Conveyor belt roller support providing ready removal and replacement or rollers

A conveyor comprises a belt, at least one roller supporting the belt on a lower side thereof, the roller having opposite ends and a spindle at each opposite end, and a roller support for the roller. The roller support comprises a pair of spaced apart support brackets positioned at opposite lateral sides of the belt, a torque tube having opposite ends pivotally supported by the brackets, and a pair of spaced apart arms fixedly secured to the torque tube, one of the arms located near one of the opposite ends of the roller and the other of the arms located near the other of the opposite ends of the roller, each arm having an upwardly opening notch therein for receiving a respective roller spindle. The torque tube is pivotable between a first position wherein the roller supports the belt and a second position wherein the roller is spaced below the belt and permits sufficient clearance for the roller spindles to be lifted out of the notches in the arms and the roller to be removed from the roller support.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to conveyors, and more particularly to roller supports for conveyor belt rollers that facilitate removal and replacement of the rollers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conveyor comprises an endless belt that passes over a drive pulley at one end and over an idler pulley (or another drive pulley) at the other end. The lower or return side belt portion rides atop a plurality of rollers. These rollers spin on spindles, the ends of which rest in notches in brackets on either lateral side of the belt.

During operation the lower or return side rollers can become worn or damaged thus requiring their replacement. Currently replacement of worn or damaged rollers is a cumbersome process, requiring some type of mechanical assist to lift the conveyor belt up off of the worn or damaged roller high enough to permit the spindle ends of the worn or damaged roller to be lifted out of their respective notches in their respective brackets and the roller to be removed from the brackets, and to permit the spindle ends of a new roller to be dropped down into their respective notches in their respective brackets.

It is desirable to provide apparatus and method which makes it more convenient to remove worn conveyor belt rollers and replace them with new rollers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, a conveyor comprises a belt, at least one roller supporting the belt, the roller having opposite ends and a spindle at each opposite end, and a roller support for the roller. The roller support comprises a pair of spaced apart support brackets positioned at opposite lateral sides of the belt, a torque tube having opposite ends pivotally supported by the brackets, and a pair of spaced apart arms fixedly secured to the torque tube, one of the arms located near one of the opposite ends of the roller and the other of the arms located near the other of the opposite ends of the roller, each arm having an upwardly opening notch therein for receiving a respective roller spindle. The torque tube is pivotable between a first position wherein the roller supports the belt and a second position wherein the roller is spaced below the belt and permits sufficient clearance for the roller spindles to be lifted out of the notches in the arms and the roller to be removed from the roller support.

The conveyor can further comprise a lever fixedly secured to one of the opposite ends of the torque tube, a hole in the lever, a hole in the support bracket associated with the one of the opposite ends of the torque tube, a pin, and a stop on the support bracket. When the holes are aligned the pin is inserted through the holes to maintain the torque tube in the first position, and when the pin is removed from the holes the torque tube is free to pivot to the second position whereupon the lever contacts the stop.

The first and second positions can be about 60 degrees apart.

The lever can include a collar fixedly secured thereto, the collar fixedly secured to the torque tube, the collar including a tang extending radially outwardly from a periphery thereof, and wherein the lever hole is in the tang.

The conveyor can further include a plate removably secured to the support bracket, the lever positioned laterally outboard of the plate, and a collar fixedly secured to the torque tube and positioned laterally inboard of the plate, the torque tube pivotally supported by the plate. The lever, collar, and plate prevent the torque tube from axially backing out of the support brackets. Removing the plate from the support bracket allows the torque tube to be axially withdrawn from the support brackets.

The stop can be a bolt removably securing the plate to the support bracket and the support bracket hole can be in the plate.

The lever can include an aperture in a distal end thereof that is engageable with an engagement end of a ratchet wrench. The ratchet wrench can then be lifted slightly to slightly raise the roller against the bias of the belt, deloading the pin, and thus permitting easy removal of the pin from the holes.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the summary of the invention given above, and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to first toFIGS. 1 and 2A, a conveyor10comprises a belt12and a number of rollers14supporting the belt12. Each roller14has opposite ends16and a spindle18at each opposite end16. Each roller14is supported by a roller support20. As illustrated, three rollers14are positioned end-to-end due to the width of the belt12. However, it will be appreciated that fewer than three rollers14or more than three rollers14could be utilized based on the width of the belt12. An upright support30is diagrammatically shown as supporting each roller support20, though the roller supports20could be supported by the stringer(s) (not shown) of the conveyor10.

Referring toFIGS. 2B through 3C, each roller support20comprises a pair of spaced apart support brackets32(only one of which is shown) positioned at opposite lateral sides of the belt12, a torque tube34having opposite ends pivotally supported by the brackets32, and a pair of spaced apart arms36fixedly secured to the torque tube34as by welding. One of the arms36is located near one of the opposite ends16of the roller14and the other of the arms36is located near the other of the opposite ends16of the roller14. Each arm has an upwardly opening notch40therein for receiving a respective roller spindle18.

The torque tube34is pivotable between a first position wherein the roller14supports the belt12(FIG. 3A), and a second position wherein the roller14is spaced below the belt12and permits sufficient clearance for the roller spindles18to be lifted out of the notches40in the arms36so that the roller14can be removed from the roller support20(FIGS. 3B and 3C).

A lever46is fixedly secured to one of the opposite ends of the torque tube34. The lever46has a collar or ring48fixedly secured thereto or made as a part thereof, the collar48being fixedly secured to the torque tube34as by welding. The collar48includes a tang50extending radially outwardly from a periphery thereof. The tang50has a hole54therein which aligns with a similar hole56in a plate60. A pin64is inserted through holes54,56when the roller14is in the belt12supporting position. The torque tube34is pivotally supported in a hole in the plate60.

Plate60is positioned laterally outboard of support bracket32and is bolted thereto with bolts66. Lever46is positioned laterally outboard of plate60. A second collar or ring90is fixedly secured to the torque tube34as by welding and is positioned laterally inboard of the plate60. SeeFIG. 4. Once the plate60is bolted to the support bracket32, the lever46and its collar48, along with the second collar90, prevent the torque tube34from axially backing out of the roller supports20during operation of the conveyor10. The opposite end of the torque tube34is simply pivotally supported in a hole in the opposite support bracket32on the opposite lateral side of the belt12. Unbolting the plate60from the support bracket32permits the plate60to be removed and the captivated or captured torque tube34to be axially withdrawn from the roller supports20.

The first and second positions are preferably about 60 degrees apart. One of the bolts66can function as a stop for the lever46in the second position. SeeFIG. 3B.

To deload the pin64when it is desired to remove a roller14from its roller support20, the engagement end70of a ratchet wrench72can be placed in a complementary hole74in the lever64. The ratchet wrench72can then be lifted slightly to slightly raise the roller14against the bias of the belt12, deloading the pin64, permitting easy removal of pin64from the holes54,56.

The various embodiments of the invention shown and described are merely for illustrative purposes only, as the drawings and the description are not intended to restrict or limit in any way the scope of the claims. Those skilled in the art will appreciate various changes, modifications, and improvements which can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details and representative apparatus and methods shown and described. The invention resides in each individual feature described herein, alone, and in all combinations of any and all of those features. Departures may therefore be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept. Accordingly, the scope of the invention shall be limited only by the following claims and their equivalents.