US 2025/0276348 A1Published application

Modular dual belt drive unit

AssigneeStoneage, Inc.

InventorsJeffery R. BARNES, John L. KRAUSER

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Abstract

Disclosed are lance hose drive units having a modular construction for easy disassembly and reassembly of its housing and components. A drive unit includes a housing having front and rear walls, and a top cover coupled to the walls. The housing may include a bottom cover removably also coupled to the front and rear walls, and a motor-side cover coupled to a side edge of at least one of the front wall, rear wall, and top cover. A drive unit may also comprise a belt drive unit positioned within the housing, and configured to drive movement of a lance hose positioned within the housing. A belt-side cover is removably coupled to the top cover, at least one toolless fastener removably securing the belt-side cover. The belt drive unit is slidably coupled at its front end within an interior front channel and at its rear end within an interior rear channel.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A flexible high pressure fluid cleaning lance tractor drive apparatus, comprising:

a housing comprising:
a front wall, a rear wall, and a top cover coupled to top ends of the front and rear walls,
a bottom cover removably coupled to bottom ends of the front and rear walls, and
a motor-side cover coupled to a side edge of at least one of the front wall, rear wall, and top cover;
an upper belt drive unit and a lower belt drive unit both positioned within the housing, the upper and lower belt drive units configured to drive movement of at least one lance hose positioned between the upper and lower belt drive units;
an actuator coupled between the top cover and the upper belt drive unit, and configured to provide vertical movement of the upper belt drive unit;
a belt-side cover removably coupled to the upper belt drive unit, the belt-side cover configured to move vertically with the upper belt drive unit;
and
wherein the upper and lower belt drive units are slidably coupled at their front ends within a front channel formed on an interior surface of the front wall, and slidably coupled at their rear ends within a rear channel formed on an interior surface of the rear wall;
and
wherein one or more fasteners positioned at lower portions of the front and rear walls are configured to retain the upper and lower belt drive units within the front and rear channels.

8 more elements

A flexible high pressure fluid cleaning lance tractor drive apparatus, comprising:

a housing comprising:
a front wall, a rear wall, and a top cover coupled to top ends of the front and rear walls,
a bottom cover removably coupled to bottom ends of the front and rear walls, and
a motor-side cover coupled to a side edge of at least one of the front wall, rear wall, and top cover;
upper and lower belt drive units vertically positioned within the housing, and configured to drive movement of at least one lance hose positioned within the housing between the upper and lower belt drive units, wherein each belt drive unit comprises:
a support wall defining a belt side and a motor side, wherein a front edge of the support wall is slidably coupled with a front channel on an interior of the front wall, and a rear edge of the support wall is slidably coupled with a rear channel on an interior of the rear wall,
on the belt side of the support wall, an endless belt mounted on at least one drive roller and at least one idle roller, and
on the motor side of the support wall, a motor corresponding to each of the at least one drive roller and having a drive shaft configured to turn a corresponding drive roller for moving the endless belt;
an actuator coupled between the top cover and the upper belt drive unit, and configured to provide vertical movement of the upper belt drive unit;
and
a belt-side cover removably coupled to the upper belt drive unit, the belt-side cover configured to move vertically with the upper belt drive unit;
wherein a bottom area of the support wall of the upper belt drive unit is configured to slidably engage a top area of the support wall of the lower belt drive unit;
and
wherein the bottom cover comprises a bottom channel on its interior surface extending longitudinally at least partially between its front end to its rear end, and sized to removably receive the bottom edge of the support wall of the lower belt drive unit to provide structural support therefor.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 19/065,511Filed 27 Feb 2025
Priority: 4 Mar 2024
Published: 4 Sep 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B08B 9/0433
Moved by externally powered mechanical linkage, e.g. pushed or drawn through the pipes: provided exclusively with fluid jets as cleaning tools
B65H 51/105
With opposed coacting surfaces, e.g. providing nips: one of which is an endless belt
B65H 51/14
Forwarding filamentary material: aprons, endless belts, lattices, or like driven elements
B65H 2701/33
Handled filamentary material: hollow or hose-like material

Family

Application63/560,914Us provisional application · filed 4 Mar 2024
US 2025/0276348 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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