Belts and belt modules for spiral conveyors
AssigneeThe Laitran Corporation
InventorGilbert J. MacLachlan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spiral conveyor with a belt having rollers at the inside edge. The spiral conveyor includes a rotating tower with a conveyor belt following a helical path around the tower. Rollers extending outward from the inner side edge of the belt have an axis of rotation generally parallel to the helical path. The rollers engage the outer surface of the tower in high-friction rubbing contact in the circumferential direction, but in low friction rolling contact in the vertical direction to provide a low-tension spiral conveyor system. The belt is preferably a modular conveyor belt constructed of a series of rows of belt modules connected together at hinge joints.
Claims18
A modular conveyor belt suitable for use in spiral conveyors, the modular conveyor belt comprising:
- a series of rows of belt modules, each row extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end, in a lateral direction from a first side edge to a second side edge, and in a thickness direction from a top side to a bottom side, wherein consecutive rows are hingedly connected end to end to form a conveyor belt;
- and
- a first roller extending outward from the first side edge of selected rows of belt modules, the first roller having an axis of rotation oriented generally perpendicular to the lateral direction and forming a non-zero angle α with the thickness direction.
An edge module for a modular conveyor belt, the edge module comprising:
- a module body extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end, in a lateral direction from a first side edge to a second side edge, and in a thickness direction from a top side to a bottom side;
- and
- a first roller extending outward from the first side edge, the first roller having an axis of rotation oriented generally perpendicular to the lateral direction and forming a non-zero angle α with the thickness direction.
A spiral conveyor comprising:
- a cylindrical tower having an outer surface and rotatable about a vertical axis;
- and
- a conveyor belt, extending in a lateral direction from an inner belt edge to an outer belt edge and in a thickness direction from a top side to a bottom side, arranged to move in a helical path around the tower with the inner belt edge proximate the outer surface of the tower and including rollers disposed along the inner belt edge to engage the outer surface of the tower in rolling contact, the rollers having an axis of rotation oriented generally perpendicular to the lateral direction and forming a non-zero angle α with the thickness direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.