U.S. patent application number 10/865172 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-11 for conveyor belt cleaning system.
Invention is credited to Hall, John.
Application Number | 20040222066 10/865172 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23032954 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040222066 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hall, John |
November 11, 2004 |
Conveyor belt cleaning system
Abstract
A conveyor belt cleaning system being a torsion blade holder
assembly having a mounting sub-assembly and a blade support
sub-assembly. The mounting sub-assembly has a first hollow member
and a second member situated at least partially therein with
torsion elements in the plurality of spaces or cavities between the
first hollow member and the second member. The blade support
sub-assembly, in which a scraper blade is secured, is attached to
the second member such that when the scraper blade meets resistance
while scraping the surface of a conveyor belt, the torsion elements
are compressed and the blade support sub-assembly with the scraper
blade rotates away from the conveyor belt. The blade support
sub-assembly includes notched receiving members for receiving the
scraper blade, a face plate extending between the notched receiving
members approximately parallel to the scraper blade such that at
least a portion of the scraper blade rests flush against the face
plate when the scraper blade is situated in the notched receiving
members, a horizontal blade stabilizer approximately perpendicular
to and extending beneath the face plate, and a means for vertically
adjusting the scraper blade within the notched receiving members.
The means for vertically adjusting is one or more adjustable lock
bolts extending upward through the horizontal blade stabilizer for
adjusting the scraper blade up and down within the notched
receiving members. The torsion blade holder assembly optionally
includes a shield and a means for spraying a liquid on the conveyor
belt.
Inventors: |
Hall, John; (Winfield,
WV) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STEPTOE & JOHNSON
BANK ONE CENTER
P.O. BOX 2190
CLARKSBURG
WV
26302-2190
US
|
Family ID: |
23032954 |
Appl. No.: |
10/865172 |
Filed: |
June 9, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10865172 |
Jun 9, 2004 |
|
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10081389 |
Feb 22, 2002 |
|
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60270825 |
Feb 22, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
198/499 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G 45/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
198/499 |
International
Class: |
B65G 045/16 |
Claims
1-30. (canceled)
31. A mounting sub-assembly adapted for use with a scraper blade
secured to a shaft for scraping and cleaning a conveyor belt,
comprising: at least one compression arm attached to the shaft that
resiliently adjusts a position of the scraper blade in relation to
the conveyor belt such that the scraper blade remains in contact
with the conveyor belt and moves away from the conveyor belt when
the scraper blade contacts a protrusion on the conveyor belt, said
compression arm comprising a base plate secured to the shaft, a
means for pivoting in communication with said base plate, and a
means for compressing in communication with said means for
pivoting.
32. The mounting sub-assembly according to claim 31, wherein said
means for pivoting comprises a pivoting spindle having a pivoting
shaft and a pivoting component, wherein said pivoting component
secures said pivoting shaft to said base plate, and said means for
compressing is in communication with said pivoting shaft.
33. The mounting sub-assembly according to claim 32, wherein said
means for compressing comprises a spring positioned on said
pivoting shaft and a means for securing said spring to said
pivoting shaft.
34. The mounting sub-assembly according to claim 33, wherein said
means for securing said spring to said pivoting shaft comprises one
or more spring buckets.
35. The mounting sub-assembly according to claim 34, wherein said
means for securing said spring to said pivoting shaft further
comprises a thrust collar.
36. The mounting sub-assembly according to claim 33, wherein said
pivoting shaft is threaded.
37. The mounting sub-assembly according to claim 31, wherein one
said compression arm is attached to one end of the shaft.
38. The mounting sub-assembly according to claim 37, further
comprising a second compression arm attached to a second end of the
shaft, said second compression arm working in conjunction with said
compression arm to resiliently adjust a position of the scraper
blade in relation to the conveyor belt such that the scraper blade
remains in contact with the conveyor belt and moves away from the
conveyor belt when the scraper blade contacts a protrusion on the
conveyor belt, said second compression arm comprising a second base
plate secured to the second end of the shaft, a second means for
pivoting in communication with said second base plate, and a second
means for compressing in communication with said second means for
pivoting.
39. The mounting sub-assembly according to claim 31, wherein said
means for compressing comprises a spring in communication with said
means for pivoting.
40. A method for cleaning a surface of a conveyor belt, comprising
the steps of: (a) attaching a scraper blade to a shaft; (b)
positioning the scraper blade in a first position such that it is
in contact with the surface of the conveyor belt to be cleaned; (c)
attaching at least one mounting sub-assembly to the shaft, said
mounting sub-assembly resiliently adjusting a position of the
scraper blade in relation to the conveyor belt such that the
scraper blade remains in contact with the conveyor belt and moves
away from the conveyor belt when the scraper blade contacts a
protrusion on the conveyor belt, said compression arm comprising a
base plate secured to the shaft, a means for pivoting in
communication with said base plate, and a means for compressing in
communication with said means for pivoting; (d) scraping the
surface of the conveyor belt with said scraper blade; and (e)
rotating the shaft and the scraper blade away from the surface of
the conveyor belt to a second position when the scraper blade
contacts the protrusion on the surface of the conveyor belt, said
rotating resulting from a compression of said means for
compressing.
41. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step
of: (f) restoring the scraper blade to said first position, said
restoring resulting from a decompression of said means for
compressing.
42. The method according to claim 40, wherein said step (c)
attaches one said compression arm to one end of the shaft.
43. The method according to claim 42, further comprising the step
of: (f) attaching a second mounting sub-assembly to a second end of
the shaft, said second compression arm working in conjunction with
said compression arm to resiliently adjust a position of the
scraper blade in relation to the conveyor belt such that the
scraper blade remains in contact with the conveyor belt and moves
away from the conveyor belt when the scraper blade contacts the
protrusion on the conveyor belt, said second compression arm
comprising a second base plate secured to the second end of the
shaft, a second means for pivoting in communication with said
second base plate, and a second means for compressing in
communication with said second means for pivoting.
44. The method according to claim 40, wherein said means for
pivoting comprises a pivoting spindle having a pivoting shaft and a
pivoting component, wherein said pivoting component secures said
pivoting shaft to said base plate, and said means for compressing
is in communication with said pivoting shaft.
45. The method according to claim 44, wherein said means for
compressing comprises a spring positioned on said pivoting shaft
and a means for securing said spring to said pivoting shaft.
46. The method according to claim 45, wherein said means for
securing said spring to said pivoting shaft comprises one or more
spring buckets.
47. The method according to claim 46, wherein said means for
securing said spring to said pivoting shaft further comprises a
thrust collar.
48. The method according to claim 45, wherein said pivoting shaft
is threaded.
49. The method according to claim 40, wherein the means for
compressing comprises a spring in communication with said means for
pivoting.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the
benefit of U.S. Application No. 60/270,825, filed Feb. 22,
2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to conveyor belts, and, more
particularly, to scraper blades for cleaning conveyor belts.
[0003] 2. Related Art
[0004] Conveyor belts are often used to convey materials that
adhere to the surface of the belt. In order to maintain efficient
operation of the conveyor belt system, the excess debris must be
removed from the surface of the belt. Accordingly, there are
various types of scraper blade assemblies that are used to scrape
debris from the surface of a conveyor belt.
[0005] A common type of scraper blade assembly comprises a
plurality of mounted scraper blades extending across the transverse
axis of the conveyor belt. The blade assemblies are mounted on
support arms which are fixed to and extend from a transverse
rotatable support shaft. Rotation of the transverse support shaft
moves the scraper blades into and out of contact with the conveyor
belt. Applying a torque to the support shaft increases the
contacting force of the scraper blades against the belt.
[0006] During installation and use of the standard scraper blade
assemblies, the support shaft is torqued and locked in position
when a predetermined contacting force is exerted on the belt by the
scraper blade assemblies. As the scraper blades wear down, the
contacting force on the belt steadily decreases, thereby reducing
the cleaning efficiency of the scraper blade assembly. Over the
useful life of the scraper blades, the support shaft must be
adjusted several times to compensate for wear on the blades. After
prolonged use, standard clamps and set screws become ineffective to
maintain and adjust the contacting force. A further problem with
this method is that it is not possible to adjust a single scraper
blade, i.e., an adjustment to one is an adjustment to all because
it is the shaft on which the scraper blades are mounted that is
adjusted. A still further problem is that the scraper blades
undergo significant stress from vibrations resulting from the fact
that the blades are only bolted or screwed directly on to the face
of the assembly.
[0007] Therefore, there is a need for a conveyor belt scraper blade
assembly having a blade that is vertically adjustable within the
assembly such that the blade is vertically adjustable in relation
to the conveyor belt and the housing for the blade. There is
further a need for a means for easily and efficiently removing a
blade from the scraper blade assembly so that a worn blade can be
replaced with a new blade
[0008] In addition to the above, conventional blade assemblies do
not provide any means for loosening or diluting debris on a
conveyor belt prior to scraping the conveyor belt with a blade
assembly. Therefore, there is a need for a conveyor belt scraper
blade assembly that loosens and dilutes the debris, such as by
spraying water on the surface of the conveyor belt, prior to
scraping the conveyor belt surface with a blade assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention solves the foregoing problems by
introducing a heavy-duty torsion blade holder assembly that secures
the scraper blade more securely than conventional methods, and in
which it is possible to adjust the height of the blade independent
of the shaft on which it is mounted.
[0010] One aspect of the invention is a blade support member,
including notched receiving members for receiving a scraper blade
and adapted for use with a first hollow member of a torsion blade
holder assembly; a face plate extending between the notched
receiving members and about parallel to the scraper blade such that
at least a portion of the scraper blade rests flush against the
face plate when the scraper blade is situated in the notched
receiving members; a horizontal blade stabilizer about
perpendicular to and extending beneath the face plate, and
adjustable lock bolts extending upward through the horizontal blade
stabilizer for adjusting the scraper blade up and down within the
notched receiving members.
[0011] Another aspect of the invention is a torsion blade holder
assembly, including a first hollow member having an inside
diameter; a second member having an outside diameter less than the
inside diameter of the first hollow member and wherein at least a
portion of the second hollow member is situated within the first
hollow member such that a volume of space separates the first
hollow member from the second hollow member; torsion elements
situated in the plurality of spaces between the first hollow member
and the second member thereby resiliently restricting rotation of
the second member within the first hollow member; and a blade
support member including notched receiving members for receiving a
scraper blade and adapted for use with a first hollow member of a
torsion blade holder assembly; a face plate extending between the
notched receiving members and about parallel to the scraper blade
such that at least a portion of the scraper blade rests flush
against the face plate when the scraper blade is situated in the
notched receiving members; a horizontal blade stabilizer about
perpendicular to and extending beneath the face plate, and
adjustable lock bolts extending upward through the horizontal blade
stabilizer and in communication with the bottom of the scraper
blade for adjusting the scraper blade up and down within the
notched receiving members.
[0012] Another aspect of the invention is a torsion blade holder
assembly, including a first hollow member having an inside
diameter; a second member having an outside diameter less than the
inside diameter of the first hollow member and wherein at least a
portion of the second hollow member is situated within the first
hollow member such that a volume of space separates the first
hollow member from the second hollow member; torsion elements
situated in the plurality of spaces between the first hollow member
and the second member thereby resiliently restricting rotation of
the second member within the first hollow member; a blade support
member including notched receiving members for receiving a scraper
blade and adapted for use with a first hollow member of a torsion
blade holder assembly; a face plate extending between the notched
receiving members and about parallel to the scraper blade such that
at least a portion of the scraper blade rests flush against the
face plate when the scraper blade is situated in the notched
receiving members; a horizontal blade stabilizer about
perpendicular to and extending beneath the face plate; and
adjustable lock bolts extending upward through the horizontal blade
stabilizer and in communication with the bottom of the scraper
blade for adjusting the scraper blade up and down within the
notched receiving members; and a liquid source and one or more
nozzles extending along a shaft upon which the torsion blade holder
assembly is mounted, wherein the liquid source and nozzle(s) are
mounted on the outer surface of the shaft and extend upward through
one or more holes in a shield mounted on the scraper blade such
that one nozzle protrudes through one hole in the shield. The
shield may be mounted on the scraper blade such that it extends
over and covers either the front or the back of the torsion blade
holder assembly. In operation, when the shield and nozzle(s) are
mounted on the front of a scraper blade, a liquid is sprayed at a
point on a conveyor belt ahead of the torsion blade holder assembly
as a means for loosening or diluting the debris on the conveyor
belt prior to scraping, thereby facilitating the cleaning process
of the conveyor belt. When the shield and nozzle(s) are mounted on
the back of a scraper blade, a liquid is sprayed at a point on a
conveyor belt behind the torsion blade holder assembly as a means
for conditioning or treating the conveyor belt after it has been
cleaned, such as treating the cleaned conveyor belt with
anti-freeze or a dust prohibitor.
[0013] A feature of the invention is that the second member has
rounded corners thereby increasing the range of rotation within the
first hollow member. As a result, the scraper blade is able to
deflect away from the conveyor belt at a greater angle when the
scraper blade comes into contact with debris on the surface of the
belt.
[0014] Another feature of the invention is vertical blade
stabilizers on the notched receiving members for anchoring the
scraper blade securely in place.
[0015] Another feature of the invention is a horizontal blade
stabilizer perpendicular to and extending beneath the face
plate.
[0016] Another feature of the invention is adjustable lock bolts
for adjusting the height of the scraper blade independent of the
shaft on which the torsion blade holder assemblies are mounted.
[0017] Another feature of the invention is a shielded tungsten
carbide tip scraper blade.
[0018] Another feature of the invention is that the scraper blade
is positioned directly above the center of the carrier shaft
thereby creating a more positive cleaning pressure and improving
the cleaning capabilities of the torsion blade holder assembly.
[0019] Another feature of the invention is that the torsion blade
holder assembly can be adapted to accept a means for spraying a
liquid, e.g., water, anti-freeze, or dust prohibitor, onto the
belt, thereby diluting the material and debris on the belt before
the blade comes into contact with the surface of the belt or
treating the surface of the conveyor belt after it has been
cleaned.
[0020] An advantage of the invention is that the vertical blade
stabilizers provide an added measure of support for the scraper
blade in addition to traditional mounting bolts that secure the
scraper blade to the face plate.
[0021] Another advantage of the invention is that decrease in the
vibration of the scraper blade increases the useful life of the
scraper blade and torsion blade holder assembly, and also improves
their cleaning abilities.
[0022] Another advantage of the invention is that, due to the
increased range of rotation of the scraper blade, larger
obstructions adhered to the conveyor belt are able to pass the
torsion blade holder assembly thereby increasing the useful life of
the scraper blade as well as the and torsion blade holder
assembly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is a planar side view of a torsion blade holder
assembly including a scraper blade;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a planar front view of a torsion blade holder
assembly;
[0025] FIG. 3 a perspective front view of a torsion blade holder
assembly including a scraper blade;
[0026] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a torsion blade holder
assembly without a scraper blade;
[0027] FIG. 4B is a planar side view of a shield and scraper
blade;
[0028] FIG. 5A is a front view of a conventional blade assembly
mounted on a shaft and adapted for use with a source of liquid and
a plurality of nozzles;
[0029] FIG. 5B is a planar side view of a scraper blade engaging
the surface of a conveyor belt during cleaning;
[0030] FIG. 5C is a perspective view of a shield;
[0031] FIG. 5D is a perspective view of a scraper blade;
[0032] FIG. 6 is a planar top view of multiple torsion blade holder
assemblies mounted on a shaft;
[0033] FIG. 7 is an alternative embodiment showing consecutive
blade holder assemblies mounted sequentially in a series; and
[0034] FIG. 8 is a planar side view showing a compression arm
assembly.
EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0035] FIGS. 1-4B show an exemplary embodiment of the torsion blade
holder assembly 100 of the present invention, FIGS. 5A-D show an
alternative embodiment adapted for use with a means for spraying a
liquid on a conveyor belt either prior to or after scraping, and
FIGS. 6-8 illustrate various alternative embodiments of the present
invention. The torsion blade holder assembly 100 of the present
invention comprises two sub-assemblies: a mounting sub-assembly and
a blade support sub-assembly, wherein the blade support
sub-assembly is connected to the mounting sub-assembly and the
mounting sub-assembly secures the blade support assembly (and
thereby secures the torsion blade holder assembly 100) to a shaft
such that a surface of a conveyor belt travels over and in contact
with a scraper blade 114 within the blade support sub-assembly as a
means for cleaning the surface of the conveyor belt.
[0036] In the preferred embodiment, the mounting sub-assembly
employs torsion means for allowing the mounting sub-assembly to
rotate in relation to a shaft on which the mounting sub-assembly is
removably attached. The preferred mounting sub-assembly includes a
first hollow member 102, a second member 104, and a means for
securing the first hollow member 102 to the shaft. The preferred
means for securing is a base plate 136, welded to the bottom of the
first hollow member 102, and having one or more holes 138. One or
more conventional circular fasteners or clamps are used to bolt the
base plate 136, via holes 138, to the shaft.
[0037] The torsion means of the mounting sub-assembly comprises the
first hollow member 102 having an inside diameter greater than the
outside diameter of the second member 104 thereby allowing at least
a portion of the second member 104 to be inserted and situated
inside the first hollow member 102. In a preferred embodiment, the
second member 104 is slightly longer than the first hollow member
102 such that the second member 104 extends completely through and
slightly beyond the first hollow member 102 on both sides.
[0038] As shown in FIG. 1, both the first hollow member 102 and the
second member 104 preferably have cross-sections that are about
square. Due to the difference between the inside diameter of the
first hollow member 102 and the second member 104, there exists a
volume of space 106 between the first hollow member 102 and the
second member 104. The volume of space 106 allows the second member
104 to rotate freely within the first hollow member 102. To
restrict this free rotation of the second member 104, the second
member 104 is off-set approximately 45 degrees from the first
hollow member 102, and the volume of space 106 is filled with one
or more torsion elements 108. The torsion elements 108 restrict the
ability of the second member 104 to rotate within the first hollow
member 102. In the present invention, the torsion elements 108 are
preferably one or more rubber pieces, but this is for convenience
purpose only.
[0039] In a preferred embodiment, the corners of the second member
104 are rounded slightly to increase the range of rotation of the
second member 104 within the first hollow member 102. The torsion
elements 108 are preferably made of a resilient material, such as,
but not limited to rubber. When the torsion elements 108 are
compressed, they allow restricted rotation of the second member 104
within the first hollow member 102, and then, due to their inherent
resilient nature, the torsion elements 108 restore the second
member 104 to its pre-compression relationship with the first
hollow member 102.
[0040] The assembly of the first hollow member 102, second member
104, and plurality of torsion elements 108 are performed according
to conventional means. Specifically, each of the torsion elements
108 are elongated bars of rubber having a circular cross-sectional
shape, wherein the length of each torsion element 108 is equal to
about the length of the first hollow member 102. Each torsion
element 108 is compressed until its cross-sectional shape is
generally triangular in shape, and then each reshaped torsion
element 108 is frozen using conventional cryogenic methods and
inserted into a separate cavity 106, also generally triangular in
shape, between the second member 104 and the first hollow member
102. As the torsion elements 108 thaw within the cavities 106, each
torsion element 108 conforms to the general shape of the specific
cavity 106 in which that torsion element 108 is located. This
method for assembling the first hollow member 102, second member
104, and torsion elements 108 provide a sturdier and more durable
connection, and when coupled with the second member 104 having
rounded corners, provides a connection having a greater arching
range of motion of the second member 104 within the first hollow
member 102.
[0041] A blade support sub-assembly of the torsion blade holder
assembly 100 is fixedly secured to the ends 204a,b of the second
member 104 of the mounting sub-assembly. Specifically, the blade
support sub-assembly comprises a pair of notched receiving members
110, each having a first end 140 and a second end 142, a face plate
118, a horizontal blade stabilizer 120, a means for vertically
adjusting a scraper blade 114 positioned within the second ends 142
of the notched receiving members 110, and a means for removably
securing the scraper blade 114 within the second ends 142 of the
notched receiving members 110. The first end 140 of each notched
receiving member 110 is fixedly secured to an end, e.g., end 204a,
of the second member 104 protruding beyond the outer edge of the
first hollow member 102. Thus, whenever the second member 104
rotates within the first hollow member 102, the notched receiving
members 110 both rotate. Alternatively, the mounting sub-assembly
does not employ torsion means for rotating the blade support
sub-assembly. For example, in another embodiment, the mounting
sub-assembly may comprise simply bolting the blade support
sub-assembly to a shaft 502.
[0042] At their second ends 142, each notched receiving member 110
has a notch 112 adapted for receiving a scraper blade 114. The
scraper blade 114 preferably is rectangular in shape and has a
tungsten carbide tip 126 permanently fixed and secured within a
blade housing 130. Each notch 112 of a notched receiving member 110
is formed by a front vertical stabilizer 116 and a rear vertical
stabilizer 144 being spaced apart by a pre-defined distance such
that a width of a scraper blade 114 fits securely within the
notches 112. Also, the rear vertical stabilizer is preferably
taller in height that the front vertical stabilizer 116 for
additional stability of the scraper blade 114 during the cleaning
process.
[0043] The face plate 118 is a rectangular component having a
length that is about the distance between the pair of notched
receiving members 110 and that is positioned such that the front
surface of the face plate 118 is aligned with the edges and height
of the rear vertical stabilizers 144. As a result, when a scraper
blade 114 is installed within the notches 112 of the notched
receiving members 110, the scraper blade 114, or at least a portion
of the scraper blade 114, rests flush against the front surface of
the face plate 118. Therefore, the face plate 118 is about parallel
to the scraper blade 114 and provides rear support for the scraper
blade 114 during the cleaning process.
[0044] A horizontal blade stabilizer 120 also extends between the
notched receiving members 110, however, the horizontal blade
stabilizer 120 is in a plane about perpendicular to the plane in
which the face plate 118 extends. The horizontal blade stabilizer
120 extends beneath the face plate 118 and the scraper blade 114,
and stops at a point about even with the front edges of the notched
receiving members 110.
[0045] In operation, the scraper blade 114 is inserted in the
notches 112 between the front vertical blade stabilizers 116 and
the rear vertical stabilizers 144 of the notched receiving members
110 such that the rear surface of the scraper blade 114 is in
contact with the face plate 118 extending between the notched
receiving members 110 and the bottom surface of the scraper blade
114 is above the horizontal blade stabilizer 120.
[0046] The scraper blade 114 is preferably secured to the face
plate 118 by at least one screw or bolt 128 extending through one
or more holes 134 in the scraper blade housing 130 and through one
or more holes 202a,b in the face plate 118 that align with the
holes 134 in the scraper blade housing 130. The use of one or more
adjustable screws 128 is preferred because this allows for the
quick and efficient removal and replacement of a scraper blade 114
within the torsion blade holder assembly 100.
[0047] Extending up through the horizontal blade stabilizer 120 is
at least one adjustable lock bolt 122. The top of the adjustable
lock bolts 122 are in direct contact with the bottom surface of the
scraper blade 114. As a result, the height of the scraper blade 114
can be easily adjusted by raising and lowering the adjustable lock
bolts 122. Also, when the adjustable lock bolts 122 are located
near the outer edges of the scraper blade 114, as shown in FIGS.
2-4, each side of the scraper blade 114 can be adjusted
independently. The number and position of adjustable lock bolts 122
is for convenience purpose only. It would be readily apparent to
one of ordinary skill in the relevant art to use a different number
and/or position of adjustable lock bolts 122 with a scraper blade
114. In addition, the use of adjustable lock bolts 122 is also for
convenience. It would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill
in the relevant art to use a comparable means for vertically
adjusting different portions of the scraper blade 114, e.g.,
screws, pressure fit or adjustably locking clasps and
fasteners.
[0048] Optionally, a shield 124 is removably attached to the
scraper blade 114 to deflect debris away from the torsion blade
holder assembly 100 as the debris is scraped away and removed from
the surface of the conveyor belt 504. The shield 124 is removably
secured to the blade housing 130 by one or more screws, rivots, or
other fasteners passing through a hole in the shield 124 and a hole
in the blade housing 130. Also, the shield 124 is preferrably made
from a thin, but durable, sheet of plastic having a length that
extends over and covers the entire torsion blade holder assembly
100.
[0049] In operation, typically two or more torsion blade holder
assemblies 100 are mounted, usually on a shaft 502, in the desired
proximity of a conveyor belt 504. Coarse adjustments to the
position of a scraper blade 506 in relation to the conveyor belt
504 are generally made by moving the entire shaft 502 both
vertically and horizontally in relation to the surface of the
conveyor belt 504 being cleaned. Fine adjustments are made to the
position of the scraper blade 506 on individual torsion blade
holder assemblies 100 by adjusting one or more adjustable lock
bolts 122 under each scraper blade 114. An alternative scraper
blade 506 is shown in FIG. 5D without a blade insert 126 for
convenience only.
[0050] Once the torsion holder assemblies 100 are in the desired
location, the conveyor belt 504 is turned on. The scraper blade 506
is in direct contact with the outer surface of the conveyor belt
504 with the amount of pressuring exerted on the conveyor belt 504
by the scraper blade 506 depending on the set-up. When seams or
debris affixed to the conveyor belt 504 contact the scraper blade
506, the second member 104 rotates within the first hollow member
102 (assuming the debris or seam contacts the scraper blade 114
with sufficient force), thereby rotating the scraper blade 506 in
an arc away from the conveyor belt 504. The resilient nature of the
torsion elements 108 then restore the spatial relationship of the
second member 104 to the first hollow member 102 resulting in the
scraper blade 506 being returned to its proper position in contact
with the surface of the conveyor belt 504.
[0051] One of many alternative embodiments of this invention
includes a means for spraying a liquid on a conveyor belt 504 as
the conveyor belt 504 passes over a torsion blade holder assembly
100. In particular, the means for spraying involves spraying a
liquid, such as water or other liquid agent, onto a section of the
conveyor belt 504 either prior to or immediately after scraping
that area of the conveyor belt 504 with a scraper blade 114. As
also shown in FIGS. 5A-C, a pipeline 508 for transporting a liquid
is removably attached to the outer surface of the shaft 502 on
which the torsion blade holder assemblies 100 are mounted using
conventional clasps or other fasteners. The pipeline 508 is in
communication with a source of the liquid, e.g., a storage
container (not shown for convenience) and has one or more nozzles
510a,b positioned along the length of the pipeline 508 at a
predefined distance from each other. Corresponding to the
predefined distance between the nozzles 510a,b on the pipeline 508,
one or more holes 514a,b are positioned on a shield 124 mounted on
the scraper blades 506. The holes 514a,b in the shield 124 are of a
diameter that corresponds to the diameter of the nozzles 510a,b
such that the nozzles 510a,b of the pipeline 508 are inserted
through the holes 514a,b in the shield 124. The pipeline 508 is
preferably a heavy duty, 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch, galvanized or
stainless steel tubing and also has an on/off valve 512 which is
used to restrict the flow of liquid from the liquid source through
the pipeline 508. The means for spraying is described in these
terms for convenience purpose only. It would be readily apparent to
one of ordinary skill in the relevant art to relocate the pipeline
508, such as, to inside a cavity of a hollow shaft 502.
[0052] In operation, when the shield 124 is mounting on the front
side of a scraper blade 114, as shown in FIG. 1, liquid is
transported through the pipeline 508 and via the nozzles 510a,b is
sprayed on the surface of the conveyor belt 504 just prior to the
conveyor belt 504 reaching the scraper blade 114. The liquid in
this use may be water, a cleaning agent, or solvent that helps to
soften or remove debris from the conveyor belt 504. Therefore, the
scraper blade 506 is more effective during the cleaning process
while reducing the wear on the torsion blade holder assembly
100.
[0053] In operation, when the shield 124 is mounting on the rear
side of a scraper blade 114, liquid is transported through the
pipeline 508 and via the nozzles 510a,b is sprayed on the surface
of the conveyor belt 504 just after the conveyor belt 504 is
scraped clean by the scraper blade 114. The liquid in this use may
be water, anti-freeze, dust inhibitor, or other treating agent that
helps to treat the conveyor belt 504 for a special condition.
[0054] The present invention is described in terms of a single
torsion blade holder assembly 100 for convenience purposes only. It
would be readily apparent to have alternative configurations of
such torsion blade holder assemblies 100. For example, in FIG. 6,
an alternative configuration is shown having a plurality of torsion
blade holder assemblies 100 mounted on a single shaft 502.
Preferably, the plurality of torsion blade holder assemblies 100
are positioned along the length of the shaft 502 such that they are
centered along a central axis 602 of the conveyor belt 504 in order
to cover the entire width, or almost the entire width, of the
conveyor belt 504.
[0055] In another alternative embodiment as shown on FIG. 7, two or
more shafts, such as a first shaft 702 and a second shaft 704, may
be mounted sequentially one behind the other wherein at least one
torsion blade holder assembly 100 is mounted on each shaft 702,
704. As shown, the mounting sub-assembly 706 are fixed mounts that
do not rotate a scraper blade 114 in relation to the shafts 702,
704. The plurality of shafts 702, 704 are joined together at their
ends with a first shaft housing member 710a and a second shaft
housing member 710b. Specifically, each end of a shaft 702, 704 is
fit and secured with a shaft housing member 710. The first shaft
housing member 710a is then mounted to a first adjustable support
shaft 712a and the second shaft housing member 710b is then mounted
to a first adjustable support shaft 712b. The two support shafts
712a, b are secured to a base or other support which places the
torsion blade holder assemblies 100 in proper position in relation
to a conveyor belt 504. Using this configuration, a conveyor belt
504 is cleaned by a series of torsion blade holder assemblies 100
thereby providing a more thorough scraping and cleaning of the
conveyor belt 504.
[0056] In this configuration, many variations are possible. For
example, only the first torsion blade holder assembly 100 may have
a shield 124 and a means for spraying a liquid on the conveyor belt
504. Alternatively, the last torsion blade holder assembly 100 in
the series may have the shield 124 and means for spraying a liquid
on the conveyor belt 504. Also, one or more of the torsion blade
holder assemblies 100 in the series may have a shield 124 and/or a
means for spraying a liquid. Lastly, the mounting sub-assembly of
each torsion blade holder assembly 100 may either employ a torsion
means to allow for the rotation of the blade support sub-assembly,
or may be a fix mount prohibiting such rotation.
[0057] In another alternative embodiment, a mounting sub-assembly
includes a compression arm 802 to secure a shaft 502 during the
cleaning process. In this embodiment, the mounting sub-assembly of
a torsion blade holder assembly 100 does not employ torsion
properties that allow a scraper blade 114 to rotate in relation to
the mounting sub-assembly, but rather the preferred mounting in
this embodiment is a urethane scraper blade 814 bolted to the shaft
502. The means for rotating the scraper blade 814 is handled by one
or more compression arms 802 positioned at the end(s) of the shaft
502.
[0058] A compression arm 802 comprises a base plate 810 in
communication with a pivoting spindle 806 having a threaded shaft
and a pivoting component. A spring 804 is positioned on the
threaded shaft of the pivoting spindle 806 and is held in place by
a pair of spring buckets 812 (only one of which is visible in FIG.
8) and a thrust collar 808. This compression arm 802 employs a
spring action such that when seams or debris affixed to the
conveyor belt 504 contact the scraper blade 814, the compression
arm 802 retracts (assuming the debris or seam contacts the scraper
blade 814 with sufficient force), thereby rotating the shaft 502
and the scraper blade 814 away from the conveyor belt 504. The
resilient nature of the spring 804 then restores the spatial
relationship of the shaft 502 resulting in the scraper blade 814
being returned to its proper position in contact with the surface
of the conveyor belt 504.
Conclusion
[0059] While various embodiments of the present invention have been
described above, it should be understood that they have been
presented by the way of example only, and not limitation. It will
be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in
form and details may be made therein without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as defined. Thus, the breadth and
scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the
above-described exemplary embodiments.
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