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US 8,556,068 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for tracking conveyor belts
AssigneeFlexible Steel Lacing Company
InventorBrett E. DeVries
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A conveyor belt tracking apparatus is provided for correcting the travel path of a laterally mistracking conveyor belt. In one form, an elongate tracking roller is rotatably mounted at end portions thereof to a pivotal support frame and extends across and below the belt. The pivotal support frame is mounted to a downstream pivot member so that belt mistracking toward one end portion of the tracking roller causes the one end portion to shift downstream and laterally outwardly to urge the belt toward the correct travel path. In one approach a downstream pivot connection between the pivot member and pivotal support frame is inclined upstream so that the end portion also shifts upwardly as it shifts downstream to urge the mistracking belt edge toward the correct travel path.
Claims33
A conveyor belt tracking apparatus for a conveyor belt that travels downstream in a downstream travel direction, the conveyor belt tracking apparatus comprising:
- an elongate tracking roller for extending laterally across and under the belt;
- a laterally extending pivotal support frame for rotatably supporting the tracking roller to rotate in engagement with the belt traveling in the downstream travel direction thereover;
- opposite end portions of the tracking roller that are shifted so that one of the end portions is further downstream than the other end portion when the belt mistracks toward the one end portion during the downstream travel thereof;
- an inclined pivot member that pivotally mounts the pivotal support frame generally centrally therealong for pivoting thereabout and having a pivot axis that is inclined in an upstream direction with an upper end of the pivot member further upstream than a lower end thereof such that the tracking roller one end portion shifts upwardly as the one end portion is shifted further downstream;
- and
- a downstream pivot connection between the pivotal support frame and the inclined pivot member which is generally downstream from the tracking roller so that the tracking roller is cantilevered upstream from the inclined pivot member and mistracking of the belt toward the tracking roller one end portion causes the one end portion that is shifted further downstream to also shift further laterally from the pivot axis.
3 more elements
A conveyor belt tracking apparatus for a conveyor belt that travels downstream in a downstream travel direction, the conveyor belt tracking apparatus comprising:
- an elongate tracking roller for extending laterally across and under the belt;
- a laterally extending pivotal support frame for rotatably supporting the tracking roller to rotate in engagement with the belt traveling in the downstream travel direction thereover;
- opposite end portions of the tracking roller that are shifted so that one of the end portions is further downstream than the other end portion when the belt mistracks toward the one end portion during the downstream travel thereof;
- an inclined pivot member that pivotally mounts the pivotal support frame generally centrally therealong for pivoting thereabout and having a pivot axis that is inclined in an upstream direction such that the tracking roller one end portion shifts upwardly as the one end portion is shifted further downstream;
- a downstream pivot connection between the pivotal support frame and the inclined pivot member which is generally downstream from the tracking roller so that the tracking roller is cantilevered upstream from the inclined pivot member and mistracking of the belt toward the tracking roller one end portion causes the one end portion that is shifted further downstream to also shift further laterally from the pivot axis;
- and
- a sensor roller coupled to the pivotal support frame positioned upstream of the pivot axis for engaging a lateral edge of the conveyor belt when the belt mistracks and providing an energizing force to the tracking roller to shift the one end portion thereof further downstream, upwardly, and laterally outwardly about the downstream pivot connection.
4 more elements
A conveyor belt tracking apparatus for a conveyor belt that travels downstream in a downstream travel direction, the conveyor belt tracking apparatus comprising:
- an elongate tracking roller for extending laterally across and under the belt;
- a laterally extending pivotal support frame for rotatably supporting the tracking roller to rotate in engagement with the belt traveling in the downstream travel direction thereover;
- opposite end portions of the tracking roller that are shifted so that one of the end portions is further downstream than the other end portion when the belt mistracks toward the one end portion during the downstream travel thereof;
- an inclined pivot member that pivotally mounts the pivotal support frame generally centrally therealong for pivoting thereabout and having a pivot axis that is inclined in an upstream direction such that the tracking roller one end portion shifts upwardly as the one end portion is shifted further downstream;
- a downstream pivot connection between the pivotal support frame and the inclined pivot member which is generally downstream from the tracking roller so that the tracking roller is cantilevered upstream from the inclined pivot member and mistracking of the belt toward the tracking roller one end portion causes the one end portion that is shifted further downstream to also shift further laterally from the pivot axis;
- a mounting frame fixed to the conveyor belt structure to extend laterally across and under the belt, wherein the pivot member pivotally mounts the pivotal support frame for pivoting relative to the fixed mounting frame;
- and
- a load distributing member fixed to the pivotal support frame and having a bearing interface with the mounting frame for transferring load from the belt to the fixed mounting frame,
- wherein the load distributing member includes a pair of elongate outrigger members mounted at one end portion thereof to the pivotal support frame on each side of the pivot member and wherein the bearing interface includes a wheel rotatably mounted to an opposite end of the outrigger members to ride along an interface surface of the mounting frame.
6 more elements
A conveyor belt tracking device for a conveyor belt traveling in a downstream travel direction, the conveyor belt tracking device comprising:
- an elongate tracking roller for extending in a lateral direction across and below the conveyor belt;
- a stationary mounting frame extending in the lateral direction across and below the conveyor belt for being fixed to conveyor belt support structure on either side of the conveyor belt;
- an elongate pivotal support frame extending in the lateral direction across the conveyor belt for supporting the tracking roller in rotatable engagement with the conveyor belt;
- a downstream pivot connection between the pivotal support frame and the stationary mounting frame fixed generally centrally between opposite end portions of the elongate tracking roller and downstream therefrom such that one of the end portions of the tracking roller shifts downstream about the pivot connection when the conveyor belt mistracks toward the one end portion;
- a sensor assembly including a sensor frame and a sensor mounted thereto with the sensor frame fixedly mounted to the pivotal support frame against pivoting relative thereto to position the sensor adjacent to one lateral edge portion of the conveyor belt so that mistracking of the belt toward the sensor causes the belt to contact the sensor and shift the sensor downstream and laterally outwardly;
- and
- an operative, fixed connection between the sensor and the sensor frame during conveyor belt operation so that the sensor roller and the tracking roller pivot about the pivot connection by the same angular amount as the one end portion of the tracking roller pivots about the downstream pivot connection.
4 more elements
A conveyor belt tracking device for a conveyor belt traveling in a downstream travel direction, the conveyor belt tracking device comprising:
- an elongate tracking roller for extending in a lateral direction across and below the conveyor belt;
- a stationary mounting frame extending in the lateral direction across and below the conveyor belt for being fixed to conveyor belt support structure on either side of the conveyor belt;
- an elongate pivotal support frame extending in the lateral direction across the conveyor belt for supporting the tracking roller in rotatable engagement with the conveyor belt;
- a downstream pivot connection between the pivotal support frame and the stationary mounting frame fixed generally centrally between opposite end portions of the elongate tracking roller and downstream therefrom such that one of the end portions of the tracking roller shifts downstream about the pivot connection when the conveyor belt mistracks toward the one end portion;
- a sensor assembly including a sensor frame and a sensor mounted thereto with the sensor frame fixedly mounted to the pivotal support frame to position the sensor adjacent to one lateral edge portion of the conveyor belt so that mistracking of the belt toward the sensor causes the belt to contact the sensor and shift the sensor downstream and laterally outwardly;
- and
- an operative, fixed connection between the sensor and the sensor frame during conveyor belt operation so that the sensor roller and the tracking roller pivot about the pivot connection by the same angular amount as the one end portion of the tracking roller pivots about the downstream pivot connection,
- wherein the sensor includes a sensor roller rotatably mounted to the sensor frame and configured to roll along the lateral edge portion of the conveyor belt during mistracking of the belt, and
- wherein the sensor assembly includes a mounting member to which the sensor is rotatably mounted and has a first translatable connection between the mounting member and the sensor frame for linearly translating the sensor roller inwardly and outwardly in the lateral direction to accommodate conveyor belts of various widths.
6 more elements
A conveyor belt tracking device for a conveyor belt traveling in a downstream travel direction, the conveyor belt tracking device comprising:
- an elongate tracking roller for extending in a lateral direction across and below the conveyor belt;
- a stationary mounting frame extending in the lateral direction across and below the conveyor belt for being fixed to conveyor belt support structure on either side of the conveyor belt;
- an elongate pivotal support frame extending in the lateral direction across the conveyor belt for supporting the tracking roller in rotatable engagement with the conveyor belt;
- a downstream pivot connection between the pivotal support frame and the stationary mounting frame fixed generally centrally between opposite end portions of the elongate tracking roller and downstream therefrom such that one of the end portions of the tracking roller shifts downstream about the pivot connection when the conveyor belt mistracks toward the one end portion;
- a sensor assembly including a sensor frame and a sensor mounted thereto with the sensor frame fixedly mounted to the pivotal support frame to position the sensor adjacent to one lateral edge portion of the conveyor belt so that mistracking of the belt toward the sensor causes the belt to contact the sensor and shift the sensor downstream and laterally outwardly;
- and
- an operative, fixed connection between the sensor and the sensor frame during conveyor belt operation so that the sensor roller and the tracking roller pivot about the pivot connection by the same angular amount as the one end portion of the tracking roller pivots about the downstream pivot connection,
- wherein the downstream pivot connection is inclined in the upstream direction so that when the conveyor belt contacts the sensor, the sensor shifts upwardly to shift the one end portion of the tracking roller upwardly for lifting the conveyor belt thereon.
5 more elements
A conveyor belt tracking device comprising:
- a pivotal tracking roller assembly having a tracking roller mounted thereto for being disposed under a conveyor belt in rolling engagement therewith;
- a sensor frame member for being fixedly mounted to the pivotal tracking roller assembly for pivoting therewith;
- a conveyor belt sensor for being positioned adjacent to a lateral edge of the conveyor belt;
- a mounting member to which the conveyor belt sensor is mounted;
- a drive device for driving the mounting member relative to the sensor frame member to shift the sensor mounted to the mounting member toward and away from the lateral edge of the conveyor belt;
- and
- an user-operated actuator of the drive device disposed laterally outwardly from an adjacent end of the tracking roller to allow a user to access the actuator without reaching under the belt.
4 more elements
A method for correcting a travel path of a conveyor belt traveling in a downstream belt travel direction, the method comprising:
- pivotally mounting a tracking roller relative to fixed conveyor belt structure to extend laterally across and below the conveyor belt so that the tracking roller rotates as the conveyor belt passes thereover in the downstream direction;
- pivoting the tracking roller so that one end portion thereof is beyond the other end portion thereof in the downstream direction as one lateral edge portion of the conveyor belt mistracks toward the one end portion of the tracking roller for guiding the conveyor belt back toward the correct travel path;
- tilting the one end portion of the tracking roller upwardly as it pivots so that the one end portion is above the other end portion to increase tension in the mistracking conveyor belt edge portion to urge the conveyor belt toward the correct belt travel path;
- and
- shifting the one end portion of the tracking roller laterally outwardly as the one end portion of the tracking roller pivots downstream to maintain contact between the one end portion and the conveyor belt lateral edge portion as the conveyor belt mistracks toward the one end portion of the tracking roller.
2 more elements
A method of laterally adjusting a sensor roller laterally toward and away from a conveyor belt traveling in a downstream direction over a tracking roller, the method comprising:
- arranging a drive member to extend generally transverse to the direction of conveyor belt travel;
- mounting a sensor roller to be operatively connected to the drive member adjacent to a lateral edge of the conveyor belt;
- and
- operating an actuator that is disposed laterally outwardly of an adjacent end of the tracking roller to cause the sensor roller to be driven by the drive member toward and away from the conveyor belt edge so that actuator operation does not require that an operator reach under the conveyor belt.
1 more element
A load distributing apparatus for distributing forces generated by a conveyor belt passing over a tracking roller that pivots about a pivot member, the load distributing apparatus comprising:
- an elongate stationary mounting frame extending across and under the conveyor belt in a lateral direction and attached at end portions thereof to conveyor structure on either side of the conveyor belt;
- a pivotal support frame for supporting the tracking roller in engagement with the conveyor belt and pivoting about the pivot member;
- load distributing members each having opposite end portions and being fixedly mounted at one of the end portions thereof to the pivotal support frame so that the one end portions are spaced on either side of the pivot member and laterally from the end portions of the stationary mounting frame with the load distributing members pivoting with the pivotal support frame;
- and
- a bearing interface between the other end portions of the load distributing members and the mounting frame with the other end portions engaging and shifting along the mounting frame as the load distributing members pivot to distribute forces from the conveyor belt to the mounting frame.
2 more elements
A load distributing apparatus for distributing forces generated by a conveyor belt passing over a tracking roller that pivots about a pivot member, the load distributing apparatus comprising:
- an elongate stationary mounting frame extending across and under the conveyor belt in a lateral direction and attached at end portions thereof to conveyor structure on either side of the conveyor belt;
- a pivotal support frame for supporting the tracking roller in engagement with the conveyor belt and pivoting about the pivot member;
- load distributing members having opposite end portions and being mounted at one of the end portions thereof to the pivotal support frame on either side of the pivot member;
- and
- a bearing interface between the other end portions of the load distributing members and the mounting frame to distribute forces from the conveyor belt to the mounting frame,
- wherein the load distributing members include elongate outrigger members, and the bearing interface includes rollers of the other end portions of the outrigger members that slide along a bearing surface of the mounting frame.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.