US 6,601,695 B1Granted

Differential motion conveyor drive

AssigneeCarrier Vibrating Equipment, Inc.

InventorBo Richard Rosenstrom

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Abstract

A differential motion conveyor drive includes at least three pairs of drive shafts carrying eccentric weights that are selected to correspond to the terms of a Fourier series in order to achieve optimal conveying speed and efficiency. To approximate the Fourier series terms, in one preferred embodiment, each of the first pair of shafts carries a weight and rotates at a predetermined operating speed ω. Each of the second pair of shafts carries a smaller weight and rotates at an operating speed 2ω, and each of the third pair of shafts carries an even smaller weight and rotates at an operating speed 3ω. An appropriate weight distribution results in a differential motion conveyor drive that consistently produces a higher conveying speed compared to that produced by a prior art drive throughout a range of operating speeds.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A differential motion conveyor drive for imparting a substantially horizontal force to a material-conveying trough, comprising:

a frame secured to said material-conveying trough;
at least six drive shafts mounted for rotation relative to said frame, said drive shafts being arranged in pairs, and each pair of drive shafts carrying weights comprised of one or more eccentric weight elements;
a plurality of drive pulleys, each such drive pulley associated with and operably secured to one of said drive shafts;
a motor secured to said frame and including a shaft with a drive pulley operably secured to the distal end thereof;
and
a belt extending around and operably connecting the plurality of drive pulleys associated with said drive shafts and the drive pulley associated with the motor;
wherein the rotation of motor, its shaft and associated drive pulley results in the simultaneous rotation of said at least six drive shafts and the weights carried by said drive shafts to impart the substantially horizontal force to the material-conveying trough;
wherein the belt is routed in a specific pattern such that each pair of drive shafts rotates at a predetermined rotational speed;
and
wherein the rotational speed of each pair of drive shafts and the weights carried by each pair of drive shafts are selected to approximate the terms of a Fourier series.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.