Patent GB-916024-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to conveyor belt idler roller assemblies
IPC: B65G39/14
Filed: 1959-10-22
Abstract: 916,024. Idler roller assemblies for endless belt conveyers. WATT, T. Oct. 22, 1959 [Oct. 23, 1958], No. 35857/59. Class 78 (1). A troughing idler roller assembly comprises a plurality of idler rollers supported on axles articulated by means of joints which are provided with bias means for urging the axles resiliently towards coaxial alignment. As shown, Fig. 1, rubber bushes 26 are located axially, relative to non-rotatable axles 20 having abutting rounded ends 22, by means of circlips 28 and relative to a cylindrical sheath 30 by means of circlips 32, the bushes being under compression between circlips 28 and 32. Bearings 34, located substantially centrally on each axle by means of circlips 36, are housed in circumferentially split sheet-metal linings 38 retained in or bonded to sheaths 40 of resiliently flexible material, lips of adjacent sheaths being secured together by means of bolts 44. In a modification, Fig. 2 (not shown), the linings 38 are retained in or bonded to rubber rings which, when compressed by the connecting-bolts 44, expand radially to grip cylindrical sheaths internally. In a further modification, Fig. 3 (not shown), the sheaths 40 are replaced by metal cylinders bonded to the rubber rings, a gap being provided between adjacent cylinders. In further embodiments, non-rotatable axles 20 may be secured in members 152, Fig. 16, which are pivoted at 154 and which are provided with a spring 158 to urge the axles tswards coaxial alignment. In a modification, Fig. 14 (not shown) the axles are directly pivoted together and are provided with members having arms which are urged towards each other by means of a spring. In a further modification, Fig. 13 (not shown), arms secured to the axles extend upwardly and are urged apart by means of a resilient pad or a compression-spring. In a further embodiment, Fig. 12 (not shown); the axles 20 are pivotally mounted about pins in a yoke carrying a leaf-spring 124 whose ends abut against the axles 20 to urge them towards coaxial alignment. In a further embodiment, Fig. 10, rotatable axles 20 are mounted in bearings 90 carried by members 94 having downwardlyextending arms 100 which are urged together by means of springs 102 on a rod 104. In a modification, Fig. 11 (not shown), the bearing carrying members are provided with upwardlyextending arms which are urged apart by means of a compression spring. The ends of the axle structure may be supported by means of axle bearings supported in members pivotally mounted on a rigid support structure, Fig. 6 (not shown), or by means of pedestals supporting the ends of the axles and either adapted to pivot about a horizontal axis transverse to the axle axes, Fig. 7 (not shown), or adapted to be supported from above, Fig. 8 (not shown). In a further modification, Fig. 5, the axles are mounted in resilient bushes 64 secured in a pedestal 58 supported on a resiliently flexible base 60. The rubber sheaths, where used, are longitudinally compressed so as to be compressively stressed at maximum troughing of the axle assembly. The sheaths 40, 52 may each be provided with axially-spaced circumferential grooves or undulations on its outer surface, with undulations on its inner surface and with a thicker wall section near its centre than at its ends.