Patent GB-707896-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to conveyors
IPC: B65G37/00
Filed: 1951-03-15
Abstract: 707,896. Endless belt conveyers. WHITE & CO., Ltd., J., and DORTON, E. W. March 14, 1952 [March 15, 1951], No, 6275/51. Class 78 (1) In a conveyer comprising endless belts or the like between which the articles to be moved are positioned, means are provided for adjusting the spacing between the belts or the like, e.g. to suit different sizes of articles, whilst separate means are provided for moving the belts or the like out of and into engagement with the articles without disturbing the spacing adjustment. As shown, two endless belts 3, 4 are positioned over a plate 1 for conveying articles along the latter by gripping opposite faces thereof. Each belt is mounted on a system of rollers 5, 6 and 44 carried on spindles journalled in a frame 7 movable underneath the plate 1, the spindles projecting through corresponding slots 15, 9 and 48 in the plate 1. Each frame 7 is transversely slidable along two rods 21, 22 extending transversely across the conveyer below plate 1, by means of yokes 19 carried adjacent each end of the frame. Nuts 25 are traversable along screw-threaded portions of the rods 21, 22 between the arms 20 of the yokes, by simultaneous rotation of the rods through a handle 37 and sprocket connection 38. Each rod 21 or 22 has two oppositely, threaded. screw portions, one for a yoke 19 of each frame 7 whereby simultaneous rotation of the rods causes the nuts 25 to approach or move away from one another. Frames 7 are caused to move with the nuts 25 by means of toggle linkages 26, 27 which may be simultaneously set to either an aligned position, Fig. 4, in which one arm 20 of the yoke is brought to a position adjacent the nut 25, or a bent position.. Fig. 2, in which the yokes are moved along the rods 21, 22 so as to move the frames 7 apart. Simultaneous movement of the toggle linkages is effected by a bell crank 32, slidably mounted on a hexagonal rod 34 and connected by links 31 to the toggle linkages of the respective frames 7, rotation of rod 34 to turn the cranks being effected by a handle 36. The crank 32 is caused to slide along rod 34 as the nuts 25 traverse the rods 21, 22 by means of a bar 40 interconnecting the nuts 25 of each frame and passinig between flanges 41 of a bush 42 integral with the crank. In use the toggle links are aligned end the frames 7 set by rotation of the rods 21, 22 to the correct distance apart for an article to be gripped by the belts 3, 4. To facilitate feeding of a batch of articles the toggle links are broken thus moving the belts 3, 4 further apart so that the articles can be inserted between the belts, the toggle links being again aligned to cause the belts to grip, the new batch of articles. To ensure that previously fed articles are not stopped when the belts are moved further apart the plate 1 is inclined downwardly in the conveying direction The driving drums 5 of the belts are driven through internal gearing 16-18 and worm gearing 11, 13 below plate 1, worms 13 being coupled by flexible shafts 14 to a single driving motor. The tensioning rollers 44 are each mounted on a pair of pivoted links 46 urged towards the belt by a spring 49 which is mounted on a pivoted rod 50 and adjusted by a nut 54.