GB1213518A - Improvements relating to belt conveyors - Google Patents

Abstract

1,213,518. Supporting endless conveyers on water. CONRAD SCHOLTZ A.G. 6 May, 1968 [5 May, 1987], No. 21353/68. Heading B8A. An endless conveyer belt is supported on the surface of water by being formed with an air cushion between outer and inner belt portions 12, 11. The cushion may be in the form of a number of separately-inflatable, longitudinallyextending, side-by-side chambers (15) (Fig. 2, not shown). The upper and lower runs of the belt may be spaced apart at intervals by support rollers 38. These reduce the friction between the belt runs and may also increase their buoyancy by being air-tight or by carrying cork or pneumatic floats (59) (Fig. 8, not shown). The rollers 38 are connected on each side of the belt by a respective cable 37 which may also carry floats. The driving and return roller 5 of the conveyer is mounted on a turntable 33 carried by a fixed frame 31. Guide rollers 54 for the belt are carried by arms 50, which are supported at respective ends by a float 53, and a pivotal connection to the turntable 33. The belt may have sidewalls which may be corrugated (Fig. 2, not shown), or inflated (Fig. 3, not shown), or may be in the form of individual short members (25) of plastics coated polystyrene. The belt may have chevron shaped projections on its inner face (Figs. 4, 4a, not shown) in order to reduce friction. In the form shown in Figs. 9, and 9B, inflated balls 68 are supported in apertures formed in cross members 67 of a chain assembly 63. The upper run 74A of the belt is supported troughwise by the balls 68, and the lower run 74B is supported on rollers 72 supported beneath the chain. Floats (not shown) are secured to longitudinal members 63 of the chain.