Patent Description:
The invention relates generally to frames for power-driven conveyors. More particularly, the invention relates to brackets used to convert a pre-existing conveyor frame to a conveyor frame usable with a new or different type of conveyor belt, a conveyor converted from a first type of conveyor belt to a second type of conveyor belt and a method for performing the conversion.

Many kinds of conveyors are used to transport articles. Roller conveyors, for example, consist of an array of metal rollers arranged side by side along the length of a conveyor frame. The ends of the rollers are retained in opposite sides of the conveyor frame. The rollers rotate about axes directed widthwise across the conveyor perpendicular to the conveyance direction. The rollers may be passive, but are commonly driven to rotate by a drive belt. The width of the conveyor frame is fixed to accommodate the axial length of the rollers. Roller conveyors work well, but are notoriously noisy and often require repair. As another example, flat belt conveyors are also commonly used to transport articles. These conveyors include flat rubber or fabric belts tensioned between drive and idler pulleys at opposite ends. But a flat belt can drift to one side of the pulleys and stretch over time. If it tears, the belt must be removed from the conveyor, the torn section cut out, and a new section spliced in.

Because of the shortcomings of roller conveyors and flat belt conveyors, it is often desirable to replace them with thermoplastic low tension direct drive conveyor belts, examples of which include, but are not limited to Thermodrive®, available from Intralox, LLC of Harahan, LA,. SuperDrive™, available from Volta Belting and others known in the art. But converting to a modular belt conveyor from a roller conveyor, a flat belt conveyor, or another type of conveyor is usually a time-consuming and costly operation and requires the addition of wearstrips or other components. The conversion is difficult mainly because conveyor frames are typically designed to accommodate the rollers or the belt they were originally specified to be used with.

Thus, there is a need for a simple means for converting a pre-existing conveyor frame into a conveyor that runs a different type of conveyor belt.

<CIT> discloses a conversion bracket for converting a conveyor frame to accommodate a conveyor belt. The bracket includes a base, a plurality of shaft holders extending from a first end of the base and a plurality of wearstrip receptacles extending from a second end of the base. The bracket attaches to a shaft of a conveyor frame by inserting the shaft into the shaft holders. Wearstrips are inserted into the wearstrip receptacles, which are oriented and configured so that the inserted wearstrips rest on the tops of the shaft. In particular, <CIT> discloses a conversion kit for converting a conveyor frame to accommodate wearstrips forming a carryway for a conveyor belt according to the preamble of claim <NUM>, a conversion kit for converting a conveyor frame comprising a plurality of shaft to accommodate wearstrips forming a carryway for a conveyor belt according to the preamble of claim <NUM> as well as a method of retrofitting a positive-drive low tension thermoplastic conveyor belt to a flat belt conveyor frame according to the preamble of claim <NUM>.

A retrofit kit for converting a conveyor frame to enable a conveyor belt comprises brackets for mounting wearstrips forming a carryway for a conveyor belt. Each bracket includes a shaft holder for seating a shaft of the conveyor frame and a wearstrip seat for seating a wearstrip forming a carryway for the conveyor belt. A wearstrip configured to interlock with the brackets includes a nonlinear channel for coupling to a wearstrip seat.

According to claim <NUM>, a conversion kit for converting a conveyor frame to accommodate wearstrips forming a carryway for a conveyor belt comprises a first bracket and a wearstrip. The first bracket comprises a base, a wearstrip seat formed in the base for receiving a wearstrip and a shaft holder comprising a protrusion extending from the base and a shaft seat at the end of the protrusion for seating a shaft of the conveyor frame. The wearstrip has a nonlinear channel for interlocking with the wearstrip seat.

According to claim <NUM>, a bracket for connecting a wearstrip to a conveyor frame shaft comprises a base extending laterally from a first side to a second side, a shaft holder comprising a protrusion extending from the base and having an opening for receiving the conveyor frame shaft and a wearstrip seat comprising a shallow notch in an upper edge of the base separated from an elongated opening by a lateral beam.

According to claim <NUM>, a method of retrofitting a positive-drive low tension thermoplastic conveyor belt to a flat belt conveyor frame comprises the steps of attaching a plurality of conversion brackets to shafts on the conveyor frame, each conversion bracket including a plurality of shaft seats and a plurality of wearstrip seats and inserting a wearstrip having a nonlinear channel into a wearstrip seat, such that the wearstrip is held above the shafts.

A bracket for connecting a wearstrip and containment block to a longitudinally extending spine of a conveyor frame comprises a base extending laterally from a first side to a second side, a wearstrip seat formed in an upper edge of the base for receiving a wearstrip, an opening in a bottom edge of the base for mounting the base on a shaft and a containment block receptacle formed in the first side of the base for interlocking with a containment block. The containment block receptacle comprises a planar sheet extending perpendicular to the base, a first elongated opening in the planar sheet below a top edge of the planar sheet and a second elongated opening aligned with the first elongated opening formed in the base near the first side.

According to the invention, a conversion kit for converting a conveyor frame to accommodate wearstrips forming a carryway for a conveyor belt comprises a plurality of straight brackets and a plurality of curved brackets. Each straight bracket extends from a first side to a second side and has a plurality of first open slots in an upper edge. A first flange extends up from the first side and has a second open slot extending perpendicular to the first open slots. A second flange extends up from the second side and has a third open slot extending parallel to the second open slot. Each curved bracket has a curved base extending from a first side to a second side and a plurality of fourth open slots in an upper edge of the curved base. A third flange extends perpendicular to the upper edge at the first side and has a fifth open slot facing inwards and extending perpendicular to the third flange. A fourth flange extends perpendicular to the upper edge at the second edge and has a sixth open slot facing inwards extending perpendicular to the fourth flange. The straight brackets are mounted at first and second ends of a spine and the curved brackets are mounted at intermediate points on the spine.

These aspects and features of the invention are described in more detail in the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, in which:.

A kit for converting a conveyor frame includes a plurality of brackets that include wearstrip seats for seating wearstrips designed to interlock with the brackets to form a carryway for a conveyor belt. The invention will be described relative to certain illustrative embodiments.

<FIG> show two conveyor brackets <NUM>, <NUM> suitable for cooperating to connect wearstrips to shafts in a conveyor frame. The first conveyor bracket <NUM> includes a base <NUM> comprising a substantially planar metal substrate extending laterally from a first side <NUM> to a second side <NUM>. A plurality of shaft holders <NUM> extend from a first (front) end of the bracket for attaching the bracket <NUM> to a shaft in a pre-existing conveyor frame, as described below. Each illustrative shaft holder <NUM> comprises a protrusion extending from the base that curls up and inwards to form a seat <NUM> for receiving the shaft. The opening <NUM> is sized and positioned based on the size of the shaft. The shaft opening of the bracket may have any suitable size, shape and configuration to accommodate a particular size and shape conveyor component, such as a shaft. Each shaft opening <NUM> also includes cleaning recesses <NUM> to promote hygiene, though the invention is not so limited.

In one embodiment, the conveyor brackets <NUM>, <NUM> are laser-cut from stainless steel that is bent-to-order, though the invention is not so limited.

The base <NUM> may have any suitable number of shaft holders <NUM> spaced apart at any suitable intervals. The shaft holder <NUM> can be sized and shaped to accommodate any suitable conveyor frame shaft.

The bracket <NUM> also includes a plurality of wearstrip receptacles <NUM> formed in the top edge of the base for connecting wearstrips forming a carryway for a conveyor belt to shafts held in the shaft openings <NUM>. Each wearstrip receptacle <NUM> comprises a notch in the upper edge of the base sized and configured to receive a wearstrip. Each illustrative notch slightly flares out at the bottom, but the invention is not so limited.

The second conveyor bracket <NUM> includes wearstrip receptacles <NUM> that comprise a shallow notch <NUM> in an upper edge of a base <NUM> separated from an elongated opening <NUM> by a lateral beam <NUM>. The elongated opening <NUM> has a rounded bottom. The conveyor bracket <NUM> also includes shaft holders <NUM> having curved seats <NUM> for mounting the bracket <NUM> to a shaft of a conveyor frame.

The brackets <NUM> and <NUM> may also include containment block receptacles <NUM>, <NUM> at the second side <NUM>, <NUM> of the bases <NUM>, <NUM> for mounting side guards that flank the carryway to contain the conveyor belt. The brackets <NUM>, <NUM> may include containment block receptacles on one or both sides. The illustrative containment block receptacles <NUM> comprises a planar sheet <NUM> extending from and substantially perpendicular to a shaft holder <NUM> on the second side <NUM>. The planar sheet <NUM> has an upper shallow notch <NUM>, a lateral beam <NUM> and an elongated opening <NUM> with a rounded bottom. Opposing the elongated opening <NUM>, the second side <NUM> of the base <NUM> has an elongated, rounded bottom opening <NUM> aligned with and mirroring the elongated opening <NUM> in the planar sheet <NUM>. A lateral beam <NUM> forming a portion of the top edge of the base <NUM> caps the elongated opening and aligns with beam <NUM>. The outer edge <NUM> of planar sheet <NUM> aligns with the edge <NUM> of base <NUM>.

The containment block receptacle <NUM> of bracket <NUM> mirror the containment block receptacle of bracket <NUM>, including planar sheet <NUM>, notch <NUM>, aligned lateral beams <NUM>, <NUM> and aligned elongated openings <NUM>, <NUM>.

The brackets <NUM>, <NUM> can cooperate to mount wearstrips for a conveyor belt as shown in <FIG>. First, the brackets <NUM>, <NUM> are mounted on shafts <NUM> by inserting the shafts <NUM> into the shaft seats <NUM>, <NUM>, thereby connecting the wearstrip receptacles <NUM>, <NUM> to the shafts <NUM>. The shaft holders <NUM>, <NUM> can be welded to the shafts or otherwise affixed thereto. Then, wearstrips <NUM> are inserted in the associated wearstrip receptacles <NUM>, <NUM>. A wearstrip <NUM> can extend between a first wearstrip receptacle 630a on the first bracket <NUM> to a second wearstrip receptacle 730a aligned with the first wearstrip receptacle 630a to connected the brackets <NUM>, <NUM> together. A containment block <NUM> defining a side guard at the edges of a carryway is inserted in the containment block receptacle <NUM>. In the illustrative embodiment, the components of the brackets <NUM>, <NUM> are oriented such that the wearstrip <NUM> extends substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the shafts <NUM>, and the containment block <NUM> extends substantially parallel to the wearstrip, though the invention is not so limited.

The wearstrip <NUM> and containment blocks <NUM> are designed to interlock with the brackets <NUM>, <NUM> without requiring additional tools. For example, as shown in <FIG>, the wearstrip <NUM>, which has a T-shaped cross-section, has a non-linear channel <NUM> extending up from the bottom surface <NUM> for mating with a wearstrip receptacle <NUM> on bracket <NUM>. The non-linear channel <NUM> includes a first vertical portion <NUM> in communication with and extending up from the bottom surface <NUM>. A transverse portion <NUM> extends downward at an angle from the top of the first vertical portion. A second vertical portion <NUM> extends up from the bottom of the transverse portion <NUM>, which is above the bottom surface <NUM> of the wearstrip.

To attach the wearstrip <NUM> to the bracket <NUM>, the inlet of the channel <NUM> is brought near a notch <NUM> of an associated wearstrip receptacle <NUM>. The lateral bar <NUM> is inserted through the channel <NUM>, finally resting in second vertical portion <NUM>, with the solid portion of the wearstrip below the channel in the elongated opening <NUM>.

The wearstrip <NUM> further includes a wider, shallower, linear notch <NUM> spaced from the channel <NUM> for coupling with a wearstrip receptacle <NUM> of a bracket <NUM>. The notch <NUM> can be placed at any suitable location, depending on the spacing of shafts in the conveyor frame undergoing conversion.

The containment block <NUM> includes non-linear channels <NUM>, <NUM> for interlocking the containment block <NUM> with the containment block receptacles <NUM> or <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. The channels <NUM>, <NUM> are spaced apart by the same separation distance that separates the planar sheet <NUM> from the base portion <NUM> of the bracket <NUM>.

The width of the brackets <NUM>, <NUM> can change with conveyor width. The spacing of the wearstrips can also change with conveyor width. It is also feasible to manipulate the spacing of the wearstrip to facilitate a conveyor shape or a product loading. The invention can also be used to convert a conveyor frame for modular plastic conveyor belts or other conveyor belts and is not limited to a thermoplastic, direct drive conveyor belt.

In one application, the conversion brackets <NUM>, <NUM> may be used to convert a pre-existing frame, such as a frame <NUM> shown in <FIG> to accommodate a new conveyor belt. The frame <NUM> of <FIG>, which is known as a "rabbit ear conveyor frame" includes a central spine <NUM> and a plurality of shafts <NUM> extending up and out at an angle from the central spine. The shafts <NUM> form "rabbit ears" to allow troughing of a conveyor belt. The illustrative shafts <NUM> are spaced about <NUM> feet apart along the length of the spine <NUM>.

A plurality of conversion brackets <NUM>, <NUM> may be attached to selective shafts <NUM> in an alternating pattern to allow installation of wearstrips on the frame. The conversion brackets <NUM>, <NUM> are attached by inserting the shafts <NUM> into the shaft seats <NUM> or <NUM> of the brackets <NUM> or <NUM>.

After assembling the conversion brackets <NUM>, <NUM> in an alternating pattern along the length of the frame, wearstrips <NUM> are inserted into the wearstrip receptacles <NUM>, <NUM>, as shown in <FIG> and locked in place using the geometry of the parts. The wearstrips <NUM> can be bent and-or twisted to conform to the wearstrip receptacles, particularly in the transition areas at the ends of the frame.

The wearstrips <NUM>, when inserted in the wearstrip receptacles <NUM>, <NUM>, rest on the shafts <NUM> or slightly above the shafts <NUM> so they can deflect into contact with the shafts <NUM> under load, allowing the original frame to support the carryway and eliminating the need to remove components of the original frame.

After assembling the wearstrips, containment blocks <NUM> for containing a conveyor belt on the carryway are inserted in the containment block receptacles <NUM>, <NUM> of the brackets. The containment blocks can be alternatively be retained mechanically, such as with a rivet, pin or other fastener. In this manner, the containment blocks <NUM> can be easily installed, removed and -or replaced as needed.

<FIG> shows another embodiment of a converted conveyor frame <NUM> using a kit comprising a plurality of conversion brackets <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> attached directly to a central spine <NUM> and including wearstrip receptacles and container block receptacles configured to receive and interlock with wearstrip and containment blocks without requiring additional tools. The illustrative converted conveyor frame <NUM> employs brackets having troughed profiles and straight profiles, but the invention is not so limited. The frame <NUM> includes straight brackets <NUM> at each end for supporting the belt in the transition areas. The brackets progressively curve towards the center of the belt to create a trough for conveying product. Intermediate brackets <NUM> have intermediate curves and central brackets <NUM> have larger curves so that the conveyor belt forms a trough in this area. <FIG> is a front view of the converted conveyor frame <NUM>, showing a straight bracket <NUM>, a slightly curved bracket <NUM> and a troughed bracket <NUM>, each mounted on the spine <NUM> and including wearstrip receptacles <NUM> and container block receptacles <NUM>. <FIG>, which is a front view of the troughed bracket <NUM> shows the bottom opening <NUM> for mounting the bracket <NUM> to the central spine <NUM>. The wearstrip receptacles and container block receptacles may be similar to those described above with respect to brackets <NUM>, <NUM> and configured to fit with nonlinear channels on associated wearstrips and containment blocks to assemble the carryway of the conveyor. Alternatively, the wearstrip receptacles and container block receptacles may be configured to hold the wearstrips and -or container blocks forming side guards via friction fit, a snap fit, a mechanical fit or any suitable means. The brackets <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> can be welded or otherwise connected to the central spine.

<FIG> show another embodiment of a conveyor frame <NUM> formed using a kit comprising a plurality of brackets <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> for holding wearstrips that form a carryway. The brackets are connected to a central spine <NUM>. Brackets <NUM> at each end of the spine are straight, intermediate brackets <NUM> have a slight curve and central brackets <NUM> have a larger curve to form a trough. <FIG> is a front view of the central bracket <NUM>. <FIG> shows a portion of a wearstrip <NUM> suitable for use with the brackets <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> to form a carryway for a conveyor belt. The illustrative wearstrip <NUM> has a T-shaped cross-section. <FIG> shows an embodiment of a support bar <NUM>, which may be to provide extra rigidity to the conveyor frame.

Each bracket includes a plurality of open slots <NUM> in a top edge of a base <NUM> extending from a first side to a second side for receiving and holding a portion of a wearstrip. The slots <NUM> and wearstrips <NUM> are sized and configured so that the slots <NUM> hold the wearstrips <NUM> tightly by pinch design, without requiring tools or connectors.

The side of each bracket includes a flange <NUM> extending at a right angle from the top of the bracket base at that side. Each flange <NUM> includes an open slot <NUM> essentially extending at a right angle to the next nearest open slot <NUM>∘ and facing inwards, towards the lateral middle of the frame. A wearstrip inserted in the flange open slot <NUM> functions as a side guard for a conveyor belt that is mounted on the conveyor frame. The side guards extend along each side of a conveyor belt extending along a carryway formed by the top edge open slots <NUM> to contain the conveyor belt.

One or more of the flanges <NUM> may include a recess <NUM> on an outer surface forming a seat for a reinforcing bar <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, after connecting the brackets <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> to the central spine <NUM>, reinforcing bars <NUM> may be seated in the recesses <NUM> of several central brackets <NUM> and connected to the brackets to reinforce the frame structure. As also shown in <FIG>, the T-shaped wearstrips may be inserted in the slots, with the stem of each wearstrip received in a slot, and the top portion forming the carryway for contacting and guiding a conveyor belt. When a conveyor belt is mounted on the frame <NUM>, the outside wearstrips <NUM> flank the sides of the conveyor belt and the other wearstrips <NUM> are under the conveyor belt.

Each curved bracket may further include bracing arms <NUM> for additional support. In addition, each bracket includes a bottom opening <NUM> for mounting the bracket to the central spine <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A conversion kit for converting a conveyor frame (<NUM>) to accommodate wearstrips forming a carryway for a conveyor belt, comprising:
a plurality of straight brackets (<NUM>), each straight bracket (<NUM>) extending from a first side to a second side and a plurality of curved brackets, each curved bracket having a curved base extending from a first side to a second side, wherein the straight brackets are mounted at first and second ends of a spine and the curved brackets are mounted at intermediate points on the spine, said conversion kit characterised by each straight bracket (<NUM>)
having a plurality of first open slots (<NUM>) in an upper edge, a first flange (<NUM>) extending up from the first side and having a second open slot (<NUM>) extending perpendicular to the first open slots (<NUM>) and a second flange (<NUM>) extending up from the second side and having a third open slot (<NUM>) extending parallel to the second open slot (<NUM>);
and
by each curved brackets (<NUM>, <NUM>) having a plurality of fourth open slots (<NUM>) in an upper edge of the curved base (<NUM>), a third flange (<NUM>) extending perpendicular to the upper edge at the first side and having a fifth open slot (<NUM>) facing inwards and extending perpendicular to the third flange (<NUM>) and a fourth flange (<NUM>) extending perpendicular to the upper edge at the second edge and having a sixth open slot (<NUM>) facing inwards extending perpendicular to the fourth flange (<NUM>),
wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth open slots (<NUM>, <NUM>) are configured to receive wearstrips (<NUM>).