Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Oct., 1887
Complete Left, 3rd Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 6th Apr., 1888
Ims invention has for its object improvements in the construction of endless bands
for the conveyance of minerals more especially of coal during which conveyance the
large lumps and foreign matter are picked off by hand.
Hitherto these belts have been constructed of links joined by rivets or pins to which
links metal plates are rivetted such plates being either perfectly flat with edges abutting
over the centre of each rivet or pin forming the joint or the plates have been made to
overlap by producing one plate over the other by joggling the over-lapping plate or
securing straight plates to links that are tapered to the extent of the thickness of the
plates. These bands or belts are driven by polygonal drums fitted with sprockets to
engage with the links and during the passage of the links round the said drums the
over-lapping or abutting edges of the plates are opened so that there is a free passage
for dust and small particles of mineral which cause injury to the machinery or become
wedged between the plates thus causing their distortion or breakage when after passing
round the drums the links resume the straight form.
Moreover such flat or joggled plates are very heavy when made sufficiently thick to
he strong enough for the purposes to which they are applied.
The object of my invention is to so curve and emboss the plates of metallic belts as
to prevent the mineral escaping between the edges of the plate when passing round
the polygonal drums and secure greater strength by reason of the embossing impart-
ing a corrugated or buckled surface to the general surface of the plate instead of the
usual flat surface hitherto employed; although part of my invention is applicable to
plates of the thicknesses usually employed and having a flat surface to receive the mineral
this part of my invention preventing the escape of small particles of minerals when
passing round the drums by which the belts are driven.
To prevent the escape of the mineral when passing round the drum I cause one edge
of each plate to under-lap the adjoining plate the said under-lapping edge (at right
angles to the line of motion of the belt) being curved to the arc of a circle the centre

page_text: of which is co-incident with the centre of the joint pin or rivot by which the links. of
the chain belt are coupled together, the plain or over-lapping edge of the plate thus
moves in close contact with the curved under-lapping edge thus leaving no space for
the escape of tlie mineral. To aliow of this curvature of the under-lapping edge the
curved edge may be notched at two or more points according as there are two or more
sets of links in the chain belt so that in the said notches there is room for the adjoin-
ing link to clear the plate when the belt is straight and not passing round the poly-
gonal drums--this however leaves two or more small spaces each equal in width to
the thickness of the links through which dust may pass and I therefore prefer to leave
the curved edges of the plates without notches and remove from the adjoining link a
curved notch into which the curved edge of the plate will fit when the chain belt
assumes the straight form-either method may be adopted without departing from my
invention.
The strength of the plates is somewhat increased by the curvature given to the edge
in order to seal the joint with the adjoining plate as described but I propose to further
increase the strength and at the same operation by which the edge is curved by
embossing the remaining portion of each plate with transverse. corrugations running
parallel to the curved edge, or instead of the corrugations the part of the plate between
the links to which the plates are secured may be buckled in a similar manner to the
well-known Mallett's buckled plates or by curving or arching the plates between the
rivets or other fastenings which secure the plates to the links.
This embossing and curving either separately or combined can be done in dies
subjected to steam hydraulic or other pressure.
By this invention the escape of mineral between the plates of the belt can be
prevented and the plates strengthened by the improved forms given to them
so that if fully embossed as described the improved plates may be made
about half the thickness of the plain plates hitherto used without loss of
strength.
Naha. 221 1887

page_text: improvements in Metallic Belts for Conveyance of Coal and other
Minerals.
I JOHN CLARK of Butterley near Alfreton in the County of Derby, Engineer,
do hereby declare the fature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention comprises improvements in the construction of endless belts or bands
for the conveyance of Minerals, more especially for coal, during which conveyanco
the larger lumps and foreign matter are picked off by hand leaving the residue to be
delivered by the belt or band at one end and be screened or otherwise dealt with by
methods which form no part of this invention.
Hitherto these belts have been constructed of links to which are rivetted flat metal
plates as shewn by Sheet 1 fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings or with a joggled
over-lapping edge as shewn by fig. 2 on the same sheet and are driven by polygonal
drums (similar to that shewn on Sheet 3 fig. 6) .to which sprockets are fitted for
engaging with and propelling the chain belt. In turning round the said drums,
when the belts or bands are constructed as shewn by Sheet 1, which shews two
methods of construction hitherto used the joints at a, a, a, a, are opened and allow
small particles of coal or other mineral to drop between the plates so as to fall among
the machinery, or be wedged between the open edges when the pieces are too large
to fall through, causing great resistance and distortion of the plates where they leave
the polygonal drum when the belt or band assumes the straight form. Moreover such
plates when made of the forms shewn on Sheet 1 figs. 1 and 2 require to be of
considerable thickness to bear the strains to which they are subjected in work and are
consequently heavy and require a considerable expenditure of power to propel
them.
To prevent the escape of mineral at the joints I curve the ends of the said plates as
shewn on sheet 2 figs. 3, 4 and 5, at a, a, and a, so that the adjoining plates always
remain in contact at the joints by reason of the curved edge being made to underlap
the adjoining straight edge both when moving in a straight line and when passing
round the polygonal drums and to increase the strength of the plates I also make
them of a corrugated form as shewn by fig. 5 sheet 2 or curved as shewn by fig. 4
sheet 2, or they may be stamped in a similar manner to the well known Mallett's
buckled plates. The curving of the underlapping edges may be formed by embossing
or stamping in suitable dies actuated by steam, hydraulic or other pressure and
at the same operation by which the corrugated, curved, or buckled portions are
formed.
Fig. 6 Sheet 3 and fig. 3 Sheet 2 shew how flat plates may be employed so as to
embody that part of my invention for preventing the escape of minerals between the
adjoining edges of the plates and the plates shewn by fig. 3 sheet 2 are rivetted to

page_text: parallel links with a washer inserted so that the plain edge of one plate may overlap
the curved edge of the adjoining plate. In fig. 6 sheet 3 the links are tapered to secure.
the overlap and the washers bare dispensed with.
In all these forms the under lapping edges must be curved to a circle described
from the centre of the joint pin or rivet in the link and a notch may be formed in the
link as shown at C Sheet 3, fig. 7a, to receive the curved edge of the plate which is
secured to the adjoining link..
When the improved forms of plates are applied to existing chains the links of which
are not prepared by notching, 1 notch the curved edge of the plate as shewn by
fig. 8 sheet which shews a plate prepared for a chain belt having two sets of links by
notches at h. h. and where there are three or more sets of links employed the notches
must be increased in number accordingly.
By this invention the joints between the plates of chain belts are kept constantly
closed and by the improved forms given to them they are greatly increased in strength
and may be constructed from thinner plates than those hitherto used and are
consequently stronger and lighter.
The links forming the chains to which the improved plates are secured may be
of the ordinary form consisting of single and double links alternately as shewn
on fig. 7 sheet 3 the sprockets S fig. 6 sheet 3 being so placed that they enter
the spaces between the double links and drive the chain by bearing on the ends of the
single links. But I prefer to notch the ends of the single links. But I prefer to
notch one end of the links as shewn by fig. 7a sheet 3, to receive the curved under
lapping edge as before described.
Having thus explained the nature of my invention and the method of applying the
same I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the exact forms or
proportions described as the form of the embossing or curving or the number of
corrugations may be varied without departing from the nature of my invention nor
are the forms described new excepting for the purposes to which I have applied them
but what I do claim is.
(1). The application to metallic carrying or sorting belts for coal or other minerals
of plates stamped into suitable forms as shewn on figs. 4 and 5, sheet 2 so as to obtain
the necessary strength with less weight of metal than would be required for plain
plates for the same purpose-and
(2). The formation of the curved under lapping edges as shewn at a, a, and a
Sheet 2 and fig. 8 Sheet 3 as and for the purposes described in both flat and embossed
plates.
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11
Dail
1000