotation relative to the shaft, the shaft including an end;
- and
- a retainer for releasably securing the end of the shaft relative to the support arm, the retainer including a first portion engaging a first side of the support arm and a second portion engaging a second side of the support arm, the second portion biased toward the first portion to exert a compressive force on the support arm, at least one of the first portion and the second portion engaging the shaft of the roller.
A retainer for releasably securing a conveyor roller to a support frame, the retainer comprising:
- a first portion including a pair of parallel legs oriented in a first plane, the legs separated by a gap;
- a second portion including a planar portion extending in a second plane offset from the first plane, the second portion including one of a protrusion and a recess configured to engage the other of a protrusion and a recess formed on the support frame, the second portion biased toward the first portion, at least one of the first portion and the second portion configured to engage a shaft of the roller;
- and
- an intermediate portion extending between the first portion and the second portion.
A method for releasably securing a roller to a conveyor support frame, the method comprising:
- positioning a shaft of the roller within a slot of the support frame;
- aligning a retainer adjacent an end surface of the support frame;
- and
- sliding the retainer relative to the support frame until a portion of the retainer extends around a portion of the shaft and is secured against movement relative to the support frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.