Abstract:
A conveyor assembly having upper and lower truss portions includes a hinge mechanism structurally arranged to be secured to the upper truss and lower truss portions. Rotational movement of the hinge mechanism lowers the lower truss portion while simultaneously positioning the upper truss portion in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the lower truss portion.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an elongated conveyor assembly which includes a pivotal hinge assembly structurally arranged on the conveyor assembly to fold-over a portion of the conveyor assembly in a vertical plane relative to the plane of the non-folded conveyor assembly. 
     At the present time, elongated portable conveyor assemblies must be folded to a collapsed position to permit movement of the conveyor assembly from one job location to another. Such folding operations may include the use of a crane which supports the elongated conveyor assembly in the operative position wherein the conveyor assembly extends from a lower loading point to an elevated discharge point. When it is desired to move the conveyor assembly from one work location to another, the supporting crane must lower the elongated conveyor assembly onto the ground to permit the conveyor assembly to be folded by selectively decoupling predetermined lengths of the conveyor assembly from the remaining lengths of the conveyor to permit either vertical stacked folding or horizontal sideways folding. The resultant folded conveyor assembly may provide an accordion-type folded conveyor assembly wherein predetermined lengths of the conveyor are folded in a horizontal plane or provide a fold-over condition wherein the conveyor lengths are stacked in vertical plane with respect to the body of the conveyor assembly. However, such stacked conveyor assemblies are time consuming and expensive. 
     Also, if it is desired to fold the conveyor assembly in a vertical plane with respect to the body of the conveyor assembly, some prior art structures require multiple sets of hydraulic cylinders and complex folding mechanisms to lower the conveyor assembly to the ground and then fold the conveyor assembly at multiple positions along the length of the conveyor assembly. Again, such prior art structures are extremely complex and expensive and, therefore, have found limited acceptance in the marketplace. 
     An additional foldable framework for a belt conveyor is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,725. In this patent, a foldable framework is connected to a single power operated cylinder which is operative to cause a portion of the movable support frame of the conveyor assembly to pivot about a universal joint and to position a portion of the conveyor assembly substantially in a vertical perpendicular plane with respect to the body of the non-folded portion of the conveyor assembly. In such a position, the conveyor assembly may then be stacked or stored around other equipment for transport between work sites. However, such a foldable structure does not provide a system or structure which folds a conveyor assembly in a vertical plane with respect to the body of the conveyor assembly for movement of the folded conveyor assembly between work sites. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One object of the present invention is to provide a novel hinge assembly which is adapted to be predeterminely mounted to a conveyor assembly to permit the fold-over of a portion of the conveyor assembly in a plane substantially parallel relative to the plane of the non-folded portion for transporting the conveyor assembly from one job site to another job site. 
     It is further object of the present invention to provide a novel hinge assembly or mechanism which is engageable with a belt conveyor assembly to permit the fold-over of one section of the belt assembly in a plane substantially parallel relative to the plane of the non-folded conveyor section through the use of a single pair of hydraulic cylinders. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a hinge assembly or mechanism mounted to a conveyor assembly which permits the locking of the conveyor assembly in a single operative plane and which permits the positioning of a section of the conveyor assembly in a vertical stacked, substantially parallel plane with respect to the plane of the section of non-folded conveyor assembly. 
     In accordance with the present invention, an elongated conveyor assembly is provided for the movement of aggregate materials, such as sand, cement, grains, rock, gravel or chemicals from a lower receiving point to an upper discharge point. Generally, such conveyor assemblies can be of any length of up to approximately 100 feet and may include belt, screw or chain type conveyor assemblies. When it is desired that the elongated belt, screw or chain conveyor assembly be moved from one work site to another work site, the hinge assembly mounted to the conveyor assembly is energized to pivotally move an upper truss or forward member portion of the conveyor assembly to a fold-over position in a plane substantially parallel with respect to the plane of the lower truss or rearward member portion of the conveyor assembly. At the junction in the conveyor assembly which separates the upper truss member portion from the lower truss member portion, the hinge assembly or mechanism is mounted to the conveyor assembly. 
     The pivotal hinge assembly in accordance with the present invention and which provides the desired fold-over and hinge support for the upper truss member portion of the conveyor assembly relative to the lower truss member portion of the conveyor assembly is comprised of a pair of pivot frame supports structurally arranged to cooperate with the hinge structure mounted to the abutting ends of the upper truss member portion and the lower truss member portion. The pivot frame supports are, preferably, triangular in shape with the vertex angle of the pivot frame supports anchored to a bottom pivot frame member coupled to a carriage unit. The carriage unit is comprised of an axle having a pair of tires thereon and a forward extending axle brace member which secures the axle and the carriage unit relative to the elongated conveyor assembly. 
     The upper truss or forward member portion of the conveyor assembly is mounted and secured to the lower truss or rearward member portion of the truss assembly by the hinge assembly or mechanism. The rearward end of the upper truss member portion abuts against the forward end of the lower truss or rearward member portion of the truss assembly when the conveyor assembly is in the raised operating position. The rearward end portion of the upper truss member includes side mounted support plates thereon which support a secondary pivot shaft having two fulcrum arms keyed thereon. The secondary pivot shaft, preferably, extends from between the pair of side mounted support plates across the width of the conveyor truss frame. The forward end portion of the lower truss member portion includes plate members on opposite sides thereof which provide a primary pivot point thereon between the pivot frame support and the lower truss member portion. To each of the primary and secondary pivots, the leg members of the pivot frame supports are respectively mounted and secured thereto for rotational movement. Fulcrum arms are keyed to the secondary pivot shaft and are each respectively secured to the piston portion of hydraulic cylinders that are secured to the plate members mounted on the sides of the lower truss member portion by the cylinder support members. The cylinder support member includes an anchor bracket which secures a brace member which is mounted on the pivot frame support to a connection on the cylinder support member to maintain the pivot frame assembly in a rigid fixed condition when the belt conveyor assembly is in the elongated raised, operative position. 
     When it is desired to fold-over the conveyor assembly in accordance with the present invention, the hinge assembly is operatively connected to the upper and lower truss portions of the conveyor assembly and the conveyor assembly is in the planar operative position. To fold the conveyor assembly, the secondary pivot shaft and the supporting keyed fulcrum members are secured to the ends of the piston portion of the hydraulic cylinders when the piston portions are in an extended position. Before the folding operation, the brace member, secured to the pivot frame supports and attached to the anchor brackets on the cylinder support member, is disconnected from the anchor brackets on the cylinder support member, and the conveyor belt, screw or chain is loosened on the conveyor assembly. Also, the legs of the pivot frame supports are secured to the secondary shaft and to the primary pivot point provided by the cylinder support member secured to the plate member mounted to the end of the lower truss portion. 
     As the piston member portions are moved from the extended to a collapsed position, the secondary shaft is rotated in a clockwise movement. This movement causes the pivot frame support legs mounted to the cylinder support member to rotate the pivot support frame about the primary pivot point. This movement of the hinge assembly rotates the upper truss member portion to be positioned approximately in an upward perpendicular plane relative to the plane of the lower truss member portion. Also, this upward rotation of the upper truss member simultaneously lowers the legs of the pivot frame supports to lower the lower truss portion adjacent the ground. When this perpendicular position is achieved, the leg portions of the pivot frame supports are disengaged from the upper truss support frame by removal of the pin member therefrom. The hydraulic cylinders then move the piston portions to an extended position from the collapsed position, and the over-centered toggle action of the fulcrum arms on the secondary pivot shaft further rotates the pivot frame supports and the upper truss member portion about the primary pivot point wherein the upper truss portion is in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the lower truss portion. In such a folded position, the conveyor assembly may be readily attached to a vehicle for movement from one job site to another. 
     The present invention consists of certain novel features and structural details hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the details may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrifice in any of the advantages of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing description and other characteristics, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, having reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation view illustrating an elongated belt conveyor assembly type to which the invention relates and showing the conveyor truss assembly and pivotal hinge assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view illustrating the elongated belt conveyor assembly in operative position in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view illustrating the position of the upper truss member portion in a vertical position relative to the lower member portion in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view illustrating the fold-over position of the upper member portion in a vertical plane relative to the plane of the lower truss portion in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the mounting of the hinge assembly to the belt conveyor assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is perspective view illustrating the position of the hinge assembly during the movement of the upper truss member portion to a vertical position relative to the lower truss member portion in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the movement of the hinge assembly to a position wherein the upper truss member portion is in a substantially parallel position with respect to the plane of the lower truss member portion in accordance with the present invention; and 
     FIGS. 8-11 illustrate perspective views of the pivot frame support, the bottom pivot frame member, the axle brace support member and the brace member, respectively, in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals have been used throughout the several views to designate the same or similar parts, the present invention is directed to a conveyor assembly  10 , as shown in FIGS. 1-4, and to a novel pivotal hinge assembly or mechanism  25  (FIG. 5) structurally arranged to engage the conveyor assembly  10  to provide and permit the fold-over of a portion of the conveyor assembly to a plane substantially parallel relative to the plane of the non-folded portion of the conveyor assembly  10 . The conveyor assembly  10  may be a belt, screw or chain type conveyor assembly. However, the drawings have been illustrated to show a belt conveyor assembly. The belt conveyor assembly  10  includes a conveyor truss frame  12  which supports a conveyor belt member  13  which transports the aggregate materials on the belt conveyor from a lower entrance point  14 , as shown in FIG.  2 . The lower entrance point  14  may include a hopper member  15  which directs and deposits the aggregate onto the conveyor belt member  13  which is elevated to a discharge end  16  of the conveyor assembly  10 . Generally, the conveyor assembly  10  would be operated at a slope of between about 10° to 30°, with a preferred slope of between about 15° to 20°. 
     As schematically shown in FIGS. 1-4, the belt conveyor assembly  10  includes a belt tightening mechanism  17  which permits the tightening and loosening of the conveyor belt, screw or chain, as is known in the art. When it is desired to move the belt conveyor assembly  10  from one job site, as shown in FIG. 2, to another job site, the hinge assembly or mechanism  25  is incorporated and attached to the belt conveyor assembly  10 , as will hereinafter be described. 
     As shown in FIGS. 5-7, the hinge assembly or mechanism  25  is mounted to the conveyor truss frame  12  of the belt conveyor assembly  10  and structurally arranged to permit the pivotal movement of the upper truss or forward member portion  27  to a foldable position located in a plane substantially parallel with respect to the plane of a lower truss or rearward member portion  29 , as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. At the junction  28  (FIG. 3) in the belt conveyor assembly  10  which separates the upper truss member portion  27  from the lower truss member portion  29 , the hinged assembly or mechanism  25  is structurally arranged to be secured to the conveyor assembly  10  in accordance with the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 5-7. 
     The hinge assembly  25 , which accomplishes the desired pivot fold-over and vertical hinge support of the upper truss member section relative to the lower truss member portion of the conveyor assembly, is comprised of a pair of pivot frame support members  30  which are, preferably, triangular in shape with the vertex angle  31  of the pivot frame support members (FIG. 8) anchored to a bottom pivot frame member  35  (FIG. 9) which is coupled to a carriage unit  37 , as shown in FIGS. 2-4. The carriage unit  37  is comprised of an axle (not shown) having a pair of tires  39  thereon and a forward extending axle brace member  38  (FIG. 10) which secures the axle and the carriage unit  37  relative to the belt conveyor assembly  10 . 
     The rearward end  27   a  of the upper truss member portion  27  abuts against the forward end  29   a  of the lower truss member portion  29  at the junction  28  to maintain a planar conveyor surface when the belt conveyor assembly is in the elongated operating position. The rearward end portion  27   b  of the upper truss member portion  27  includes side mounted support plates  40  which support a secondary pivot shaft  41  having fulcrum arms  42  keyed thereon. The secondary pivot shaft  41 , preferably, extends between the side mounted support plates  40  and across the width of the conveyor truss frame  12 . The forward end portion  29   a  of the lower truss member portion  29  includes plate members  44  secured on opposite sides thereof which mount stub shafts  46  which cooperate with selected pivot frame legs  32  of the pivot frame support  30  to provide a primary pivot point  45  for the pivot frame support  30  relative to the lower truss assembly portion  29 , as will hereinafter be described. 
     As shown in the drawings, the pivot frame supports  30  include leg portions  32  which are respectively mounted and secured to the primary pivot point  45  and stub shafts  46  and to the secondary shaft member  41 , as shown in FIGS. 5,  6  and  7  of the drawings. Also, when the conveyor assembly  10  is in the elongated operative position, the pivot frame support  30  is secured by a pin  20  (FIG. 6) structurally arranged to be received by an opening  21  (FIG. 7) in the upper truss support frame  47 . Hydraulic cylinders  50  are respectively mounted to the plate members  44  by cylinder support members  52 . The cylinder support members  52  include an anchor bracket  53  which is structurally arranged to receive a brace member  54  (FIG. 11) which extends from a bracket  34  located on the pivot frame support  30 . The brace member  54  is secured to the cylinder support member by pin  49  (FIG. 6) to maintain the hinge assembly in a rigid fixed condition wherein the upper and lower truss portions are in abutting relationship when the belt conveyor assembly  10  is in its elongated, operative position. 
     When it is desired to fold-over the belt conveyor assembly  10  from the position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 to the position as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the brace member  54  is first decoupled from the cylinder support member  52  by removal of pin  49  and permitted to move to a position as shown from the dotted lines to the solid lines, as shown in FIG.  6 . When the conveyor is in the elongated operative position, the fulcrum arms  42  are keyed to the secondary shaft  41  mounted by the support plates  40  of the upper truss member portion  27  and are secured to the piston portions  51 , when the pistons are in an extended position. The conveyor belt, screw or chain is then loosened on the conveyor assembly by releasing the tightening mechanism  17 . When the piston member portions  51  are then moved from the extended to a collapsed position, as shown in FIG. 6, the secondary shaft  41  is rotated in a clockwise movement. This clockwise movement permits the pivot support legs and the pivot frame support to rotate about the primary pivot point  45  to a position wherein the upper truss assembly portion  27  is positioned at approximately a perpendicular plane relative to the plane of the lower truss member portion  29 , the position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. As shown in FIG. 3, the movement of the pivot frame supports  30  to raise the upper truss portion  27  vertically causes the lower truss portion  29  to be lowered to a position adjacent the ground to permit towing thereof. 
     When the vertical position is reached, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the pivot frame support  30  (FIGS. 6 and 7) has the pin  20  removed from opening  21  to decouple the frame supports from the upper truss support frame  47 . Further movement of the piston portions  51  of the hydraulic cylinders  50  from the collapsed to an extended position, as shown in FIG.  7  and partially shown in FIG. 4, provides an over-center toggle action of the fulcrum arms keyed to the secondary shaft and results in the further clockwise movement of the pivot frame supports  30  which further rotates the upper truss member portion  27  to a fold-over collapsed position wherein it is positioned in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the lower truss member portion  29 . As shown in FIG. 7, when the fold-over position is achieved, the brace member  54  is secured to the bottom pivot frame member  35  by a fastening pin  36 . When the belt conveyor assembly is in this collapsed fold-over position, the conveyor assembly may be readily towed by a vehicle from one job site to another. 
     The present invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment as illustrated in the drawings. Modifications and alterations may become apparent to a person skilled in the art after reading and understanding the specification and it is intended that the specification and drawings include modifications and alterations with the scope of the appended claims.