Constant angle and pressure conveyor belt cleaner and tensioning arrangement

A scraper blade for a conveyor belt cleaner having a cross shaft, said scraper blade including:

• a blade member including a front surface having a first distal edge, and a rear surface having a second distal edge, said front surface having a configuration corresponding approximately to the following coordinate points in an X-Y coordinate system:
• a first coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 3.9 units to approximately 4.1 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 7.2 units to approximately 7.4 units;
• a second coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 4.8 units to approximately 5.0 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 8.5 units to approximately 8.7 units;
• a third coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 6.4 units to approximately 6.6 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 10.5 units to approximately 10.7 units;
• a fourth coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 9.3 units to approximately 9.5 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 12.4 units to approximately 12.6 units;
• a fifth coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 11.7 units to approximately 11.9 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 13.4 units to approximately 13.6 units;
• and
• a sixth coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 12.8 units to approximately 13.0 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 13.8 units to approximately 14.0 units, and
• said rear surface having a configuration corresponding approximately to the following coordinate points in said X-Y coordinate system:
• a seventh coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 7.2 units to approximately 7.4 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 5.9 units to approximately 6.1 units;
• an eighth coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 7 9 units to approximately 8.1 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 7. 0 units to approximately 7.2 units;
• a ninth coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 8.9 units to approximately 9.1 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 8.2 units to approximately 8.4 units;
• and
• a tenth coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 10.6 units to approximately 10.8 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 9.4 units to approximately 9.6 units,
• whereby said scraper blade is adapted to maintain a substantially constant cleaning angle and a substantially constant cleaning pressure with a conveyor belt as the scraper blade wears.

A scraper blade for a conveyor belt cleaner having a cross shaft, said scraper blade including:

• a blade member including a front surface having a first distal edge, and a rear surface having a second distal edge, said front surface having a configuration corresponding approximately to the following coordinate points in an X-Y coordinate system:
• a first coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 5.2 units to approximately 5.4 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 7.1 units to approximately 7 3 units;
• a second coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 6.2 units to approximately 6.4 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 8.2 units to approximately 8.4 units;
• a third coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 7.8 units to approximately 8.0 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 9.3 units to approximately 9.5 units;
• a fourth coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 10.0 units to approximately 10.2 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 10.1 units to approximately 10.3 units;
• and
• a fifth coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 12.6 units to approximately 12.8 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 10.4 units to approximately 10.6 units, and said rear surface having a configuration corresponding approximately to the following coordinate points in said X-Y coordinate system:
• a sixth coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 7.2 units to approximately 7.4 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 4.6 units to approximately 4.8 units;
• a seventh coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 7.9 units to approximately 8.1 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 5.6 units to approximately 5.8 units;
• an eighth coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 8.7 units to approximately 8.9 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 6.4 units to approximately 6.6 units;
• and
• a ninth coordinate point having an X coordinate of from approximately 10.3 units to approximately 10.5 units and a Y coordinate of from approximately 7.1 units to approximately 7.3 units,
• whereby said scraper blade is adapted to maintain a substantially constant cleaning angle and a substantially constant cleaning pressure with a conveyor belt as the scraper blade wears.

A tensioner arrangement for a conveyor belt cleaner including a rotatable cross shaft having a central axis and a scraper blade attached to the cross shaft for cleaning a conveyor belt, said tensioner arrangement including:

• a mounting member adapted to be attached to the cross shaft for conjoint rotation with the cross shaft about the central axis, said mounting member including a plate having a plurality of apertures, said plate being disposed generally transversely to the central axis;
• and
• an actuator member having a first end and a second end, said first end of said actuator member being operatively attached to said mounting member at a selected one of said plurality of apertures, said second end of said actuator member adapted to be attached to a stationary member;
• whereby said actuator member is adapted to selectively apply a rotational biasing force to said mounting member and thereby rotate the cross shaft and the scraper blade about the central axis.

A tensioner arrangement for a conveyor belt cleaner including a rotatable cross shaft having a central axis and a scraper blade attached to the cross shaft for cleaning a conveyor belt, said tensioner arrangement including:

• a mounting member adapted to be attached to the cross shaft for conjoint rotation with the cross shaft about the central axis;
• a resilient biasing member having a first end and a second end, said first end of said biasing member being movable with respect to said second end of said biasing member, said first end of said biasing member being operatively attached to said mounting member;
• and
• an actuator member having a first end and a second end, said first end of said actuator member being operatively attached to said second end of said biasing member, said second end of said actuator member adapted to be attached to a stationary member;
• whereby said actuator member is adapted to selectively apply a force to said biasing member and to said mounting member and thereby rotate the cross shaft and the scraper blade about the central axis until the scraper blade engages the conveyor belt, whereupon, as said actuator member applies further force to said biasing member, a biasing force is stored in said biasing member, said stored biasing force biasing the scraper blade into continuing engagement with the conveyor belt as the scraper blade wears without any additional force being applied to said biasing member by said actuator member.

A cross shaft for a conveyor belt cleaner including:

• a scraper blade support member having a first end and a second end, and a central axis;
• a first mounting member attached to said first end of said support member, said first mounting member including a shaft located generally coaxial with said central axis, said shaft including a key;
• a second mounting member attached to said second end of said support member;
• and
• a stop member having an aperture through which said shaft is adapted to extend, said shaft being rotatable within said aperture with respect to said stop member, said stop member including a keyway in communication with said aperture, said keyway having a first stop wall and a second stop wall, said key being located in said keyway of said stop member;
• whereby said first and second mounting members enable said support member to rotate about said central axis between a first position wherein said key engages said first stop wall and a second position wherein said key engages said second stop wall.