FIELD OF INVENTION:

The present invention relates to the field of conveyor belt tracking devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to assembly which steers a mis-tracked conveyor belt back on track.

BACKGROUND & PRIOR ART:

Conveyors are one of the most economical forms of transport of bulk material items. Mistracking is a common problem of conveyor belts. Some of the commons causes of belt mist racking are improper chute design, improper loading, misaligned joint, alignment of various conveyor parts like pulleys, idlers etc., Frozen Idlers and Conveyor Carryback.

Sometimes, as it is not practical to rectify the above issues, tracking devices are used to track the belt.

The tracking of the belt is achieved by swiveling the tracking idler this can be achieved by (i) using a guide rollers and a linkage mechanism to swivel the tracking idler into position, (ii) using concentric drums with the inner drum being able to swivel about a shaft that is fixed. The outer drum rotates about the inner shaft.

The described invention uses guide rollers with linkage mechanism to track the belt back to track.

A review of the prior art on the aligner trackers with guide rollers namely US6131726, US6186317B1, US6131726, US7669709, US5358098 shows designs in which the guide rollers move along an arc. While in some designs the guide rollers are aligned to remain substantially perpendicular i.e. they move forward or backward simultaneously at any position, they still trace an arc movement. As a result, at some point the guide rollers tend to move against the direction of the belt. The wear and impact due to this motion is more pronounced if the belt edges are worn out or damaged. Very often, it is noticed that groove marks appear on the guide rollers and hence require frequent replacement.

The object of the invention is to reduce the wear and impact on the guide rollers and belt. By ensuring that the movement is substantially in the transverse direction, the wear rate and damage on the guide rollers can be reduced.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION:

The present invention discloses slide & pivot belt tracking assembly to bring mis-tracked conveyor belt back on track. It comprises a support frame assembly fitted across the conveyor belt width on a conveyor stringer consisting of a support beam with extendable telescopic legs, and a sleeve passing through center of the support beam; a longitudinal member extending perpendicular to the support beam with a transverse sleeve, parallel to the support beam, connected at other end of the longitudinal member; a slidable member, to facilitate smooth sliding, resting in the transverse sleeve, thereby restricting movement of the slidable member; a sensing assembly mounted on ends of the slidable member to monitor movement of the mis-tracked conveyor belt consisting of guide rollers fixed at distal ends of movable / extendable telescopic arms of a transverse beam; a bracket attached to center of the transverse beam; a plate with a pin fitted at bottom of the plate to be pivoted about center of the support beam through the sleeve; a guide block connected to the sensing assembly by a threaded pin with a freely rotatable cylindrical bush; and at least one training idler mounted on the plate.

When the conveyor belt is mis-tracked, the mis-tracked belt comes in contact with the guide roller which imparts a transverse movement to the sensing assembly along the transverse beam. This causes the threaded pin to swivel the plate which further causes the tracking idler to swivel, thereby steering the conveyor belt back on track.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:

Fig.l illustrates an Isometric View of Slide and Pivot Belt Tracker with conveyor belt and stringer.

Fig.2 illustrates front view of the Slide and Pivot Belt Tracker Assembly.

Fig.2A illustrates side cross-sectional view 'AA' of Slide and Pivot Belt Tracking assembly showing the sliding bush & pin detail and the idler mount plate with pin detail.

Fig.2B illustrates side cross-sectional view 'BB' of Slide and Pivot Belt Tracking assembly showing the location of plurality of rollers.

Fig.3 illustrates top view of Slide and Pivot Belt Tracking assembly.

Fig.4 & 5 shows the swiveling detail of Slide and Pivot Belt Tracking assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION:

Accordingly, the present invention discloses slide & pivot belt tracking assembly to bring mis-tracked conveyor belt back on track. It comprises a support frame assembly fitted across the conveyor belt width on a conveyor stringer consisting of a support beam with extendable telescopic legs, and a sleeve passing through center of the support beam; a longitudinal member extending perpendicular to the support beam with a transverse sleeve, parallel to said support beam, connected at other end of the longitudinal member; a slidable member, to facilitate smooth sliding, resting in the transverse sleeve, a sensing assembly mounted on ends of the slidable member to monitor movement of the mis-tracked conveyor belt consisting of guide rollers fixed at distal ends of movable / extendable telescopic arms of a transverse beam; a bracket attached to centre of the transverse beam; a plate with a pin fitted at bottom of the plate to be pivoted about centre of the support beam through the sleeve; a guide block is attached to the side of the plate facing the sensing assembly, the guide block connected to the sensing assembly by a threaded pin with a freely rotatable cylindrical bush; and at least one training idler mounted on the plate; wherein the mis-tracked belt comes in contact with the guide roller, imparting a transverse movement to the sensing assembly along the transverse beam, causing the threaded pin to swivel the plate, further causing the tracking idler to swivel, thereby steering the conveyor belt back on track.

In a preferred embodiment, the slidable member consists of plurality of rollers for smooth sliding. The transverse beam is attached to either ends of the slidable member by means of vertical members. The movable / extendable telescopic arms of the transverse beam are moved and bolted by means of bolts. The guide block is provided with a machined slot to accommodate the cylindrical bush. A stopper plate is provided at the end of the guide block slot to stop the movement of the pin. The cylindrical bush slides in the slot of the guide block to compensate for change in distance between the bracket and the guide block when the sensing assembly is displaced from the belt centre due to belt mis-tracking. The threaded pin is fitted to the bracket. The training idler/s is/are mounted on the plate such that the training idler is substantially perpendicular to the conveyor belt direction in the neutral position.

As stated, the present invention overcomes the prior art. In the present invention, there is no arc movement for the guide rollers. The guide rollers are restrained to move substantially perpendicular without arc movement. Since guide rollers do not trace and arc trajectory, they do not travel in the opposite direction of the belt movement. The movement is substantially tangential. The linkage mechanism is designed to transmit the displacement of the guide rollers so as to swivel the tracking guide rollers.

The present invention may be best understood by figures accompanying the specification. However, the figures are for illustrative purpose only and do not intend to limit the scope of the invention.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a slide & pivot belt tracking assembly to bring mis-tracked conveyor belt (21) back on track comprises (i) a support frame assembly fitted across width of the conveyor belt (21) on a conveyor stringer (1) consisting of a support beam (2) with plurality of extendable telescopic legs (5A & 5B), and a sleeve (3) passing through centre of the support beam (2); (ii) a longitudinal member (25) extending perpendicular to the support beam (2) with a transverse sleeve (13), parallel to the support beam (2), connected at other end of the longitudinal member (25); (iii) a slidable member (15), to facilitate smooth sliding, resting in the transverse sleeve (13), (iv) a sensing assembly mounted on ends of the slidable member (15) to monitor movement of the mis-tracked conveyor belt (21) consisting of plurality of guide rollers (19A & 19B) fixed at distal ends of movable / extendable telescopic arms (17A & 17B) of a transverse beam (16); (v) a bracket (12) attached to center of the transverse beam (16); (vi) a plate (6) with a pin (7) fitted at bottom of the plate (6) to be pivoted about center of the support beam (2) through the sleeve (3); (vii)a guide block (8) which is attached to the ends of the plate facing the sensing assembly; the guide block (8) is connected to the sensing assembly by a threaded pin (9) with a freely rotatable cylindrical bush (10); and (viii) at least one training idler (22) mounted on the plate (6).

Fig. 1 illustrates an Isometric View of Slide and Pivot Belt Tracker with conveyor belt and stringer. It depicts the general arrangement of the Slide and Pivot tracker in relation to the belt (21) and the direction of the belt movement which is given by the arrow (AA). It also shows the mounting of the tracker onto the stringer (1).

Referring to Fig. 2, which illustrates front view of the Slide and Pivot Belt Tracker Assembly of the present invention, the support frame assembly of the slide & pivot belt tracking assembly of the present invention, which is fitted on the conveyor stringer (1) comprising of the support beam (2) with the telescopic legs (5A & 5B) which can be extended to the required length and bolted onto the conveyor stringer (1). The sleeve (3) passes through the centre of the support beam (2).

According to Fig. 2A and 2B, the longitudinal members (25) extends perpendicular to the support beam extends towards the tail end. The transverse sleeve (13) is connected at the other end. The slidable member (15) with the plurality of rollers (14A,14B,14C,14D,14E,14F,14G &14H) to facilitate smooth sliding, rests in the transverse sleeve (13). The sensing assembly is mounted on the ends of the slidable member (15).

Referring to Fig. 2 & Fig. 3, the sensing assembly consists of the transverse beam (16) which is attached to either ends of the slidable member (15) by means of two vertical members (24A & 24B). The transverse beam (16) has telescopic arms (17A &17B) which can be moved and bolted at desired width using bolts (18A, 18B, 18C &18D).

The guide rollers (19A & 19B) are fixed on fixed at the distal end of the extendable telescopic arms (17A & 17B) of the sensing assembly. The bracket (12) is attached to the centre of the transverse beam (16).

The plate (6) with a pin (7) fitted on its bottom side is pivoted about the center axis (XI) of the support beam (2) through the sleeve (3). The pin (7) has a thread at the bottom which is tightend by a bolt to prevents the plate from coming out from the sleeve (3) but does not interfere with the free movement of the pin (7).

A guide block (8) with a slot is fixed to the side of the plate (6) facing the sensing assembly.

The training idler/s (22) is mounted on the plate (6) such that it is substantially perpendicular to the belt travel direction in the neutral position ie when the belt (21) is in the centre and the sensing arms are also aligned to the centre of the belt (21).

The sensing assembly is connected to the guide block (8) by a threaded pin (9) with a freely rotatable cylindrical bush (10) at the bottom. The guide block (8) has a machined slot to accommodate the cylindrical bush (10), there is a stopper plate (11) at the end of the slot to stop the movement of the pin (9).

The top of the threaded pin (9) is fitted to the bracket (12) of the transverse beam (16) and the freely rotatable cylindrical bush fits into the slot of the guide block and can slide longitudinally in the guide block slot (8).
In all the hinge points where pins are used suitable bushes may be used to reduce friction and wear.

The working of the slide and pivot belt tracking assembly may be understood by referring to Fig. 4 & Fig. 5.

When the belt (21) is mistracked it comes in contact with the respective guide roller which inturn imparts a transverse movement to the sensing assembly along the transverse beam (16). This causes the threaded pin assembly with freely rotatable cylindrical bush (10) to swivel the plate (6). The cylindrical bush slides in the slot of the guide block (8) to compensate for the change in distance between the bracket (12) and the guide block (8). The tracking idler (22) which is fixed onto the plate (6) is also swiveled and the belt (21) is steered back to track.

We Claim,

1. A slide & pivot belt tracking assembly to bring mis-tracked conveyor belt (21) back on track comprising:

a support frame assembly fitted across width of said conveyor belt (21) on a conveyor stringer (1) comprising a support beam (2) with plurality of extendable telescopic legs (5A & 5B), and a sleeve (3) passing through centre of said support beam (2);

a longitudinal member (25) extending perpendicular to said support beam (2) with a transverse sleeve (13), parallel to said support beam (2), connected at other end of said longitudinal member (25);

a slidable member (15), to facilitate smooth sliding, resting in said transverse sleeve (13);

a sensing assembly mounted on ends of said slidable member (15) to monitor movement of said mis-tracked conveyor belt (21) comprising plurality of guide rollers (19A & 19B) fixed at distal ends of movable / extendable telescopic arms (17A & 17B) of a transverse beam (16);

a bracket (12) attached to center of said transverse beam (16);

a plate (6) with a pin (7) fitted at bottom of said plate (6) to be pivoted about center of said support beam (2) through said sleeve (3);

a guide block (8) is attached on the side of the plate facing the sensing assembly, said guide block (8) is connected to said sensing assembly by a threaded pin (9) with a freely rotatable cylindrical bush (10); and at least one training idler (22) mounted on said plate (6);

wherein said mis-tracked belt (21) comes in contact with said guide roller (19A/19B), imparting a transverse movement to said sensing assembly along said transverse beam (16), causing said threaded pin (9) to swivel said plate (6), further causing said tracking idler (22) to swivel, thereby steering said conveyor belt (21) back on track.

2. The slide & pivot belt tracking assembly accordingly to claim 1; wherein said slidable member (15) comprises plurality of rollers (14A,14B,14C, 14D, 14E, 14F, 14G, 14H).

3. The slide & pivot belt tracking assembly accordingly to claim 1; wherein said transverse beam (16) is attached to either ends of said slidable member (15) by means of plurality of vertical members (24A & 24B).

4. The slide & pivot belt tracking assembly accordingly to claim 1; wherein said movable / extendable telescopic arms (17A & 17B) are moved and bolted by means of plurality of bolts (18A,18B,18C,18D).

5. The slide & pivot belt tracking assembly accordingly to claim 1; wherein said guide block (8) is provided with a machined slot to accommodate said cylindrical bush (10).

6. The slide & pivot belt tracking assembly accordingly to claim 5; wherein a stopper plate (11) is provided at the end of said machined slot to stop / prevent said pin (9) from coming out of the slot.

7. The slide & pivot belt tracking assembly accordingly to claim 6; wherein said cylindrical bush (10) slides in said slot of said guide block (8) to compensate for change in distance between said bracket (12) and said guide block (8).

8. The slide & pivot belt tracking assembly accordingly to claim 1; wherein said threaded pin (9) is fitted to said bracket (12).

9. The slide & pivot belt tracking assembly accordingly to claim 1; wherein the guide rollers move substantially in the perpendicular direction without any arc movement.