Conveyor take-up device
AssigneeHerzog Railroad Services, Inc.
InventorsMatthew L. Combs, Colton Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A conveyor take-up device for adjusting tension in a conveyor belt is disclosed. The device includes a linear actuator extending between a conveyor frame and a roller bracket securable to a head roller of the conveyor. The linear actuator includes a rotary drive mechanism having a drive head mounted at a drive end and operable to extend and retract a drive screw disposed within at least one tube. The roller bracket extends proximate the drive head and defines an access space into which the drive head extends to permit tool engagement. Rotation of the drive head repositions the head roller relative to the conveyor frame to adjust belt tension.
Claims19
A take-up device comprising:
- a linear actuator comprising a rotary drive mechanism and a drive head, the drive head mounted to a drive end of the linear actuator;
- and
- a roller bracket secured to the linear actuator, the roller bracket extending proximate the drive head;
- wherein the drive head is rotatable to extend and retract the linear actuator.
A conveyor take-up device comprising:
- a roller bracket securable to a head roller of a conveyor;
- a linear actuator extending between a frame of the conveyor and the roller bracket, the linear actuator comprising a drive screw extending within at least one tube;
- a drive head mounted to a drive end of the linear actuator and rotatable to extend and retract the drive screw;
- and
- an access space formed within the roller bracket and into which the drive head extends.
A method of maintaining tension of a conveyor belt with a conveyor take-up device, the method comprising:
- securing a roller bracket of the conveyor take-up device to a bearing supporting a head roller of a conveyor, and securing a linear actuator of the conveyor take-up device to a frame of the conveyor, the linear actuator comprising a drive screw threadingly engaged with a threaded nut and a drive head at a drive end of the linear actuator;
- advancing an adjustment tool into an access space formed in the roller bracket and rotatably engaging the adjustment tool with the drive head;
- and
- rotating the drive head with the adjustment tool to rotate the drive screw relative to the threaded nut, thereby translating the drive screw to extend the linear actuator and move the head roller relative to the frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.