WO2005108250A1 - Automatic correction of lateral conveyor belt drift - Google Patents

Automatic correction of lateral conveyor belt drift Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2005108250A1
WO2005108250A1 PCT/IB2005/051413 IB2005051413W WO2005108250A1 WO 2005108250 A1 WO2005108250 A1 WO 2005108250A1 IB 2005051413 W IB2005051413 W IB 2005051413W WO 2005108250 A1 WO2005108250 A1 WO 2005108250A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
conveyor belt
frame
support
swivel
axis
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2005/051413
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Mark Aloys Hupertz
Original Assignee
Mark Aloys Hupertz
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Mark Aloys Hupertz filed Critical Mark Aloys Hupertz
Priority to AU2005240426A priority Critical patent/AU2005240426A1/en
Publication of WO2005108250A1 publication Critical patent/WO2005108250A1/en

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G39/00—Rollers, e.g. drive rollers, or arrangements thereof incorporated in roller-ways or other types of mechanical conveyors 
    • B65G39/10—Arrangements of rollers
    • B65G39/12—Arrangements of rollers mounted on framework
    • B65G39/16—Arrangements of rollers mounted on framework for aligning belts or chains

Definitions

  • THIS INVENTION relates to the operation of conveyor belts.
  • the invention relates to a method of correcting lateral drift of a conveyor belt.
  • the invention also relates to a conveyor belt support frame assembly, and to a conveyor belt installation.
  • Conveyor belts have a tendency, in operation, to drift laterally relative to their direction of travel as a result of uneven loading on the conveyor belt, or for some other reason. It is desirable to correct such lateral drift, to avoid damage to the conveyor belt, or spillage of material being conveyed.
  • the invention provides a conveyor belt support frame assembly which includes: a base frame; a movable frame mounted on the base frame for movement relative to the base frame; at least one support roller mounted on the movable frame for supporting a moving conveyor belt, each support roller being rotatable about an axis of rotation which is transverse to a direction of travel of a conveyor belt supported by the support frame for movement of the conveyor belt tangentially over each support roller, the movable frame being arranged such that movement of the movable frame results in a change in orientation of the rotational axis of each support roller relative to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt, when seen in a direction normal to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt; a drift sensing means for sensing lateral drift of the conveyor belt, the sensing means including at least one sensing member which is automatically displaceable in response to lateral drift of the conveyor belt beyond a predetermined tolerance; and a mechanical linkage connecting the sensing member to the movable frame for effecting automatic displacement of the movable frame relative to the base frame
  • mechanical linkage is meant a series of elements or members which are connected together to transfers forces from one element to another mechanically, without additional forces supplied by hydraulic-, electro-mechanical-, or like actuators.
  • the support frame assembly thus includes no actuators, the sensing member and the mechanical linkage serving as an actuator for automatically displacing the movable frame in response to forced displacement of the sensing member by a drifting conveyor belt.
  • the mechanical linkage may include mechanical advantage mechanisms.
  • the movable frame may be a swivel frame which is mounted on the base frame for pivotal movement about a swivel axis which is transverse, preferably normal to the both the direction of travel of the conveyor belt and to the rotational axis of each support roller.
  • a swivel axis of the swivel frame is upright, typically being vertical.
  • a plurality of support rollers are preferably mounted on the swivel frame, the rotational axes of the respective support rollers being parallel to one another, when seen in a direction normal to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt and normal to the plane of the conveyor belt.
  • the plurality of support rollers may include a central support roller and a side support roller on either side of the central support roller, i.e. three rollers in total, the side support rollers being rotatably supported on the swivel frame about operatively upwardly sloping axes, so that the rollers together define a trough-like or splayed U-shaped load support surface for the conveyor belt.
  • the rotational axis of the central support roller trails the swivel axis of the swivel frame, in the direction of travel of the conveyor belt, while the rotational axes of the side support rollers lead the swivel axis.
  • the swivel frame will thus be self-righting, assuming a position in which the rotational axes of all its support rollers are perpendicular to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt when no actuating force is exerted on the swivel frame by the mechanical linkage due to lateral drift of the conveyor belt.
  • the side support rollers may have the same diameter as the central support roller.
  • the sensing means may include, on each side of the conveyor belt, a sensing member positioned to engage an associated edge of the conveyor belt if the conveyor belt drifts beyond a tolerable limit at that side, the sensing member being at the end of the effort arm of a respective actuating lever fulcrumed on the base frame, to pivot about an axis transverse to the rotational axis of the side support roller on that side, the working arm of the lever being operatively connected to the swivel frame, the arrangement being such that, in use, drift of the conveyor belt to one side beyond a tolerable limit is sensed by the sensing member on said one side and responded to by the mechanical linkage on that side, and drift of the conveyor belt to the other side beyond a tolerable limit is sensed by the sensing member on said other side and responded to by the mechanical linkage on said other side.
  • Each sensing member and its associated actuating lever is thus typically arranged such that drift of the conveyor belt to a particular side beyond the tolerable limit results, through automatic operation of the sensing member and actuating lever on that side, in swivelling of the swivel frame about its swivel axis such that the side support roller on said particular side is moved downstream in the direction of travel of the conveyor belt.
  • the effort arm of each actuating lever is greater than the working arm of the lever.
  • Each sensing member may be provided by a sensing roller mounted to rotate about an axis parallel to the pivot axis of the respective actuating lever, the axis of each sensing roller optionally being normal to the axis of rotation of the respective side support roller.
  • the operative connections of the working arms of the actuating levers to the swivel frame may be via working arm shoulders abutting the swivel frame at regions on either side of and remote from its swivel axis.
  • the invention extends to a conveyor belt installation which includes: a plurality of support frame assemblies as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 inclusive, the support frame assemblies being mounted in a longitudinally extending series; and a conveyor belt which is movably supported on the series of support frame assemblies.
  • the invention extends also to a swivel frame suitable for forming part of a support frame assembly as defined above.
  • the invention extends further to a method of correcting lateral drift of a conveyor belt, which method includes the steps of: supporting the conveyor belt on at least one support roller rotatable about a rotational axis disposed transversely to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt; supporting the support roller to swivel about an axis disposed transversely to both the rotational axis of the roller and the direction of travel of the conveyor belt; and sensing lateral drift of the conveyor belt by means of a sensing member which is connected to the support roller by a mechanical linkage, such that the support roller is automatically swiveled in response to lateral drift of the conveyor belt, to correct the drift of the conveyor belt.
  • Figure 1 shows a simplified plan view of a conveyor belt support frame assembly in accordance with the invention
  • Figure 2 shows a simplified plan view of the assembly of Figure 1 , but in a position when the conveyor belt supported by the assembly, has drifted laterally beyond a tolerable limit to the right
  • Figure 3 shows a simplified plan view similar to that of Figure 2, but with the belt having drifted beyond a tolerable limit to the left
  • Figure 4 shows a front elevation of the assembly of Figure 1 , taken at IV-IV in Figure 1.
  • reference numeral 10 refers to a conveyor belt support structure, shown dotted in Figure 4, which forms part of a base frame of a conveyor belt support frame assembly in accordance with the invention, generally indicated by reference numeral 12.
  • the base frame further includes a mounting means generally indicated by reference numeral 14.
  • the mounting means 14 includes a transverse beam 16 having feet 18 and 20 at each end, and sloping support arms 19 and 21.
  • the assembly 12 further includes a swivel frame generally indicated by reference numeral 22.
  • the swivel frame 22 is pivotally supported by the beam 16 of the base frame about swivel axis 23.
  • the swivel frame 22 has laterally extending upwardly sloping arms 22.1 and 22.2 (see particularly Figure 4), parallel to the respective sloping arms 19, 21 of the base frame.
  • the swivel frame 22 rotatably supports a central conveyor belt support roller 24 about an operatively horizontal rotational axis 24.1.
  • a pair of oppositely laterally spaced side support rollers 26 and 28 are supported about their respective rotational axes 26.1 and 28.1 which are parallel to the respective sloping arms 22.1 , 22.2 of the swivel frame 22.
  • axis 24.1 trails the swivel axis 23, in the direction of travel 80 of a conveyor belt over the assembly 12, while pivot axes 26.1 and 28.1 lead the swivel axis 23.
  • Figures 1 to 3 are referred to as simplified plan views because the views are at right angles to the rotational axes 24.1 , 26.1 , 28.1 of the side support rollers 26 and 28 (and of the central support roller 24).
  • the trough-shape of the swivel frame 22 is thus flattened in Figures 1 - 3, for ease of illustration.
  • the conveyor belt 40 is shown centrally disposed with its edges 40.1 and 40.2 evenly spaced on either side of a plane of symmetry which coincides with the swivel axis 23.
  • a sensing means is provided by a sensing member in the form of a sensor roller 50 mounted to rotate about an axis 52 at the end of the effort arm 54.1 of an actuating lever in the form of a bell crank lever, generally indicated by reference numeral 54 (see Figures 1 - 3).
  • the rotational axis 52 of the sensor roller 50 is normal to the sloping arm 22.1 of the swivel frame 22.
  • the lever 54 is fulcrummed to pivot about axis 56 on the sloping arm 19 of the base frame.
  • the axis 52 is parallel to the axis 56.
  • the bell crank lever 54 has a working arm 54.2 in operative connection, with the swivel frame 22 via its end 54.21 engaging a pin fast with the swivel frame 22.
  • the working arm 54.2 of the lever 54 is thus connected to the swivel frame 22 for relative pivoting about an axis parallel to axes 52 and 56.
  • the sensing means on the other side of the swivel frame 22 similarly has a sensing member in the form of a sensor roller 150 mounted to rotate about an axis 152 at the end of the effort arm of a second bell crank lever 154 mounted to pivot about axis 156 on the base frame.
  • the construction and the function of the sensing means on this side of the swivel frame 22, is similar to that as shown and described for the other side of the frame 22.
  • the bell cranks 54, 154 provide mechanical linkages connecting the sensor rollers 50, 150 to the respective arms 22.1 , 22.2 of the swivel frame 22.
  • the central position of the conveyor belt 40 is shown in Figure 4 of the drawings.
  • the side edges of belt 40 in the central position are indicated in Figures 1 , 2 and 3 by chain dotted lines 40.11 and 40.21.
  • the tolerable limit of drift on either side of the central position is defined by the inner edges of the sensor rollers 50 and 150, as shown by the gaps 50.1 and 150.1.
  • a conveyor belt supported on the swivel frame assembly 22 will be driven to travel in the direction of arrow 80.
  • Figure 3 shows operation of the assembly 12 when the conveyor belt 40 drifts to the left.
  • the sensor rollers 50, 150 act not only as sensing means for sensing lateral drift of the belt 40, but also serve as actuating members which cause forced displacement of the swivel frame 22 into corrective positions.
  • the assembly 12 thus automatically and mechanically corrects lateral drift of the conveyor belt 40. It is an advantage of the assembly 12 that it is of relatively simple and robust construction when compared to common support frame assemblies which incorporate drift correction mechanisms.
  • the assembly 12 is entirely mechanical, having no hydraulic or electro-mechanic actuators for swiveling the frame 22. The assembly 12 is thus well suited to operation in adverse conditions, requiring little maintenance.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Structure Of Belt Conveyors (AREA)
  • Control Of Conveyors (AREA)

Abstract

The invention provides a conveyor belt support frame assembly (12) which automatically mechanically corrects lateral conveyor belt drift. The assembly (12) includes a movable swivel frame (22) mounted on a base frame (18), and at least one, preferably three, support rollers (24, 26, 28) mounted on the movable frame (22). At least one sensing member (50, 150) is positioned for automatic displacement in response to lateral drift of the conveyor belt beyond a predetermined tolerance, the sensing member (50, 150) being connected to the movable frame by a mechanical linkage (54, 154) for effecting automatic displacement of the movable frame (22) in response to forced displacement of the sensing member (50, 150), to move the movable frame (22) into a position for correcting lateral drift of the conveyor belt by interaction of the conveyor belt and the support rollers (24, 26, 28).

Description

AUTOMATIC CORRECTION OF LATERAL CONVEYOR BELT DRIFT
THIS INVENTION relates to the operation of conveyor belts. In particular, the invention relates to a method of correcting lateral drift of a conveyor belt. The invention also relates to a conveyor belt support frame assembly, and to a conveyor belt installation.
Conveyor belts have a tendency, in operation, to drift laterally relative to their direction of travel as a result of uneven loading on the conveyor belt, or for some other reason. It is desirable to correct such lateral drift, to avoid damage to the conveyor belt, or spillage of material being conveyed.
The invention according provides a conveyor belt support frame assembly which includes: a base frame; a movable frame mounted on the base frame for movement relative to the base frame; at least one support roller mounted on the movable frame for supporting a moving conveyor belt, each support roller being rotatable about an axis of rotation which is transverse to a direction of travel of a conveyor belt supported by the support frame for movement of the conveyor belt tangentially over each support roller, the movable frame being arranged such that movement of the movable frame results in a change in orientation of the rotational axis of each support roller relative to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt, when seen in a direction normal to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt; a drift sensing means for sensing lateral drift of the conveyor belt, the sensing means including at least one sensing member which is automatically displaceable in response to lateral drift of the conveyor belt beyond a predetermined tolerance; and a mechanical linkage connecting the sensing member to the movable frame for effecting automatic displacement of the movable frame relative to the base frame in response to forced displacement of the sensing member, to move the movable frame into a position for correcting lateral drift of the conveyor belt by interaction of the conveyor belt and at least one support roller mounted on the movable frame.
By mechanical linkage is meant a series of elements or members which are connected together to transfers forces from one element to another mechanically, without additional forces supplied by hydraulic-, electro-mechanical-, or like actuators. The support frame assembly thus includes no actuators, the sensing member and the mechanical linkage serving as an actuator for automatically displacing the movable frame in response to forced displacement of the sensing member by a drifting conveyor belt. However, the mechanical linkage may include mechanical advantage mechanisms.
The movable frame may be a swivel frame which is mounted on the base frame for pivotal movement about a swivel axis which is transverse, preferably normal to the both the direction of travel of the conveyor belt and to the rotational axis of each support roller. Preferably, the swivel axis of the swivel frame is upright, typically being vertical.
It will be appreciated that when the conveyor belt is aligned correctly, so that there is no lateral drift of the conveyor belt, the rotational axis of each support roller will be more or less perpendicular to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt, so that substantially only tractive or frictional forces are exerted by the support roller on the conveyor belt in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt. However, when the conveyor belt drifts and the swivel frame is swiveled about its swivel axis, the rotational axis of the support roller will be at a different angle to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt. As a result, steering forces will be exerted by the support roller on the conveyor belt, tending to correct lateral drift of the conveyor belt.
A plurality of support rollers are preferably mounted on the swivel frame, the rotational axes of the respective support rollers being parallel to one another, when seen in a direction normal to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt and normal to the plane of the conveyor belt. The plurality of support rollers may include a central support roller and a side support roller on either side of the central support roller, i.e. three rollers in total, the side support rollers being rotatably supported on the swivel frame about operatively upwardly sloping axes, so that the rollers together define a trough-like or splayed U-shaped load support surface for the conveyor belt.
In a preferred embodiment, the rotational axis of the central support roller trails the swivel axis of the swivel frame, in the direction of travel of the conveyor belt, while the rotational axes of the side support rollers lead the swivel axis. It will be appreciated that the swivel frame will thus be self-righting, assuming a position in which the rotational axes of all its support rollers are perpendicular to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt when no actuating force is exerted on the swivel frame by the mechanical linkage due to lateral drift of the conveyor belt. The side support rollers may have the same diameter as the central support roller.
The sensing means may include, on each side of the conveyor belt, a sensing member positioned to engage an associated edge of the conveyor belt if the conveyor belt drifts beyond a tolerable limit at that side, the sensing member being at the end of the effort arm of a respective actuating lever fulcrumed on the base frame, to pivot about an axis transverse to the rotational axis of the side support roller on that side, the working arm of the lever being operatively connected to the swivel frame, the arrangement being such that, in use, drift of the conveyor belt to one side beyond a tolerable limit is sensed by the sensing member on said one side and responded to by the mechanical linkage on that side, and drift of the conveyor belt to the other side beyond a tolerable limit is sensed by the sensing member on said other side and responded to by the mechanical linkage on said other side.
Each sensing member and its associated actuating lever is thus typically arranged such that drift of the conveyor belt to a particular side beyond the tolerable limit results, through automatic operation of the sensing member and actuating lever on that side, in swivelling of the swivel frame about its swivel axis such that the side support roller on said particular side is moved downstream in the direction of travel of the conveyor belt. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the effort arm of each actuating lever is greater than the working arm of the lever. Each sensing member may be provided by a sensing roller mounted to rotate about an axis parallel to the pivot axis of the respective actuating lever, the axis of each sensing roller optionally being normal to the axis of rotation of the respective side support roller.
The operative connections of the working arms of the actuating levers to the swivel frame may be via working arm shoulders abutting the swivel frame at regions on either side of and remote from its swivel axis. The invention extends to a conveyor belt installation which includes: a plurality of support frame assemblies as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 inclusive, the support frame assemblies being mounted in a longitudinally extending series; and a conveyor belt which is movably supported on the series of support frame assemblies.
The invention extends also to a swivel frame suitable for forming part of a support frame assembly as defined above. The invention extends further to a method of correcting lateral drift of a conveyor belt, which method includes the steps of: supporting the conveyor belt on at least one support roller rotatable about a rotational axis disposed transversely to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt; supporting the support roller to swivel about an axis disposed transversely to both the rotational axis of the roller and the direction of travel of the conveyor belt; and sensing lateral drift of the conveyor belt by means of a sensing member which is connected to the support roller by a mechanical linkage, such that the support roller is automatically swiveled in response to lateral drift of the conveyor belt, to correct the drift of the conveyor belt.
Further features of the invention will become apparent from the following description by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a simplified plan view of a conveyor belt support frame assembly in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a simplified plan view of the assembly of Figure 1 , but in a position when the conveyor belt supported by the assembly, has drifted laterally beyond a tolerable limit to the right; Figure 3 shows a simplified plan view similar to that of Figure 2, but with the belt having drifted beyond a tolerable limit to the left; and Figure 4 shows a front elevation of the assembly of Figure 1 , taken at IV-IV in Figure 1.
In the drawings, reference numeral 10 refers to a conveyor belt support structure, shown dotted in Figure 4, which forms part of a base frame of a conveyor belt support frame assembly in accordance with the invention, generally indicated by reference numeral 12. The base frame further includes a mounting means generally indicated by reference numeral 14. The mounting means 14 includes a transverse beam 16 having feet 18 and 20 at each end, and sloping support arms 19 and 21.
The assembly 12 further includes a swivel frame generally indicated by reference numeral 22. The swivel frame 22 is pivotally supported by the beam 16 of the base frame about swivel axis 23. The swivel frame 22 has laterally extending upwardly sloping arms 22.1 and 22.2 (see particularly Figure 4), parallel to the respective sloping arms 19, 21 of the base frame.
The swivel frame 22 rotatably supports a central conveyor belt support roller 24 about an operatively horizontal rotational axis 24.1. A pair of oppositely laterally spaced side support rollers 26 and 28 are supported about their respective rotational axes 26.1 and 28.1 which are parallel to the respective sloping arms 22.1 , 22.2 of the swivel frame 22. As can best be seen in Figure 1 , axis 24.1 trails the swivel axis 23, in the direction of travel 80 of a conveyor belt over the assembly 12, while pivot axes 26.1 and 28.1 lead the swivel axis 23. The central support roller 24 and the laterally spaced side support rollers 26 and 28 together define a trough-like shape for the conveyor belt 40, shown dotted in Figure 4. Figures 1 to 3 are referred to as simplified plan views because the views are at right angles to the rotational axes 24.1 , 26.1 , 28.1 of the side support rollers 26 and 28 (and of the central support roller 24). The trough-shape of the swivel frame 22 is thus flattened in Figures 1 - 3, for ease of illustration.
In Figure 4, the conveyor belt 40 is shown centrally disposed with its edges 40.1 and 40.2 evenly spaced on either side of a plane of symmetry which coincides with the swivel axis 23. A sensing means is provided by a sensing member in the form of a sensor roller 50 mounted to rotate about an axis 52 at the end of the effort arm 54.1 of an actuating lever in the form of a bell crank lever, generally indicated by reference numeral 54 (see Figures 1 - 3). The rotational axis 52 of the sensor roller 50 is normal to the sloping arm 22.1 of the swivel frame 22. The lever 54 is fulcrummed to pivot about axis 56 on the sloping arm 19 of the base frame. The axis 52 is parallel to the axis 56.
The bell crank lever 54 has a working arm 54.2 in operative connection, with the swivel frame 22 via its end 54.21 engaging a pin fast with the swivel frame 22. The working arm 54.2 of the lever 54 is thus connected to the swivel frame 22 for relative pivoting about an axis parallel to axes 52 and 56. The sensing means on the other side of the swivel frame 22, similarly has a sensing member in the form of a sensor roller 150 mounted to rotate about an axis 152 at the end of the effort arm of a second bell crank lever 154 mounted to pivot about axis 156 on the base frame. The construction and the function of the sensing means on this side of the swivel frame 22, is similar to that as shown and described for the other side of the frame 22.
It will be appreciated that the bell cranks 54, 154 provide mechanical linkages connecting the sensor rollers 50, 150 to the respective arms 22.1 , 22.2 of the swivel frame 22. The central position of the conveyor belt 40 is shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. The side edges of belt 40 in the central position are indicated in Figures 1 , 2 and 3 by chain dotted lines 40.11 and 40.21. The tolerable limit of drift on either side of the central position is defined by the inner edges of the sensor rollers 50 and 150, as shown by the gaps 50.1 and 150.1. In use, a conveyor belt supported on the swivel frame assembly 22 will be driven to travel in the direction of arrow 80. If the conveyor belt 40 should drift to the right as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, then the right hand edge 40.11 of the conveyor belt 40 engages the inner edge of the sensor roller 50. This causes the bell crank lever 54 to pivot about its axis 56 and, via its working arm 54.2, causes the swivel frame 22 to pivot about its swivel axis 23 in the direction of arrow 23.1 (see Figure 2).
The effect of swiveling of the swivel frame 22 in the manner described in Figure 2 is that a corrective steering force is exerted by the support rollers 24, 26, 28 on the conveyor belt 40, urging it to the left and thus back to its central position. This corrective action is accentuated by the trough-like or splayed U-shape of the swivel frame. It will be appreciated that the frame 22 is self-righting, so that when the conveyor belt 40 is out of engagement with the sensor rollers 50, 150, the swivel frame 22 assumes its central position shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows operation of the assembly 12 when the conveyor belt 40 drifts to the left.
It will be appreciated from the above description and from the drawings that the sensor rollers 50, 150 act not only as sensing means for sensing lateral drift of the belt 40, but also serve as actuating members which cause forced displacement of the swivel frame 22 into corrective positions.
The assembly 12 thus automatically and mechanically corrects lateral drift of the conveyor belt 40. It is an advantage of the assembly 12 that it is of relatively simple and robust construction when compared to common support frame assemblies which incorporate drift correction mechanisms. The assembly 12 is entirely mechanical, having no hydraulic or electro-mechanic actuators for swiveling the frame 22. The assembly 12 is thus well suited to operation in adverse conditions, requiring little maintenance.

Claims

CLAIMS:
1. A conveyor belt support frame assembly which includes: a base frame; a movable frame mounted on the base frame for movement relative to the base frame; at least one support roller mounted on the movable frame for supporting a moving conveyor belt, each support roller being rotatable about an axis of rotation which is transverse to a direction of travel of a conveyor belt supported by the support frame for movement of the conveyor belt tangentially over each support roller, the movable frame being arranged such that movement of the movable frame results in a change in orientation of the rotational axis of each support roller relative to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt, when seen in a direction normal to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt; a drift sensing means for sensing lateral drift of the conveyor belt, the sensing means including at least one sensing member which is automatically displaceable in response to lateral drift of the conveyor belt beyond a predetermined tolerance; and a mechanical linkage connecting the sensing member to the movable frame for effecting automatic displacement of the movable frame relative to the base frame in response to forced displacement of the sensing member, to move the movable frame into a position for correcting lateral drift of the conveyor belt by interaction of the conveyor belt and at least one support roller mounted on the movable frame.
2. A conveyor belt support frame assembly as claimed in claim 1 , in which the movable frame is a swivel frame which is mounted on the base frame for pivotal movement about a swivel axis which is transverse to the both the direction of travel of the conveyor belt and to the rotational axis of each support roller.
3. A conveyor belt support frame assembly as claimed in claim 2, in which the swivel axis of the swivel frame is upright.
4. A conveyor belt support frame assembly as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, in which a plurality of support rollers are mounted on the swivel frame, the rotational axes of the respective support rollers being parallel to one another, when seen in a direction normal to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt.
5. A conveyor belt support frame assembly as claimed in claim 4, in which the plurality of support rollers include a central support roller and a side support roller on either side of the central support roller, the side support rollers being rotatably supported on the swivel frame about operatively upwardly sloping axes, so that the rollers together define a trough-like load support surface for the conveyor belt.
6. A conveyor belt support frame assembly as claimed in claim 5, in which the rotational axis of the central support roller trails the swivel axis of the swivel frame, in the direction of travel of the conveyor belt, while the rotational axes of the side support rollers lead the swivel axis.
7. A conveyor belt support frame assembly as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, in which the side support rollers have diameters equal to that of the central support roller.
8. A conveyor belt support frame assembly as claimed in any one of claims 5 to
7, in which the sensing means includes, on each side of the conveyor belt, a sensing member positioned to engage an associated edge of the conveyor belt if the conveyor belt drifts beyond a tolerable limit at that side, the sensing member being at the end of the effort arm of a respective actuating lever fulcrumed on the base frame, to pivot about an axis transverse to the rotational axis of the side support roller on that side, the working arm of the lever being operatively connected to the swivel frame, the arrangement being such that, in use, drift of the conveyor belt to one side beyond a tolerable limit is sensed by the sensing member on said one side and responded to by the mechanical linkage on that side, and drift of the conveyor belt to the other side beyond a tolerable limit is sensed by the sensing member on said other side and responded to by the mechanical linkage on said other side.
9. A conveyor belt support frame assembly as claimed in claim 8, in which each sensing member and its associated actuating lever are arranged such that drift of the conveyor belt to a particular side beyond the tolerable limit results, through automatic operation of the sensing member and actuating lever on that side, in swivelling of the swivel frame about its swivel axis such that the side support roller on said particular side is moved downstream in the direction of travel of the conveyor belt.
10. A conveyor belt support frame assembly as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, in which each sensing member is provided by a sensing roller mounted to rotate about an axis parallel to the pivot axis of the respective actuating lever.
11. A conveyor belt support frame assembly as claimed in claim 10, in which the axis of each sensing roller is normal to the axis of rotation of the respective side support roller.
12. A conveyor belt support frame assembly as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11 inclusive, in which the operative connections of the working arms of the actuating levers to the swivel frame may be via working arm shoulders abutting the swivel frame at regions on either side of and remote from its swivel axis.
13. A conveyor belt installation which includes: a plurality of support frame assemblies as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 inclusive, the support frame assemblies being mounted in a longitudinally extending series; and a conveyor belt which is movably supported on the series of support frame assemblies.
14. A method of correcting lateral drift of a conveyor belt, which method includes the steps of: supporting the conveyor belt on at least one support roller rotatable about a rotational axis disposed transversely to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt; supporting the support roller to swivel about an axis disposed transversely to both the rotational axis of the roller and the direction of travel of the conveyor belt; and sensing lateral drift of the conveyor belt by means of a sensing member which is connected to the support roller by a mechanical linkage, such that the support roller is automatically swiveled in response to lateral drift of the conveyor belt, to correct the drift of the conveyor belt.
PCT/IB2005/051413 2004-04-30 2005-04-29 Automatic correction of lateral conveyor belt drift WO2005108250A1 (en)

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ZA2004/3298 2004-04-30
ZA200403298 2004-04-30

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US9033135B1 (en) * 2014-04-15 2015-05-19 David Allen Sharp Belt alignment system with dual rollers
US20170030867A1 (en) * 2015-07-31 2017-02-02 Olympus Scientific Solutions Americas Inc. Probe holder providing constant lift-off for in-line bar-pipe testing
CN106829384A (en) * 2016-08-08 2017-06-13 铜陵重钢机械装备有限公司 The reversible aligning pop-up roller group of ribbon conveyer
WO2019006535A1 (en) * 2017-07-05 2019-01-10 David Allen Sharp Belt alignment system with dual guide rollers and having middle pivoting roller

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CN103991674A (en) * 2013-02-19 2014-08-20 宝山钢铁股份有限公司 Automatic deviation correcting device of belt conveyor

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GB941051A (en) * 1959-02-05 1963-11-06 Distington Engineering Co Improvements in or relating to belt conveyors
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DE729530C (en) * 1939-04-09 1942-12-17 Lina Habermann Geb Stoffel Control device for the straight running of conveyor belts
GB941051A (en) * 1959-02-05 1963-11-06 Distington Engineering Co Improvements in or relating to belt conveyors
US6131726A (en) * 1996-05-31 2000-10-17 A/S Techno Track Belt steering assembly for centering conveyor belts
US20040050671A1 (en) * 2001-01-05 2004-03-18 Kenneth Hovsto Guidance unit for coveyor belt

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9033135B1 (en) * 2014-04-15 2015-05-19 David Allen Sharp Belt alignment system with dual rollers
US20170030867A1 (en) * 2015-07-31 2017-02-02 Olympus Scientific Solutions Americas Inc. Probe holder providing constant lift-off for in-line bar-pipe testing
US9746446B2 (en) * 2015-07-31 2017-08-29 Olympus Scientific Solutions America Inc. Probe holder providing constant lift-off for in-line bar-pipe testing
CN106829384A (en) * 2016-08-08 2017-06-13 铜陵重钢机械装备有限公司 The reversible aligning pop-up roller group of ribbon conveyer
CN106829384B (en) * 2016-08-08 2019-01-08 铜陵重钢机械装备有限公司 The reversible aligning pop-up roller group of belt conveyor
WO2019006535A1 (en) * 2017-07-05 2019-01-10 David Allen Sharp Belt alignment system with dual guide rollers and having middle pivoting roller
US10486912B2 (en) 2017-07-05 2019-11-26 David A. Sharp Belt alignment system with dual guide rollers and having middle pivoting roller

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