US2366390A - Belt-centering device - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 2, 1945. G. -F. DODGE BELT CENTERINIG'DEVICE Filed Aug 10, 1943 /NVENTO/ Goveoon F DODGE,

Patented Jan. 2, 1945 BELT-CENTERING DEVICE Gordon F. Dodge, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Ohio Application August 10, 1943; Serial No. 498,090 I 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a belt centering or automatic training device.

An object of the invention is to provide an imf proved automatic belt centering or trainingdevice particularly for the return run of a conveyor belt which is operable automatically for reverse directions of travel of the belt.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a conveyor including the belt centering device of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the conveyor of Fig. 1; g

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side viewof the belt con tering device of my invention shown in its operating position;

Fig, 4 is a further enlarged end view of the device of my invention showing particularly the means for pivotally suspending said belt centering device on a horizontal axis, the. parts being shown in a non-belt conveying position; v

Fig. 5 is a view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows, some of the associated parts being shown in dotted lines;

Fig.- 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken'on the line 6--5 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and Y.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 'I'! of Fig. 6, looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, there is seen a conveyor including a main frame I 0 formed of spaced channel members across the tops of which are spaced troughing idlers II which support the upper run of a conveyor belt I2v As illustrated, the lower run of the belt I2 is flat rather than being troughed and at intervals it is mounted upon a belt centering or training device I3 comprising my invention. I

The belt centering device I3 includes a pair of spaced brackets 14, I4 which' are of similar structure and which are bolted or otherwise attached to the bottom flanges of the channels of main frame I0. Each of the brackets I4 is in the form of a yoke with wings which provide forattachment to the frame member I 0 by virtue of spaced bolts I5.

The bottom edge of each bracket I4 forms a narrow semi-knife edged bearing-surface I 6 along which is adapted to roll a short piece of pipe or cylinder I I which is rigidly attached to and forms an effective pivotal member of an end bracket I8, there being two such end brackets I8 rigidly attached to the opposite ends of a pipe' I9 which together with brackets l8 and pipes I I may be considered as constituting the main frame of the belt centering device I3. I

Each of the stationary brackets I4 is provided with a screw which is threaded through the bottom flange of said bracket and is provided with a pointed nose 2| which extends loosely through a hole in the bottom of the pipe [1. As illustrated, the short pipe I! is rigidly attached to the bracket I8 by a set screw 22, and brackets I8 are attached to main frame pipe I9 by a pair of set screws 23.

From the description so far given and from the illustration in the drawing it is evident that the main frame I'I, I8, I9 may swing about a horizontal axis which is along the bottoms of the ment while the short pipes I! roll on the bearing surfaceIB. This swinging movement may be in either .of ,two reverse directions, that is, either I clockwise or counter-clockwise, and in Fig. 3 of bracket 25.

the drawing I have illustrated the swinging movement in the maximum clockwise direction, this maximum movement in both directions being determinable by a pair of spaced stops 24, 24 formed on opposite sides of the opening in bracket I4 through which the short pipe I! extends.

Adjacent its center an upstanding bracket 25 is rigidly attached to the main frame pipe I9. Since the base of the bracket 25 is a cylinder which surrounds said pipe. I9 it is preferably rigidly attached thereto as by set screws or the like.

It may be stated that When the end brackets I 8 are in the upright position, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the bracket 25 will also be in the upright position as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawing.

At its top the bracket 25 includes a removable cap 26 which is removably attached by screws 21. The cap 26 is half of a generally'cylindrical portion of the bracket 25, through which cylindrical portion there is a bore 28 through which a non-rotary shaft 29 provided with a non-rotary shaft housing 30 extends. The shaft 29 and housing 30 are preferably rigidly connected together and. consequently in effect constitute a single part and may be considered as a single Shaft. t v

The shaft 29 and housing 30 are pivotally -mounted about a generally upright axis by means of pivot pins 3I, the inner ends of'which are threadedinto the housing 30 and the outer ends of which are journaled in appropriate bores in the upper cylindrical portion of bracket 25.

The pins 3| are provided with central lubrication bores 32, and a communicating lubrication bore 33 extends to a grease gun fitting 34 on'the on opposite ends the shaft 29 is provided with a pair of independently rotatable idler rollers 35, 35 preferably mounted-on spaced anti-friction roller bearings. The shaft 29 and housing 30 constitute in effect a swinging frame or support by which the idler rollers 35 are swingabiy mounted on the main frame l9 etc; about a generallyupr'igh't axis,"but, as hereinafter pointed out, in operation this axis will swing in a plane parallel with the direction of movement of the conveyor belt l2.

When the conveyor belt I2 is stationary, the axis of the pivot of swing pins 3| will'be vertical and the parts will be in the positions illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawing. That is, atransverse plane with respect to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor which passes through the axis of the main frame pipe l9 and the axis of the pins 3!, will be vertical. If now the conveyor is .placed in operation and .the lower run of the belt .I 2 travels in the..direction'illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the mainframe ['9 will pivot about its horizontal axis land the cylinders I! will roll on the bearing surfaces [6 until such cylinders l -1 engage stops 2'4,'-.whereupon the axis of the pins 3| will be inclined to the vertica'lin the direction of travel of the'lower run oft'he'be'lt l2.

The swing frame or support .constituted'by'the shaft 29 and housing 30 will be free to swing about this inclined upright :ax'is. As a consequence of this .arrangement the return .run of the belt 12 .in traveling .over the rollers '35 will be automatically trained or centered since the action ment of my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A belt centering device including a stationary frame, a main frame pivotally mounted of .a pair .of idler :rollers mounted on an inclined axishas :an automatic guiding ortraining action, as is well understood in this .art. j

Furthermore, inthemost complete embodiment of my invention, greater efficiency is realized by employing tworoll'ers 35instead o'f 'asingleroller since this "increases ithersensitivity of'the device. 'So 'long .as the return run of thebelt [2T5 prop erly tcentered, .the swinging fframe including the shaft -29 and housing, 30 will 'haveits axis substantially at right angles'to the directionof travel of said return run o'f'be'lt l2. Th swinging movement of this swinging frame, :30, is, of course, limited by the size of "the opening 28, and in practice such swinging frame is preferably free t swing from 2 degrees to 5 degrees on either side of central or normal position.

It :is obvious that 'if the direction :of travel of the "belt 12 is reversed, the "belt centering device 13 Wl11 automatically swing to 'reverse'pos'ition from that "illustrated 'in'Fig. 3 so that -the axis of the pins 3| is now inclined to the "other side of the transverse-vertical plane and again "the device operates tomaintain said return run of the belt r2 .inproperalignment.

It may be "further pointed out that the 'horizontal pivot axis of themain "frame l1, l8, I9 is at the: centers of the pipes I"! and moves in a plane parallel with surfaces -16. Also the center of gravity of the device "13 is preferably substantially along'this plane. i As a consequence, in the absence of an "operating force such as provided by the movement "of belt l2, the device l3 will stay in any'pos-ition "to which'it is adjusted. This feature aidsin'the ease of automatic reversability of the device F3 for reverse travel of the belt [2 since practically no work is "involved in moving it.

While the deviceas 'illustratedis applied to the return run of a belt of a conveyor, it is obvious that it may be-employedforthe :carry'ing run particularly if through "the'carrying run the 'belt is imaintainedt-fiatratherthan troughed.

Obviously those skilled :in the art may make variousximprovements in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from :the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and SI there'fore'wish. not

on said stationary frame for pivotal movement about a horizontalaxis, a swinging support swingably mounted at its center on said main frame about an upright axis which may swing to opposite sides of .a vertical plane through the pivotal axis of said main frame, and separate rollers mountedon said swinging support on opposite sides of said upright axis.

'2. A belt centering deviceincluding astationary frame, a main frame pivotally mounted on said stationary frame for pivotal movement about a horizontal 'axis, a swinging support swingably mounted at its center on said main frame about an upright axis which may swing to opposite sides of a. vertical plane through the pivotal axis of said main frame, and belt supporting roller meansmounted on said swinging support.

3. A belt centering device including a stationary frame, a main frame pivotally mounted on said stationary frame for pivotalmovement about a horizontal axis, a swinging support swingably mounted at its center on said main frame about an upright axis which may swing to opposite sides of a vertical plane through the pivotalaxis of saidmain'frame, and "separate rollers'mounted on sai'cl'swinging support on opposite sides of said upright axis, the center of gravity'of said main frame and parts carried-thereby being substantially at "the pivotal axis of said main frame.

'4. A belt centering 'device including a stationary frame, a main frame 'pivotally mounted on said said mainframe, and'belt'support'ing roller means upright :axis which spaced cylindrical roll on bearing surfaces on said spaced brackets,

: mounted on said swinging supportfthe center of gravity of saidmain frame and parts carried thereby being substantially at the pivotal axis of said main frame.

5. A belt aligningidler including stationary spaced'brackets, a main frame extending between said brackets and mounted "thereon for pivotal rolling movement, said main frame including spaced cylindrical bearing members adapted to roll on bearing surfaces on said spaced brackets and spaced .oppositely positioned stops therefor on opposite sides of a bracket, aipivoted swinging support mounted-on said main frame for swinging movement about a generally upright axis which axis swings with .said main frame, and belt supporting roller means on said pivoted swinging support. y

6. .A belt aligning .idler including stationary 'spacedbrackets, a main frame extending between said brackets and mounted thereon for pivotal rolling movement, said main frame including bearing members adapted to apivoted swinging support mounted .onsaid main frame .for' swinging .movement about a generally axis swings with said main frame, :and belt supporting roller means on said pivoted swinging support.

GORDON F. DODGE.

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