Abstract:
A return side conveyor belt support for a conveyor may comprise: a mandrel mountable to the far side of the conveyor and extending transversely toward the near side thereof; a member slidably and rotatably mountable to the mandrel from the near side of the conveyor for sliding thereon and for rotating about the mandrel: a return roller rotatable and supported by the member, wherein the return roller is transverse to the conveyor belt when the member is mounted to the mandrel, wherein rotating the member in a first direction moves the return roller to an operating position for supporting the conveyor belt and rotating the member in a second direction moves the return roller to a position wherein the member and return roller are removable from the support mandrel.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to a conveyor roller servicing apparatus and particularly to an arrangement for servicing the return rollers on an endless conveyor belt handling particulate material and the like. 
         [0002]    The movement of industrial material in the form of aggregate and particulate material has for many years been accomplished through trough-type conveyors which operate in relatively severe conditions and require periodic maintenance for changing and lubricating rollers to prevent belt damage. Typically, the return rollers on conveyor belts need to be disconnected from mounting brackets on opposite sides of the conveyor support frame, when it is desired to change or repair the return rollers. The return roller, which contacts the underside of the conveyor belt, operates in a hostile environment where the conveyor belt is used in applications where aggregate and particulate material are conveyed by the belt. The return roller, of course, operates on the dirty side of the belt and the hostile conditions involve dirt, abrasive material, corrosive material, such as salt and moisture, which affect the bearings of the return roller and cause the return roller to stop turning. Hence, changing of the return roller is required to prevent damage to the belt. On many conveyor belt systems, access to the mounting brackets for the return rollers is limited due to the conveyor system being elevated above ground and a catwalk is located on only one side of the conveyor system. Also, space is normally not available on both sides of the conveyor belt system and it would be expensive to duplicate the catwalk and platforms on both sides of the conveyor system for servicing the rollers. Generally, maintenance personnel in order to change or work on the return rollers have used safety lanyards or special safety equipment and have had to work out on the framework of a truss to gain access to the far side of the conveyor belt system where no catwalk is available. Furthermore, since safety procedures and standards have become very strict, it has become more tedious and time consuming to safely gain access to the far side of the conveyor in order to replace or service the return roller on elevated conveyor belt systems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention provides a mounting apparatus for return rollers on a conveyor system that holds the return roller in proper engagement with the conveyor belt when the conveyor belt system is operating under normal conditions. When it is desired or necessary to replace or otherwise service the return roller, the present invention provides an arrangement of apparatus to permit disengagement of the return roller from its normal operating position and removal from the conveyor system from one side of the conveyor belt, without the need to access the return roller from the far side of the conveyor support structure. The present invention maintains the rigid support for the return roller in the conveyor belt mounting arrangement while permitting easy removal of the return roller from one side of the conveyorbelt system. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the drawings furnished herewith illustrate the present invention. 
           [0005]    In the Drawings: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is the perspective view of a conveyor assembly for conveying material embodying the present invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged sectional view of the conveyor assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a fragmentary side elevational view of the left side of FIG.  2 .; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a fragmentary side elevational view of the right side of FIG.  2 .; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a fragmentary, exploded view of a portion of  FIG. 2  showing the return roller structure being removed; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a fragmentary side elevational view of  FIG. 5  showing the return roller being removed; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a further view of the return roller and its support assembly similar to  FIG. 5  but showing the return roller completely removed from the support shaft; 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a further view of the return roller and its support assembly similar to  FIG. 7  but showing the return roller beneath its support assembly; 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is a side elevational view of  FIG. 8  showing the support structure for the return roller in  FIG. 8 , but with the return roller structure removed; 
           [0015]      FIG. 10  is a view of the return roller mounting tubing and brackets for support of the return roller and retainers for the roller shaft; 
           [0016]      FIG. 11  is an exploded side elevational view of the return roller mounting tube, bracket and retainer of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 12  is a side elevational view of the mounting bracket which supports the free end of the return roller; 
           [0018]      FIG. 13  is a top view of the mounting bracket of  FIG. 12 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 14  is a side elevational view of the mounting bracket of  FIG. 12 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 15  is a view of the mandrel for supporting the return roller structure attached to its support bracket; 
           [0021]      FIG. 16  is a side elevational view of the support bracket and mandrel of  FIG. 15 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 17  is a top elevational view of the bracket and mandrel of  FIG. 15 , 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0023]    Referring now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates an endless conveyor belt assembly generally designated  10 . The endless conveyor belt assembly for illustration, includes an endless troughing conveyor belt  11  extending around a head pulley  12  and a tail pulley  13  providing a carry side  11   a  and a return side  11   b  for the belt, which is supported by a belt support frame  14 . There is provided along the belt support frame  14 , a plurality of belt supports  19  supporting the conveyor belt  11  between the head pulley  12  and the tail pulley  13 . The conveyor belt  11  is designed to transport aggregate or particulate material that is loaded onto the conveyor belt through chute  15  in loading zone  16 . The conveyor belt  11  carries the material away from the loading zone  16  and discharges the material at the head pulley  12  area. As shown in the sectional view of  FIG. 2 , the carry run of the conveyor belt is supported by a series of rollers. More specifically, at each belt support station  19  along the carry run of the conveyor, the conveyor belt is supported by a central roller  17  and a pair of wing rollers, each designated  18 , extending upwardly along the edges of the conveyor belt to provide a troughing arrangement for the edges of the conveyor belt  11 . The troughing arrangement prevents the aggregate materials from spilling over the edges of the conveyor belt as the material is transported along the conveyor belt. 
         [0024]    Generally, the conveyor belt is formed of a heavy duty material, such as a fabric made of nylon, polyester, kevlar, fiber glass or other such material, and may be covered in rubber. As noted the marginal sides of the belt are canted upwardly to form a trough configuration preventing heavy aggregate material, such as stones or the like or particulate material from spilling from the belt. It is also noted that, after the material has settled on the belt from the loading zone, it may not be necessary to maintain the troughing of the belt to the discharge area. The central and wing roller arrangement are mounted for rotation to formed brackets or stanchions  35  attached to the belt support frame  14  at intervals along the underside of the belt  11  to physically support the belt and maintain the desired location of the belt between the belt supports  14 . Each belt support is similarly constructed as indicated in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , a return roller  20  is supported by the belt support structure frame  14  beneath the central roller and wing rollers  17  and  18 , respectively. The rollers may be formed of steel or, alternatively, may be formed of an impact absorbing material, such as, rubber, plastic, urethane or a combination of steel and an energy absorbing material. An energy absorbing material is desired in high impact loading applications. Of course, since the belt supports are spaced apart from one another, the belt can deflect to absorb impact forces, thereby reducing damage to the belt. 
         [0025]    As previously mentioned, the return roller  20  contacting the return side  11   b  of the belt  11  in the prior art is generally held or attached to the belt support frame  14  by brackets at each end of the roller fixed to opposite sides of the belt support structure to support the return roller. Since the return roller supports the belt on the return side of the belt, which has conveys the aggregate material, it operates in a hostile environment, requiring periodic replacement or servicing of the roller, as the bearings can fail so the roller does not turn and, accordingly, wears the belt. The present invention facilitates an arrangement for easily replacing or servicing the return roller from one side of the conveyor belt system. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  4 , the details of the support structure for the return rollers is shown. When the need arises to replace or otherwise service, the return roller structure of the present invention allows the roller to be disengaged by releasable support apparatus from its normal operation position and removed from the conveyor system from one side of the conveyor system. The structure for holding the return roller  20  in position includes a tubular member or hollow shaft  21 , which is received and supported on a mandrel or shaft  22 , as shown more specifically in  FIGS. 2 ,  5  and  7 . The mandrel  22  is fixed to a bracket  23 , as by welding, and the bracket  23  is fixed to the belt support frame  14 , preferably by being bolted to the belt support structure  14 . The bracket and mandrel arrangement is shown more clearly in  FIGS. 14-16 . Slots are provided in the upper portion of the bracket  23  for receiving bolts threaded into the belt support frame. In this manner, the mandrel is held fixed and stationary relative to the belt support frame  14 . 
         [0027]    As shown most clearly in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  5  and  7 , the return roller structure  25  includes the tubular member  21 , which slides over and onto the mandrel shaft  22  until it is adjacent the mounting bracket  23  at the far side of the conveyor belt structure. The return roller structure further includes brackets  26  and  27 , which are fixed to and extend outwardly from the tubular member  21  to opposite ends of a central shaft through the return roller  20 . As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the brackets  26  and  27  are provided with notches  26   a  and  27   a  to receive the opposite ends of the shaft through the return roller. The return roller shaft is held in the notches by shaft retainers  28  and  29 , respectively, which are fixed to the brackets  26  and  27 , as by screw, through the openings, such as opening  28   a  in retainer  28  mating with an opening  26   b  in the bracket  26 . The opening  28   a  and  26   b  are adapted to receive a screw to hold the parts together and the shaft of the return roller in place. The retainer  29  is similarly arrange, as the retainer  28 , and held to bracket  27  for capturing and holding the opposite side of the shaft of the return roller. 
         [0028]    The accessible or free end of the return roller structure  25  is supported by releasable support apparatus generally designated  25   a  at the free end of the mandrel  22 . More specifically, the return roller structure is supported at its free end in a notch or recessed  30   a  of bracket  30 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  6  and  9 . Bracket  30  is shown most clearly in  FIGS. 11 ,  12  and  13  and is provided at its top section with slots  31  for receiving screws to fix bracket  30  to the belt support frame  14 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  5  and  6 , a rotatable member shown as a lever or crank  32 , is fixed to the free or accessible end of the tubular member  21  of the return roller structure  25 . The lever is provided with a handle  33  for rotating the lever and the return roller structure about the mandrel  22 . 
         [0029]    In this arrangement, as indicated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the tubular member  21  of the return roller structure  25  is slid onto the mandrel  22  with the return roller  20  being free to pass by bracket  30  and be slid down the mandrel  22 . When the tubular member  21  is adjacent bracket  23 , the return roller structure  25  is then rotated into operative position, as shown in  FIG. 2 , to support the under side of the conveyor belt. When the return roller structure is rotated into its operative position to support the conveyor belt by the handle on the lever, the lever  32  is locked into position as by a locking mechanism. In the arrangement shown, the locking mechanism includes a cap screw passing through opening  32   a  in the lever mating with opening  30   b  in the bracket  30 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . More specifically, the cap screw would be threaded into the openings  32   a  and  30   b  for locking the return roller structure fixed to support bracket  30  for maintaining the return roller structure in operative position for supporting the conveyor belt  11 . 
         [0030]    When it is desired to remove or service the return roller  20 , the cap screw  34  in  FIG. 3  would be removed permitting the lever  32  to be rotated moving the return roller structure from its operative position to be rotated about mandrel  22  to the position shown in  FIG. 5 . The return roller structure is then slid off the mandrel  22  as shown in  FIG. 5  with the return roller bypassing support bracket  30  for complete removal from the mandrel, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . In this manner, the return roller is permitted to be easily removed from the mandrel  22  and replaced on the mandrel  22  be returned to its operative position. 
         [0031]    The present invention thus provides an effective, efficient and safe manner to service the return roller from one side of the conveyor belt structure, avoiding the necessity for access to the return roller support structure from the opposite side of the conveyor belt. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications can be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the broad inventive concept of the invention. For example various parts can be fixed together by a wide variety of means known to those skilled in the art. It should be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described herein but is intended to include all changes and modifications that are within the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.