Pipe conveyor apparatus

Pipe conveyor apparatus which includes an endless conveyor belt having a forward part and a return part. A section of the forward part is arranged into a substantially continuous form and a section of the return part is also arranged into a substantially continuous form. In accordance with the invention, the forward section is surrounded by the return section. Preferably, there is also provided a plurality of articulated structure components and a plurality of support frames wherein each structure component is interposed between adjacent support frames and pivotally attached to each adjacent and support frame. The apparatus for arranging the forward form may also function as a spacer between the forward part and the return part to maintain both the return part and the forward part in a spaced and co-axial orientation.

This invention relates to pipe conveyor apparatus suitable for conveying 
particular materials to a desired location. 
A conventional pipe conveyor apparatus comprises a forward run and a return 
run wherein material is loaded onto the conveyor at a loading location and 
discharged therefrom at a discharge facility. Usually in this regard the 
return run was located below the forward run and spaced therefrom. 
Normally there were provided head rollers at both the loading location and 
the discharge location one or both of which was power driven. There was 
also usually provided suitable support structure for both the forward run 
and return run and in one form this comprised a plurality of support 
frames each having an upper aperture or passage for travel therethrough of 
the forward run and a lower aperture or passage for travel therethrough of 
the return run. Associated with each of the passages were a plurality of 
peripheral rollers which contacted the belt so as to form it into a 
cylindrical shape. In this regard usually the belt was a flat or 
substantially planar endless belt having opposed side edges which were 
forced into overlapping relationship by the plurality of peripheral 
rollers. 
One problem associated with such conventional pipe conveyor apparatus was 
that erection of the support frame having the aforesaid upper and lower 
passages was time consuming and expensive and thus installation of such 
conventional pipe conveyor apparatus particularly in relation to mining 
applications was very capital intensive. Also such a plurality of support 
frames were very heavy and cumbersome. Examples of such conventional pipe 
conveyor apparatus is that described in South African Patent 87/04189, 
Australian Patent Specifications 60118/86 and 91503/82, U.S. Pat. No. 
4747344 and U.S. Pat. No. 4526272. 
In another arrangement universal joints were proposed for pivotally 
connecting upper and lower frames in a movable pipe conveyor as described 
in Australian Patent Specification 41263/85 and Australian Patent 
Specification 41272/85. However the upper frame usually included an upper 
space for passage of the forward run of the conveyor and the lower frame 
included a lower space for passage of the return run. Thus the same 
disadvantages as described above were also relevant to this prior art. 
Other disadvantages of prior art pipe conveying apparatus included the fact 
that often there was insufficient internal support for the return run. 
This meant the conveyor belt could not be taken around a sharp curve 
because it relied upon the natural spring or bias of the belt to keep the 
belt in contact with the peripheral rollers or idlers. If the curve was 
too sharp or acute then the return run could collapse against the support 
frame and this caused tangling of the belt. 
Another problem was that conventional pipe conveyor apparatus followed a 
set or predetermined path and thus was not suited for following a 
continuously changing or continuously variable path. 
The pipe conveyor apparatus of the invention therefore includes an endless 
conveyor belt having a forward part and a return part and forward forming 
means for forming a section of the forward part into a substantially 
continuous (e.g. cylindrical) form. There also may be provided return 
forming means for forming a section of the return part into a 
substantially continuous (e.g. cylindrical) form characterized in that the 
substantially continuous forward section is surrounded by the 
substantially continuous return section. 
The return forming means may include one and more suitably a plurality of 
peripheral sets of rollers which may be supported by one but more suitably 
a plurality of support frames spaced from each other along the length of 
the belt. In this arrangement the or each set of peripheral rollers may 
contact an outer surface of the return part. 
There also may be provided means for causing opposed side edges of the 
forward part to overlap or be located adjacent to each other suitably in 
relatively close proximity. In one form a suitably overlapping means may 
be an overlapping roller suspended by the one or more support frames 
referred to above which maintain the adjacent side edges of the forward 
part in overlapping relationship. 
There also may be provided means for maintaining opposed side edges of the 
return part in relative close proximity and this may comprise a pair of 
edge rollers for bearing contact against an associated side edge of the 
return part. 
The forward forming means may also suitably act as a spacer means between 
the forward part and the return part to maintain both return part and 
forward part in a spaced and co-axial orientation. Various forms of 
forward forming means may be adopted for this purpose including a set of 
peripheral rollers which contact the underside of the forward part and may 
be interposed between the forward part and the return part. Alternatively 
a rotatably supported curved axle may be used having a multiplicity of 
support discs attached thereto which are also interposed between the 
forward part and the return part. In yet another variation compressed air 
may be utilized as a suitable spacer means as described hereinafter in 
regard to the drawings. 
In another embodiment there may be provided a plurality of articulated 
structure components which may be interposed between adjacent support 
frames. This enables adjacent articulated structure components of the pipe 
conveyor apparatus to be pivoted with respect to each other. In this 
embodiment each structure component may be pivotally attached by means of 
a universal joint to a rear support frame as well as a front or forward 
support frame.

The conventional pipe conveyor apparatus 10 as shown in FIGS. 1-3 is 
typical of the prior art already discussed above and includes a forward 
run 11 and return run 12 driven by a head roller 14 and idler roller 13 
and supported by intermediate idler rollers 15. There is also shown feed 
hopper 16 and delivery end 17. The endless belt 18 is maintained in a pipe 
of cylindrical shape 19 by peripheral rollers 20 located in a plurality of 
frame members 21 having an upper aperture 22 for forward run 11 and lower 
aperture 23 for return run 12. Forward run 11 transports particulate 
material 24 from feed hopper 16 to delivery end 17. 
In contrast in the pipe conveyor apparatus 25 constructed in accordance 
with the invention as shown in FIG. 4 there is provided spaced conveyor 
support frames 26 separated by articulated structure components 27. 
Support frames 26 and structure components 27 which may optionally be 
supported by ground engaging wheels (not shown) surround conveyor belt 28 
which has a forward part or run 30 located within a return part or run 31. 
Forward run 30 carries particulate material 32 as shown. 
A structure component 27 includes top attachement lugs 33 and side 
attachment lugs 34 which are pivotally attached to support frames at 
attachment lugs or locations 35 and 36 respectively so as to form a 
universal joint between component 27 and support frame 26. Also provided 
are stops 37 to limit the amount of relative pivotal movement between 
succeeding components 27 and support frame 26. Support frame 26 also 
includes uprights 38 and cross members 39 and peripheral rollers 40 as 
well as roller 41 which enables adjacent side edges 42 of conveyor belt 28 
to overlap as best shown in FIGS. 6-8. 
In FIG. 5 there is shown end roller 43 having opposed bearings 44 and 
hydraulic ram assembly 45 for tensioning of belt 28 when required. As 
shown the return run 31 under the influence of guide frames 46 having 
idlers 47 will have its side edges 48 relax and gradually assume a planar 
orientation before engaging with head roller 43. There may also be a guide 
roller 99 fitted on the forward travel end of belt 48 to cushion the 
overlap between the belt edges. The belt 28 after passing over roller 43 
may then form forward run 30 which is separated from return run 31 by 
spacer means as described hereinafter in FIGS. 6-9. 
In FIG. 6 one form of spacer means 49 is illustrated which has a curved 
flexible axle 50 rotatably supported by thrust bearings 51 and auxiliary 
bearings 52. Also attached to axle 50 are support discs 53 rigidly 
attached thereto. Also shown are anti-slewing ribs 54 as well as edge 
rollers 55 which bear against side edges 48 of return run 31. Peripheral 
rollers 40 which support return run 31 are supported in opposed bearings 
56 which are supported by roller support members 57 attached to frame 
supports 26 at 59. 
In FIG. 7 another form of spacer means 58 is illustrated which comprises a 
pneumatic arrangement for injection of compressed air into space 60 
located between forward run 30 and return run 31. Compressed air may be 
injected into space 60 from nozzles 61 located in delivery pipe 62 which 
communicates with compressed air hoses 63. 
In FIG. 8 another form of spacer means 64 is illustrated which includes an 
inner set of rollers 65 which are located between forward run 30 and 
return 31. Inner rollers or idlers 65 are located between a pair of outer 
peripheral rollers 40 as shown. 
Of the various forms of spacer means which have been illustrated in FIGS. 
6-8 it is considered that the spacer means shown in FIG. 6 are preferred 
because of maintenance considerations. Thus inner rollers 65 may be 
relatively inaccessible whereas thrust bearings 51 are relatively 
accessible. 
In FIG. 9 there is shown a pipe conveyor 25 of the invention supported by a 
mobile gantry vehicle 66. In this arrangement the structure components 27 
which are essentially used as spacers between adjacent support frames 26A 
are omitted for reasons of clarity and convenience and support frames 26 
shown schematically have rigid links 68 interposed therebetween. Each 
support frame 26 may be supported by hydraulic ram assemblies 69 for 
height adjustment and also to vary the angle between loading end 70 and 
supply conveyor 71 which may supply mined material from a mine face. There 
is also shown delivery conveyor 72 whereby vehicle 66 may be utilized to 
effectively transfer material from supply conveyor 71 to delivery conveyor 
72. 
If desired in another possible arrangement each support frame may have 
rigid links 68 omitted and thus be movable about a horizontal axis as well 
as movable vertically for height adjustment purposes. In this case each 
support frame 26 may be attached to vertical hinge 73 which is attached to 
the cabin 74 of gantry vehicle 66. In this particular embodiment the pipe 
conveyor apparatus of the invention may adopt a tracking angular type of 
movement. Also shown is motor 75 which drives head roller 43 through 
output shaft 76. 
In FIG. 10 there is shown pipe conveyor apparatus 25 of the invention 
utilized for the purpose of mining wherein each articulated structure 
component 27 is supported by ground engaging wheels 77. Material may be 
transferred to a fixed belt (not shown) at a discharge end 79 from a 
mining location 80 mined by face shovel or continuous mining machine 82 
wherein mined material is passed to tracked head vehicle 81 for sizing and 
surge capacity. Material may then be transferred from loading end 82A of 
conveyor 82B to conveyor 25. Also movement of wheels 77 may be powered by 
chain drives 92 from the conveyor belt rollers 40. 
In FIG. 11 in another embodiment of the invention a cut away perspective 
view of an underground mine is illustrated whereby continuous mining 
machine 82 passes mined material to a tracked conveyor head vehicle 81 
which transfers material to pipe conveyor apparatus 25 as described in 
FIG. 10. The universal joint as described previously between support 
frames 25 and articulated structure components 27 are extremely useful for 
sloping or uncertain terrain. Material is transferred at discharge end 89 
to fixed conveyor 89A. 
In FIG. 12 there is shown pipe conveyor apparatus 25 of the invention used 
in an open cut mining situation wherein mined material is transferred from 
mine location 83 using face shovel 84 to a tracked conveyor head vehicle 
85. In this embodiment pipe conveyor apparatus 25 is supported by a boom 
86 of crane 87 whereby mined material may be passed to conveyor belt 88. 
In FIGS. 13-14 reference is made to the pipe conveyor apparatus 25 of the 
invention having control cables 93 for effecting lateral and vertical 
movement of pipe conveyor apparatus 25. Movement of control cables 93 may 
be effected by control cable winches 94 which are associated with tracked 
vehicle 95 shown in FIG. 14. There is also provided hydraulic ram 
assemblies 96 which may be used to elevate pipe conveyor apparatus 25 when 
required. Alternatively, a third cable 93A and winch 94A may be used to 
control the vertical attitude of the apparatus 25. As best shown in FIGS. 
13-14 upon release of control cables 93 stacker head 97 may be moved 
laterally shown by the arrow in FIG. 13. In this arrangement one cable 93 
is slack and the other cable 93 is pulled as shown by the arrows to effect 
the lateral movement of stacker head 97. In this arrangement also a stock 
pile 98 may be efficiently and readily erected.