Patent ID: 6056112
Filing Date: 2000-05-02
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
An apparatus for preloading a scraper blade against a conveyor belt in a conveyor cleaning system, the apparatus comprising:a blade support adapted to mount a scraper blade for engagement with a conveyor belt;a torsion member including a first end segment spaced from a second end segment along a first rotational axis and having ends spaced along the first axis with a length between the first and second spaced ends, the first end segment formed from an elastomeric material, the second end segment formed from a second material having a higher modulus of elasticity than the elastomeric material, the elastomeric material connected to the second material between the first and second end segments to restrict rotation of the first end segment relative to the second end segment, one of the first and second end segments engageable with the blade support to restrict rotation of the one segment relative to the blade support; anda stop engageable with the other end segment to maintain the torsion member in a preloaded condition with the second end segment rotated around the first axis relative to first end segment to generate a preload between a scraper blade mounted on the blade support and a conveyor belt,the torsion member comprising a bar that is embedded in the elastomeric material over at least one half the length of the torsion member so as to be keyed to rotate with the elastomeric material around the first axis.