US 6,209,716 B1 · Knuckle drive link conveyor belt systems with removable load conveying surface members

Abstract

This invention provides integrated knuckle drive link conveyor belt systems with improved long wear-high load bearing link coupling joints of a universal joint nature for permitting the belts to travel on straight or curvaceous paths which also feature expedited insertion of spindle rods extending through the knuckles, diverse sprocket drive capabilities and replaceable load conveying platform accessories of the plug-in or snap-in variety. A cylindrical knuckle, when the loaded belt is under tension, has a substantially semi-cylindrical high wear contact surface that handles heavy peak loads. That knuckle is installed expeditiously at a joint between end-to-end connected links constituting a special interfitted jig comprising a seat in the nose end of a link resting the knuckle in a registered operational position to receive the connecting spindle rod through trailing edge bifurcated arms of a leading modular link without a concurrent manual orientation of the knuckle. Diverse sprocket drive structure permits the belt to be driven from beneath or on either lateral side. The knuckle and surrounding seat provides three dimensional moving tolerances to provide the universal joint type operation at each link joint. Other features include side rollers to reduce friction on inner curve radii, and hold down flanges that keep the belt from fluttering off a base support surface. The rugged molded resulting plastic links are long wearing and resist catastrophic failure. The versatility and ruggedness of the system is significantly enhanced by the removable platform structure for heavy industrial use.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A link conveyor belt comprising in combination:

an interconnected series of plastic link bodies defining a trailing yoke having a crotch and two bifurcated legs and a leading nose portion for mating into a crotch of an adjacent end-to-end connected link, said nose portion having a cylindrical vertically oriented aperture through the link body with slots through cylindrical walls disposed on opposite lateral sides, said yoke having trailing bifurcated trailing legs dimensioned to loosely encompass said nose portion of a trailing link thereby permitting said conveyor belt to move along a curved path, wherein the links are coupled together in a power drive relationship by a generally cylindrical knuckle with a vertical axis loosely fitting into said cylindrical aperture and retained therein by a journalling spindle rod affixed between said bifurcated legs for producing in cooperation with said slots on the lateral sides a degree of slack in a longitudinal conveyance direction of the conveyor and a degree of pivoting about curved pathways, said journalling spindle rod being passed loosely through a lateral aperture through said knuckle thereby rotatably extending between the bifurcated legs to mate in the knuckle aperture, said knuckle thereby presenting a substantially mated cylindrical drive surface engaged with said cylindrical aperture as the belt moves in tension under load.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Knuckle drive link conveyor belt systems with removable load conveying surface members

Life of this patent

Knuckle drive link conveyor belt systems with removable load conveying surface members

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29