Belt conveyor gap stringer support system

A gap stringer conveyor belt support structure having a pair of spaced apart parallel stringers with rollers therebetween and a pair of underlying support frames. Each support frame includes a pair of generally vertical extensible load bearing posts each of which is connected at its upper end to a stringer and at its lower end to a weight bearing anchor. A third extensible post is connected at one end to a stringer and extends in a direction diagonally to the vertical posts to connect at its other end to an anchor. The weight bearing anchors may be imbedded in the ground. The connections between the extensible posts at the stringers and anchors are pivotal to permit adjustment by movement about at least an axis parallel to the stringers. Each extensible post is provided with a clamp or lock to hold it at a selected length.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to random length belt conveyors and 
particularly to the individual components thereof referred to as a belt 
conveyor gap stringer support. 
In long overland conveyor systems it is common to utilize a plurality of 
spaced apart smaller components aligned to accept the continuous belt. The 
individual components are spaced apart to allow for thermal expansion and 
contraction. The spaces between adjacent sections being selected so that 
the span between adjacent rollers is the same. Heretofore in such systems, 
it has been usual to prepare meticulously located level concrete pads 
having precisely located anchor bolts on which to support the components. 
Invariably, this requires much excavation, levelling, form and concrete 
work reslting in much environmental damage not only in preparation for 
installation but also due to the elements during use and then again in 
clean-up after removal of the conveyor system. 
It is evident that if overland conveyors can be installed without resort to 
extreme prelevelling and pad preparation much damage to the environment 
will be avoided with a consequent saving in construction cost and time. 
Moreover, removal of the conveyor and restoration of the sites will be 
simplified. 
So far as I am aware, the only conveyor adapted to overland use on uneven 
terrain without meticulous site preparation is that described in my 
earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,460 issued Apr. 14, 1981. That patent 
discloses and claims a Belt Conveyor Wire Rope Support System For Wire 
Rope Mounted Roller Idlers. The system utilizes a plurality of small 
adjustable frames supporting the continuous wire rope and in turn 
supported on small earth embedded anchors usually placed on uneven terrain 
with only coarse levelling. Typically, anchors are formed by pouring 
concrete in bored or drilled holes. Anchor means are left extending from 
the concrete. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a gap conveyor 
section of the type described but with an adjustable underlying support 
that will accomodate uneven terrain to provide a level support for the 
conveyor belt without more than very coarse grading and the provision of 
small anchor pads. 
Another object is the provision of an adjustable support of the type 
described in which the available adjustment readily accomodates 
differences in elevation between the several anchor pads and will also 
accomodate misalignment of the anchor bolts or other attachment. 
A related object is the provision of a gap stringer support that will 
enable lateral positioning of the gap stringer and rollers relative to the 
anchor pads to thus easily avoid brush or structures on the like. 
A still further, but related object is the provision of a gap stringer and 
support that can be mounted on a prestressed concrete pad or other 
exapnsible material and accomodate the dimension change without the 
necessity of modifying connection to the pad. 
The foregoing and other objects of the invention are provided by a 
structute that includes, in combination with the parallel stringers and 
rollers, at least two underlying support frames each of which includes a 
pair of generally vertical extensible load bearing posts each of which is 
connected at its upper end to a stringer and at its lower end to a weight 
bearing anchor. A third extendsible post is connected at one end to a 
stringer and extends in a direction diagonlly to the vertical posts to 
connect at its other end to an anchor. The weight bearing anchors may be 
imbedded in the ground. The connections between the exensible posts at the 
stringers and anchors are pivotal to permit adjustment by movement about 
at least an axis parallel to the stringers. Each extensible post is 
provided with a clamp or lock to hold it at a selected length. 
In some embodiments of the invention the pair of extensible members, which 
are usually tubes or posts, extends downwardly from the opposite stringers 
and connects to an anchor pad embedded in the earth. A stabilizer in the 
form of another extensible post connects from the top of one weight 
bearing post to a location adjacent the bottom of the other weight bearing 
member. To enhance accomodation of variation in elevtion between anchor 
pads and/or move the stringers laterally, the end connections of the 
extensible posts are connected to the structure and the anchors by pivotal 
connections that permit adjustment of the posts to achieve proper 
orientation of the stringers regardless of the terrain. 
Stability is achieved by the diagonal third member. This can be connected 
to the same anchor as one of the vertical posts or may in special cases 
connect to a separate earth embedded anchor or even to a side wall as in a 
tunnel. Of course the diagonal can merely connect from near the top of one 
weight bearing post to a location near the bottom of the other post in the 
pair. 
Each gap stringer is essentially a complete unit from 10 to 30 feet in 
length so each support structure according to the invention will include 
at least two adjustable frames. The total length of an overland system may 
be 3500 feet for a fabric belt and up to 15,000 feet with steel cable 
reinforced belts. 
In order that the invention may be more readily understood and carried into 
effect, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and description 
thereof which are offered by way of example only and not in limitation of 
the invention the scope of which is defined solely by the appended claims 
and equivalents thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
The drawings shown only the individual sections to which the invention is 
directed. It will be understood that any overland belt conveyor system has 
a head discharge end which has a head pulley where power is normally 
applied to pull the belt; and and a tail or loading end where the material 
to be carried is fed onto the belt 1. Between the head and tail the belt 
carrying idlers 2 and return idlers 3 are supported between two spaced 
apart stringers 4,5 suspended above the ground 6. The stringers are 
connected to each other by the idlers 2,3, or other structural members 7. 
In a long conveyor system the parallel frames 4-5 are usually about four 
feet apart. Earth embedded concrete anchor pads 8 are provided and the 
main structural members 4, 5 and 7 are supported thereabove by the pairs 
of extensible posts 9 and 10. These post are secured to the stringer by an 
angle 11 and to the anchor by a similar attachment such as a bolt 12 and a 
protruding reinforcement 13 cast into the anchor. Other types of anchors 
include a buried post or driven piles. The extensible weight bearing posts 
9 and 10 supporting the stringers 4-5 are provided in pairs, arranged 
along opposite sides of the stringers. Once the length of the posts is 
properly adjusted, a stabilizer is connected diagonally between the top of 
one post 9 and the bottom of the opposite post 10. The diagonal post being 
adjusted to proper length to accomplish this. The vertical post 9 is also 
supported against longitudinal swaying by an additional extensible 
extending diagonally between the point on the stringer spaced 
longidudinally from the post and the anchor to which the post is secured. 
Thus, the entire assembly is supported by four load bearing posts and is 
braced against cross swaying by two cross diagonal braces 14, and against 
longitudinal sway by two longitudinal diagonal braces 15. Of course, the 
adjustable columns 9-10 also maintain the frame 4-5 -7 in a planate 
configuration. 
By adjusting the lengths of the upright columns 9-10 and the length of the 
elongated diagonal cross brace 14, and elongated side brace 15 correctly, 
the frames 4-5 will be in their correct parallel positions. It is possible 
that the stringers may take a final position that is not directly above 
the weight bearing anchor. However, this is satisfactory as weight bearing 
posts need not be strictly vertical. All of the extensible posts are 
provided with means such as a clamp or set screw 16 to hold them at a 
selected length. Before everything is tightened finally, the weight 
bearing posts and the diagonal posts are capable of pivoting about their 
connecting bolts which, depending upon orientation, provide axis that are 
parallel or transverse to the stringers. The cross braces are usually 
connected to the same anchor as the opposite weight bearing post. However, 
another embodiment useful under different conditions, is to employ an 
entirely separate anchor such as an attachment 17 to a tunnel sidewall as 
shown in FIG. 6. 
As noted, the invention is especially useful in situations where precast 
tunnel sections are buried and the tunnels used as a housing for a 
temporary or permanent conveyor installation. This is illustrated in FIGS. 
5 and 6 in which the adjustable gap stringer sections of the invention may 
be placed in the tunnel sections before burying. After burying, the frames 
are adjusted to provide final precise alignment. 
In connection with adjustment, it may be useful to have the connection of 
the extensible post ends accomplished by a universal type connection such 
as provided by elements 13 and 18 in FIG. 4. In other cases, some limited 
adjustment may be provided by bending the flattened lower ends of the 
weight bearing posts as shown in FIG. 6. 
It will be obvious that because of its ability to accomodate uneven terrain 
the invention will in some cases permit installation of a conveyor with 
virtually no land levelling. In any case, the need for such work will be 
minimized.