Alignment monitor and method
AssigneeFMC Corporation
InventorsRobert L. Mills, John C. Lodholz, Rangasami Sarat-Chandra, Franklin P. Orlando, Donald J. Christian
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A travel monitor for a rectangular sludge conveyor having a plurality of scrapers attached to and driven by a pair of chains, each of which is formed in a closed loop having an upper run. A pair of detector sprockets independently engage and are driven by the upper runs. Switches positioned adjacent the sprockets create a series of pulses in response to their rotation. The phase difference between the series of pulses resulting from rotation of the sprockets is detected, and a misalignment alarm is activated when the phase difference exceeds a predetermined amount.
Claims5
A travel monitor for a rectangular sludge conveyor having a plurality of scrapers attached to and driven by a pair of chains, each of which is formed in a closed loop having an upper run;
- said monitor comprising:
- a pair of detector sprockets independently engaging and driven by said chains;
- means for creating a series of pulses in response to the rotation of each of said pair of sprockets;
- means for detecting the phase difference between said series of pulses;
- and
- means for energizing a first misalignment alarm when said phase difference exceeds a predetermined amount.
In a rectangular sludge conveyor for a sludge removal system having a plurality of scrapers connected to and driven by left and right endless chains, each of which is formed in a closed loop defining an upper and lower run;
- an improved travel position monitor comprising:
- left and right detector sprockets engaging and rotated by said left and right endless chains respectively;
- left and right sensing means independently responsive to the rotation of the left and right sprockets respectively;
- means for activating a first alarm when said sensing means indicates that said flights are misaligned;
- and
- means for activating a second alarm when said sensing means indicates at least one of said sprockets has not rotated within a predetermined time period.
A method of monitoring the operation of a sludge removal system having a plurality of scrapers driven by a pair of endless chains comprising the steps of:
- providing first and second independently rotatable detector sprockets engageable by each of said pair of endless chains;
- temporarily disengaging one of said sprockets from engagement with its associated chain and rotating said one sprocket so that it is synchronized with the other of said sprockets;
- operating said system for a predetermined period of time while collecting data thereon;
- developing limits of acceptable operation based on the collected data;
- and
- activating an alarm when subsequent operation exceeds said developed limits.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.