CA2105860A1 - Digging chain continuous bulk unloader/reclaimer - Google Patents
Digging chain continuous bulk unloader/reclaimerInfo
- Publication number
- CA2105860A1 CA2105860A1 CA 2105860 CA2105860A CA2105860A1 CA 2105860 A1 CA2105860 A1 CA 2105860A1 CA 2105860 CA2105860 CA 2105860 CA 2105860 A CA2105860 A CA 2105860A CA 2105860 A1 CA2105860 A1 CA 2105860A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- chain
- bushing
- adjoining
- wheels
- wheel
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16G—BELTS, CABLES, OR ROPES, PREDOMINANTLY USED FOR DRIVING PURPOSES; CHAINS; FITTINGS PREDOMINANTLY USED THEREFOR
- F16G13/00—Chains
- F16G13/18—Chains having special overall characteristics
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16G—BELTS, CABLES, OR ROPES, PREDOMINANTLY USED FOR DRIVING PURPOSES; CHAINS; FITTINGS PREDOMINANTLY USED THEREFOR
- F16G13/00—Chains
- F16G13/02—Driving-chains
- F16G13/06—Driving-chains with links connected by parallel driving-pins with or without rollers so called open links
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Ship Loading And Unloading (AREA)
- Devices For Conveying Motion By Means Of Endless Flexible Members (AREA)
Abstract
A continuous bulk unloader/reclaimer that utilizes a bucket conveyor digging chain (18) to remove material (16) from the holds (14) of vessels such as ships, barges, railroad cars, pits, stockpiles etc. The conveyor chain (18) is comprised of an elastomer bushing (32) that allows for the bucket conveyor chain (18) to circulate at high speeds with increased durability.
Description
`
WO92tl~08 2 1 O ~ ~ 6 O PCT/US92/02108 _ Improved Digging Chain Continuous Bulk Unloader/Reclaimer Related Applications This is a continuation in Part of my prior co-pending Appli-cation Serial # 07/668 r 883 filed 03/13/91 for "Continuous Unloader" now pending, and Application Serial # 07/668,957 filed 03/13/91 for "Chain and Sprocket Combination" now allowed, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in full.
Background--Field Of Invention This invention relates to continuous bulk unloaders/reclai~-ers (herein afterward referred to as continuous unloaders) that use a digging chain to both reclaim and convey granular or powder bulk materials such as grains, coal, ores, ferti-lizers, rocks, soil, etc. from pits, stockpiles, and the cargo .
holds of vessels such as ships, barges, railcars, and the like.
:
~ Background--Description Of Prior Art `:
U.S. Patent #3,144,142 (1964) introduced an unloader for ships , ~U~Ti'~UI t ~HLET
;
U
that utilized a digging chain that reclaimed cargo as it drug through the cargo in a loop. This patent utilized a mechani-cal chain similar to bicycle type chains comprised of metal links, pins, bushings, rollers, sprockets, etc. with buckets attached. U.S. Patent #3,378,rl30 (1968) by the same inventor improved upon this unloader by using wire rope segments to replace the bicycle type chain. This was done because the wear of the chain's pins and bushings made the original invention impractical for most materials. It was also done in an effort to increase the speed of circulation of the chain of buc~ets because bicycle type chains of the size required for unloaders have a speed limit of about 200 feet per minute.
These speeds cause the size and weight of these unloaders to be impractical for most applications. Low chain speeds are required because of the detrimental dynamic effects resulting from a phenomenon known as chordal action.
To date this second invention has had little commercial success because the wire ropes experience high wear and the speed of circulation is not much higher than that of ordinary bicycle type chains.
Today there are a few unloaders in operation that utilize the method of dragging the buckets through the material because it has many advantages, however in general these unloaders have reverted back to utilizing bicycle type chains with buckets attached similar to the method taught in the first invention U.S. #3,144,142. In general, these unloaders are restricted to working in non-abrasive materials because of the chain's pin and bushing wear. Also, they are large and heavy due to the slow circulation speeds of the chain.
I introduced in my U.S. Patent Application # 7/668,957 a far superior unloader that utilizes an elastomer bushed chain that allows for high speed circulation of the chain which allows for a smaller unloader to do the same amount of work as a much larger unloader utilizing a bicycle type chain.
SU~STI~-UT~ Sh-E-. .
W092~1~08 2 1 Q ~ 8 5 0 PCT/US92/021~8 In my U.S. Patent Application # 7/668,883 I introduced a chain and sprocket arrangement that utilizes an elastomer bushed chain and special sprocket that allows for conveyors to operate at increased speeds.
The present invention will introduce additional means and methods for improving upon my two previous inventions.
Objects and Advantages Accordingly I claim the following as my objects and advantages of the invention:
To introduce a much improved digging chain type continuous bulk unloader/reclaimer that combines the digging chain principal with an elastomer bushed chain that will operate faster and with much reduced wear in a variety of materials.
To introduce an elastomer tire that is especially suitable for supporting, circulating, and tracking the elastomer bushed chain.
To introduce a method for the easy adjustment of the chains torsional resistance.
To introduce a method for decreasing the size of elastomer - bushed chains.
;
To introduce a method for increasing the life of elastomer bushings used for chains.
To introduce a method for assisting a wheel in changing the direction of a chain.
; Readers will find further objects and advantages of the invention from a consideration of the ensuing description and the accompanying drawings.
~: .
: SU~ST! ~ '`E ~L~
... . . . .. . ... . .
:. . . : . , : .
.: . . . .. : . . , ~ .
' :'~ : : ,: , ': : ' ' ~1V~
WO92/16408 PCT/US92/02~08 Dra~ing Figures:
Figure l shows a schematic drawing of a continuous bulk unloader/reclaimer utilized to unload cargo from the hold of a ship.
Figure 2 shows a schematic view of the bucket chain portion of the unloader adjacent to the cargo.
Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view through the chain along line 3-3 of figure 2.
Figure 4 shows a cross sectional view along lines 4-4 of Figure 2. It is a cross sectional view through the chain and support wheel.
Figure 5 shows an especially useful wheel arrangement to assist in removing the cargo from the buckets and allows for a much more compact unloader.
Figure 6 shows an elastomer bushing's twist angle vs. torque - curve.
Figure 7 shows an elastomer bushing's twist angle vs. torque curve.
Figure 8 shows a schematic sectional view of the chain more or less along line 8-8 of figure 3.
Figure 9 shows a schematic sectional view of the chain more or less along line 8-8 of figure 3.
Figure lO shows an elastomer bushing's twist angle vs. torque curve.
' - :' ' : ., .
.
.
' ~ '' ' ' `
.
W092/l~08 ~ PCT~US92/02108 Figure ll shows a schematic sectional view of the chain more or less along line 8-8 of figure 3.
Figure 12 shows an elastomer bushing's twist angle vs. torque curve.
Figure 13 shows a schematic view representing the interface of the chain and wheel.
Figure 14 shows a schematic sectional view of the chain more or less along line 8-8 of figure 3.
Drawing Reference Numerals:
1 secondary loop lO support structure 12 bucket conveyor frame 14 discharge conveyor 15 upper wheel 16 vessel's hold 17 cargo 18 bucket conveyor chain - 19 primary loop of bucket conveyor - used for reclaiming : 20 exit wheel 21 guide wheel 22 gather wheel 23 bucket 24 outer link 25 axis of outer link 26 pin 28 tube 30 inner link 31 axis of inner link 32 elastomer bushing 33 motor 34 rim 35 axle ''" ;~'JBSTI ~ ~J I ~. S.~
- - - . . -. ~ ~ . . . . - . -.
:
~ ~U 3 ~ ~ U
W092/~6408 ` PCT/US92~02108 36 elastomer tire 37 additional wheel 38 preset angle 39 preset angle 40 operational range of twist 41 dashed line 42 non-elastic zone 43 heat zone 44 direction of assembled curvature 45 wheel's direction of curvature 46 wheel 48 locking screw Description Of The Invention Fig. 1 shows a continuous unloader according to the preferred embodiment of the invention. The continuous unloader com-prises a support structure 10 which supports a bucket conveyor 12. The bucket conveyor 12 is lowered into a vessel's hold 16 where it reclaims, elevates, and transfers the cargo 17 to a discharge conveyor -14 which removes the cargo 17 from the unloader for storage, etc.
Fig. 2 shows a schematic detail of the bucket conveyor 12.
The exit wheel 20 directs the bucket conveyor chain 18 outward to bucket guide wheel 21. Bucket guide wheel 21 directs the chain downward into a primary loop 19 which is used to fill the buckets 23 by dragging them through the cargo 17. ~fter traveling through this loop 19 the bucket conveyor chain 18 is gathered by gather wheel 22 and directed to an upper wheel 15. The cargo is then discharged onto the discharge conveyor 14. The upper wheel 15 directs the chain 18 downward to the exit wheel 20 completing one complete circuit. The chain's 18 flight from exit wheel 20 to guide wheel 21 also sags ; downward to form a secondary loop 1. This loop is kept small by the weight of the primary loop 19 or by providing a means for driving wheel 21 which would cause it to function as a :
S~ BS, ,T'~r- S'~
.
.
.
W092/1~08 2 1 0 ~ 8 6 0 PCT/~IS92/02108 tensioning wheel. It has been found through testing that it is impossible to remove the secondary loop by utilizing the chain's 18 torsional spring force described below.
Referring to Fig. 3, the bucket conveyor chain 18 is comprised of a pair of outer links 24 which are connected to a pin 26 at each end. Pin 26 passes through a tube 28. Tube 28 is connected to a pair of inner links 30. An elastomer bushing 32 is interposed between the pin 26 and the i~ner periphery of the tube 28. The elastomer bushing 32 is an elastomer ring where the inner periphery of the ring is attached to the pin 26 and its outer periphery is attached to the inner periphery of the tube 28. The elastomer bushing 32 is interposed between the pin 26 and the tube 28 in such a manner so that it is compressed radially. The said compression causes a frictional force to exist thus providing the said attachment of the outer periphery of the elastomer bushing 32 to the inner periphery of the tube 28. The said attachment of the inner periphery of the elastomer bushing 32 to the pin is provided by vulcanization, bonding, or friction due to compression. When an elastomer bushing is constructed as specified above it also functions as a torsional spring that resist hinging of adjacent links 24 and 30. Buckets 23 are attached to the bucket conveyor chain 18.
Referring to Fig. 4, the bucket conveyor chain 18 is circu-lated by a wheel comprised of a rim 34, an elastomer tire 36 which can be solid or pneumatic. The inner link 30 and the outer link 24 ride on the elastomer tire 36. The shell of the bucket 23 can be used with the side of the elastomer tire 36 as a guide for preventing the bucket conveyor chain from derailing from the tire 36.
Referring to Fig. 5, an alternative arrangement for the circulation of the bucket conveyor chain 18 is shown. In this arrangement an additional wheel 37 has been added adjacent to and just below upper wheel 15, this wheel 37 forces the bucket T~ E
.
:.. - . . : . ~ .
. . : - . ~ : . .
. .
- :
^J ~.1 v ~
WOg2/16408 PCT/US92/02108 conveyor chain 18 to move slightly under upper wheel 15 on its way down to exit wheel 20. This aids in discharging the buckets. It also allows for the construction of a more compact unloader because it allows for the flight of buckets going up and the flight of buckets going down to be located closer together.
operation Of The Invention As shown in Fig. 1, the support structure 10 holds the bucket conveyor 12 adjacent to the cargo 17 in the vessel's hold 16.
The support structure 10 can be mobile or fixed. It functions to allow the bucket conveyor to be movable inside the vessel's hold 16, and from hold to hold, and from one vessel to another. The bucket conveyor chain 18 is supported and circulated by the wheels 15, 20, 21, ~2 as shown in Fig. 2 or wheels 15, 37, 20, 21, 22 as shown in Fig. 5. The said wheels can be powered or idlers as required. The buckets 23 of the bucket conveyor chain 18 drag through the cargo 17 as they traverse the loop 19. The bucket conveyor chain 18 then elevates the cargo up and over wheel 15 where a combination of gravity and centrifugal force are used to dump the cargo out of the buckets 23 onto the discharge conveyor 14 where it is removed from the unloader.
The bucket conveyor chain 18 as detailed in Fig. 3 hinges about its hinge pin 26 as it circulates about the wheels 15, 20, 21, 22 or 15, 37, 21, 22, 23. More specifically as the chain 18 approaches and enters a wheel it is forced to hinge about its hinge pin 26. Hinging causes the elastomer bushing 32 to be stressed so that it elastically deforms allowing the hinging to take place by deformation of the elastomer materi-; al.
Because hinging occurs by deformation of the elastomermaterial there is no sliding friction. This eliminates the need for lubrication. This also eliminates wear due to the ingress of dirt and other abrasive materials into the pins and 6Sf~
~ ~, ' - ~
WO92~1~08 2 1~ Q PCT/US92/0210X
~`
9 `
bushings of bicycle type chains. Deformation of the elastomer during hinging makes the elastomer bushing also function as a torsional spring. The torsional spring is designed to resist hinging with enough force to prevent the chain from freely slamming onto the sprocket as it enters and seats on the sprocket. This is because the spring characteristics of the elastomer bushing acts to reduce the impact velocity of the chain's links with the wheel. Detrimental pounding can for all practical purposes be eliminated if the torsional spring force is strong enough to reduce substantially the impact velocity as described in my patent applications 7/668,957 and 7/668,883. It has been found that for conveyor chains which have a pitch of 3 inches or greater (pitch is the distance from one pin to an adjacent pin) and travel at speeds of 300 feet per minute or higher require a spring that exerts a torsional force greater than or equal to lO foot pounds. Hinging occurs anytime a wheel causes the chain to bend. The reduction or elimination of pounding which is due to chordal action allows for higher operating speeds of the chain. Higher chain speeds allow for smaller chains and a practical unloader size.
Referring to Fig. 6, a graph is given that illustrates the typical shape of a twist angle vs. torque curve for a hinge joint comprised of an elastomer bushing. The slope of the curve represents the spring constant for the elastomer bushing and corresponding hinge joint. In general the slope is relatively flat for small twist angles. It becomes steeper as the amount of twist is increased. If the angle from Ao through A~ represents the operational range of twist 40 (the back and forth range of twist the bushing and corresponding hinge undergoes during operation) the maximum torque will be T~ at A~. Referring to Fig. 7, since it is desirable to strongly resist hinging of the chain in order to allow for the reduction or elimination of pounding and higher chain speeds it is of great advantage to shift the operational range of twist 40 to the right as shown from Ao~ to A~ where the S~3S~ -` SH~-~
. .
.
-, - .
. ` ,: . . , . - .
.
.. : . . .. ,. . , , ., . : - . . .
~, . ~ " . ... . . .
~ l U ~ U
WO92/1~08 PCT/~IS92/02108 corresponding torques range from To~ to T~ which are greater than the torques To to TQ of Fig. 6.
Referring to Fig. 8, this is accomplished by assembling the chain as shown where the axis 25 of outer link 24 is posi-- tioned at position An which is at a preset angle 38 from the axis 31 of adjoining inner link 30. Therefore, when the link 24 has rotated relative to link 30 to Ao~ and into the operational range of twist 40 the bushing and corresponding hinge will resist twist with a torque which is higher than if it had not been preset.
The preset angle 38 should be set so that a given bushing and its corresponding hinge can resist twist (hinging of the chain) with enough force to reduce or eliminate detrimental pounding due to chordal action to an acceptable level.
Presetting the bushing as such allows for an elastomer bushing to deliver more resistance to twist than it would if it was much larger and had not been preset. This invention allows ` for a reduction in chain size and weight.
: Referring to Figures 8 and 13, another reason for presetting the relative position of adjoining links with an angle is so that when the chain 18 travels about a wheel 46 and the direction of its assembled curvature 44 matches the direction of curvature 45 of the wheel 46 the preassembled curvature of the chain 18 will assist the wheel in changing the direction of the chain 18. This is so because the chain 18 tries to wrap itself around the wheel 46.
Referring to Fig. 9, a cross sectional view of an elastomer bushed chain is shown. In general, if link 24 is twisted from position Al relative to link 30 to position A3 and then released, link 24 will immediately spring back to position A2 which is to the right of A1. (In other words, the elastomer bushing and corresponding hinge do not behave as a pure spring, but as a combination spring and dampener.) If the S~TITU ~ ~ ~HEF~
. . ..
. ~
.` . ` .
. W09~/l~08 ~1 0 S 8 6 0 ~CT/US9~/02l08 operational range of twist 40 is from A~ to A3 heat will be generated in the elastomer bushing as the link 24 is forced to move back to A1 from A2. In this non-elastic angular zone 42 between A2 and Al the elastomer bushing and corresponding hinge is generally nonelastic and the energy required to twist it is lost to heat which is generated in the elastomer material of the bushing. This heat can cause degradation of the elastomer and premature failure of the elastomer bushing 32. Referring to Fig. 10, the dashed line 41 represents the curve that the bushing and corresponding hinge's twist vs.
torque curve takes when released from a torqued state. The shaded heat zone 43 represents the zone where heat is generated. To overcome generation of heat the bushing should be assembled as shown in Fig. 11, with the axis 25 of the link 24 set at a relative position which is located at a preset angle 39 with respect to the axis 31 of link 30. The preset angle 39 should be set so that the operating range of twist 40 from A1 to A3~ of the bushing as it twist ~ack and forth stays outside of the non-elastic zone 42 from Al to Az. This is graphically shown in Fig. 12. In other words, to extend bushing life the chain should be preset so that the bushing does not twist in the nonelastic zone 42 of the bushing's twist angle vs. torque curve.
Referring to Fig. 14, the adjustment of preset angles is made simple by constructing the tube 28 to attach to the inner link plate 30 by a slip fit into a bore drilled through the end of the inner link 30. Thereby any preset angle can be made by simply twisting the adjoining outer link 24 relative to link 30 to any angle desired by letting the outer periphery of the tube 28 spin in the bore. Once the desired preset angle has been achieved the locking screw 48 is tightened, thereafter any additional twisting of adjoining links will be resisted by the elastomer bushing. This arrangement also allows for the easy assembly and disassembly of the elastomer bushing 32, pin 26, and tube 28 which can be assembled as a single unit prior to attaching to the links 30.
. .
S~S~I ~TESnE. ~
. .
.. .. . .. . - . . . ..
. . . ~. . - . - , ~ . .. ~
.. .. ~ . .
~:~u~u WO92/1~08 ` PCT/~lS92/02108 Referring to Figures 2 and 4, the elastomer tires 36 which comprise the wheels 15, 20, 21, 22 are rugged and long lasting and together with the high speed action of the bucket conveyor chain 18 eliminate the need for metal sprockets and provide long trouble free operation. Sprockets are not re~uired because with the higher conveyor chain speeds 18 the same amount of work can be done with lower line loads. This allows for the friction between the tire 36 and chain 18 to be of adequate magnitude to provide traction for propelling the chain when a motor 33 is attached to the tire 36 via the axle 35 and rim 34. The elastomer tire 36 also serves as a clutch mechanism that prevents excessive line loads should the bucket conveyor chain 18 snag.
______________________________________________ While the above description contains many specificities, the reader should not construe these as limitations on the scope of the invention, but merely as exemplifications of preferred embodiments thereof. Those artisans skilled in the art will envision many other possible variations that are within its scope. For example skilled artisans will readily be able to change the dimensions and shapes of the various embodiments.
The elastomer bushing can be made of different flexible materials. The buckets can be of many different shapes and attached anywhere to the chain. Wheels can be arranged in a variety of ways. Alternate means can be used to reclaim and feed cargo to the bucket conveyor. The elastomer bushing can be comprised of a plurality of axially spaced elastomer donuts as is described in prior art relating to tracked vehicles.
The tube 28 can be substituted by boring a hole in a link for inserting the elastomer bushing directly into the link, artisans will be able to envision combining the elastomer bushing with metal bearings to increase the load carrying capacity of the chain. The elastomer bushing can also be used as a seal to protect metal bushings from contaminants and to hold lubricants. The shape of links can also be varied. Also, SUB~TiT~JTE SH~
~: ' .
~.
~VO92/1~08 ~ t ~58~ PCT/US92/02108 the support structure can be of any type or variety suitab~e for holding and placing the bucket conveyor in the material to be handled. The discharge conveyor can be of anv type required to remove the cargo from the bucket conveyor. The improvements herein can also be used for the tracks of tracked vehicles. Also, the means and techniques described for increasing chain performance for a chain entering a wheel can also be used to increase chain performance as it exits a wheel.
.
Accordingly the reader is requested to determine the scope of the invention by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples which have been given.
, SiJBS~lT'J-~F ~
.:
. . .
, ~
- ~ :
. . .
WO92tl~08 2 1 O ~ ~ 6 O PCT/US92/02108 _ Improved Digging Chain Continuous Bulk Unloader/Reclaimer Related Applications This is a continuation in Part of my prior co-pending Appli-cation Serial # 07/668 r 883 filed 03/13/91 for "Continuous Unloader" now pending, and Application Serial # 07/668,957 filed 03/13/91 for "Chain and Sprocket Combination" now allowed, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in full.
Background--Field Of Invention This invention relates to continuous bulk unloaders/reclai~-ers (herein afterward referred to as continuous unloaders) that use a digging chain to both reclaim and convey granular or powder bulk materials such as grains, coal, ores, ferti-lizers, rocks, soil, etc. from pits, stockpiles, and the cargo .
holds of vessels such as ships, barges, railcars, and the like.
:
~ Background--Description Of Prior Art `:
U.S. Patent #3,144,142 (1964) introduced an unloader for ships , ~U~Ti'~UI t ~HLET
;
U
that utilized a digging chain that reclaimed cargo as it drug through the cargo in a loop. This patent utilized a mechani-cal chain similar to bicycle type chains comprised of metal links, pins, bushings, rollers, sprockets, etc. with buckets attached. U.S. Patent #3,378,rl30 (1968) by the same inventor improved upon this unloader by using wire rope segments to replace the bicycle type chain. This was done because the wear of the chain's pins and bushings made the original invention impractical for most materials. It was also done in an effort to increase the speed of circulation of the chain of buc~ets because bicycle type chains of the size required for unloaders have a speed limit of about 200 feet per minute.
These speeds cause the size and weight of these unloaders to be impractical for most applications. Low chain speeds are required because of the detrimental dynamic effects resulting from a phenomenon known as chordal action.
To date this second invention has had little commercial success because the wire ropes experience high wear and the speed of circulation is not much higher than that of ordinary bicycle type chains.
Today there are a few unloaders in operation that utilize the method of dragging the buckets through the material because it has many advantages, however in general these unloaders have reverted back to utilizing bicycle type chains with buckets attached similar to the method taught in the first invention U.S. #3,144,142. In general, these unloaders are restricted to working in non-abrasive materials because of the chain's pin and bushing wear. Also, they are large and heavy due to the slow circulation speeds of the chain.
I introduced in my U.S. Patent Application # 7/668,957 a far superior unloader that utilizes an elastomer bushed chain that allows for high speed circulation of the chain which allows for a smaller unloader to do the same amount of work as a much larger unloader utilizing a bicycle type chain.
SU~STI~-UT~ Sh-E-. .
W092~1~08 2 1 Q ~ 8 5 0 PCT/US92/021~8 In my U.S. Patent Application # 7/668,883 I introduced a chain and sprocket arrangement that utilizes an elastomer bushed chain and special sprocket that allows for conveyors to operate at increased speeds.
The present invention will introduce additional means and methods for improving upon my two previous inventions.
Objects and Advantages Accordingly I claim the following as my objects and advantages of the invention:
To introduce a much improved digging chain type continuous bulk unloader/reclaimer that combines the digging chain principal with an elastomer bushed chain that will operate faster and with much reduced wear in a variety of materials.
To introduce an elastomer tire that is especially suitable for supporting, circulating, and tracking the elastomer bushed chain.
To introduce a method for the easy adjustment of the chains torsional resistance.
To introduce a method for decreasing the size of elastomer - bushed chains.
;
To introduce a method for increasing the life of elastomer bushings used for chains.
To introduce a method for assisting a wheel in changing the direction of a chain.
; Readers will find further objects and advantages of the invention from a consideration of the ensuing description and the accompanying drawings.
~: .
: SU~ST! ~ '`E ~L~
... . . . .. . ... . .
:. . . : . , : .
.: . . . .. : . . , ~ .
' :'~ : : ,: , ': : ' ' ~1V~
WO92/16408 PCT/US92/02~08 Dra~ing Figures:
Figure l shows a schematic drawing of a continuous bulk unloader/reclaimer utilized to unload cargo from the hold of a ship.
Figure 2 shows a schematic view of the bucket chain portion of the unloader adjacent to the cargo.
Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view through the chain along line 3-3 of figure 2.
Figure 4 shows a cross sectional view along lines 4-4 of Figure 2. It is a cross sectional view through the chain and support wheel.
Figure 5 shows an especially useful wheel arrangement to assist in removing the cargo from the buckets and allows for a much more compact unloader.
Figure 6 shows an elastomer bushing's twist angle vs. torque - curve.
Figure 7 shows an elastomer bushing's twist angle vs. torque curve.
Figure 8 shows a schematic sectional view of the chain more or less along line 8-8 of figure 3.
Figure 9 shows a schematic sectional view of the chain more or less along line 8-8 of figure 3.
Figure lO shows an elastomer bushing's twist angle vs. torque curve.
' - :' ' : ., .
.
.
' ~ '' ' ' `
.
W092/l~08 ~ PCT~US92/02108 Figure ll shows a schematic sectional view of the chain more or less along line 8-8 of figure 3.
Figure 12 shows an elastomer bushing's twist angle vs. torque curve.
Figure 13 shows a schematic view representing the interface of the chain and wheel.
Figure 14 shows a schematic sectional view of the chain more or less along line 8-8 of figure 3.
Drawing Reference Numerals:
1 secondary loop lO support structure 12 bucket conveyor frame 14 discharge conveyor 15 upper wheel 16 vessel's hold 17 cargo 18 bucket conveyor chain - 19 primary loop of bucket conveyor - used for reclaiming : 20 exit wheel 21 guide wheel 22 gather wheel 23 bucket 24 outer link 25 axis of outer link 26 pin 28 tube 30 inner link 31 axis of inner link 32 elastomer bushing 33 motor 34 rim 35 axle ''" ;~'JBSTI ~ ~J I ~. S.~
- - - . . -. ~ ~ . . . . - . -.
:
~ ~U 3 ~ ~ U
W092/~6408 ` PCT/US92~02108 36 elastomer tire 37 additional wheel 38 preset angle 39 preset angle 40 operational range of twist 41 dashed line 42 non-elastic zone 43 heat zone 44 direction of assembled curvature 45 wheel's direction of curvature 46 wheel 48 locking screw Description Of The Invention Fig. 1 shows a continuous unloader according to the preferred embodiment of the invention. The continuous unloader com-prises a support structure 10 which supports a bucket conveyor 12. The bucket conveyor 12 is lowered into a vessel's hold 16 where it reclaims, elevates, and transfers the cargo 17 to a discharge conveyor -14 which removes the cargo 17 from the unloader for storage, etc.
Fig. 2 shows a schematic detail of the bucket conveyor 12.
The exit wheel 20 directs the bucket conveyor chain 18 outward to bucket guide wheel 21. Bucket guide wheel 21 directs the chain downward into a primary loop 19 which is used to fill the buckets 23 by dragging them through the cargo 17. ~fter traveling through this loop 19 the bucket conveyor chain 18 is gathered by gather wheel 22 and directed to an upper wheel 15. The cargo is then discharged onto the discharge conveyor 14. The upper wheel 15 directs the chain 18 downward to the exit wheel 20 completing one complete circuit. The chain's 18 flight from exit wheel 20 to guide wheel 21 also sags ; downward to form a secondary loop 1. This loop is kept small by the weight of the primary loop 19 or by providing a means for driving wheel 21 which would cause it to function as a :
S~ BS, ,T'~r- S'~
.
.
.
W092/1~08 2 1 0 ~ 8 6 0 PCT/~IS92/02108 tensioning wheel. It has been found through testing that it is impossible to remove the secondary loop by utilizing the chain's 18 torsional spring force described below.
Referring to Fig. 3, the bucket conveyor chain 18 is comprised of a pair of outer links 24 which are connected to a pin 26 at each end. Pin 26 passes through a tube 28. Tube 28 is connected to a pair of inner links 30. An elastomer bushing 32 is interposed between the pin 26 and the i~ner periphery of the tube 28. The elastomer bushing 32 is an elastomer ring where the inner periphery of the ring is attached to the pin 26 and its outer periphery is attached to the inner periphery of the tube 28. The elastomer bushing 32 is interposed between the pin 26 and the tube 28 in such a manner so that it is compressed radially. The said compression causes a frictional force to exist thus providing the said attachment of the outer periphery of the elastomer bushing 32 to the inner periphery of the tube 28. The said attachment of the inner periphery of the elastomer bushing 32 to the pin is provided by vulcanization, bonding, or friction due to compression. When an elastomer bushing is constructed as specified above it also functions as a torsional spring that resist hinging of adjacent links 24 and 30. Buckets 23 are attached to the bucket conveyor chain 18.
Referring to Fig. 4, the bucket conveyor chain 18 is circu-lated by a wheel comprised of a rim 34, an elastomer tire 36 which can be solid or pneumatic. The inner link 30 and the outer link 24 ride on the elastomer tire 36. The shell of the bucket 23 can be used with the side of the elastomer tire 36 as a guide for preventing the bucket conveyor chain from derailing from the tire 36.
Referring to Fig. 5, an alternative arrangement for the circulation of the bucket conveyor chain 18 is shown. In this arrangement an additional wheel 37 has been added adjacent to and just below upper wheel 15, this wheel 37 forces the bucket T~ E
.
:.. - . . : . ~ .
. . : - . ~ : . .
. .
- :
^J ~.1 v ~
WOg2/16408 PCT/US92/02108 conveyor chain 18 to move slightly under upper wheel 15 on its way down to exit wheel 20. This aids in discharging the buckets. It also allows for the construction of a more compact unloader because it allows for the flight of buckets going up and the flight of buckets going down to be located closer together.
operation Of The Invention As shown in Fig. 1, the support structure 10 holds the bucket conveyor 12 adjacent to the cargo 17 in the vessel's hold 16.
The support structure 10 can be mobile or fixed. It functions to allow the bucket conveyor to be movable inside the vessel's hold 16, and from hold to hold, and from one vessel to another. The bucket conveyor chain 18 is supported and circulated by the wheels 15, 20, 21, ~2 as shown in Fig. 2 or wheels 15, 37, 20, 21, 22 as shown in Fig. 5. The said wheels can be powered or idlers as required. The buckets 23 of the bucket conveyor chain 18 drag through the cargo 17 as they traverse the loop 19. The bucket conveyor chain 18 then elevates the cargo up and over wheel 15 where a combination of gravity and centrifugal force are used to dump the cargo out of the buckets 23 onto the discharge conveyor 14 where it is removed from the unloader.
The bucket conveyor chain 18 as detailed in Fig. 3 hinges about its hinge pin 26 as it circulates about the wheels 15, 20, 21, 22 or 15, 37, 21, 22, 23. More specifically as the chain 18 approaches and enters a wheel it is forced to hinge about its hinge pin 26. Hinging causes the elastomer bushing 32 to be stressed so that it elastically deforms allowing the hinging to take place by deformation of the elastomer materi-; al.
Because hinging occurs by deformation of the elastomermaterial there is no sliding friction. This eliminates the need for lubrication. This also eliminates wear due to the ingress of dirt and other abrasive materials into the pins and 6Sf~
~ ~, ' - ~
WO92~1~08 2 1~ Q PCT/US92/0210X
~`
9 `
bushings of bicycle type chains. Deformation of the elastomer during hinging makes the elastomer bushing also function as a torsional spring. The torsional spring is designed to resist hinging with enough force to prevent the chain from freely slamming onto the sprocket as it enters and seats on the sprocket. This is because the spring characteristics of the elastomer bushing acts to reduce the impact velocity of the chain's links with the wheel. Detrimental pounding can for all practical purposes be eliminated if the torsional spring force is strong enough to reduce substantially the impact velocity as described in my patent applications 7/668,957 and 7/668,883. It has been found that for conveyor chains which have a pitch of 3 inches or greater (pitch is the distance from one pin to an adjacent pin) and travel at speeds of 300 feet per minute or higher require a spring that exerts a torsional force greater than or equal to lO foot pounds. Hinging occurs anytime a wheel causes the chain to bend. The reduction or elimination of pounding which is due to chordal action allows for higher operating speeds of the chain. Higher chain speeds allow for smaller chains and a practical unloader size.
Referring to Fig. 6, a graph is given that illustrates the typical shape of a twist angle vs. torque curve for a hinge joint comprised of an elastomer bushing. The slope of the curve represents the spring constant for the elastomer bushing and corresponding hinge joint. In general the slope is relatively flat for small twist angles. It becomes steeper as the amount of twist is increased. If the angle from Ao through A~ represents the operational range of twist 40 (the back and forth range of twist the bushing and corresponding hinge undergoes during operation) the maximum torque will be T~ at A~. Referring to Fig. 7, since it is desirable to strongly resist hinging of the chain in order to allow for the reduction or elimination of pounding and higher chain speeds it is of great advantage to shift the operational range of twist 40 to the right as shown from Ao~ to A~ where the S~3S~ -` SH~-~
. .
.
-, - .
. ` ,: . . , . - .
.
.. : . . .. ,. . , , ., . : - . . .
~, . ~ " . ... . . .
~ l U ~ U
WO92/1~08 PCT/~IS92/02108 corresponding torques range from To~ to T~ which are greater than the torques To to TQ of Fig. 6.
Referring to Fig. 8, this is accomplished by assembling the chain as shown where the axis 25 of outer link 24 is posi-- tioned at position An which is at a preset angle 38 from the axis 31 of adjoining inner link 30. Therefore, when the link 24 has rotated relative to link 30 to Ao~ and into the operational range of twist 40 the bushing and corresponding hinge will resist twist with a torque which is higher than if it had not been preset.
The preset angle 38 should be set so that a given bushing and its corresponding hinge can resist twist (hinging of the chain) with enough force to reduce or eliminate detrimental pounding due to chordal action to an acceptable level.
Presetting the bushing as such allows for an elastomer bushing to deliver more resistance to twist than it would if it was much larger and had not been preset. This invention allows ` for a reduction in chain size and weight.
: Referring to Figures 8 and 13, another reason for presetting the relative position of adjoining links with an angle is so that when the chain 18 travels about a wheel 46 and the direction of its assembled curvature 44 matches the direction of curvature 45 of the wheel 46 the preassembled curvature of the chain 18 will assist the wheel in changing the direction of the chain 18. This is so because the chain 18 tries to wrap itself around the wheel 46.
Referring to Fig. 9, a cross sectional view of an elastomer bushed chain is shown. In general, if link 24 is twisted from position Al relative to link 30 to position A3 and then released, link 24 will immediately spring back to position A2 which is to the right of A1. (In other words, the elastomer bushing and corresponding hinge do not behave as a pure spring, but as a combination spring and dampener.) If the S~TITU ~ ~ ~HEF~
. . ..
. ~
.` . ` .
. W09~/l~08 ~1 0 S 8 6 0 ~CT/US9~/02l08 operational range of twist 40 is from A~ to A3 heat will be generated in the elastomer bushing as the link 24 is forced to move back to A1 from A2. In this non-elastic angular zone 42 between A2 and Al the elastomer bushing and corresponding hinge is generally nonelastic and the energy required to twist it is lost to heat which is generated in the elastomer material of the bushing. This heat can cause degradation of the elastomer and premature failure of the elastomer bushing 32. Referring to Fig. 10, the dashed line 41 represents the curve that the bushing and corresponding hinge's twist vs.
torque curve takes when released from a torqued state. The shaded heat zone 43 represents the zone where heat is generated. To overcome generation of heat the bushing should be assembled as shown in Fig. 11, with the axis 25 of the link 24 set at a relative position which is located at a preset angle 39 with respect to the axis 31 of link 30. The preset angle 39 should be set so that the operating range of twist 40 from A1 to A3~ of the bushing as it twist ~ack and forth stays outside of the non-elastic zone 42 from Al to Az. This is graphically shown in Fig. 12. In other words, to extend bushing life the chain should be preset so that the bushing does not twist in the nonelastic zone 42 of the bushing's twist angle vs. torque curve.
Referring to Fig. 14, the adjustment of preset angles is made simple by constructing the tube 28 to attach to the inner link plate 30 by a slip fit into a bore drilled through the end of the inner link 30. Thereby any preset angle can be made by simply twisting the adjoining outer link 24 relative to link 30 to any angle desired by letting the outer periphery of the tube 28 spin in the bore. Once the desired preset angle has been achieved the locking screw 48 is tightened, thereafter any additional twisting of adjoining links will be resisted by the elastomer bushing. This arrangement also allows for the easy assembly and disassembly of the elastomer bushing 32, pin 26, and tube 28 which can be assembled as a single unit prior to attaching to the links 30.
. .
S~S~I ~TESnE. ~
. .
.. .. . .. . - . . . ..
. . . ~. . - . - , ~ . .. ~
.. .. ~ . .
~:~u~u WO92/1~08 ` PCT/~lS92/02108 Referring to Figures 2 and 4, the elastomer tires 36 which comprise the wheels 15, 20, 21, 22 are rugged and long lasting and together with the high speed action of the bucket conveyor chain 18 eliminate the need for metal sprockets and provide long trouble free operation. Sprockets are not re~uired because with the higher conveyor chain speeds 18 the same amount of work can be done with lower line loads. This allows for the friction between the tire 36 and chain 18 to be of adequate magnitude to provide traction for propelling the chain when a motor 33 is attached to the tire 36 via the axle 35 and rim 34. The elastomer tire 36 also serves as a clutch mechanism that prevents excessive line loads should the bucket conveyor chain 18 snag.
______________________________________________ While the above description contains many specificities, the reader should not construe these as limitations on the scope of the invention, but merely as exemplifications of preferred embodiments thereof. Those artisans skilled in the art will envision many other possible variations that are within its scope. For example skilled artisans will readily be able to change the dimensions and shapes of the various embodiments.
The elastomer bushing can be made of different flexible materials. The buckets can be of many different shapes and attached anywhere to the chain. Wheels can be arranged in a variety of ways. Alternate means can be used to reclaim and feed cargo to the bucket conveyor. The elastomer bushing can be comprised of a plurality of axially spaced elastomer donuts as is described in prior art relating to tracked vehicles.
The tube 28 can be substituted by boring a hole in a link for inserting the elastomer bushing directly into the link, artisans will be able to envision combining the elastomer bushing with metal bearings to increase the load carrying capacity of the chain. The elastomer bushing can also be used as a seal to protect metal bushings from contaminants and to hold lubricants. The shape of links can also be varied. Also, SUB~TiT~JTE SH~
~: ' .
~.
~VO92/1~08 ~ t ~58~ PCT/US92/02108 the support structure can be of any type or variety suitab~e for holding and placing the bucket conveyor in the material to be handled. The discharge conveyor can be of anv type required to remove the cargo from the bucket conveyor. The improvements herein can also be used for the tracks of tracked vehicles. Also, the means and techniques described for increasing chain performance for a chain entering a wheel can also be used to increase chain performance as it exits a wheel.
.
Accordingly the reader is requested to determine the scope of the invention by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples which have been given.
, SiJBS~lT'J-~F ~
.:
. . .
, ~
- ~ :
. . .
Claims (12)
I CLAIM:
1. A conveyor comprising:
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, a spring, means for affixing one end of said spring to the end of a first said adjoining link and affixing a second end of said spring to the end of second adjoining link to resiliently resist hinging of said first and second adjoining links as they pivot about said hinge, means for mounting an elastomer tire to said wheels, wherein said chain is supported by said tire.
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, a spring, means for affixing one end of said spring to the end of a first said adjoining link and affixing a second end of said spring to the end of second adjoining link to resiliently resist hinging of said first and second adjoining links as they pivot about said hinge, means for mounting an elastomer tire to said wheels, wherein said chain is supported by said tire.
2. The apparatus of Claim 1 further comprising:
a appendage, means for attaching said appendage to said chain, said appendage contacting the sides of said tire when said chain engages and is seated upon said tire.
a appendage, means for attaching said appendage to said chain, said appendage contacting the sides of said tire when said chain engages and is seated upon said tire.
3. The apparatus of Claim 1 further comprising:
a bucket, means for attaching said bucket to said chain, said bucket contacting the sides of said tire when said chain engages and is seated upon said tire.
a bucket, means for attaching said bucket to said chain, said bucket contacting the sides of said tire when said chain engages and is seated upon said tire.
4. A method for propelling a conveyor comprising the steps of:
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, a spring, means for affixing one end of said spring to the end of a first said adjoining link and affixing a second end of said spring to the end of second adjoining link to resiliently resist hinging of said first and second adjoining links as they pivot about said hinge, means for mounting an elastomer tire to said wheels, wherein said chain is supported by said tire.
wherein the said chain is propelled by rotational energy transferred from the said tire to the said chain by friction between the contacting surfaces of the said tire and said chain.
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, a spring, means for affixing one end of said spring to the end of a first said adjoining link and affixing a second end of said spring to the end of second adjoining link to resiliently resist hinging of said first and second adjoining links as they pivot about said hinge, means for mounting an elastomer tire to said wheels, wherein said chain is supported by said tire.
wherein the said chain is propelled by rotational energy transferred from the said tire to the said chain by friction between the contacting surfaces of the said tire and said chain.
5. A method for increasing the capacity of a conveyor by decreasing chordal action dynamics and thereby increasing the speed of a conveyor chain when engaging a wheel comprising the steps of:
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, said hinge being comprised of a means for providing a tube affixed to the end of a first said adjoining link, a pin affixed to the end of a second said adjoining link, said pin passing through said tube, an elastomer bushing, said bushing being interposed between said tube and said pin, said bushing being affixed along its outer periphery to the interior surface of said tube, said bushing being affixed along its inner periphery to the exterior surface of the said pin, said bushing acting as a spring to resiliently resist hinging of said chain as it engages said wheel, said adjoining links being set at an angle relative to each other at assembly such that said bushing resist hinging with an initial torque prior to said chain engaging said wheel, wherein upon engaging said wheel said bushing's resistance to hinging is increased over that of said initial torque.
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, said hinge being comprised of a means for providing a tube affixed to the end of a first said adjoining link, a pin affixed to the end of a second said adjoining link, said pin passing through said tube, an elastomer bushing, said bushing being interposed between said tube and said pin, said bushing being affixed along its outer periphery to the interior surface of said tube, said bushing being affixed along its inner periphery to the exterior surface of the said pin, said bushing acting as a spring to resiliently resist hinging of said chain as it engages said wheel, said adjoining links being set at an angle relative to each other at assembly such that said bushing resist hinging with an initial torque prior to said chain engaging said wheel, wherein upon engaging said wheel said bushing's resistance to hinging is increased over that of said initial torque.
6. A method for decreasing the size of a conveyor by decreasing chordal action dynamics and thereby increasing the speed of a conveyor chain when engaging a wheel comprising the steps of:
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, said hinge being comprised of a means for providing a tube affixed to the end of a first said adjoining link, a pin affixed to the end of a second said adjoining link, said pin passing through said tube, an elastomer bushing, said bushing being interposed between said tube and said pin, said bushing being affixed along its outer periphery to the interior surface of said tube, said bushing being affixed along its inner periphery to the exterior surface of the said pin, said bushing acting as a spring to resiliently resist hinging of said chain as it engages said wheel, said adjoining links being set at an angle relative to each other at assembly such that said bushing resist hinging with an initial torque prior to said chain engaging said wheel, wherein upon engaging said wheel said bushing's resistance to hinging is increased over that of said initial torque.
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, said hinge being comprised of a means for providing a tube affixed to the end of a first said adjoining link, a pin affixed to the end of a second said adjoining link, said pin passing through said tube, an elastomer bushing, said bushing being interposed between said tube and said pin, said bushing being affixed along its outer periphery to the interior surface of said tube, said bushing being affixed along its inner periphery to the exterior surface of the said pin, said bushing acting as a spring to resiliently resist hinging of said chain as it engages said wheel, said adjoining links being set at an angle relative to each other at assembly such that said bushing resist hinging with an initial torque prior to said chain engaging said wheel, wherein upon engaging said wheel said bushing's resistance to hinging is increased over that of said initial torque.
7. A method for increasing the life of a conveyor comprising the steps of:
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, said hinge being comprised of a means for providing a tube affixed to the end of a first said adjoining link, a pin affixed to the end of a second said adjoining link, said pin passing through said tube, an elastomer bushing, said bushing being interposed between said tube and said pin, said bushing being affixed along its outer periphery to the interior surface of said tube, said bushing being affixed along its inner periphery to the exterior surface of the said pin, said bushing acting as a spring to resiliently resist hinging of said chain as it engages said wheel, said adjoining links being set at an angle relative to each other at assembly such that said bushings operational range of twist is outside of its non-elastic angular zone in order to prevent heat generation in the elastomer material of the said bushing.
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, said hinge being comprised of a means for providing a tube affixed to the end of a first said adjoining link, a pin affixed to the end of a second said adjoining link, said pin passing through said tube, an elastomer bushing, said bushing being interposed between said tube and said pin, said bushing being affixed along its outer periphery to the interior surface of said tube, said bushing being affixed along its inner periphery to the exterior surface of the said pin, said bushing acting as a spring to resiliently resist hinging of said chain as it engages said wheel, said adjoining links being set at an angle relative to each other at assembly such that said bushings operational range of twist is outside of its non-elastic angular zone in order to prevent heat generation in the elastomer material of the said bushing.
8. A method for assisting a conveyor change directions comprising the steps of:
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, a spring, means for affixing one end of said spring to the end of a first said adjoining link and affixing a second end of said spring to the end of second adjoining link to resiliently resist hinging of said first and second adjoining links as they pivot about said hinge, said adjoining links being set at an angle relative to each other at assembly such that the curvature of the chain and the curvature of the wheel curl in the same direction.
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, a spring, means for affixing one end of said spring to the end of a first said adjoining link and affixing a second end of said spring to the end of second adjoining link to resiliently resist hinging of said first and second adjoining links as they pivot about said hinge, said adjoining links being set at an angle relative to each other at assembly such that the curvature of the chain and the curvature of the wheel curl in the same direction.
9. A conveyor comprised of: .
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, said hinge being comprised of a pin affixed to the end of a first said adjoining link, said pin passing through a first tube, an elastomer bushing, said bushing being interposed between said first tube and said pin, said bushing being affixed along its outer periphery to the interior surface of said first tube, said bushing being affixed along its inner periphery to the exterior surface of the said pin, a means for attaching a second tube to a second said adjoining link, said first tube is located inside of said second tube with a clearance fit, a locking means for fixing the position of the first said tube in the said second tube once the position of the said bushing has been adjusted.
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, said hinge being comprised of a pin affixed to the end of a first said adjoining link, said pin passing through a first tube, an elastomer bushing, said bushing being interposed between said first tube and said pin, said bushing being affixed along its outer periphery to the interior surface of said first tube, said bushing being affixed along its inner periphery to the exterior surface of the said pin, a means for attaching a second tube to a second said adjoining link, said first tube is located inside of said second tube with a clearance fit, a locking means for fixing the position of the first said tube in the said second tube once the position of the said bushing has been adjusted.
10. A method for increasing the operating speed of a conveyor, said conveyor being partly comprised of a chain engaging a wheel, said chain having a pitch equal to or greater than 3 inches and traveling at speeds of over 300 feet per minute comprising the steps of:
said chain being comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting adjoining said links to form a pivot, a spring, means for connecting one end of said spring to a first of said adjoining links and a second end of said spring to a second of said adjoining links to resiliently resist pivoting about said hinge, wherein said spring is sized such that it resist said pivoting with a minimum torque of 10 foot pounds when said chain engages said wheel.
said chain being comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting adjoining said links to form a pivot, a spring, means for connecting one end of said spring to a first of said adjoining links and a second end of said spring to a second of said adjoining links to resiliently resist pivoting about said hinge, wherein said spring is sized such that it resist said pivoting with a minimum torque of 10 foot pounds when said chain engages said wheel.
11. A conveyor comprising:
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, wherein a first of said wheels directs the said conveyor chain downward to a second of said wheels which is located slightly downward and under said first wheel, wherein said second wheel directs said conveyor chain downward to a third of said wheels which is located below said second wheel, wherein said third wheel directs said conveyor chain horizontally outward to a fourth of said wheels, wherein said fourth wheel directs said conveyor chain downward into a loop and horizontally inward to a fifth of said wheels, wherein said fifth wheel is mounted below said first wheel, wherein said fifth wheel directs said conveyor chain upward to said first wheel to form an endless path for the said conveyor chain.
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, wherein a first of said wheels directs the said conveyor chain downward to a second of said wheels which is located slightly downward and under said first wheel, wherein said second wheel directs said conveyor chain downward to a third of said wheels which is located below said second wheel, wherein said third wheel directs said conveyor chain horizontally outward to a fourth of said wheels, wherein said fourth wheel directs said conveyor chain downward into a loop and horizontally inward to a fifth of said wheels, wherein said fifth wheel is mounted below said first wheel, wherein said fifth wheel directs said conveyor chain upward to said first wheel to form an endless path for the said conveyor chain.
12. A method for increasing the life of a conveyor comprising the steps of:
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, said hinge being comprised of a means for providing a tube affixed to the end of a first said adjoining link, a pin affixed to the end of a second said adjoining link, said pin passing through said tube, an elastomer bushing, said bushing being interposed between said tube and said pin, said bushing being affixed along its outer periphery to the interior surface of said tube, said bushing being affixed along its inner periphery to the exterior surface of the said pin, said bushing acting as a spring to resiliently resist hinging of said chain as it engages said wheel, wherein at least one of said wheels causes the said chain to bend in a reverse direction relative to the direction the said chain bends upon other said wheels,said adjoining links being set at an angle relative to each other at assembly such that said bushings operational range of twist is outside of its non-elastic angular zone and correspondingly no resistance to reverse bending by the said bushing can occur because to do so the said bushing would have to be twisted across its said non-elastic angular zone.
a frame, means for attaching a plurality of wheels to said frame, a motor for providing rotational energy, means for coupling said motor to at least one of said wheels, a conveyor chain, wherein said chain is comprised of a series of links, a hinge means for connecting the ends of adjoining said links together to form a pivot, said hinge being comprised of a means for providing a tube affixed to the end of a first said adjoining link, a pin affixed to the end of a second said adjoining link, said pin passing through said tube, an elastomer bushing, said bushing being interposed between said tube and said pin, said bushing being affixed along its outer periphery to the interior surface of said tube, said bushing being affixed along its inner periphery to the exterior surface of the said pin, said bushing acting as a spring to resiliently resist hinging of said chain as it engages said wheel, wherein at least one of said wheels causes the said chain to bend in a reverse direction relative to the direction the said chain bends upon other said wheels,said adjoining links being set at an angle relative to each other at assembly such that said bushings operational range of twist is outside of its non-elastic angular zone and correspondingly no resistance to reverse bending by the said bushing can occur because to do so the said bushing would have to be twisted across its said non-elastic angular zone.
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US66888391A | 1991-03-13 | 1991-03-13 | |
| US07/668,883 | 1991-03-13 | ||
| US07/668,957 US5127884A (en) | 1991-03-13 | 1991-03-13 | Chain and sprocket combination |
| US07/668,957 | 1991-03-13 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2105860A1 true CA2105860A1 (en) | 1992-09-14 |
Family
ID=27100011
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2105860 Abandoned CA2105860A1 (en) | 1991-03-13 | 1992-03-12 | Digging chain continuous bulk unloader/reclaimer |
Country Status (6)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0575552A4 (en) |
| JP (1) | JPH06510266A (en) |
| AU (1) | AU1679692A (en) |
| BR (1) | BR9205772A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2105860A1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1992016408A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN114655734A (en) * | 2022-02-17 | 2022-06-24 | 解建全 | Highway is drainage canal lid discharge frame for construction |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP6189086B2 (en) * | 2013-05-17 | 2017-08-30 | 住友重機械搬送システム株式会社 | Continuous unloader, continuous unloader facility, and continuous unloader operation method |
Family Cites Families (20)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US1721939A (en) * | 1927-10-27 | 1929-07-23 | Pettibone Mulliken Company | Chain-equipped structure |
| US1894600A (en) * | 1928-06-04 | 1933-01-17 | Charles D Schmidt | Chain |
| US1958139A (en) * | 1930-09-19 | 1934-05-08 | John R Gammeter | Sprocket chain and method for making the same |
| US1973214A (en) * | 1933-01-03 | 1934-09-11 | Frank H Lamb | Hinged connection |
| US1970568A (en) * | 1933-09-28 | 1934-08-21 | Harry A Knox | Track for track-laying vehicles |
| US2553646A (en) * | 1947-08-11 | 1951-05-22 | Field Eric | Endless track or chain |
| US2647023A (en) * | 1948-10-19 | 1953-07-28 | Firestone Tire & Rubber Co | Track for track-laying vehicles |
| FR1294264A (en) * | 1961-04-13 | 1962-05-26 | Sedis Transmissions Mec | Advanced transmission chain |
| US3432024A (en) * | 1966-02-02 | 1969-03-11 | Mcdowell Wellman Eng Co | Bulk material handling apparatus with rotary digging device |
| US3387721A (en) * | 1966-02-04 | 1968-06-11 | Mcdowell Wellman Eng Co | Bucket chain conveyor |
| US3756375A (en) * | 1971-10-13 | 1973-09-04 | Dravo Corp | Material handling apparatus |
| US4116497A (en) * | 1976-06-16 | 1978-09-26 | Caterpillar Tractor Co. | Apparatus for reducing track noise in a track-type vehicle |
| JPS53165964U (en) * | 1977-06-02 | 1978-12-26 | ||
| JPS5916593Y2 (en) * | 1978-05-19 | 1984-05-15 | 本田技研工業株式会社 | chain device |
| US4268204A (en) * | 1979-03-29 | 1981-05-19 | Dravo Corporation | Continuous ship unloader |
| JPS5735543U (en) * | 1980-08-08 | 1982-02-24 | ||
| US4832187A (en) * | 1980-08-19 | 1989-05-23 | The Laitram Corporation | Modular center drive conveyor belt |
| US4671783A (en) * | 1984-11-14 | 1987-06-09 | Seymour Timothy H | Wheel and chain power transmission machine |
| DE3608116A1 (en) * | 1986-03-12 | 1987-05-14 | Krupp Gmbh | STEEP CONVEYOR, ESPECIALLY FOR SHIP DISCHARGING |
| US4766997A (en) * | 1986-12-24 | 1988-08-30 | The Budd Company | Bearing for a conveyor chain |
-
1992
- 1992-03-12 EP EP19920909887 patent/EP0575552A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1992-03-12 AU AU16796/92A patent/AU1679692A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1992-03-12 BR BR9205772A patent/BR9205772A/en active Search and Examination
- 1992-03-12 WO PCT/US1992/002108 patent/WO1992016408A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1992-03-12 JP JP4509069A patent/JPH06510266A/en active Pending
- 1992-03-12 CA CA 2105860 patent/CA2105860A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN114655734A (en) * | 2022-02-17 | 2022-06-24 | 解建全 | Highway is drainage canal lid discharge frame for construction |
| CN114655734B (en) * | 2022-02-17 | 2024-01-12 | 深圳市焕升建筑集团有限公司 | Drainage canal cover unloading frame for highway construction |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JPH06510266A (en) | 1994-11-17 |
| WO1992016408A1 (en) | 1992-10-01 |
| BR9205772A (en) | 1994-04-19 |
| EP0575552A4 (en) | 1994-05-25 |
| EP0575552A1 (en) | 1993-12-29 |
| AU1679692A (en) | 1992-10-21 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| EP1015298B1 (en) | Undercarriage assembly for a belted work machine | |
| CN108473170B (en) | Track system | |
| US6601664B2 (en) | Crawler device for a crawler type vehicle | |
| US3841424A (en) | Triangular track resilient bogie suspension | |
| US3774708A (en) | Triangular track resilient bogie suspension | |
| US8403082B2 (en) | Double wishbones and double pivots vehicle suspension system | |
| US7267414B2 (en) | Suspension system, positive drive belt system and belt tensioning device for wheel and belt driven devices | |
| EP0245307B1 (en) | Ground engaging surface for endless tracks, wheels and tyres | |
| US7641006B2 (en) | Military vehicle with electric drive running gear system | |
| US4372440A (en) | End shaft mount for conveyor | |
| US10597099B2 (en) | Drive sprocket for the rubber belt of a track-type vehicle | |
| CN110719872B (en) | Construction in a machine and forestry machine | |
| JP3490040B2 (en) | Crawler device for crawler type vehicle | |
| CA2105860A1 (en) | Digging chain continuous bulk unloader/reclaimer | |
| CA1129908A (en) | Shuttle car | |
| US5127884A (en) | Chain and sprocket combination | |
| US5393187A (en) | Continuous bulk unloader/reclaimer | |
| US3533482A (en) | Circumferentially loaded and snubbered hubless wheel surface locomotion apparatus | |
| CN211034065U (en) | Belt conveyor provided with driving part balance adjusting device | |
| AU586902B2 (en) | Ground engaging surface for endless tracks, wheels and tyres | |
| CA2238540A1 (en) | Material conveyor | |
| AU2018273028A1 (en) | Track elements for forming a continuous over tyre track with strength enhancement structure | |
| EP0163488A2 (en) | Cross-country vehicle | |
| US3716219A (en) | Roller align drive | |
| RU2042544C1 (en) | Mine self-propelled car |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |