CA1045070A - Flight conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A flight conveyor and more particularly a flight conveyor including an improved means for attaching the flights to the conveyor chain.

Description

S~70 Flight conveyors employing a central chain with elongated flights extending laterally in opposite directions from spaced sides of the center chain are extensively used for the conveying of material. Theqe types of flight conveyors travel over flat surfaces wherein the laterally extending flights cooperate with the flat surfaces or deck to move material therealong. Where such flight con-veyors are used on loading machines, the flights are required to move heavy materials, such as large masses of coal, rock, iron ore, and the like, along the deck plate~.
In such structures the flights travel closely to the deck ~ -plates in a manner which results in large bending stresses at the flight connecti.ons to the chain as a result of irregular surface or sudden jarring as where large chunks of material drop from above onto the flights. Furthermore, inasmuch as the flights cantilever outwardly from the chain con- -nections, such connections are subject to repeated stress reversals which result in residual fatigue stress within the ~
connecting section. Still further, in instances where the ~`
flight conveyors are used in a longwall mining ~ystem the '-chain quite often will travel around slight semi-sinusoidal bends thereby resulting in applied moment in the horizontal ;
direction being directed to the flight connections. In view of these conditions it is desired that the flight connection to the chain and the section modulus across the flights be sufficiently large to resist the applied moment and residual stresses.

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Prior flight conveyor configurations, for example as illustrated in U.S. Patent No. 3,103,275, have generally -connected a pair of transversely spaced flights to the conveyor chain by two transverse pins extending through the flight flanges and coaxially aligned chain links. These configurations have worked adequately in many instances;
however, they often fell short of providing sufficient section to resist applied moment and residual stresses.
By means of the present invention which includes a built up flight section at the connection portion in conjunction with a third connecting pin on an axis vertically spaced from the lower connecting pins, a flight havin~ a greater section modulus and increased structural rigidity is achieved without significantly effecting the operating profile `
of the flight conveyor or creating weak sections at the flight `-;
connection.
Broadly stated, the present invention is de~ined as an improvement in a flight conveyor having a plura~ity of ;
spaced pairs of axially aligned elongated flights which extend ';
outwardly from opposite sides of a center driven chain connect-ing portions of a conveyor chain, the improvement comprising: ;
the flights having flight connecting portions adjacen-t the inner axial ends thereof; a pair of elongated transversely spaced connecting pins each of which extends in the longitudinal direction of the flights and communicate between a respectlve chain connecting portion and the flight connecting portions ;~
of a pair of the flights to secure the pair of flights to ~he connecting portions; the respective longitudinal axes of , ,~ I .
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each of the connecting pins in a spaced relationship extenaing at a common elevation and in a common horizontal plane; a~
least a third elongated connecting pin rigidly communicating between the flight connecting portions of the pair of the flights; and the longitudinal axis of the third connecting portion being parallel to and at an elevation higher than the axes of t~e first mentioned connecting pins and at an elevation higher than the uppermost surface of the chain connecting portions.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent upon a reading of the following description and drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a flight conveyor constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention having a pair of flights connected to a pair of universal joints of a suitable roller chain structure;
Fig. 2 is a side view, partially in section, of the , pair of flights illustrated in Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view across the flight connecting sectlon taken on lines 3--3 of Fig. 2. ' `, ' - 3a ~::

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~ 3~ S~ 7 Flight conveyor 10 comprises a suitable elongated conveyor chain 12, of which only the connection joints 14 are lllustrated; and a pair of elongated flights 16 which extend laterally in opposite directions from transversely spaced sides of connection joints 14.
Connection joints 14 are of a type quite well known in the art and as illustrated each joint 14 comprises two generally cylindrical tubular members 18 and 20 having laterally spaced parallel axes which extend transversely ;~
of the longitudinal axis of the conveyor chain. The members 18 and 20 each have cooperable laterally extending portions which are suitably horizontally pivotally connected to- ~-gether by a vertically extending pin 22. In as~embly, member 18 is received between a pair of flights 16 in a manner as described hereinafter, and member 20 is horizon-tally pivotally connected to adjacent links of conveyor chain 12 in a well known manner. It is to be noted that connection joints 14 as illustrated are also known as a universal joint and is fully illustrated in U.S. Patent ;
No. 3,103,275; however, the invention herein will be equally applicable to a ~ingle articulated joint 14 of the type which is illustrated in U.S. Patent No. 2,761,548.
The flights 16 may be of any suitable configura- ;
tion and are illustrated as having a generally "T" shaped cross section along the major longitudinal extent thereof with the stem of the "T" extending upwardly and having the inner end connecting portion 24 thereof of a differing cross-sectional configuration. Connecting portion 24 includes a main base portion 26 of a generally rectangular configuration with the elongated or long side thereof extending in a direction generally transverse to the 16)~S~7~
longitudinal axis of the flight 16. Base portion 26 ~`
includes a pair of longitudinally spaced pin receiving bores 28 therethrough which are each adapted to receive a flight connecting pln 30 therethrough in a manner as described hereinafter. The longitudinal axis of spaced bores 28 are at a common elevation.
A secondary connecting portion32has a generally triangular cross section and extends upwardly from base portion 26. The outer edges of portion 32 are coincident with the respective axial ends of base portion 26 and portion 32 tapers upwardly and inwardly therefrom in a manner that the uppermost portion 34 thereof lies at the apex of the triangular cross section of portion 32 and is intersected by a plane extending through the longitud~
inal axis of flight 16. The upper most extent of portion ~
34 includes an upwardly open groove 40 therein which -extends transversely ~hereacross and Is adapted to receive ~;~
an end portion of a secondary flight pin 42 therein in a manner as described hereinafter.
In assembled position an adjacent pair of tubular connecting members 18 are positioned intermediate a spaced t pair of oppositely extending flights 16. The members 18 are then cosxially aligned with respective bores 28 o~
the spaced flights 16 and a pair of connecting pins 28 are then received through the aligned openings and members 18. After reception, the pins 28 are firmly secured into position with respect to flights 16 in any suitable manner, for example by welding at axial end points 44 directly to flight connecting portion 24. The particular connecting portion arrangement de~cribed hereinabove is generally used -5- , .

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in prior art; however, the usage ofthe secondary connecting pin 42 and the secondary connecting portion 32 is the primary unique feature of this invention. With connecting members 18 and flights 16 po~itioned as described herein-above a secondary connecting pin 32 is positioned within aligned grooves 40 and firmly secured into position for example by welding at end points 46.
The invention herein relates to an improved flight connection arrangement and it iB contemplated that 10 those skilled in the art may make changes to the embodiment described hereinabove without departing from the scope of the invention, for example: upper portions 34 may have ~- bores therethrough rather than the grooves 40; the con-figuration of secondary portion 32 may be varied; more than one secondary pin 42 may be used so long as additional aligned receiving grooves or bores are provided in portion :- 32; and the like. Accordingly, the scope of this invention ~ .
is to be defined only by the scope of the claim3 appended hereto.

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Claims (5)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed is defined as follows:

1. In a flight conveyor having a plurality of spaced pairs of axially aligned elongated flights which extend outwardly from opposite sides of a center driven chain connecting portions of a conveyor chain, the improvement comprising: said flights having flight connecting portions adjacent the inner axial ends thereof;
a pair of elongated transversely spaced connecting pins each of which extends in the longitudinal direction of said flights and communicate between a respective chain connecting portion and said flight connecting portions of a pair of said flights to secure said pair of flights to said connecting portions; the respective longitudinal axes of each of said connecting pins in a spaced relation-ship extending at a common elevation and in a common horizontal plane; at least a third elongated connecting pin rigidly communicating between said flight connecting portions of said pair of said flights; and the longitudinal axis of said third connecting portion being parallel to and at an elevation higher than said axes of said first mentioned connecting pins and at an elevation higher than the uppermost surface of said chain connecting portions.

2. A flight conveyor as specified in claim 1 including only a single third connecting pin.

3. A flight conveyor as specified in claim 1 wherein said flight connecting portions include an integral upwardly extending portion and said third connecting pin communicates between said upwardly extending portions of said pairs of said flights.

4. A flight conveyor as specified in claim 3 wherein said third connecting pin is welded to said upwardly extending portions adjacent respective axial ends of said third connecting pin.

5. A flight conveyor as specified in claim 3 wherein each of said upwardly extending portions include an upwardly open groove therein and said third connecting pin is seated within said groove.