Flexible conveyor apparatus

Claim 2

The combination of an endless loop flexible conveyor belt and a carrier support therefor; said belt comprising a plurality of lost motion linkages connected to provide longitudinal expansion and contraction of the side edges of said belt jointly or separately to permit lateral curvature in the plane of the belt; said support comprising an articulated structure having an elongate generally rectangular planform and provided with means to maintain its upper portion at a desired height above ground level; said upper portion being provided with track means at each side to support the side edges of said belt for sliding movement therealong; transfer means at each end of said carrier support to engage said belt and guide it in a return direction; the articulated structure providing means for independent longitudinal expansion and contraction of each side of said support to approximately the same extent as the longitudinal expansion of said belt; and either side of said support being contractable in unison with the corresponding side edge of the belt to curve the combination apparatus laterally in a generally horizontal plane while leaving the opposite side fully expanded to maintain tension in the belt.

Claim 3

The combination as claimed in claim 1; and force-applying means to apply yieldable longitudinal expanding force to said support and produce a desired degree of tension in said belt; the contraction of one side of the support and belt serving to overcome the force-applying means sufficiently to produce the desired degree of curvature without preventing the force applying means from maintaining expansion of the other side of the support and belt.

Claim 4

The combination as claimed in claim 1; said support being expAndable and contractable through a greater range than said belt to ensure full expansion and tensioning of the belt and maximum contraction of the selected side edge of the belt for minimum turn radius.

Claim 5

The combination as claimed in claim 1; said track means serving to support the load-carrying portion of said belt; and second track means spaced below the first said track means at each side of the support and serving to support the return portion of said belt.

Claim 6

The combination as claimed in claim 1; the track means at each side of said support comprising a series of longitudinally spaced discrete track portions uniformly movable toward and away from each other longitudinally as the support contracts and expands.

Claim 7

Flexible conveyor apparatus for supporting an endless loop flexible conveyor belt which is adapted to expand and contract longitudinally at each side edge jointly or independently to produce lateral curvature in the plane of the belt, comprising: An elongate framework having a generally rectangular planform and having at least two longitudinally spaced upright main frame members at each side: means to maintain the main frame members at a desired height above ground level; at least one crossmember rigidly connecting each set of two laterally opposed main frame members to maintain them in predetermined relation to each other; longitudinally expandable and contractable connector means extending between each pair of longitudinally successive main frame members at either side of said framework to provide for longitudinal separation and approach of the frame members at one side of the framework independently of the frame members at the opposite side; contraction of the connector means at one selected side while the opposite connector means remains expanded serving to produce curvature of the framework in a horizontal plane; longitudinally extending track means carried by the framework along each side to support the belt in sliding relation; and transfer means at each end of the framework to engage the belt and guide it in a return direction; the track means at each side of said framework comprising a series of longitudinally spaced discrete track portions uniformly movable toward and away from each other longitudinally as the framework contracts and expands.

Claim 8

Flexible conveyor apparatus for supporting an endless loop flexible conveyor belt which is adapted to expand and contract longitudinally at each side edge jointly or independently to produce lateral curvature in the plane of the belt, comprising: An elongate framework having a generally rectangular planform and having at least two longitudinally spaced upright main frame members at each side: means to maintain the main frame members at a desired height above ground level; at least one crossmember rigidly connecting each set of two laterally opposed main frame members to maintain them in predetermined relation to each other; longitudinally expandable and contractable connector means extending between each pair of longitudinally successive main frame members at either side of said framework to provide for longitudinal separation and approach of the frame members at one side of the framework independently of the frame members at the opposite side; contraction of the connector means at one selected side while the opposite connector means remains expanded serving to produce curvature of the framework in a horizontal plane; longitudinally extending track means carried by the framework along each side to support the belt in sliding relation; and transfer means at each end of the framework to engage the belt and guide it in a return direction; the track means at each side of said framework comprising a series of longitudinally spaced discrete track portions uniformly movable toward and away from each other longitudinally as the framework contracts and expands.

Claim 9

Apparatus as claimed in claim 6; and force-applying means to apply yieldable longitudinal expanding force to said framework; said force being selectively yieldable to longitudinal contraction of either side of said framework independently of the opposite side.

Claim 10

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7; said force-applying means comprising a force unit extending between each successive pair of crossmembers; the force unit including a telescoping rod and tube having free ends connected to the successive crossmembers and a coil spring arranged to urge the rod out of the tube to increase the overall length of the force unit.

Claim 11

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8; said framework including a crossmember extending between the upper ends of each set of two laterally opposed main frame members and a second crossmember extending between the lower ends of said main frame members, all being rigidly secured to form a rigid boxlike structure; one force unit extending between each two successive upper crossmembers and one force unit extending between each two successive lower crossmembers; said force units lying substantially on the longitudinal centerline of the framework and being pivotally connected to the crossmembers.

Claim 12

Apparatus as claimed in claim 6; the connector means between two main frame members at either side of the framework comprising an articulated lazy-tong-type parallelogram linkage extending generally horizontally and with the plane of the linkage generally vertical; the free ends of the linkage being pivotally connected to the main frame members to constitute a trusslike arrangement.

Claim 13

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10; the track means at each side of said framework comprising A series of longitudinally spaced discrete track portions; one track portion being carried by the upper end of each main frame member and one track portion being carried by the upper apex pivotal connection of each set of lazy tong links; all of said track portions lying in a common horizontal plane.

Claim 14

Apparatus as claimed in claim 11; and a second set of discrete track portions at each side of said framework spaced directly below the first set and similarly connected to the lower apex pivotal connection of each set of lazy tong links and to the lower pivotal connection of one end link to each main frame member.

Claim 15

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10; the pivotal connections of the lazy tong links with each other and with the main frame members being provided with a small amount of play to provide for angular variation in a horizontal plane between each set of links and the frame members resulting in horizontal curvature of the framework.

Claim 16

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8; in which one track portion is carried by each main frame member and a plurality of track portions are arranged in spaced relation between two main frame members and carried by the connector means.

Claim 17

Apparatus as claimed in claim 6; the means to maintain the main frame members at a desired height comprising standards extending downwardly from the main frame members; and castered wheels at the lower ends of said standards to facilitate repositioning of parts of the framework while the apparatus is in operation.

Claim 18

apparatus as claimed in claim 16; and means to lock the wheels against castering to prevent displacement of the framework during operation.