Tension control apparatus and method for aero-mechanical conveyor

In a tension control apparatus for use in an aero-mechanical conveyor for moving bulk materials, the conveyor including upper and lower housings, head and tail pulley assemblies mounted on respective shafts positioned within the upper and lower housings, respectively, spaced-apart inflow and outflow conveyor tubes interconnecting the upper and lower housings, and an endless rope assembly disposed within the conveyor tubes and around the head and tail pulleys, the improvement comprising:

• (a) a bracket cooperating with the inflow and outflow conveyor tubes;
• (b) a guide sleeve carried by said bracket for receiving a push rod, said push rod extending along the length of the conveyor tubes from said guide sleeve to the upper housing and including an upper end engaging the head pulley assembly and a lower end extending through the guide sleeve;
• and
• (c) a tensioning assembly engaging the push rod and carried by the bracket for urging the push rod against the head pulley assembly, thereby urging the head pulley assembly and the upper housing away from the tail pulley assembly and maintaining the rope assembly in a tensioned condition.

In a method for maintaining a predetermined tension on an endless rope assembly of an aero-mechanical conveyor, the rope assembly disposed around head and tail pulleys mounted on respective shafts positioned within upper and lower housings and positioned within spaced-apart inflow and outflow conveyor tubes interconnecting the upper and lower housings, an improved method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a bracket cooperating with the inflow and outflow conveyor tubes;
• (b) providing a guide sleeve carried by said bracket for receiving a push rod, said push rod extending along the length of the conveyor tubes from said guide sleeve to the upper housing and including an upper end engaging the head pulley assembly and a lower end extending through the guide sleeve;
• c) providing a tensioning assembly engaging the lower end of the push rod and carried by the bracket for urging the push rod against the head pulley assembly, thereby moving the head pulley assembly away from the tail pulley assembly and maintaining the rope assembly in the tensioned condition;
• and
• (d) positioning the head and tail pulley assemblies at a preselected fixed center distance relative to one another, thereby placing the rope assembly in the predetermined tensioned condition;
• and
• (e) adjusting the tensioning assembly within a range of adjustment to compensate for a decrease in the tensioned condition of the rope assembly, thereby maintaining said center distance and the tensioned condition as the tension control apparatus operates.