Belt-tracking compensator

Claim 2

Materials-handling apparatus, which comprises: means for advancing an article along a predetermined path, a conveyor provided at each side of said predetermined path for guiding products therealong, means mounting one end of at least one of said side conveyors for movement towards and away from the corresponding end of the other side conveyor, said movement changing the tension in the side conveyor, and means responsive to said movement of the end of the side conveyor for varying the attitude of the conveyor mounting means to compensate for the change in tension.

Claim 3

Materials-handling apparaTus according to claim 1, wherein both of said side conveyors are mounted at the upstream ends thereof for movement of the downstream ends towards and away from each other for the side conveyors.

Claim 4

Materials-handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: each of the side conveyor means includes a pair of spaced supports and a belt mounted therebetween.

Claim 5

Materials-handling apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said means for compensating for changes in tension in said side conveyor means includes: supports for pitching movement about a pivot pin mounted therein, and means for pitching said support about said pivot pin in response to movement of the ends of the side conveyors towards and away from each other.

Claim 6

Materials-handling apparatus, which comprises: a pair of spaced, generally vertically disposed, spindle shafts, means mounting one of said spindle shafts for pitching movement about a generally horizontal axis, a spindle mounted on each of said spindle shafts, a conveyor belt mounted between said spindles, means for varying the tension in said conveyor belt, and means for pitching said one of said spindle shafts in response to variance in the tension in the conveyor belt to maintain the conveyor belt on the spindles.

Claim 7

Materials-handling apparatus, which comprises: a pair of spaced, generally vertically disposed, spindle shafts, means mounting one of said spindle shafts for pitching movement about a generally horizontal axis, a spindle mounted on each of said spindle shafts, a conveyor belt mounted between said spindles, means for varying the tension in said conveyor belt, and means for pitching said one of said spindle shafts in response to variance in the tension in the conveyor belt to maintain the conveyor belt on the spindles.

Claim 8

Materials-handling apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: a second conveyor belt is mounted in an identical manner between spaced, generally vertically disposed, spindles and disposed opposite the first conveyor belt, means for advancing articles along a predetermined path between the vertically disposed conveyor belts, means mounting said pitchable spindle shafts for movement towards and away from each other, and means mounting the other of the spindle shafts for pivotal movement about their generally vertical axes such that movement of the pitchable spindle shafts will adjust the two conveyor belts to varying degrees of convergence.

Claim 9

Materials-handling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the means for mounting said pitchable spindles for movement towards and away from each other includes: a threaded rod mounted above and transversely of said predetermined path, and casting means adapted to receive said spindle shafts mounted on said threaded rods, said threaded rods being threaded in the opposite direction for the two casting means.

Claim 10

Materials-handling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein: each of said castings includes a threaded aperture above and in parallel spaced relationship with the generally horizontal axis about which the spindle shaft is pitchable, and a screw is mounted in said threaded aperture and engageable with the spindle shaft.

Claim 11

Materials-handling apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said means for pitching said spindle in response to variance in the tension in the conveyor belt includes means for rotating the screws in each of the castings in response to lateral movement of said castings.

Claim 12

Materials-handling apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said means for rotating the screws includes: a bracket fixedly mounted adjacent each casting, an arm mounted at one end thereof to said screw and receivable at the other end thereof in said bracket such that the arm will rotate the screw as the casting is moved laterally with respect to the bracket.