GB2039261A - Improvements in or relating to means for supporting conveyor rollers - Google Patents

Abstract

The specification discloses a support for a set of troughing rollers of a belt conveyor consisting of an elongate support member 30 attached to a horizontal number 6 of the conveyor frame such that it extends upwardly and inwardly at an angle equal to one half of the sum of the angles to the horizontal made by the axles of two adjacent rollers 4, 5 supported thereby, and a locating means consisting of a short length of angle iron 40 one flange 33 of which is welded into the support member and extends therefrom at an angle to the perpendicular (see Fig. 2) equal to one half of the angle of intersection of the adjacent rollers 4, 5. The ends of the axles 16, 21 of the adjacent rollers are located either side of the free flange of the angle iron by means of a bolt 41 passing therethrough. When one of the rollers (roller 5 as shown) is cantilevered and supported at one end of its axle only, that end (of axle 21 as shown) is located within the angle iron to prevent downward pivotal movement. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to means for supporting conveyor rollers The present invention is concerned with means for supporting conveyor rollers especially rollers used for supporting conveyor belts.

In sets of conveyor rollers which form a trough within which a conveyor belt travels the rollers are generally supported by means of cast brackets which are bolted onto the conveyor frame cross member. The castings have to be accurately made and machined in order to ensure that the rollers are supported at the correct angle and do not foul adjacent rollers in operation. When it is desired to manufacture sets of rollers in which the rollers are at a different angle to the horizontal to those previously manufactured, e.g. in order to provide a deeper trough, new castings have to be provided forthis specific purpose. Accordingly this method of supporting the rollers is expensive and is inherently lacking in flexibility.

We have now produced a new support for conveyor rollers whereby changes in the angle of rollers to the horizontal can be made with the minimum inconvenience and cost.

Accordingly, therefore, the present invention provides a support for use in supporting a set of rollers in a conveyor system wherein said support comprises an elongate support member one end of which member is adapted to be fixedly attached to a conveyor frame and the other end includes means for locating adjacent ends of axles carrying adjacent rollers, said means consisting of two integral side elements at right angles, one element being fixedly attached to the support member at an angle and such that both side elements are parallel to and in contact with the axle of one said roller being supported thereby and the other said element extends parallel to the major axis of the support member.

Preferably the angle at which the said means is attached to the support member is one half the angle of intersection of said adjacent roller axles and the support member is attached to the frame at an angle equal to half the sum of the angles made by the axles of each adjacent roller with the horizontal.

The support member may conveniently be made from a length of channel steel and the locating means may consist of a short length of angle iron.

The end of the axle of one roller, which may be a cantilevered roller supported at one end only, is located in the angle formed between the elements and the end of the axle of the adjacent roller is located the other side of the vertical element; both axles are retained in position by fixing means, such as a bolt and nut passing through the ends thereof and the said vertical element. Where one of the rollers, eg the cantilevered roller, is supported at the inward end only, the axle of this roller must be located within the angle formed by the said elements to restrain any tendency for downward pivotal movement about said fixing means.

The invention will now be described with refer ence to the accompanying diagrammatic representations one embodiment of the invention: in these rep resentations Figure 1 is a front view of a five roll rigid set of conveyor rollers, Figure 2 is a detail of the support means at one end and Figure 3 is a view along the line "A" in Figure 2.

Five rollers, 1,2,3,4, and 5 are supported on a conveyor frame cross member 6 by support means 7 and 8. Rollers 1 and 5 are supported for free rotation on stub axles 20 and 21 at their inward ends only on support means 7 and 8. Rollers 2 and 4 are carried for free rotation on stub axles 14, 15 and 16, 17 respectively, axles 14,16 being supported by sup ports 7 and 8, and axles 15 and 17 by bolts 10 and 11 which also support axles 12 and 13 of roller 3. Rollers 2, 3 and 4 are therefore in a staggered relationship.

Referring now to rollers 4 and 5 and support means 7, the axis of rotation of roller 4 is at an angle of 15 to the horizontal and the axis of rotation of roller 5 is at an angle of 30 to the horizontal.

The support means 7 comprises an elongate sup port member 30 formed of U section steel channel.

End 31 of member 30 is welded onto frame member 6 at an angle to half of the sum of the angles made by rollers 4 and 5 to the horizontal i.e. at an angle of 226 . At end 32 of member 30 is welded a short length of angle iron 40. Having a horizontal element 33 and a vertical element 34. End 32 of member 30 is cut at an angle equal to half of the angle made by the intersection of axles 16 and 21 (i.e. the angle bet ween the faces of rollers 4 and 5), that is half of 15 namely 7P such that the angle of the lower element 33 to the horizontal is 30 , i.e. parallel to axle 21 of roller 5.The vertical element 34 of angle iron 40 con tains a bolt hole 35 the centre of which lies on a line parallel to the element 33 and spaced therefrom by a distance equal to half the diameter of axle 21.

Axles 16 and 21 include equivalent bolt holes pas sing through diameters thereof and axle 21 is located within the angle of elements 33 and 34 with axle 16 located the other side of the vertical element 33.

Axles 14 and 21 are held in position by a bolt 41.

Axle 21 is thus located firmly in the angle made by elements 33 and 34 and in close contact with said elements to restrain roller 5 against downward pivotal movement or side to side movement.

When it is desired to locate rollers at a different ; height from the frame it is only necessary to cut the support member 30 to a different length. Should the rollers be required to be supported at different ang les then, again, it is only necessary to vary the angle of cut of the end 32 to achieve the desired result.

It is thus apparent that this means of supporting the rollers is both relatively cheap and flexible in use.

1. A support for use in supporting a set of rollers in a conveyor system wherein said support com

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

1. **WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

   SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to means for supporting conveyor rollers The present invention is concerned with means for supporting conveyor rollers especially rollers used for supporting conveyor belts.

   In sets of conveyor rollers which form a trough within which a conveyor belt travels the rollers are generally supported by means of cast brackets which are bolted onto the conveyor frame cross member. The castings have to be accurately made and machined in order to ensure that the rollers are supported at the correct angle and do not foul adjacent rollers in operation. When it is desired to manufacture sets of rollers in which the rollers are at a different angle to the horizontal to those previously manufactured, e.g. in order to provide a deeper trough, new castings have to be provided forthis specific purpose. Accordingly this method of supporting the rollers is expensive and is inherently lacking in flexibility.

   We have now produced a new support for conveyor rollers whereby changes in the angle of rollers to the horizontal can be made with the minimum inconvenience and cost.

   Accordingly, therefore, the present invention provides a support for use in supporting a set of rollers in a conveyor system wherein said support comprises an elongate support member one end of which member is adapted to be fixedly attached to a conveyor frame and the other end includes means for locating adjacent ends of axles carrying adjacent rollers, said means consisting of two integral side elements at right angles, one element being fixedly attached to the support member at an angle and such that both side elements are parallel to and in contact with the axle of one said roller being supported thereby and the other said element extends parallel to the major axis of the support member.

   Preferably the angle at which the said means is attached to the support member is one half the angle of intersection of said adjacent roller axles and the support member is attached to the frame at an angle equal to half the sum of the angles made by the axles of each adjacent roller with the horizontal.

   The support member may conveniently be made from a length of channel steel and the locating means may consist of a short length of angle iron.

   The end of the axle of one roller, which may be a cantilevered roller supported at one end only, is located in the angle formed between the elements and the end of the axle of the adjacent roller is located the other side of the vertical element; both axles are retained in position by fixing means, such as a bolt and nut passing through the ends thereof and the said vertical element. Where one of the rollers, eg the cantilevered roller, is supported at the inward end only, the axle of this roller must be located within the angle formed by the said elements to restrain any tendency for downward pivotal movement about said fixing means.

   The invention will now be described with refer ence to the accompanying diagrammatic representations one embodiment of the invention: in these rep resentations Figure 1 is a front view of a five roll rigid set of conveyor rollers, Figure
2. 2 is a detail of the support means at one end and Figure
3. 3 is a view along the line "A" in Figure 2.

   Five rollers, 1,2,3,4, and 5 are supported on a conveyor frame cross member 6 by support means 7 and 8. Rollers 1 and 5 are supported for free rotation on stub axles 20 and 21 at their inward ends only on support means 7 and 8. Rollers 2 and
4. 4 are carried for free rotation on stub axles 14, 15 and 16, 17 respectively, axles 14,16 being supported by sup ports 7 and 8, and axles 15 and 17 by bolts 10 and 11 which also support axles 12 and 13 of roller 3. Rollers 2, 3 and 4 are therefore in a staggered relationship.

   Referring now to rollers 4 and
5. 5 and support means 7, the axis of rotation of roller 4 is at an angle of 15 to the horizontal and the axis of rotation of roller 5 is at an angle of 30 to the horizontal.

   The support means 7 comprises an elongate sup port member 30 formed of U section steel channel.

   End 31 of member 30 is welded onto frame member
6. 6. A support for use in supporting a set of rollers in a conveyor system substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.

   6 at an angle to half of the sum of the angles made by rollers 4 and 5 to the horizontal i.e. at an angle of 226 . At end 32 of member 30 is welded a short length of angle iron 40. Having a horizontal element

   33 and a vertical element 34. End 32 of member 30 is cut at an angle equal to half of the angle made by the intersection of axles 16 and 21 (i.e. the angle bet ween the faces of rollers 4 and 5), that is half of 15 namely 7P such that the angle of the lower element

   33 to the horizontal is 30 , i.e. parallel to axle 21 of roller 5.The vertical element 34 of angle iron 40 con tains a bolt hole 35 the centre of which lies on a line parallel to the element 33 and spaced therefrom by a distance equal to half the diameter of axle 21.

   Axles 16 and 21 include equivalent bolt holes pas sing through diameters thereof and axle 21 is located within the angle of elements 33 and 34 with axle 16 located the other side of the vertical element 33.

   Axles 14 and 21 are held in position by a bolt 41.

   Axle 21 is thus located firmly in the angle made by elements 33 and 34 and in close contact with said elements to restrain roller 5 against downward pivotal movement or side to side movement.

   When it is desired to locate rollers at a different ; height from the frame it is only necessary to cut the support member 30 to a different length. Should the rollers be required to be supported at different ang les then, again, it is only necessary to vary the angle of cut of the end 32 to achieve the desired result.

   It is thus apparent that this means of supporting the rollers is both relatively cheap and flexible in use.

   1. A support for use in supporting a set of rollers in a conveyor system wherein said support com prises an elongate support member one end of which member is adapted to be fixedly attached to a conveyor frame and the other end includes means for locating adjacent ends of axles carrying adjacent rollers, said means consisting of two integral side elements at right angles, one element being fixedly attached to the support member at an angle and such that both side elements are parallel to and in contact with the axle of one said roller being supported thereby and the other said element extends parallel to the major axis of the support member.

   2. A support according to claim 1 wherein the angle at which the said means is attached to the support member is one half the angle of intersection of said adjacent roller axles and the support member is attached to the frame at an angle equal to half the sum of the angles made by the axles of each adjacent roller with the horizontal.

   3. A support according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the end of the axle of one roller is located in the angle formed between the elements and the end of the axle of an adjacent roller is located at the opposite side of said element extending parallel to the axis of the said member, both axles being retained in position by fixing means.

   4. A support according to claim 3 wherein the fixing means comprises a bolt member threaded at one end and passing through each of the said axles and the said element, a nut being located on the threaded end of said bolt.

   5. A support according to any one of the preceding claims wherein one roller is a cantilevered roller supported at one end of its axle only, the said end being located within the angle formed by the said elements and in contact with both elements.