# US 8,770,253 B2 · Cutting and splicing apparatus for conveyor belts and method

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 8,770,253 B2
- Document ID: US8770253B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/304,042
- Filed: 2011-11-23
- Published: 2013-05-23
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2011-11-23
- Assignees: Flexible Steel Lacing Company
- Applicants: Andrew J. Zieger
- Inventors: Andrew J. Zieger
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770253B2

## CPC

- F16G 3/10: Joining belts by sewing, sticking, vulcanising, or the like; Constructional adaptations of the belt ends for this purpose
- B25B 23/141: {Mechanical overload release couplings}
- B26D 3/003: {specially adapted for cutting rubber}
- B29C 65/1412: {Infrared [IR] radiation}
- B29C 65/1432: {direct heating of the surfaces to be joined}
- B29C 65/7451: {the severing tool and the welding tool being movable with respect to one-another}
- B29C 65/7841: {Holding or clamping means for handling purposes (clamping means for the purpose of applying pressure on the parts to be joined, in the area to be joined B29C66/81; work holders in general B25B; devices for holding or positioning work for welding metal B23K37/04)}
- B29C 66/02241: {Cutting, e.g. by using waterjets, or sawing (using heat B29C66/0246; cutting-off or cutting-out a part of a strip-like or sheet-like material, transferring that part and fixing it to an article B29C69/005)}
- B29C 66/1142: {Single butt to butt joints}
- B29C 66/4322: {by joining a single sheet to itself (B29C66/4332 takes precedence)}
- B29C 66/4324: {for making closed loops, e.g. belts}
- B29C 66/49: {Internally supporting the, e.g. tubular, article during joining (B29C66/63 takes precedence)}
- B29C 66/855: {Belt splicing machines}
- F16G 3/003: {Apparatus or tools for joining belts (stapler B25C5/00)}
- F16G 3/16: Devices or machines for connecting driving-belts or the like
- B26D 1/06: wherein the cutting member reciprocates (cup or like cutting members B26D1/44)
- B29C 65/2076: {perpendicularly to the plane comprising the parts to be joined}
- B29C 65/782: {by setting the gap between the parts to be joined (controlling or regulating the gap between the joining tools B29C66/92611)}
- B29C 65/7844: {cooperating with specially formed features of at least one of the parts to be joined, e.g. cooperating with holes or ribs of at least one of the parts to be joined (parts to be joined comprising holes or slots for the purpose of positioning said parts B29C65/7808; parts to be joined comprising inter-cooperating positioning features B29C65/7814; welding using friction, the welding tool cooperating with specially formed features of at least one of the parts to be joined, e.g. cooperating with holes or ribs of at least one of the parts to be joined B29C65/069)}
- B29C 66/5241: {for forming coaxial connections, i.e. the profiled elements to be joined forming a zero angle relative to each other}
- B29C 66/71: {characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined (welding bar compositions B29C65/125)}
- B29C 66/73921: {characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics}
- B29C 66/8226: {Cam mechanisms; Wedges; Eccentric mechanisms}
- B29L 2031/7092: {Conveyor belts}
- Y10T 29/53961: with work-holder for assembly
- Y10T 156/1062: Prior to assembly
- Y10T 156/1066: Cutting to shape joining edge surfaces only
- Y10T 156/12: Surface bonding means and/or assembly means with cutting, punching, piercing, severing or tearing
- Y10T 156/125: Plural severing means each acting on a different work piece
- Y10T 156/1322: Severing before bonding or assembling of parts
- Y10T 156/14: Surface bonding means and/or assembly means with shaping, scarifying, or cleaning joining surface only
- Y10T 156/1744: Means bringing discrete articles into assembled relationship
- F16G: BELTS, CABLES, OR ROPES, PREDOMINANTLY USED FOR DRIVING PURPOSES; CHAINS; FITTINGS PREDOMINANTLY USED THEREFOR
- B25B: TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING, OR HOLDING
- B26D: CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING (for growing crops or plants A01D, A01G; for fodder or straw A01F; for bulk butter A01J; for dough A21C; slaughtering A22B; for tobacco, cigars or cigarettes A24; marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; manufacturing footwear A43D; brushmaking A46D; surgery A61B; disintegrating, mincing or shredding in general B02C; cutting wire, making pins or nails B21F, B21G; of the kind used formetal B23; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; hand-held cutting tools B26B; perforating, cutting-out, stamping-out or punching, or severing by means other than cutting B26F; for wood B27; for stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices B65H35/00; for leather or upholstery B68, C14B; for glass C03B; making matches C06F; for peat C10F; for sugar C13B45/00; for textile materials D06H; civil engineering, building, mining, see Section E; for light guides G02B6/25; cutting processed photographic material G03D15/04)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A belt cutting and splicing apparatus is provided for joining together the ends of one or more monolithic conveyor belts. In one form, a belt support is configured to support the belt ends in spaced relation to each other and a non-contact heating device is provided for being disposed between the belt ends to generate thermal radiation for joining the belt ends together. In another form, a drive mechanism is operable to cause relative movement of a pair of platens, for supporting belt ends, toward and away from each other and a heating device between heating and stowed positions. An actuator of the drive mechanism is movable by an operator between at least three operation positions corresponding to three different operation positions of the platens. An on-board belt cutting mechanism is provided for precision cutting of the belt ends using the same apparatus for both belt cutting and splicing operations.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A conveyor belt cutting and splicing apparatus for joining the ends of one or more conveyor belts together, the conveyor belt cutting and splicing apparatus comprising:
a frame assembly including a belt support for supporting conveyor belt ends generally adjacent to each other;
a cutting mechanism operatively mounted to the frame assembly for cutting an end portion of at least one of the conveyor belt ends with the at least one conveyor belt end supported by the belt support; and
a splicing mechanism for joining the cut belt end to the other belt end with the belt ends supported on the belt support, wherein the belt support comprises a pair of elongate platen devices with each platen device supporting a respective one of the conveyor belt ends thereon, the cutting mechanism includes a cutting device that is operable to travel in a longitudinal direction along the frame assembly between the pair of elongate platen devices with the platen devices in a belt cutting position, the platen devices are spaced from each other to form a gap therebetween for cutting of the belt end portion, and the cutting device includes a carriage and a cutting blade extending upwardly from the carriage between and above the platen devices for cutting a portion of the at least one belt end extending over the gap between the spaced platens as both the carriage and the cutting blade travel in the longitudinal direction with the cutting blade extending upwardly from the carriage during the longitudinal travel thereof.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The conveyor belt cutting and splicing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the splicing mechanism is mounted to the frame assembly to allow an operator to both cut and join the conveyor belt ends together without requiring separate equipment.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The conveyor belt cutting and splicing apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the platen devices includes an elongate bearing surface adjacent to the cutting device that extends in the longitudinal direction, and the cutting device is configured to bear against the bearing surface as the cutting device travels in the longitudinal direction so that the bearing surface guides the cutting device in a generally straight travel path in the longitudinal direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The conveyor belt cutting and splicing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pair of elongate platen devices extend in the longitudinal direction across a lateral width of the belt and at least one of the platen devices has a movable mount for shifting the one platen device in a belt shifting direction to a belt cutting position and away therefrom,
a home position of the belt cutting device, wherein the cutting device is positioned to avoid interfering with the shifting of the one platen device closer to the other platen from the belt cutting position, and
the conveyor belt cutting and splicing apparatus further comprising a stop mechanism operable to restrict shifting of the one platen device from the belt cutting position with the cutting device shifted away from the home position.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The conveyor belt cutting and splicing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cutting device is operable to travel in the longitudinal direction across a lateral width of the one belt end, the pair of elongate platen devices include openings for receiving projections of the belt ends, and the cutting device and an adjacent one of the platen device openings are laterally spaced from each other by a predetermined distance that is sized for maintaining a generally consistent pitch distance between adjacent projections of the joined together belt ends.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The conveyor belt cutting and splicing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the pair of elongate platen devices extend in the longitudinal direction, and the openings comprise grooves extending in the longitudinal direction along belt support surfaces of the platen devices that receive belt end projections extending transversely across the belt ends so that the cutting device is operable to cut the one end portion to be generally parallel to the belt end projections for squaring the one belt end to be joined to the other belt end.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The conveyor belt cutting and splicing apparatus of claim 6, wherein one of the grooves is adjacent to the cutting device and the splicing mechanism and wherein the one groove is configured to receive the same projection of the one belt end during both cutting thereof and joining of the one belt end.

### Claim 8

A conveyor belt cutting and splicing apparatus for joining the ends of one or more conveyor belts together, the conveyor belt cutting and splicing apparatus comprising:
a frame assembly including a belt support for supporting conveyor belt ends generally adjacent to each other;
a cutting mechanism operatively mounted to the frame assembly for cutting an end portion of at least one of the conveyor belt ends with the at least one conveyor belt end supported by the belt support; and
a splicing mechanism for joining the cut belt end to the other belt end with the belt ends supported on the belt support, wherein the cutting device includes a carriage for sliding in a longitudinal direction along the frame assembly and a blade that extends upwardly from the carriage for cutting the end portion of the at least one conveyor belt end, the belt support includes a pair of spaced platen devices with a gap therebetween, the carriage is slidably mounted to a support channel mounted below one of the platen devices and extending longitudinally therealong, and the blade extends upwardly through the gap between the platen devices so that the carriage is operable to be advanced along the support channel and the blade cuts a conveyor belt end portion extending over the gap.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The conveyor belt cutting and splicing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cutting mechanism includes the cutting device and a drive mechanism for driving the cutting device in the longitudinal direction across a lateral width of the at least one belt end for removing belt material therefrom.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The conveyor belt cutting and splicing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the drive mechanism includes a torque limiter mechanism to restrict movement of the cutting device upon encountering a predetermined amount of resistance to prevent damage to the cutting device.

### Claim 11

A conveyor belt welding apparatus for joining monolithic conveyor belt ends together, the conveyor belt welding apparatus comprising:
a frame assembly;
a pair of belt supports operatively mounted to the frame assembly and extending in a longitudinal direction thereacross for supporting conveyor belt ends to be joined together, the pair of belt supports having a gap therebetween;
a non-contact heating device configured to be positioned in the gap between the pair of belt supports and the belt ends supported thereon to be spaced from the belt ends for melting material of the belt ends for joining the conveyor belt ends together; and
a cutting mechanism including a cutting device that is configured to travel in the longitudinal direction in the gap between and guided by the belt supports with one of the belt ends supported by one of the belt supports so that the cutting device cuts belt material from an end portion of the one belt end across a lateral width thereof.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The conveyor belt welding apparatus of claim 11, wherein the non-contact heating device has an elongate configuration and is arranged to extend in the longitudinal direction when the heating device is positioned between the belt ends so that the heating device extends generally parallel to the cut end portion of the one conveyor belt end to provide generally uniform heat across the lateral width of the one belt end.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The conveyor belt welding apparatus of claim 11, wherein the belt supports include a pair of elongate platen devices and one of the platen devices includes a movable mount, and
an actuator operable to shift the one platen device in a belt shifting direction between at least a belt cutting position and a belt joining position, with the platen devices being spaced more closely together in the belt joining position to join the belt ends together.

### Claim 14

A conveyor belt welding apparatus for joining monolithic conveyor belt ends together, the conveyor belt welding apparatus comprising:
a frame assembly;
a pair of belt supports operatively mounted to the frame assembly and extending in a longitudinal direction thereacross for supporting conveyor belt ends to be joined together;
a non-contact heating device configured to be positioned between and the belt ends to be spaced therefrom for melting material of the belt ends for joining the conveyor belt ends together;
a cutting mechanism including a cutting device that is configured to travel in the longitudinal direction between and guided by the belt supports with one of the belt ends supported by one of the belt supports so that the cutting device cuts belt material from an end portion of the one belt end across a lateral width thereof, wherein the belt supports include a pair of elongate platen devices and one of the platen devices includes a movable mount, and
an actuator operable to shift the one platen device in a belt shifting direction between at least a belt cutting position and a belt joining position, with the platen devices being spaced more closely together in the belt joining position to join the belt ends together, wherein the belt cutting position is the same as a belt loading position of the platen devices with the platen devices spaced in the belt loading position so that the cut belt ends supported by the platen devices are in abutment with each other along lateral cut edges thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The conveyor belt welding apparatus of claim 13, wherein the cutting device has a travel path in the longitudinal direction that includes a home position of the cutting device where the cutting device is removed from between the belt ends, and
a pocket in at least the one platen device at the home position of the cutting device to provide clearance for the one platen device to be shifted more closely to the other platen device to a belt joining position without interference from the cutting device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 4)

The conveyor belt welding apparatus of claim 4, wherein the cutting mechanism includes a drive mechanism operable to drive the cutting device in the longitudinal direction and a stop mechanism for restricting movement of the cutting device in the longitudinal direction when the platen devices are not in the belt cutting position so that the cutting device cannot be shifted into forceful engagement with the one platen device or the heating device.

### Claim 17

A conveyor belt welding apparatus for joining monolithic conveyor belt ends together, the conveyor belt welding apparatus comprising:
a frame assembly;
a pair of belt supports operatively mounted to the frame assembly and extending in a longitudinal direction thereacross for supporting conveyor belt ends to be joined together;
a non-contact heating device configured to be positioned between the belt ends to be spaced therefrom for melting material of the belt ends for joining the conveyor belt ends together; and
a cutting mechanism including a cutting device that is configured to travel in the longitudinal direction between and guided by the belt supports with one of the belt ends supported by one of the belt supports so that the cutting device cuts belt material from an end portion of the one belt end across a lateral width thereof wherein the belt supports include a pair of elongate platen devices and one of the platen devices includes a movable mount, and
an actuator operable to shift the one platen device in a belt shifting direction between at least a belt cutting position and a belt joining position, with the platen devices being spaced more closely together in the belt joining position to join the belt ends together, wherein the other one of the platen devices is substantially fixedly mounted to the frame assembly, and the cutting mechanism is mounted to the fixedly mounted platen device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The conveyor belt welding apparatus of claim 13, wherein the platen devices include openings for receiving projections of the conveyor belt,
a cutting position of the platen devices, wherein the platen openings are positioned a predetermined distance from the cutting device so that the cutting device cuts the one belt end portion to a predetermined width from an adjacent belt projection, and
a heating position of the platen devices wherein the platen openings are positioned a predetermined distance from the heating device with the heating device positioned between the platen devices so that the cut end portion of the one conveyor belt end is disposed in a predetermined heating orientation relative to the heating device for providing uniform heat to the one conveyor belt end portion.

### Claim 19

A conveyor belt welding apparatus for joining monolithic conveyor belt ends together, the conveyor belt welding apparatus comprising:
a frame assembly;
a pair of belt supports operatively mounted to the frame assembly and extending in a longitudinal direction thereacross for supporting conveyor belt ends to be joined together;
a non-contact heating device configured to be positioned between the belt ends to be spaced therefrom for melting material of the belt ends for joining the conveyor belt ends together;
a cutting mechanism including a cutting device that is configured to travel in the longitudinal direction between and guided by the belt supports with one of the belt ends supported by one of the belt supports so that the cutting device cuts belt material from an end portion of the one belt end across a lateral width thereof, wherein the heating device is movably mounted to the frame assembly, and
an actuator for shifting the heating device between a stowed position in which the heating device is removed from a travel path of the cutting device to avoid interference therewith when the cutting device is shifted in the longitudinal direction and a heating position in which the heating device is positioned between the belt ends.

### Claim 20

A conveyor belt welding apparatus for joining monolithic conveyor belt ends together, the conveyor belt welding apparatus comprising:
a frame assembly;
a pair of belt supports operatively mounted to the frame assembly and extending in a longitudinal direction thereacross for supporting conveyor belt ends to be joined together;
a non-contact heating device configured to be positioned between the belt ends to be spaced therefrom for melting material of the belt ends for joining the conveyor belt ends together; and
a cutting mechanism including a cutting device that is configured to travel in the longitudinal direction between and guided by the belt supports with one of the belt ends supported by one of the belt supports so that the cutting device cuts belt material from an end portion of the one belt end across a lateral width thereof, wherein the pair of belt supports comprise a pair of platen devices with each platen device including a platen member having clearance grooves therein and an insert receiving groove, and a plurality of elongate strip inserts each having a drive bar groove therein that is narrower than the clearance grooves and which is differently configured from the drive bar grooves of other strip inserts to allow for differently configured positive drive conveyor belts having drive bars to be supported on the platen devices with the drive bars received loosely in the clearance grooves and more tightly in the groove of the strip insert.