Method and apparatus for recycling belts

A kit for refurbishing a fabric belt, said fabric belt defining a belt width and a generally perpendicular belt length, said fabric belt having a degraded surface, said fabric belt being installed onto a belt conveyor machine, said kit comprising:

• a frame secured to said belt conveyor machine;
• a grinding member including a grinding roller for selectively and uniformly removing a determined amount of the degraded surface along the belt width, said grinding roller defining a generally cylindrical surface and a grinding roller axis substantially parallel to the belt width, said grinding roller rotatably mounting on said frame about said grinding roller axis, said cylindrical surface carrying a grinding device secured thereto, said grinding device defining a generally helical grinding region of said cylindrical surface and a substantially complementary helical non-grinding region thereof;
• and
• a positioning member mounted on the frame adjacent said grinding member for positioning the fabric belt adjacent said grinding member during removal of the determined amount of the degraded surface of the fabric belt, said positioning member including:
• a belt abutment member spacedly positioned relative to said grinding member for abuttingly retaining the fabric belt against said grinding member;
• and
• a belt tensioning member for longitudinally tensioning the fabric belt adjacent the grinding roller in the direction of the belt length, said belt conveyor machine displacing the fabric belt relative to the grinding member along the belt length.

A method for refurbishing a fabric belt, said fabric belt defining a belt width and a generally perpendicular belt length, said fabric belt having a degraded surface, said method comprising the following steps of:

• providing a frame for partially supporting said fabric belt thereon;
• providing a grinding member, said grinding member including a grinding roller for selectively and uniformly removing a determined amount of the degraded surface along the belt width, said grinding roller defining a generally cylindrical surface and a grinding roller axis substantially parallel to the belt width, said grinding roller rotatably mounting on said frame about said grinding roller axis, said cylindrical surface carrying a grinding device secured thereto, said grinding device defining a generally helical grinding region of said cylindrical surface and a substantially complementary helical non-grinding region thereof;
• providing a driving member secured to the frame for displacing the fabric belt relative to the grinding member along the belt length;
• and
• providing a positioning member mounted on the frame adjacent said grinding member for positioning the fabric belt adjacent said grinding member during removal of the determined amount of the degraded surface of the fabric belt, said positioning member including:
• a belt abutment member spacedly positioned relative to said grinding member for abuttingly retaining the fabric belt against said grinding member;
• and
• a belt tensioning member for longitudinally tensioning the fabric belt adjacent the grinding roller in the direction of the belt length.