Conveyor belt drive apparatus
OwnerFrank J. Nottinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Conveyor belt drive apparatus in which an endless looped traction belt engages the main conveyor belt and is driven around the loop to impart driving forces to the main belt. The face of the traction belt which engages the main conveyor belt has a series of open facial pockets and holes extend through the traction belt between the pockets and the reverse or inner face of the belt. A stationary suction chamber structure confronts the inner face of the belt to form therewith a suction chamber such that suction is applied via the holes to the pockets of the traction belt in the region where the traction belt engages the main conveyor belt to provide suction clamping action between the belts.
Claims9
Conveyor belt drive apparatus comprising:
- an endless flexible traction belt supported in an endless loop and formed of flat belting provided with
- (a) longitudinal and transverse ribs standing out from the outer face of the belt and so as to define between them facial pockets occupying a major part of the outer facial area of the belt,
- (b) a series of abutments disposed so that a plurality of said abutments stand out from the floor of each pocket, the outer surfaces of the abutments and the outer edge surfaces of the longitudinal and transverse ribs being substantially flush with one another throughout the length of the belt, and
- (c) a series of openings spaced longitudinally of the belt and extending transversely through the belt from the inner face of the endless loop to communicate with said pockets;
- traction belt drive means to drive traction belt around said endless loop;
- and
- suction means to apply suction to the openings of the traction belt at the inner face of the traction belt as those openings transverse part of the loop whereby to create suction in the associated pockets.
Conveyor belt apparatus comprising:
- movable conveyor belt formed of flat belting and extending through a substantially straight run;
- an endless flexible traction belt supported in an endless loop such that over a part of said loop it engages the conveyor belt over a part of said run;
- the traction belt being formed of flat belting having a width at least equal to a major proportion of the width of the conveyor belt belting so that over said part of its loop the traction belt engages the conveyor belt over a major proportion of the conveyor belt width;
- the traction belt being provided at its outer face with facial pockets opening outwardly of said loop and being outwardly closed by the conveyor belt along said part of loop, said pockets occupying a major part of the outer facial area of the traction belt and also occupying a major part of the area of engagement between the traction belt and the conveyor belt;
- the traction belt also being provided with a series of longitudinally spaced openings extending transversely through the traction belt from the inner face of the endless loop to communicate with said pockets;
- traction belt drive means to drive the traction belt around said endless loop;
- and
- suction means to apply suction to the openings in the traction belt as they traverse said part of the loop whereby to create suction in the associated pockets providing a suction clamping action between the traction belt and the conveyor belt wherein each pocket of the traction belt is provided with a series of abutments standing out from the floor of the pocket to inhibit entry of the conveyor belt into the pocket.
Conveyor apparatus comprising:
- a movable conveyor belt;
- an endless flexible traction belt supported in an endless loop such that over a part of the said loop it is algined with and engages the conveyor belt, the traction belt being formed of flat belting having a width at least equal to a major proportion of the width of the conveyor belt and being provided at its outer face with longitudinal and transverse ribs defining rectangular facial pockets distributed over a major part of the outer facial area of the traction belt and opening outwardly of the endless loop but being outwardly closed by the conveyor belt over said part of the endless loop, said traction belt also being provided with openings extending transversely through the belt from the inner face of the endless loop to communicate with said pockets and outer facial abutments disposed within the pockets so that each pocket is provided with a series of said abuments standing out from the floor of the pocket to inhibit entry of the conveyor belt into the pocket;
- traction belt drive means to drive the traction belt around said endless loop;
- and
- suction means to apply suction to the openings in the traction belt as they traverse said part of the loop whereby to create suction in the associated pockets providing a suction clamping action between the traction belt and the conveyor belt.
A traction drive belt comprised of flat elongate belting one face of which is provided with longitudinal and transverse ribs defining between them open facial pockets occupying a major part of the area of that belt face and a series of facial abutments distributed through said pockets such that a plurality of said abutments stand out from the floor of each pocket with the outer surfaces of said abutments flush with the outer edge surfaces of said longitudinal and transverse ribs throughout the length of the belt and wherein there are openings extending through the belt between said pockets and the other side of the belt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.