AU598683B2 - Cleaner conveyor belt - Google Patents

Description

FORM A F Ref: 61143 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SiPECIFICATION I h5 dmtumwO~ coiflzins tbz ,Anamerits o~d uiidar &1V is Derrec1 for PrInting.

Application Number:

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE: Cldass Int. Class PI2595 Lodged: Pr iori ty: 22 June 1987 Accepted: Published: r.elated Art: of Applicant: Address for Service: Arnold Industrial and Mining Supplies Pty Ltd 73 James Street Charlestown New South Males 2290 AU ST RALI A Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys, %-vel 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street, Sydney, Mew South Wales, 2000, Australia Complete Specification for the invention entitled: Cleaner Conveyor Belt The following statement is a full description of this beelt method of performing it known to me/us invention, including the REPRINT OF RECEIPI t= 0OO 04& 5815/2 21 /C4, crtNTA i i. I I The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus for cleaning conveyor belts.

Conveyor belts are a commonly used type of material handling equipment, and which comprise a driven endless flexible belt, usually constructed from rubber, neoprene or plastic materials, which provides a moving belt surface for transporting materials from one place to another.

A conveyor belt can be used to transport materials between loading and unloading points as little as one to two metres apart, and up to many kilometres apart.

A be't conveyor comprises an upper .:arrying portion which moves in a direction from the loading point to tnq unloiding point and a lower return portion which moves in the opposite direction. The belt extends between return drums of the conveyor belt system, and is further provided with a plurality of idler rollers to support the belt between the return drums, Conveyor belts are usually used for solid particulate materials such as mineral ores. for example, coal.

The materials are loaded on to the upper strface of the belt and are allowed to fall off the end of the conveyor by gravity. However, due to the nature of the materials being transported, it is common that the belt surface carrying the material retains some of the material after the unloading point, which material may then be dislodged at any point along tihe return portion of the belt. That is, material may temporarily "stick" to the belt and thereby does not fai at the desired unloading point.

Material which is not unloaded at the desired unloading point may then dislodge at some point along the return portion of the belt whereby undesired material build-up may occur on the ground below the belt path.

For example, any undesired material build-up of coal below the belt conveyor could be hazardous. Further, it would be preferred that m;terial RJE/1126b -3that ?iticks to the belt is caused to be dislodged and collected at a point proximate the unloading point so as to improve the material handling efficiency of the belt conveyor.

It is known to provide cleaning apparatus to dislodge material sticking to the surface of the belt, which apparatus usually comprise scrapers and/or brushes which attempt to dislodge the sticking material.

However, known cleaning apparatus has not been aduted to properly clean within grooves which form in the belt after a period of use, and are usually detrimental to the clips which join the ends of the belt.

That is, the clips are damaged by the cleaning apparatus when opposing surfaces thereof collide each time the clips pass over the cleaning apparatus resulting in belt failure and production loss. During operation of the conveyor, the belt also deteriorates due to contact with the driving and support components Gf the belt conveyor system which results in longitudinal grooves ir the belt. There are many types of belt cleaners available that perform reasonably well when the belt is in good condition and has a generally flat surface on which to operate. However, when the belt is worn and has an irregular surface, these known cleaners are unable to maintain contact across the total width of the belt, and much of the material clinging to the belt escapes and is deposited along the conveyor system.

It is the object of the present icvention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the problems and/or disadvantages of the prior art.

In one broad form of the present Inventioni provides a conveyor belt cleaning device for cleaning a flexible planar belt of a conveyor system, said cleaning device comprising: KLN/163b KLN/1653b 3 -4- *t a support means to be secured relative to the structure of said conveyor system; a generally planar scraper frame rotatably supported on said support means about an axis normal to said frame and comprising at least three elongate scraper blades, each blade extending in the plane of said scraper frame in a directS'. generally away from the axis and transverse to a respective one of at least three radii extending from the axis, said radii being generally equally angularly spaced around said axis.

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by in way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the cleaning apparatus.

Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a schematic side elevational view of the apparatus of Figure 1.

There is depicted in the drawings cleaning apparatus 10 comprising a support frame 11 adapted to be secured to the belt conveyor apparatus 1 and located below the lower return portion of the belt 2. Rotatably mounted on the support frame 11 is a scraper frame 12 wherein the axis of rotation is generally normal to the surface of the belt. Mounted on the scraper frame 12 is a plurality of longitudinal scraper blades 13 disposed so as a longitudinal edge thereof abuts the surface of the belt 2.

the scraper frame 12 comprises a hub portion 14, six elongate scraper support members 15 each extending generally tangentially away from generally equally circumferentially and radially spaced positions with respect to the hub portion 14. One end 18 of each support member 15 are connected to an intermediate position of an adjacent support member KLN/1653b I 1 i 5 The other ends 16 of the support members 15 are connected by connecting members 17 which dictate an hexagonal shape. The support members 15 and connecting members 17 form a rigid structure, and each support member 15 is connected to the hub portion 14 by radially extering spokes 19. Mounted longitudinally and coextensively of eac' support member 15 is a scraper blade 13 disposed so as to protrude above the upper surface 15a of the support member 15. In this way the scraper blade extend generally outwardly from the hub portion 14, but other than radially therefrom.

The scraper frame 12 is mounted to the support frame 11 at the hub portion 14 so as to be rotatable with respect thereto. The support frame 11 comprises two transversely spaced parallel and coextensive beam m. -'ers a mounting plate 21 spanning and supported by the beam members 20. The beam members 20 are supported at their ends by vertically extending suspension apparatus 22 which are supported by the belt conveyor system 1.

The suspension apparatus 22 is adapted to resiliently bias the scraper frame 12, and hence the scraper blades 15, into contact with the surface of the returning portion of the belt 2.

The beam members 20 are suspended on two U-shaped bolts 23 having threaded ends 24 with coil springs 25 located between the belt conveyor structure and nuts 26 threadably engaged on the U-shaped bolts. This arrangement provides for pressure adjustment of the scraper frame 12 on the underside of the returning portion of the belt 2. The springs 25 keep the pressure of the scraper blade 13 ag:inst the belt 2 constant.

The scraper frame 12 is rotatably supported on the support frame 11 so that the scraper blades 13 are movable with, respect to the support frame 11 whereby, in use,the blades 13 align with the worn sections of the belt 2.

1 fT KLN/1653bV ii. .jr- iii.iil 'l~l ll-- I 6 A worn belt surface usually has longitudinal troughs. The troughs are caused by the abrasion of guides placed on the belt to prevent spillage of the material. The scraper blades 13 tend to move into alignment with the troughs since the contact pressure therewith is less than the contact pressure with respect to the remainder of the surface of the belt 2. The scraper blades 13 are arranged on the scraper frame 12 so as to be positioned and to operate where the troughs in the belt 2 are most likely to occur, The scraper blades 13 are also adapted to minimize damage to the lO clips connecting the ends of the belt 2. That is, the ends of the scraper biades 13 are champfered to allow easy passage of the clips across the scraper blades. Further, the scraper blades are disposed so as not to present a flat opposing face to the oncoming clips. Since the scraper blades 13 aro movable with respect to the support frame 11 and are

I

1 i resiliently biased into contact with the belt 2 when the scraper blades 13 collide with the clips, the shock of the collision is generally absorbed and damage to the clips is reduced.

The above described referred embodiment is provided with six scraper blades However, the object of the invention could be achieved with as few as three scraper blades 13 arranged in a similar fashion.

The blades 13 can be longitudinally slidably received in the support members 15 and secured in place. Whereby replacement of the blades is easy and convenient.

KLN/1653bC

Claims (6)

1. A conveyor belt cleaning device for cleaning a flexible pla ,~r belt of a conveyor system, said cleaning device comprising: a support means to be secured relative to the structure of said conveyor system; a generally planar scraper frame rotatably supported on said support means about an axis normal to said frame and comprising at least three elongate scraper blades, each blade extending in the plane of said scraper U frame in a direction generally away from the axis and transverse to a respective one of at least three radii extending from the axis, said radii being generally equally angularly spaced around said axis.

2. A cleaning device as defined in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a biasing means for biasing said scraper blades into engagement with said belt.

3. A cleaning device as defined in claim 2, wherein said scraper frame comprises a hub portion, a plurality of scraper support members mounted to said hub portion to support said scraper blades and being generally coextensive therewith.

4. A cleaning device as defined in claim 3 wherein said support members are each mounted to said hub portion via a radially extending spoke having a predetermined length, and each said support member extends generally normal to a respective spoke and are each connected at one end to an adjacent support member.

A cleaning device as defined in claim 4 wherein the one end of each support member is connected to an intermediate portion of the adjacent support member, and the outwardly projecting other end of the support members are connected to the other ends of adjacent support members by respective connecting members.

6. A cleaning device as claimed in claims 3 or 4, wherein each of said scraper blades are selectively slidably removable from said support members in a direction generally parallel to the respective support member. DATED this TWENTY-SEVENTH day of FEBRUARY 1990 Arnold Industrial Mining Equipment Pty Ltd pUS rnPatent Attorneys for the Applicant OFFA' SPRUSON FERGUSON _KLN/1383b j~