Apparatus and method for stabilising material transported on conveyor belts

A stabiliser unit for stabilizing material on a moving conveyor surface comprising a framework mountable over the surface and having a first and a second drive pulley drivingly engagable therewith;

• a drum rotatably supported in the framework and carrying a stabiliser belt;
• means coupling the drive pulleys to the drum interposed between the drive pulleys and the drum to rotate the drum with its peripheral velocity substantially equal to that of the drive pulleys, wherein the coupling means includes a first and a second reversing pulley in working engagement with said first and second drive pulleys, respectively, and disposed on either side of the framework and aligned with either end of the drum, with a first and a second idling pulley, respectively, mounted in the framework for rotatably supporting each end of the drum such that the disposition of the idling pulleys and the reversing pulleys determines the location of the rotational axis of the drum, and wherein the stabiliser belt follows a path with a first section capable of overlaying the conveyor surface, a second section in engagement with a segment of the drum surface, and third and fourth sections extending between the drum surface and the first section of the stabiliser belt, whereby movement of the conveyor surface rotates the drive pulleys and thereby the drum to advance the stabiliser belt around its path at a velocity substantially equal to the velocity of the conveyor surface and stabilise material held between the stabiliser belt and the conveyor surface along the first section of the path.

A stabiliser unit for mounting over a moving conveyor surface to stabilise material carried thereon, the unit comprising a framework supporting a drum having a stabiliser surface spaced from said conveyor surface to hold material thereagainst as said conveyor surface moves relative to the stabiliser unit when said stabilizer unit is mounted over said conveyor surface, the drum further includes a pair of flanges with the stabilizer surface disposed between said pair of flanges;

• a first and a second drive pulley adapted to engage said moving conveyor surface and transmit drive therefrom to the drum to move the stabiliser surface in the same direction and at substantially the same velocity as said moving conveyor surface where the stabiliser surface approaches same;
• and means coupling the drive pulleys to the drum such that the peripheral velocities of the drive pulleys and the drum are substantially equal, wherein the coupling means includes a first and a second reversing pulley in working engagement with said first and second drive pulley, respectively, and disposed on either side of the framework and aligned with either end of the drum outside of the flanges, with a first and a second idling pulley, respectively, mounted in the framework for rotatably supporting each end of the drum such that the disposition of the idling pulleys and the reversing pulleys determines the location of the rotational axis of the drum.

Sorting apparatus comprising a conveyor, said conveyor having opposed material contacting and non-contacting surfaces;

• means for delivering material to be sorted to an upstream section of the conveyor, a sorting mechanism at a downstream section of the conveyor;
• and a stabilising unit for material on the conveyor and disposed at an intermediate section of the conveyor, the stabilising unit comprising a framework mounted over the conveyor and having a drive pulley making driving engagement with the material contacting surface wherein said drive pulley has a first rotational axis;
• a drum rotatably supported in the framework and bearing a stabiliser surface and having a second rotational axis spaced apart from the first rotational axis of the drive pulley;
• means coupling the drive pulley to the drum to rotate the drum with its peripheral velocity substantially equal to that of the drive pulley, whereby movement of the conveyor rotates the drive pulley and thereby the drum to advance the stabiliser surface at a velocity substantially equal to the speed of the conveyor and stabilise material held between the stabiliser surface and the conveyor.

A method of stabilising material on a moving conveyor having opposed material contacting and non-contacting surfaces, comprising:

• rotating a drive pulley about a first rotational axis by contacting the periphery of the drive pulley with the material contacting surface from above the conveyor so that the speed of the drive pulley periphery is substantially the same as the speed of the moving conveyor;
• rotating a drum about a second rotational axis non-coaxial with said first rotational axis by coupling the rotational movement of the drive pulley to the drum in a manner that the peripheral speed of the drum is substantially the same as that of the drive pulley;
• and
• overlaying a stabiliser surface carried by said drum over said moving conveyor such that the stabiliser surface contacts and stabilises said material moving on the conveyor.