US 5,363,951 A · Over and under belt conveyor system

Abstract

An endless belt conveyor has vertically spaced, oppositely moving, upper and lower load carrying runs having entrance and exit ends, with the entrance end of one run being adjacent to the exit end of the other run. A first series of rollers disposed between the exit end of the upper run and the entrance end of the lower run direct the belt downwardly, around a drive roller driven by a first drive unit, around a dynamic takeup roller, toward the entrance end of the lower run along a first depressed section of belt travel below the level of the lower run, and upwardly to the entrance end of the lower run from a static takeup installed below the lower run. A second series of rollers disposed between the exit end of the lower run and the entrance end of the upper run direct the belt downwardly from the lower run exit end, along a second depressed section of belt travel below the level of the lower run, around a drive roller driven by a second drive unit, around a dynamic takeup roller, and upwardly to the entrance end of the upper run. Lower run feed and take-away conveyors, respectively arranged above the first and second depressed sections of belt travel, converge into and diverge from alignment with the lower run entrance and exit ends for the in-line transfer of articles to and from the lower run. Upper run feed and take-away conveyors are aligned longitudinally with the upper run entrance and exit ends. Load sharing of the first and second drive units is provided by the use of NEMA "B" type AC drive motors and by a fluid coupling connecting each motor to its speed reducer.

Claims22

Dependent claims

An over-and-under belt conveyor system comprising:

an endless belt;
means supporting said belt for travel on an upper load carrying run having an entrance end and an exit end, and on a lower load carrying run spaced vertically below said upper run, said lower run having entrance and exit ends facing oppositely to said upper run entrance and exit ends;
a lower run feed conveyor converging laterally into alignment with said lower run at the entrance end thereof, and a lower run take away conveyor diverging laterally from alignment with said lower run at the exit end thereof;
a first series of roller means for directing said belt downwardly from said upper run exit end, horizontally below said lower run feed conveyor, and upwardly to said lower run entrance end;
a second series of roller means for directing said belt downwardly from said lower run exit end, horizontally below said lower run take away conveyor, and upwardly to said upper run entrance end;
and
at least one of said first and second series of roller means including a belt drive roller, a drive unit coupled thereto, and dynamic takeup roller means on the downstream side of said drive roller for applying tension to said belt.

4 more elements

An over-and-under belt conveyor comprising:

an endless belt;
a pair of upper side frames and a series of upper idler rollers carried thereby for supporting said belt for travel on an upper load carrying run having an entrance end and an exit end;
a pair of lower side frames and a series of lower idler rollers carried thereby for supporting said belt for travel on a lower load carrying run spaced vertically below said upper load carrying run, said lower load carrying run having entrance and exit ends facing oppositely to said upper run ends;
a drive assembly disposed between the exit end of one of said upper and lower runs and the entrance end of the other of said upper and lower runs,
said drive assembly comprising frame structure mounted below said upper side frames, a belt drive roller, a drive unit coupled to said drive roller, said drive roller and drive unit being attached to said frame structure,
a takeup including a carriage movably supported by said frame structure, a takeup roller mounted on said carriage, and biasing means connected to said carriage;
idler roller means carried by said frame structure for defining a path of travel of said belt around said drive roller, from said drive roller around said takeup roller, and from said takeup roller toward the entrance end of the other of said upper and lower runs;
and guide roller means for directing said belt between the ends of said upper and lower runs opposite to the exit and entrance ends between which said drive assembly is disposed.

5 more elements

An over-and-under belt conveyor comprising:

an endless belt;
a pair of upper side frames and a series of upper idler rollers carried thereby for supporting said belt for travel on an upper load carrying run having an entrance end and an exit end;
a pair of lower side frames and a series of lower idler rollers carried thereby for supporting said belt for travel on a lower load carrying run spaced vertically below said upper load carrying run, said lower load carrying run having entrance and exit ends facing oppositely to said upper run ends;
a first drive assembly disposed between the exit end of said upper run and the entrance end of said lower run,
a second drive assembly disposed between the exit end of said lower run and the entrance end of said upper run,
each of said first and second drive assemblies comprising frame structure, a belt drive unit attached to said frame structure, said drive unit including a belt drive roller, a takeup carriage movably supported by said frame structure, a takeup roller mounted on said carriage, and biasing means connected to said carriage;
said first drive assembly including first idler roller means carried by the frame structure thereof for defining a path of travel of said belt from the exit end of said upper run around said drive roller, from said drive roller around said takeup roller and from said takeup roller toward the entrance end of said lower run;
and
said second drive assembly including second idler roller means carried by the frame structure thereof for defining a path of travel of said belt around said drive roller, around said takeup roller and from said takeup roller to the entrance end of said upper run, said drive roller of said second drive assembly being arranged to receive said belt from the exit end of said lower run.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Over and under belt conveyor system

Life of this patent

Over and under belt conveyor system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22