U.S. patent application number 10/541842 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-01 for conveyor belt and belt conveyor system comprising same.
Invention is credited to Rene Brunone.
Application Number | 20060113259 10/541842 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32524870 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060113259 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Brunone; Rene |
June 1, 2006 |
Conveyor belt and belt conveyor system comprising same
Abstract
A closed-loop conveyor belt (16) includes a continuous support
area (20) at the centre thereof and at least one longitudinal
floating tube (22) at the side of same.
Inventors: |
Brunone; Rene; (Marcel,
FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YOUNG & THOMPSON
745 SOUTH 23RD STREET
2ND FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22202
US
|
Family ID: |
32524870 |
Appl. No.: |
10/541842 |
Filed: |
December 24, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
December 24, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FR03/03902 |
371 Date: |
July 12, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
210/776 ;
210/242.3; 210/923 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G 2201/04 20130101;
B65G 21/005 20130101; B65G 15/60 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
210/776 ;
210/242.3; 210/923 |
International
Class: |
E02B 15/04 20060101
E02B015/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 13, 2003 |
FR |
0300319 |
Claims
1. A belt conveyor system comprising a closed-loop conveyor belt
(16) and two remote belt-reversing units (18A, 18B) between which
the belt is held, each reversing unit (18A, 18B) comprising a
reversing roller (40) around which the belt (16; 116) is engaged,
characterized in that one of the rollers (40) is equipped with
drive means by which it can be set in rotation and by which the
belt (16) can be driven, and in that the conveyor belt (16; 116)
comprises, in its center part, a continuous support area (20) and,
at the side, at least one longitudinal buoyancy tube (22; 122A,
122B).
2. The belt conveyor system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
that the or each buoyancy tube (22; 122A, 122B) is integrated in
the thickness of the belt (16; 116).
3. The belt conveyor system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
that the or each buoyancy tube (22; 122A, 122B) forms an individual
annular closed space (24) extending along the whole of the
circumference of the belt.
4. The belt conveyor system as claimed in claim 3, characterized in
that the or each closed space (24) is maintained at a pressure
ranging between 1 bar and 5 bar.
5. The belt conveyor system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
that the belt (16; 116) comprises a buoyancy tube (22; 122A, 122B)
along each longitudinal edge of the belt.
6. The belt conveyor system as claimed in claim 5, characterized in
that the buoyancies conferred to the belt (116) by the two
longitudinal buoyancy tubes (122A, 122B) are different.
7. The belt conveyor system as claimed in claim 6, characterized in
that the cross sections of the two longitudinal buoyancy tubes
(122A, 122B) are different.
8. The belt conveyor system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in
that the belt (116) comprises, on at least one face, transverse
ribs (130) distributed along at least a part of the circumference
of the belt.
9. The belt conveyor system as claimed in claim 8, characterized in
that the belt (116) comprises transverse ribs (130) on its two
opposite faces.
10. The belt conveyor system as claimed in claim 1, characterized
in that each reversing unit (18A, 18B) comprises lateral spacing
means (50) for the two strands (16A, 16B; 116A, 116B) of the belt
emanating from the same reversing roller (40).
11. The belt conveyor system as claimed in claim 1, characterized
in that the reversing units (18A, 18B are such that the faces of
the belt in contact with the liquid are opposite along the upstream
strand and the downstream strand of the belt.
12. A materials-transporting process, characterized in that it
comprises the steps of rotating a belt (16; 116) of a conveyor as
claimed in claim 1 directly on the surface of an expanse of liquid,
and of disposing the materials to be transported on the upper
support area (20) of the belt floating on the surface of the
expanse of liquid.
13. A recovery process for a floating substance, especially oil, on
the surface of an expanse of liquid, characterized in that it
comprises the rotation of a belt of a conveyor as claimed in claim
8 with a first edge only partially submerged and the second side
edge totally submerged.
14. The belt conveyor system as claimed in claim 2, characterized
in that the or each buoyancy tube (22; 122A, 122B) forms an
individual annular closed space (24) extending along the whole of
the circumference of the belt.
15. A recovery process for a floating substance, especially oil, on
the surface of an expanse of liquid, characterized in that it
comprises the rotation of a belt of a conveyor as claimed in claim
9 with a first edge only partially submerged and the second side
edge totally submerged.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a closed-loop conveyor
belt.
[0002] In numerous situations, it is necessary to transport
products, such as granulates, agricultural products or mineral
ores, through an expanse of water.
[0003] In order to do this, it is known to place, on the surface of
the water, a succession of floating frames bound together in a row.
These floating frames each comprise supporting means for a
closed-loop conveyor belt.
[0004] The conveyor belt is held between two end rollers, which
provide for its reversing. One of the rollers is a driving roller
to provide for the driving of the belt.
[0005] Such conveyors work satisfactorily. Nevertheless, their
structure is relatively complex, so that their manufacture and
their installation are awkward and costly.
[0006] The object of the invention is to propose a conveyor which
is simple to manufacture and install.
[0007] To this end, the subject of the invention is a conveyor belt
of the aforesaid type, characterized in that it comprises, in its
center part, a continuous support area and, at the side, at least
one longitudinal buoyancy tube.
[0008] According to particular embodiments, the belt comprises one
or more of the following characteristics:
[0009] the or each buoyancy tube is integrated in the thickness of
the belt;
[0010] the or each buoyancy tube forms an individual annular closed
space extending along the whole of the circumference of the
belt;
[0011] the or each closed space is maintained at a pressure ranging
between 1 bar and 5 bar;
[0012] it comprises a buoyancy tube along each longitudinal edge of
the belt;
[0013] the buoyancies conferred to the belt by the two longitudinal
buoyancy tubes are different;
[0014] the cross sections of the two longitudinal buoyancy tubes
are different;
[0015] it comprises, on at least one face, transverse ribs
distributed along at least a part of the circumference of the belt;
and
[0016] it comprises transverse ribs on its two opposite faces.
[0017] Also forming the subject of the invention is a conveyor
comprising a belt such as described above and two remote
belt-reversing units between which the belt is held, each reversing
unit comprising a reversing roller around which the belt is
engaged.
[0018] According to one particular embodiment, the conveyor
comprises the following characteristic:
[0019] each reversing unit comprises lateral spacing means for the
two belt strands emanating from the same reversing roller.
[0020] The subject of the invention is also formed by a
materials-transporting process, characterized in that it comprises
steps consisting in: rotating a belt such as described above
directly on the surface of an expanse of liquid, and disposing the
materials to be transported on the upper support area of the belt
floating on the surface of the expanse of liquid.
[0021] Finally, the subject of the invention comprises a recovery
process for a floating substance, especially oil, on the surface of
an expanse of liquid, characterized in that it comprises the
rotation of a belt such as described above with a first edge only
partially submerged and the second side edge totally submerged.
[0022] The invention will be better understood from a reading of
the following description, provided solely by way of example and
rendered with reference to the drawings, in which:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic top view of a conveyor according to
the invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the belt of the conveyor
of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a larger-scale sectional view of a side edge of
the belt;
[0026] FIGS. 4 and 5 are larger-scale views, respectively from the
side and above, of one end of the conveyor;
[0027] FIG. 6 is a view identical to that of FIG. 3, illustrating a
manufacturing phase of the belt; and
[0028] FIGS. 7 and 8 are views identical to FIGS. 1 and 2 of an
embodiment of a conveyor according to the invention.
[0029] In FIG. 1, a conveyor 10 according to the invention is
represented. This conveyor is installed between two opposite banks
12A, 12B of an expanse of water, such as a lake 14.
[0030] The conveyor essentially comprises a floating conveyor belt
16, which is closed in a loop to form a continuous belt, and two
reversing units 18A, 18B disposed at each of the ends of the
conveyor on the banks 12A and 12B.
[0031] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the belt 16 has, in its center
part, a continuous support area 20 for the products to be
transported and, laterally, on each of the edges, longitudinal
buoyancy tubes 22. The tubes 22 extend along the entire length of
the continuous belt and are integrated in the thickness of this
belt.
[0032] The tubes 22 have a, for example, substantially circular
internal section. For a belt of a width ranging between 1 m and 4
m, the diameter of the tubes 22 ranges between 10 cm and 50 cm.
[0033] The tubes 22 extend along the entire length of the
closed-loop belt and thus define an annular closed space 24. This
closed space is filled with a gas such as air at a pressure ranging
between 1 bar and 5 bar and advantageously of the order of 2
bar.
[0034] The structure of the belt 16 is represented in greater
detail in FIG. 3. This belt comprises two inner reinforcing layers
26 extending along the whole of the surface of the belt. These
layers 26 are encased in an elastic material 28 such as vulcanized
rubber.
[0035] The two layers 26 extend on either side of the tubes 22.
[0036] The tube 22 is delimited by an impermeable tubular membrane
30 forming a lining delimiting, for each tube, an individual
gas-tight pocket. The membrane 30 is accommodated in the thickness
of the belt.
[0037] A reversing unit 18A, provided at the end of the conveyor,
is illustrated on a larger scale in FIGS. 4 and 5.
[0038] This unit comprises a reversing roller 40 rotatably mounted
on a portal 42, itself placed on the ground, where it is anchored.
The portal 42 is fixed, for example, to a socle 44.
[0039] The belt 16 is engaged around reversing rollers. The tension
of the belt between two end reversing units is such that the
buoyancy tubes 22 are compressed and flattened in the region of the
belt engaged around the reversing rollers 40.
[0040] One of the rollers 40 is equipped with drive means by which
it can be set in rotation and by which the belt 16 can be
driven.
[0041] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the end reversing units 18A
comprise lateral spacing means 50 for the two belt strands. Thus,
the upper and lower strands of the belt engaged around the
reversing roller 40 are laterally offset on either side of the
longitudinal axis of the conveyor.
[0042] The reversing units 18A, 18B are such that the faces of the
belt in contact with the liquid are opposite along the upstream
strand and the downstream strand of the belt.
[0043] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the two strands of the belt
are in this case adjacent in the running part of the conveyor and
extending in a same plane to the surface of the water.
[0044] The spacing means 50 are formed, for example, by guide
cradles for each of the belt strands. These cradles are fit for
supporting the belt and for providing for its lateral offsetting.
To this end, they are staggered, each on one side of the
longitudinal axis of the conveyor, and are inclined toward the
outside of the conveyor.
[0045] In FIG. 2, the featured transporting strand 16A has its
central support area 20 laden with products, so that this strand,
resting directly on the surface of the water, forms a basin. The
two side edges of the belt are held out of the water by
longitudinal buoyancy tubes 22.
[0046] By contrast, the unladen return strand 16B floats
substantially flat on the surface of the water.
[0047] In operation, therefore, the two strands of the belt are
supported along the entire length of the conveyor, floating
directly on the surface of the water without any external means of
support being necessary.
[0048] It will be recognized that such a conveyor is simple to make
and to use.
[0049] Such a conveyor can be used even in a zone initially devoid
of an expanse of water. In this case, in order to allow the
installation of the conveyor, it is advisable to create a shallow
channel, for example of the order of one-meter in depth, and to
fill this channel with water. The two belt strands are applied to
the surface of the water contained in the channel.
[0050] The belt 16 is manufactured according to the following
process.
[0051] Firstly, a belt blank is produced. This blank is
constituted, as illustrated in FIG. 6, by a plane belt which is not
yet closed in a loop. This belt comprises the two layers 26. On the
longitudinal edges of the belt there is disposed, between the two
layers 26, the tubular membrane 30 intended to delimit the buoyancy
tubes. This membrane is then flattened. The two layers 26 and the
membranes 30 are encased in the rubber 28. The latter is then
vulcanized.
[0052] The plane belt is then closed in a loop and its two ends are
joined together. In particular, the ends of the tubular membranes
30 are joined end to end to form the annular closed spaces.
[0053] Advantageously, supplementary reinforcing belts are added in
the connecting region of two ends of the plane belt blank.
[0054] After the two ends of the belt have been joined together,
both buoyancy tubes are inflated by the introduction of pressurized
air through a temporary orifice. The orifice is then plugged.
[0055] According to one embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8,
the featured belt 116 is held between two remote ships 118A, 118B
on which the reversing units are mounted. The ships 118A, 118B are
kept at a distance apart to ensure sufficient tension in the belt,
with its two featured strands 116A, 116B extending side by side on
the surface of the water.
[0056] This belt comprises two buoyancy tubes 122A, 122B of
different dimensions, so that, as illustrated in FIG. 8, when the
belt rests on the surface of the water, one of the longitudinal
edges of the belt is partially submerged, whereas the other is held
above the surface of the water.
[0057] For example, for a belt 1 m to 5 m in width, the tube 122A
providing the greater buoyancy has a diameter ranging between 10 cm
and 50 cm, whereas the tube 122B providing a lesser buoyancy has a
diameter ranging between 5 cm and 20 cm.
[0058] Advantageously, the tube 122B is ballasted, for example,
with a lead wire inserted in the thickness of the belt so as to
confer a required level of buoyancy.
[0059] Additionally the belt comprises, in its central support
area, and advantageously along its two faces, evenly distributed,
built-on crosspieces 130. These crosspieces extend along the entire
width of the belt from one buoyancy tube to the other.
[0060] It will be appreciated that, when the belt is displaced, one
of the strands 116A is partially submerged, so that it is likely to
collect substances floating on the surface of the water and to
direct these to a ship situated downstream, bearing in mind the
direction of displacement of the strand 116A.
[0061] Such a conveyor can be used, in particular, to collect oil
slicks floating on the surface of the sea following the wreck of a
transport ship.
* * * * *