BEND-SHAPED CONVEYOR DEVICE

Abstract: The invention relates a bend-shaped conveyor device (1) comprising: a drive roller (3); a reversing roller (4); an endless cloth (2) with is tensioned round the drive roller (3) and the reversing roller (4); and a drive (5) for the drive roller (3). The invention has for its object to provide a device of the type stated at the outset which has on its drive end a substantially straight progression, so that it is suitable for inclusion in a production line without the use of a transfer plate or the like being required. For this purpose the bend-shaped conveyor device according to the invention has the feature that the drive roller (3) has a substantially cylindrical form and comprises two or more cylindrical roller segments (7) which are arranged substantially co-axially on a drive shaft, wherein at least one of the roller segments (7a) is fixedly connected to the drive shaft (10) and the other roller segments (7) are arranged for rotation round the drive shaft (10). The invention also relates to a drive roller (3) and a cylindrical roller segment such as described as part of the bend-shaped conveyor device according to the invention.

Description: BEND-SHAPED CONVEYOR DEVICE The invention relates to a bend-shaped conveyor device comprising: - a drive roller; - a reversing roller; - an endless cloth which is tensioned round the drive roller and the reversing roller; and - a drive for the drive roller. Such a bend-shaped conveyor device is known in practice. The known bend-shaped conveyor device makes use of a conical drive roller. Using this conical drive roller ensures that more cloth is displaced on the longer outer side of the bend- shaped running cloth per rotation of the drive roller than on the shorter side. This results in the conveyor device having the same transporting speed across the entire width thereof. The conical surface of the drive roller necessitates the use of a transfer plate or additional transfer conveyor device when the bend-shaped conveyor device is connected, for instance in a production line, to a fur- ther device for processing the products supplied by the bend-shaped conveyor device. Known devices for a production line generally have a straight transfer side for connection onto a conveyor device. A suitable transfer plate or transfer conveyor device has on one side a form which connects onto the conical progression of the drive roller of the bend-shaped conveyor device and is straight on the other side for connection onto the device for further processing of the products. The invention has for its object to provide a device of the type stated in the preamble which has on its drive end a substantially straight progression, so that it is suitable for inclusion in a production line without the use of a transfer plate or the like being required. For this purpose the bend-shaped conveyor device according to the invention has the feature that the drive roller has a substantially cylindrical form and comprises two or more cylindrical roller segments which are ar- ranged substantially co-axially on a drive shaft, wherein at least one of the roller segments is fixedly connected to the drive shaft and the other roller segments are arranged for rotation round the drive shaft. In a preferred embodiment of the conveyor device according to the invention two or more adjacent roller segments are in mutual friction contact. The roller segment fixedly connected to the drive shaft is preferably placed along the longest side of the cloth. The desired speed profile over the drive roller is hereby obtained in advantageous manner. The fixedly driven roller segment will rotate at a rotation speed determined by the drive, wherein the other roller segments co-rotate due to the mutual friction contact. The speeds at which the other roller segments co-rotate decrease per roller segment, the further away the relevant roller segment is situated from the fixedly driven roller segment. The cloth is thus driven at a speed varying across the width thereof using a drive roller with a cylindrical form. In a further embodiment the drive roller comprises one or more slip discs, at least one of which is always placed between each pair of adjacent roller segments. The slip discs are preferably of ceramic material. It has been found in practice that the use of ceramic material for the slip discs surprisingly results in very low development of heat, whereby the conveyor device according to the invention is found to be suitable for all kinds of applications in this embodiment. In a further preferred embodiment the drive roller is provided with biasing means for placing the roller segments under tension. Using these biasing means the desired friction contact between the roller segments can be adjusted subject to the chosen materials. The invention also relates to a drive roller and a cylindrical roller segment such as described as part of the bend- shaped conveyor device according to the invention. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the annexed drawing, in which: figure 1 shows a perspective view of a bend- shaped conveyor device according to the invention; figure 2 shows a sectional view of the drive roller of the conveyor device according to the invention,- and figure 3 shows a sectional view of a cylindrical roller segment of the conveyor device according to the invention . Figure 1 shows conveyor device 1 according to the invention. An endless cloth 2 is tensioned in known manner by drive roller 3 and reversing roller 4. A drive 5 known in the field is connected to drive roller 3 for driving thereof . Figure 2 shows drive roller 3 in sectional view. Drive roller 3 comprises a drive shaft 10 on which roller segments 7 are arranged. The roller segments have a cylindrical form and are arranged co-axially on drive shaft 10. Roller segment 7A is fixedly connected to drive 5, for instance by means of spike 14. The other roller segments 7 are placed for rotation round shaft 10. In the shown embodiment they are in mutual friction contact. At least one slip disc 8 is preferably placed between each pair of adjacent roller segments 7. These slip discs are preferably of ceramic material . The last roller segment 7B is connected to biasing means 6 with which roller segments 7 (including segment 7A and segment 7B) can be placed under tension. Biasing means 6 preferably comprise cup springs 15 which press via a sleeve 16 and a thrust bearing 17 against roller segment 7B. By adjustment of the cup springs the friction contact between segments 7 (and optionally slip discs 8) can be adjusted depending on the materials chosen therefor. The operation of the shown preferred embodiment according to the invention is as follows. Roller segment 7A rotates at a pre-determined speed depending on drive 5. Due to the mutual friction contact between the other, non-fixedly driven roller segments 7 these other roller segments likewise rotate. It will be apparent that all roller segments 7 rotate at a mutually differing speed. A speed profile is now created over drive roller 3 which progresses from a higher speed of segment 7A to a lower speed in the direction of segment 7B . Hereby is effectively achieved that cloth 2 is driven at a different speed at the position of each separate roller segment 7. These speeds depend inter alia on drive 5, the possible use of slip discs 8, the choice of material for roller segments 7 and/or slip discs 8 and on the setting of biasing means 6. The shown preferred embodiment is very advantageous because on the longest side of cloth 2, i.e. in the "outside bend" close to drive 5, roller segment 7A ro- tates at the highest rotational speed on drive shaft 10. The largest quantity of cloth is therefore displaced per rotation at the position where this is required. It will however be apparent that the position of the fixedly driven roller segment can also lie elsewhere on drive roller 3. It will likewise be apparent that, as required, two or more roller segments 7 can be fixedly driven and that these do not neces-sarily have to be arranged adjacently of each other on drive roller 3. The fixedly driven roller segment can for instance be placed in the middle of drive roller 3. In the illustrated embodiment this means that all roller segments 7 situated to the right of the fixedly driven roller segment are driven by friction. All roller segments situated to the left of the fixedly driven roller segment do not have to be driven, but can for instance be freely rotatable. Alternatively, further biasing means can be provided for placing these latter roller segments under tension, so that they are also driven. In its -simplest embodiment, drive roller 3 comprises two roller segments, one of which is fixedly driven. Each of the two roller segments can then form for instance half the drive surface of drive roller 3. The roller segments herein do not necessarily have to be in mutual friction contact. As alternative the roller segments can be driven individually at mutually differing speeds, for instance using a differential. Figure 3 shows roller segments 7 in more detail. Each roller segment 7 is a hollow cylinder in which a slide bearing 9 is placed. Roller segments 7 are further provided on one side with a recess 12 for receiving a protrusion such as cam 13 of a slip disc 8. A slip disc 8 can be locked in advantageous manner in a roller segment 7 through co-action of recess 12 and protrusion 13. If desired, a roller segment 7 can be provided on both sides with a slip disc 8 in analogous manner. Two slip discs 8 are then situated between each pair of adjacent roller segments 7. Examples of suitable materials for the roller segments are cast nylon, rubber, plastic etc. The drive surface of the roller segments can optionally be rough. Examples of suitable materials for the cloth known in the professional field are canvas, optionally provided with a plastic layer, thin rubber, etc. Reversing roller 4 preferably comprises two or more cylindrical roller segments arranged rotatably round the shaft of the reversing roller. These roller segments are preferably provided with slide bearings so that they can easily co-rotate with the cloth. The same materials can be used for the roller segments of the reversing roller as for the roller segments of the drive roller. The bend-shaped conveyor device according to the invention is suitable for many applications. It can for instance be utilized in the packaging industry for transporting boxes or crates or for packaging products, including foodstuffs such as chocolates or cakes. The conveyor device according to the invention is also par- ticularly suitable for luggage transport, partly because of its low noise level. The invention is of course not limited to the shown and described embodiment, nor to the stated applications, but extends to all embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims. *****

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Bend-shaped conveyor device comprising: - a drive roller; - a reversing roller; - an endless cloth which is tensioned round the drive roller and the reversing roller; and - a drive for the drive roller, characterized in that the drive roller has a substantially cylindrical form and comprises two or more cylindrical roller seg- ments which are arranged substantially co-axially on a drive shaft, wherein at least one of the roller segments is fixedly connected to the drive shaft and the other roller segments are arranged for rotation round the drive shaft . 2. Bend-shaped conveyor device as claimed m claim 1, wherein two or more ad acent roller segments are in mutual friction contact. 3 Bend-shaped conveyor device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the roller segment fixedly connected to the drive shaft is placed along the longest side of the cloth 4 Bend-shaped conveyor device as claimed m claim 1, 2 or 3 , wherein at least the roller segment fixedly connected to the drive shaft is provided with a rough surface. 5. Bend-shaped conveyor device as claimed m any of the foregoing claims, wherein each of the other segments is provided w th a cavity for receiving the drive shaft, m which cavity is placed a slide bearing 6 Bend-shaped conveyor device as claimed m any of the foregoing claims 2-5, wherein the drive roller comprises one or more slip discs, at least one of which is always placed between each pair of adjacent roller segments . 7. Bend- shaped conveyor device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the roller segments are provided on at least one side thereof with a recess, and wherein the slip discs are provided on at least one side thereof with a protrusion which is adapted to co-act with the recess of an adjacent roller segment. 8. Bend- shaped conveyor device as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the slip discs comprise ceramic material. 9. Bend-shaped conveyor device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims 2-8, wherein the drive roller is provided with biasing means for placing the roller segments under tension. 10. Bend-shaped conveyor device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the reversing roller com- prises two or more cylindrical roller segments which are arranged for rotation round the shaft of the reversing roller. 11. Drive roller as described as part of the bend- shaped conveyor device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims 1-9. 12. Cylindrical roller segment as described as part of the bend-shaped conveyor device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims 1-7.

Inventors: LEEGWATER NICOLAAS JOHANNES, LEEGWATER, NICOLAAS, JOHANNES
Applicants: ASHWORTH JONGE POERINK B V, LEEGWATER NICOLAAS JOHANNES, ASHWORTH JONGE POERINK B.V., LEEGWATER, NICOLAAS, JOHANNES
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B65G15
IPC codes: B65G15