Drive mechanism for a conveyor
AssigneeDorner Mfg. Corp.
InventorTerry S. Ewert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved drive mechanism for a conveyor. An endless belt is mounted for travel on the frame of the conveyor and is driven by a drive unit. The drive unit includes a supporting structure or housing that carries a power source, such as a motor. The output shaft of the motor is connected by a flexible drive member to a pair of drive spindles that support the conveyor belt. The drive unit also includes a pair of belt tensioning spindles which are journaled for rotation on slides that are mounted for movement on the supporting structure of the drive unit. A drive mechanism, such as a fluid cylinder, is operably connected to the slides to move the slides in unison to tension the belt.
Claims17
A drive unit for a conveyor, comprising a frame, an endless conveying member supported for travel on the frame, a drive unit carried by the frame and including a supporting structure and a power source having an output shaft, a pair of drive spindles journaled on the supporting structure and disposed in operative engagement with said conveying member, a drive member connecting said drive shaft with said pair of drive spindles, tensioning means including a pair of tensioning spindles each mounted for movement relative to said support structure and engaged with said conveying member, and operating means operably connected to said tensioning spindles for moving said tensioning spindles to thereby tension said conveying member.
A conveyor construction, comprising a frame, an endless belt mounted for movement on the frame in a conveying run and a return run, a drive unit mounted on the frame for moving said belt in said runs, said drive unit including a supporting structure and a power source having an output shaft, said drive unit including a pair of idler spindles and a pair of drive spindles and a pair of tensioning spindles, said return run passing over a first of said idler spindles then over a first of said tensioning spindles and then over a first of said drive spindles and then over a second of said tensioning spindles and then over a second of said drive spindles and then over the second of said idler spindles, and connecting means operably connecting said output shaft with both of said drive spindles to thereby drive said drive spindles in synchronization.
A drive unit for a conveyor, comprising a conveyor frame, an endless conveying member supported for travel on the conveyor frame in an upper conveying run and a lower return run, a drive frame located beneath said conveyor frame, a pair of drive spindles journaled for rotation on the drive frame and engaged with the return run of the conveying member, a slide, means for mounting the slide for movement relative to said drive frame, a tensioning spindle journaled for rotation on said slide and engaged with the return of said conveying member, operating means mounted on the drive frame and connected to said slide for moving the slide to thereby tension said conveying member, and a power source mounted on the drive frame and having a drive shaft operably connected to said drive spindles to rotate said drive spindles and thereby drive said conveying member, said drive spindles being constructed and arranged to rotate in the same direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.