# US 9,004,267 B2 · Conveying system sealed off from the surrounding atmosphere

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- Number: US 9,004,267 B2
- Document ID: US9004267B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/348,535
- Filed: 2012-09-27
- Published: 2014-10-23
- Granted: 2015-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2011-09-28
- Assignees: Aumund Fordertechnik GmbH
- Applicants: Aumund Fordertechnik GmbH
- Inventors: Guido Kirbach; Matthias Moritz; Christian Niedzwiedz; Frank Reddemann
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9004267B2

## CPC

- B65G 17/123: {arranged to keep the load-carriers horizontally during at least a part of the conveyor run}
- B65G 17/36: having concave surfaces, e.g. buckets
- F27B 9/047: {the atmosphere consisting of protective gases}
- F27D 3/12: Travelling or movable supports or containers for the charge
- B65G 21/08: Protective roofs or arch supports therefor
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- F27B: FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS
- F27D: DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES OF FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS, IN SO FAR AS THEY ARE OF KINDS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN ONE KIND OF FURNACE

## Abstract

A conveying system includes conveying cells (14) for accommodating in particular hot bulk goods or lumpy conveying material. The conveying cells have a bottom (16), a front wall (30) and a rear wall (31) in the conveying direction of the conveying system and side walls (15) connecting the latter. The conveying cells (14) open at the top are shielded from the surrounding atmosphere by a stationary and gas-tight top cover (17) that spans the open surface of the conveying cells. Both sealing elements (22; 34, 35) shielding intermediate spaces (32) existing between the conveying cells (14) in the conveying direction from the surrounding atmosphere and also sealing elements (22; 28) projecting laterally on both sides beyond the side walls (15) of the conveying cells (14) are disposed in the bottom region of the conveying cells (14) lying opposite the top cover (17).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A conveying system comprising:
a plurality of conveying cells (14) for accommodating bulk or loose material, wherein each of said conveying cells (14) includes a bottom (16), a front wall (30) and a rear wall (31) as viewed in a conveying direction of said conveying system, and side walls (15) that connect said front and rear walls (30, 31), and wherein said conveying cell (14) is open in an upward direction;
for protecting each of said upwardly open conveying cells (14) from the surrounding atmosphere: a stationary and gas-tight top cover (17) that spans the open space of said upwardly open conveying cell (14), and stationary and gas-tight side covers (18) disposed on opposite sides of said conveying cell (14), wherein an interior space is formed in said conveying cell (14) by said top cover (17) and said side covers (18) for receiving a protective gas; and
disposed in a bottom region of each of said conveying cells (14) that is located opposite said top cover (17): sealing elements (22, 34, 35) that protect intermediate spaces (32) existing between successive ones of said conveying cells (14) as viewed in the conveying direction from the surrounding atmosphere, as well as further sealing elements (22, 38) that on opposite sides extend laterally beyond said side walls (15) of said conveying cell (14), wherein said further sealing elements (22, 38) form respective sealing gaps (23) with a lower edge of said side covers (18).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A conveying system according to claim 1, wherein said sealing elements (34, 35) that seal off said conveying cells (14) relative to one another in the conveying direction are respectively disposed at said front wall (30) and said rear wall (31) of each of said conveying cells (14) and are configured as sealing plates (34, 35) that project from said conveying cell (14) into said intermediate spaces (32) that exist between successive ones of said conveying cells (14), further wherein said sealing plate (35) that is disposed on said rear wall (31) of one of said conveying cells (14) overlaps with that sealing plate (34) that is disposed on said front wall (30) of the following conveying cell (14).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A conveying system according to claim 1, wherein said rear wall (31) of each of said conveying cells (14) is offset forwardly as viewed in the conveying direction relative to a rear end of said two side walls (15) as viewed in the conveying direction, further wherein said front wall (30) of a following one of said conveying cells (14) engages between said side walls (15) of the leading ones of said conveying cells (14), and wherein said side walls (15) of said successive conveying cells (14) partially overlap one another.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A conveying system according to claim 1, wherein an upper edge of said front wall (30) of each of said conveying cells (14) is provided with a bent-off portion (33) that projects from said front wall (30) in a direction toward a leading one of said conveying cells (14), further wherein said bent-off portion (33) extends over said intermediate space (32) between said conveying cell (14) and the leading conveying cell, and wherein said bent-off portion (33) extends over an upper edge of said rear wall (31) of said leading conveying cell (14).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A conveying system according to claim 1, wherein said further sealing elements (38) are respectively configured as angled sealing plates (38) disposed on said two side walls (15) of each of said conveying cells (14), wherein a leg (39) of said sealing plate (38) that projects from said side wall (15) forms said sealing gap (23) with said lower edge of said side cover (18).

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A conveying system according to claim 5, wherein each of said angled sealing plates (38) that is mounted on one of said side walls (15) is disposed at a distance (40) from a front edge of said side wall (15) as viewed in the conveying direction, further wherein said distance (40) corresponds to the overlapping of said side walls (15) of adjacent ones of said conveying cells (15) such that said projecting legs (39) of said sealing plates (38) on said side walls (15) of successive ones of said conveying cells (14) form a continuous run.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A conveying system according to claim 1, wherein said sealing elements (22) include sealing plates (22) that are disposed on an underside of said conveying cells (14) opposite said top cover (17), further wherein said sealing plates (22) move with said conveying cells (14), further wherein said sealing plates (22), in the form of a continuous belt mat, protect said conveying cells (14), and said intermediate spaces (32) existing between successive conveying cells (14), from the surrounding atmosphere, and wherein said sealing plates (32) project on both sides beyond said side walls (15) to thereby form said sealing gaps (23) with said lower edge of said side covers (18).

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A conveying system according to claim 1, which further includes rollers (30) that are disposed on opposite sides for guiding said conveying cells (14), wherein said rollers (20) run on rails (13) disposed outwardly of said conveying cells (14), and wherein said side covers (18) are disposed within the space that exists between oppositely disposed ones of said rollers (20) to at that location form said sealing gaps (23) with said further sealing elements (22, 38).

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A conveying system according to claim 1, wherein said bottom (16) of said conveying cell (14) is coupled with at least one traction member (25).

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A conveying system according to claim 9, wherein said at least one traction member (25) is embodied as a chain having chain link plates (26) that are respectively fastened to said conveying cell (14) by means of angle brackets (24) that are secured to said bottom (16) of said conveying cell (14).

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

A conveying system according to claim 9, wherein sealing elements (22) in the form of sealing plates are disposed between said bottom (16) of said conveying cell (14) and said at least one traction member (25).

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A conveying system according to claim 1, wherein an inside of said side covers (18) that face said conveying cells (14) are lined with an insulating layer (19).