Variable speed belt conveyor drive system

Claim 1

A variable speed conveyor drive system, comprising: a master rotary member of said conveyor; a variable speed master drive unit to drive said master rotary member; at least one slave rotary member of said conveyor; a variable speed slave drive unit to drive each of said slave rotary members; each of said master and slave drive units comprising an electric motor, a universal control drive incorporating a torque converter and a modulated wet clutch preceding said torque converter, an engagement-control hydraulic circuit for said modulated wet clutch, and a lubrication circuit for said modulated wet clutch; a monitor and variable speed and variable power control unit for said drive system, a control loop from said master drive unit to said monitor and control unit; and a multiplexer, with a master outlet from said multiplexer for said master drive unit, and with a slave outlet from said multiplexer for said slave drive unit(s), said master multiplexer outlet being connected to said master drive unit to form a part of said control loop whereby all said motors share said load at a pre-programmed level at any speed of operation, and an individually adjustable and programmable time delay means, incorporated in said slave multiplexer outlet which time delay means is operable both before start-up of said conveyor and during running of said conveyor.