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US 4,941,566 AGranted
Spiral conveyor with textured capstan
OwnerGuy L. Irwininventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A capstan for a spiral conveyor includes a plurality of grooves in the external surface thereof for controlling the driving friction between the outer surface of the capstan and the inner edge of a conveyor belt in contact with it. In one embodiment of the invention, the grooves are oriented vertically such that they contact the inner edge at an angle relative to motion therebetween. In another embodiment, the grooves are inclined to the vertical such that they contact the inner edge at right angles to the relative motion. In a further embodiment, the grooves are inclined generally parallel to the relative motion.
Claims10
A spiral conveyor, comprising:
- a conveyor belt;
- said conveyor belt being of a type that is capable of telescoping at one edge to conform to a spiral shape;
- a capstan;
- said capstan being generally cylindrical with a vertical central axis;
- means for rotating said capstan about said vertical central axis;
- a peripheral surface on said capstan;
- at least a portion of said conveyor belt being conformed in said spiral shape with an inner edge thereof contacting said peripheral surface;
- means for applying a longitudinal tension to said conveyor belt at least in a vicinity of a departure of said conveyor belt from said spiral shape;
- said inner edge including a plurality of protuberances;
- a plurality of grooves in said peripheral surface;
- and
- said plurality of grooves being shaped and disposed to interact with said plurality of protuberances to modify a cumulative friction between said inner edge and said peripheral surface;
- said capstan includes a plurality of parallel vertical bars;
- outer surfaces of said vertical bars forming said peripheral surface;
- and
- said plurality of grooves being disposed in said outer surfaces.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.