US3920115A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Monorail supported flexible frame endless conveyor
Assignee: Peabody Coal Co
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Filing: 1974-02-11
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Granted: 1975-11-18
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Expires: 1994-02-11
Abstract
Abstract A flexible frame endless conveyor is supported by a monorail from a mine roof. Switching connections for the monorail permit use of a single conveyor to serve between a mining machine, which is periodically moved from room to room in a mine, and a main conveyor which runs up to the earth''s surface.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Craggs
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 17:02
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G21/00; B65G21/16; B65G41/00; B65G41/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A conveyor sysTem for transporting coal and the like material from a mining machine to a main conveyor in a room and pillar mine, wherein there are a plurality of straight and curved paths of varying distance between various rooms having mine face against which the machine works and the main conveyor, comprising a flexible frame for supporting upper and lower runs of an endless belt, said frame being characterized by capability of sidewise curvature sufficient to follow the curves of said paths and said belt being characterized by capability of running around the frame curves, and a roof-mounted monorail system extending along at least some of said paths, said system including a main line having a portion overlying said main conveyor and a plurality of branch lines extending from said main line to at least some of said different rooms.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
A conveyor sysTem for transporting coal and the like material from a mining machine to a main conveyor in a room and pillar mine, wherein there are a plurality of straight and curved paths of varying distance between various rooms having mine face against which the machine works and the main conveyor, comprising a flexible frame for supporting upper and lower runs of an endless belt, said frame being characterized by capability of sidewise curvature sufficient to follow the curves of said paths and said belt being characterized by capability of running around the frame curves, and a roof-mounted monorail system extending along at least some of said paths, said system including a main line having a portion overlying said main conveyor and a plurality of branch lines extending from said main line to at least some of said different rooms.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A conveyor system as claimed in claim 1, and switches between said main line and said branch lines.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
88 words
A conveyor system as claimed in claim 1, said switches including a switching rail pivoted at one end to an end of the rail of said main line and having its other end swingable to register respectively with ends of the rail of a branch line or a rail which is a continuation of the main line, and means on the ends of said main line rail, said branch line rail and said main line continuation rail for supporting the ends of said switching rail against downward displacement.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
114 words
A spine-like flexible frame for an endless conveyor belt, comprising a series of generally rectangular vertebrae plates each having at the corners thereof an inwardly-facing channel portion and an outwardly-facing flat surface portion, said portions providing guide channels and flat surfaces for engagement by rollers on the endless belt, each of said plates having a central aperture therethrough, an elongate flexible member extending through said central aperture, and means on the endmost plates for fastening the same directly to the flexible member for preventing movement of the same along the length of said flexible member, the plates between the endmost ones being movable to a limited extent along the length of the flexible member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
114 words
A spine-like flexible frame for an endless conveyor belt, comprising a series of generally rectangular vertebrae plates each having at the corners thereof an inwardly-facing channel portion and an outwardly-facing flat surface portion, said portions providing guide channels and flat surfaces for engagement by rollers on the endless belt, each of said plates having a central aperture therethrough, an elongate flexible member extending through said central aperture, and means on the endmost plates for fastening the same directly to the flexible member for preventing movement of the same along the length of said flexible member, the plates between the endmost ones being movable to a limited extent along the length of the flexible member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
113 words
A spine-like flexible frame for an endless conveyor belt comprising a series of generally rectangular vertebrae plates each having at the corners thereof an inwardly-facing channel portion and an outwardly-facing flat surface portion, said portion providing guide channels and flat surface for engagement by rollers on the endless belt, each of said plates having a central aperture therethrough and outwardly facing concave sockets on opposite sides thereof surrounding said aperture, rubber grommets engaged between the sockets of adjacent plates and constituting spacing between adjacent plates, and an elongate flexible member extending through said grommets and the apertures in said plates, said grommets having convex opposite sides engaging in the sockets on adjacent plates.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
113 words
A spine-like flexible frame for an endless conveyor belt comprising a series of generally rectangular vertebrae plates each having at the corners thereof an inwardly-facing channel portion and an outwardly-facing flat surface portion, said portion providing guide channels and flat surface for engagement by rollers on the endless belt, each of said plates having a central aperture therethrough and outwardly facing concave sockets on opposite sides thereof surrounding said aperture, rubber grommets engaged between the sockets of adjacent plates and constituting spacing between adjacent plates, and an elongate flexible member extending through said grommets and the apertures in said plates, said grommets having convex opposite sides engaging in the sockets on adjacent plates.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A flexible frame for an endless conveyor belt as claimed in claim 5, and pin means fastening sockets on the endmost plates in said series to said flexible member.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-17 | 1979-05-19 | 1979-11-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-17 | 1983-05-19 | 1983-11-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-17 | 1987-05-19 | 1987-11-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |