Conveyor belt inversion device
AssigneeDM Enterprises Inc.
InventorDennis Mraz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An inversion apparatus uses a first pair of bend rollers to twist a conveyor belt 90.degree., and a second pair of bend rollers to twist the conveyor belt an additional 90.degree.. The two bend rollers of each pair are rotatably mounted at rotational axes which are perpendicular to each other. Preferably, stabilizer rollers are provided between the bend rollers of each pair, and cylindrical rollers are provided to feed the conveyor belt to and from the bend rollers. The stabilizer rollers and bend rollers are preferably curved so as to equalize the tension across the width of the belt.
Claims10
An inversion apparatus for inverting a return run of a moving conveyor belt, comprising:
- a first bend roller carrying the return run of the belt and having a horizontal rotation axis oriented transversely to an upper run of the belt;
- a second bend roller having a horizontal rotation axis oriented parallel to the upper run of the belt, the first and second bend rollers twisting the return run of the belt 90.degree. and bending the return run of the belt 90.degree. away from the upper run of the belt;
- a third bend roller having a horizontal rotation axis oriented parallel to the upper run of the belt;
- a fourth bend roller having a horizontal rotation axis oriented transversely to the upper run of the belt, the third and fourth bend rollers twisting the return run of the belt and additional 90.degree. to complete a 180.degree. twisting belt, and bending the belt an additional 90.degree. to parallel the upper run;
- and
- a frame supporting the first, second, third and fourth bend rollers in their respective positions.
A conveyor system for moving material between two points along an endless conveyor belt, the system comprising:
- a first inversion apparatus disposed near one of the two points on a return run side of the belt for inverting the belt;
- and
- a second inversion apparatus disposed near the opposite point on the return run side of the belt for inverting the belt, whereby a material carrying surface of the belt faces upwardly for a substantial length of the return run due to inversion of the belt imparted by the first inversion apparatus, wherein each inversion apparatus includes a first bend roller carrying the return run of the belt and having a horizontal rotation axis oriented transversely to an upper run of the belt, a second bend roller having a horizontal rotation axis oriented parallel to the upper run of the belt, the first and second bend rollers twisting the return run of the belt 90.degree. and bending the return run of the belt 90.degree. away from the upper run of the belt, a third bend roller having a horizontal rotation axis oriented parallel to the upper run of the belt, a fourth bend roller having a horizontal rotation axis oriented transversely to the upper run of the belt, the third and fourth bend rollers twisting the return run of the belt an additional 90.degree. to complete a 180.degree. twisting of the belt, and bending the belt and additional 90.degree. to parallel the upper run, and a frame supporting the first, second, third and fourth bend rollers in their respective positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.