AU640515B2

AU640515B2 - Carrier roller for a pulling mechanism and/or carrier element

Info

Publication number: AU640515B2
Application number: AU83457/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Wolfgang Schmidtke
Original assignee: Linde GmbH
Current assignee: Linde GmbH
Priority date: 1990-09-03
Filing date: 1991-08-29
Publication date: 1993-08-26
Anticipated expiration: 2011-08-29
Also published as: EP0474199A1; DE4027910A1; AU8345791A; DE59100608D1; ATE97382T1; ES2048543T3; BR9103783A; EP0474199B1

Abstract

A support roller for a traction and/or support means is proposed which permits good rolling characteristics of the drive and/or conveyor belt and a large degree of self cleaning of the support roller. The support roller has a plurality of cylindrical support elements (8) arranged next to one another and spaced at intervals from one another on a shaft (1). The support elements (8) are provided on the outer circumferential surface with annular grooves (9) running parallel to the circumferential direction of the support roller. The end faces of the support elements (8) are arranged parallel to one another and inclined in the same direction. This produces sinusoidal roller tracks. <IMAGE>

Description

640515

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION NAME OF APPLICANT(S): Linde Aktlengesellschaft ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON Patent Attorneys 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

4 L i INVENTION TITLE: 0t~ Carrier roller for a pulling mechanism and/or carrier element The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- The present invention relates to a carrier roller for a pulling mechanism and/or carrier element, as used for example for return pulleys and track-supporting rollers in conveyor belts or belt drives.

The carrier rollers customarily used consist of a solid or hollow cylinder mounted on both sides and supporting the belt along almost the entire axial extension of the carrier roller.

0S• For special use, namely where the carrier roller is provided for a conveyor belt and where S small particles of the material being conveyed lodge between the conveyor belt and the go•• carrier roller, it is known to provide separate discs of identical external diameter arranged at a distance from one another and supporting the conveyor belt, in place of a through-type cylinder. This produces grooves, between which the majority of the particles can fall. Thereby 'self-cleaning' of the carrier roller is achieved and the conveyor belt is prevented from 'riding .@oo•i up' as a result of particles becoming wedged. The disadvantage of such carrier rollers is that 0o as a result of uneven loading of the conveyor belt and with increasing running time circular notches form in the area between the discs, resulting in deterioration in run-out capabilities of the conveyor belt. A further disadvantage then arises when the material being conveyed clings SoSS S firmly to the conveyor belt. In this case, stripper devices are used to remove the conveyed material. However, if the conveyor belt rides up because of wedged particles and if notches form in the conveyor belt, this would be made far more difficult.

The object of the present invention is to make available a carrier roller of the type initially described, which enables sound run-out qualities of drive belts and conveyor belts, as well as thorough self-cleaning of the carrier roller.

-2- According to the present invention this is achieved by the carrier roller having a plurality of cylindrical carrier bodies arranged at a distance from one another and provided respectively on the outer peripheral surface with a plurality of annular grooves extending normal to the axial direction of the carrier roller, and wherein both end faces of each of the carrier bodies are arranged obliquely to the carrier body central axis.

In contrast to a through-type carrier roller, which offers support over its entire width and produces a single linear run-out path corresponding essentially to the width of the carrier roller, the carrier roller according to the present invention provides several adjacent run-out paths, which do not constantly support the drive belt or conveyor belt on their edge with the obliquely angled end faces of the carrier bodies, so that the run-out paths run undulatingly. In this way self-cleaning of the carrier roller is made possible in combination with the annular grooves whose width is adjusted to the material of the drive belt or conveyor belt in such a way that no notches result this also applies to the distance between the separate carrier bodies.

The self-cleaning effect is reinforced when the end faces of the carrier bodies are oblique in the sense that at least the annular grooves in the end zones of a carrier body are cut by the end faces.

In accordance with an advantageous development of the invention, it is 20 proposed that both end faces of the carrier bodies are arranged similarly obliquely and parallel to one another.

In terms of production engineering the carrier bodies are manufactured in the simplest manner, namely in that a shaft provided with annular grooves is divided suitably into sections of equal size by oblique cutting.

S. 25 Trials have revealed that the stated advantages are achieved to a particularly large extent when the end faces of the carrier bodies are cut at an angle of approximately 30 to the vertical on the carrier body central axis. The result is a v sinusoidal variation of the individual run-out paths.

930615,pkoper\gjn,83457-91.146,2 3 When the run-out paths are arranged parallel, whereby according to a useful development of the object of the invention the carrier bodies are arranged on the shaft with their end faces aligned with each other, the load on the drive belt or conveyor belt is distributed evenly.

A particular advantage is the use of the carrier roller according to the invention on a return pulley of a conveyor belt in a refrigeration plant, in the form of a wire gau;e belt.

In a refrigeration plant, for instance a tunnel freezer operating on CO 2 or N 2 ice crystals form in clusters and lodge between the conveyor belt and carrier roller, contributing to the abovementioned drawbacks and especially to inadequate separation of the conveyed

*S

material, because the separating knife provided for this purpose does not lie properly on the conveyor belt as long as the carrier roller according to the present invention is not used. The variable run-out path affected by the-,carrier roller according to the present invention and support of the conveyor belt substantially improves the run-out capability of the conveyor belt and product separation.

The carrier roller according to the present invci tion can be used as both a driven and non-driven return pulley. In the latter case, a so-called loose roller return, the power transmission connection is improved, compared to a carrier roller constructed of individual disc-shaped carrier bodies, in which the conveyor belt can easily slip on the discs in rough carrier roller bearings, since the shape of the run-out paths acts as a track profile.

The field of application of the carrier roller designed according to the present invention is not restricted to linear belts, but also extends to curved belts as used in so-called helical belt freezers or spiral belt freezers. Furthermore, they can also be used in belt drives and in the higher speed range in rocker roller systems, whereby the imbalance of the carrier bodies occurring in the higher speed range can be used to advantage.

Further details and advantages of the invention are described in greater detail with reference to the embodiment schematically illustrated in the accompanying figure.

The figure shows a carrier roller according to the present invention in a loose roller arrangement, in this example provided for a conveyor belt. The carrier roller has a shaft 1, mounted on shaft end trunnions 2 and 3 and in bushings 4 and 5. Adjacent to the bushing 4 or 5 is a sleeve 6 or 7 fastened onto the shaft 1 by a screw for example, and on which is supported a conveyor belt, not illustrated, secured against lateral skidding. The conveyor belt further rests on several cylindrical carrier bodies 8, fastened (screwed, for example) on the shaft 1 between the sleeves 6 and 7 at a distance from one another. The carrier bodies 8 are provided on the outer peripheral surface with annular grooves 9. The width of the annular grooves 9 and the distance of the carrier bodies 8 from one another are approximately I identical. The material on the conveying belt is adjusted to the width of the annular grooves 9 to the effect that this prevents the formation of notches. With a carrier gauze conveyor belt, this is achieved by the corresponding choice of mesh size and mesh plaiting. If the carrier bodies 8 were designed as complete cylinders, the run-out paths indicated by the dashed lines A would result. But because both end faces of each carrier roller 8 are cut obliquely by the same angular amount cc namely preferably 30 to the vertical on the carrier body central axis and because the carrier bodies 8 are arranged on the shaft with their end faces aligned with one another, parallel sinusoidal run-out paths B (indicated by dot-and-dash lines) are produced, so that the conveyor belt is supported in variable zones. Guiding of the belt is free of lateral pressure. Along with the annular grooves 9 and the three-quarter view of the edge S" annular grooves 9, there is thorough self-cleaning of the carrier roller, since hardly any particles such as ice crystals can be pressed between conveyor belt and carrier bodies when the unit is used in a refrigeration plant.

Claims

1. Carrier roller for a pulling mechanism and/or carrier element, wherein the carrier roller has a plurality of cylindrical carrier bodies arranged at a distance from one another and provided respectively on the outer peripheral surface with a plurality of annular grooves extending normal to the axial direction of the carrier roller, and wherein both end faces of each of the carrier bodies are arranged obliquely to the carrier body central axis.

2. Carrier roller as claimed in Claim 1, wherein both end faces of the carrier bodies are arranged similarly obliquely and parallel to one another.

3. Carrier roller as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the end faces of the carrier bodies are cut at an angle of approximately 30 to the vertical on the carrier body central axis.

4. Carrier roller as claimed in any of the foregoing Claims, wherein the carrier bodies are arranged on the shaft with their end faces aligned with one another.

A wire gauze conveyor belt in a refrigeration plant, including a return pulley having a carrier roller according to any preceding claim.

6. A carrier roller substantially as hereinbefore described with refetence to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 15th day of June, 1993 •LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT By its Patent Attorneys Davies Collison Cave S S S 930615,p:\oper\gjn,3457-91.146,5