Belt separator for blow molding parts
AssigneeLaRos Equipment Company, Inc.
InventorPaul L. Brule
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A belt-type separator for effecting separation of blow-molded parts, which separator preferably includes at least two endless belts movably supported on and between a pair of horizontally spaced pulleys, one of which is a drive pulley. The belts, preferably of circular cross section, have the upper reaches extending in parallel but slightly sidewardly spaced relationship to define a small gap therebetween through which scrap parts can pass. The other parts remain on the belts and are transported to a discharge location. The belts are preferably driven at slightly different speeds to facilitate the agitation and dislodgement of the scrap parts so that they can move into and pass through the clearance spaces between adjacent belts.
Claims16
A separator apparatus for effecting separation of a mixture of parts, such as blow-molded plastic parts, comprising:
- a housing means;
- elongated separator belt means movably mounted on said housing means for effecting separation of a mixture of parts by permitting first parts to fall therethrough while supporting second parts and transporting them to a discharge location;
- said separator belt means including at least two endless belts movably supported on the housing means, said belts having elongated upper belt reaches which extend approximately horizontally of the housing means, said upper belt reaches extending in substantially parallel and adjacent side-by-side relationship and being provided with a small predetermined clearance space therebetween through which said first parts can pass, each said belt also including a substantially horizontally elongated lower belt reach which extends substantially parallel with and vertically spaced downwardly below the respective upper belt reach;
- guide means aasociated with said housing means for funneling a mixture of said parts into a region directly above said upper belt reaches;
- drive means for moving said belts relative to said housing means and for causing one said belt to move at a speed which is at least slightly greater than the speed of the other belt, said drive means including drive pulleys engaging said belts adjacent one end thereof and end idler pulleys engaging said belts adjacent the other end thereof;
- and
- idler pulley means associated with each said belt for maintaining the upper and lower belt reaches of the respective belts in parallel but closely adjacent vertically spaced relationship so that the respective upper and lower belt reaches are vertically spaced apart by a small distance which is only a small fraction of the diameters of the drive and end idler pulleys.
A separator apparatus for effecting separation of a mixture of parts, such as blow-molded plastic parts, comprising:
- a housing means;
- elongated separator belt means movably mounted on said housing means for effecting separation of a mixture of parts by permitting first parts to fall therethrough while supporting second parts and transporting them to a discharge location;
- said separator belt means including at least two endless belts movably supported on the housing means, said belts having elongated upper belt reaches which extend approximately horizontally of the housing means, said upper belt reaches extending in substantially parallel and adjacent side-by-side relationship and being provided with a small predetermined clearance space therebetween through which said first parts can pass;
- guide means associated with said housing means for funneling a mixture of said parts into a region directly above said upper belt reaches;
- drive means for moving said belts relative to said housing means and for causing one said belt to move at a speed which is at least slightly greater than the speed of the other belt;
- said drive means including a substantially horizontal drive shaft which extends transversely of said gap and nonrotatably mounts thereon first and second drive pulleys in adjacent coaxially aligned relationship, said first drive pulley being disposed in driving engagement with a first belt of said pair and said second drive pulley being disposed in driving engagement with a second belt of said pair, said first and second drive pulleys being of different diameters for causing said first and second belts to move at different speeds;
- and
- a plurality of coaxially aligned and individually rotatable upper idler pulleys rotatably supported on said housing means and individually disposed for rotatably engaging a respective upper belt reach at a location close to but slightly downstream from the respective drive pulley, at least one of said upper idler pulleys causing its upper belt reach to be deflected downwardly as it moves downstream away from its respective drive pulley so that the upper belt reaches of adjacent belts are substantially horizontally coplanar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.