AU599172B2 - Improved bulk handling device - Google Patents

Description

599 172 *san~d 1i~ t ;r~l:,Lr COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA The Patents Act 1952-1969 6 t t C f IName of Applicant: S Address of Applicant: I t t I t QUEENSLAND MINING AND EXPLORATION PTY LTD 3511 Pacific Highway, SPRINGWOOD. QLd. 4127 Commonwealth of Australia.

Anthony Leon Stephens G.R. CULLEN COMPANY Dalgety House, 79 Eagle Street, BRISBANE. Qld. Australia.

Actual Inventor(s): Address for service:

LI

t t

E

COMPLETE PATENT SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: IMPROVED BULK HANDLING DEVICE The following statement is a full description of the invention including the best method of performing it known to us: -2- THIS INVENTION relates to improvements in bulk handling devices of the type using inclined conveying means for movement of bulk material.

A bulk handling device is described in Australian Patent No. 545391. In this patent to Queensland Mining and Exploration Pty Ltd a bulk carrier in the form of a tipping truck includes the use of an auger for conveying bulk material to the upwardly tilted rear of the tipping truck.

o oWhilst the auger serves to perform the conveying function, it is both heavy and may be apt to jamming where large rock particles are being conveyed.

00 0 Conventional flat belt conveyors have been used in conveying materials along horizontal surfaces and up shallow inclines. However, the use of belt conveyors in 15 steeply inclined tipping trucks of the aforementioned type has hitherto been unknown and impractical because of .slippage of the material along the belt. It has however, ao, °in general, been known to use belts which incorporate ~various cups and other lifting means for holding material 0000 to be conveyed. These known belt conveyors are both costly and require constant maintenance. Due to wear on the lifting means, the belt must be replaced or repaired at regular intervals. Whilst it would be desirable to use a belt conveyor because of its lightness in comparison to an auger, the slippage characteristics of the known belt conveyors makes it difficult to empty the bulk material from the tipper truck.

3-- It is a principal object of the present invention therefore to provide a belt conveyor for a tipping trailer which alleviates the problems of the prior art.

The invention resides in one broad aspect in a mobile bulk material transporting and dispensing apparatus comprising:a mobile frame having ground engaging wheels; a container body having at least one storage compartment for particulate material, said container body being pivotally attached adjacent a front end of said mobile frame relative to a normal direction of travel, said t, w container body in use being elevatable to an inclined ,i position; *Vt an endless belt conveyor including drive means therefor, said endless belt conveyor being located beneath said at least one storage compartment and extending S longitudinally of said container body, said endless belt conveyor including a resiliently deformable endless belt extending longitudinally over an upper conveying path and a lower return path, said endless belt being supported substantially over a major portion of said conveying path by a longitudinally extending belt guide member having a concavely arcuate cross section; and, closure means associated with a floor of said at least one storage compartment to selectively meter particulate material therein onto said endless belt conveyor to facilitate discharge of said particulate material from S said container body whilst in an inclined position.

The belt housing is preferably located between the conveying path and the return path and extends along and on each side of the conveying path. The housing can include belt edge guards on each side of the conveying path. The i ~-----ar~UIYrri~

I

-4edge guards preferably extend the full length of the conveying path and overlay the belt periphery.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and be put into practical effect, reference will now be made to Lhe accompanying drawings and wherein:- Figure 1 is a schematic view illustrating a bulk handling device using a belt conveyor constructed in accordance with the invention, o ~Figure 2 is a cross-section through a conveyor esr 10 constructed in accordance with the invention, 0 0? I Figure 3 is part of a cross-section through the o o conveyor of Figure 2 but longitudinally spaced from the cross-section of Figure 2, Figure 4 is an alternative cross-section through a S0,, 15 conveyor constructed in accordance with the invention, and 0 Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating a 00 i further embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings and first to Figure 1, there is illustrated a tipping despatcher body 10 showing mounted on a trailer 11 coupled at 12 to a prime mover 13.

Preferably, a tri-drive or triple axle 14, type prime mover is employed. The tipping despatcher is pivoted at A belt housing 16 is provided in which is located a continuous belt 22 for conveying bulk material from compartments 17, 18, 19 and 20 upwards in the tilted tipper trailer to spill the material into outlet 21. The continuous belt has a conveying path 23 and a return path oll i I t I 24. Sliding doors are provided in the base of compartments 17, 18, 19 and 20 for selectively depositing the contents of the compartments onto the conveying path of belt 22.

Belt housing 16 is arranged to deform belt 22 into a generally arcuate cross-section and this will be described below.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, there is illustrated spaced transverse cross-section through the conveyor housing 16 of Figure 2 and illustrating the conveyor path, return path and belt housing in more detail.

a Referring to Figure 2, belt housing 16 is "o illustrated showing belt 22 operatively positioned in 0 o conveying path 23 and return path 24. Return path 24 is defined by a series of longitudinally spaced idler rollers 15 25. As can be seen belt 22 is configured in a general S04 rectangular cross-section during its passage along return o 0 path 24.

Conveying path 23 is defined by a roll formed or pressed steel arcuate belt guide 26 which resiliently 0040 err deforms belt 22 into a corresponding arcuate cross-sectioned shape for the entire length of conveying path 23, which of course corresponds to the full length of tipping despatcher body Housing 16 is provided with an elongate aperture 27 into which the contents of compartments 17, 18, 19 and may fall and thereafter be conveyed along conveying path 23. To prevent material from passing beneath belt 22

__J

longitudinal guards 28 extend past the longitudinal edges 29 of belt 22.

Housing 16 includes structured reinforcing elements such as web 30 and bracket 31 and idler roller mounting brackets 32.

Referring to Figure 3, there is illustrated a view similar to Figure 2 of a cross-section through the belt housing 16. The Figure 3 cross-section is longitudinally spaced from the Figure 2 cross-section. The retuin path 24 0 and associated portion of the belt have been omitted for 0 a clarity. Like numerals have been used to illustrate lik.

0 6" features. Guide 26 includes longitudinally spaced v o transverse cut-outs 33 through which protrude conveyor rollers 34 which elevate belt 22 slightly out of the pan 15 section 35 of guide 26. Conveyor roller brackets 36 are a a fixed to the underside of guide 26.

a i Referring now to Figure 4, there is illustrated an alternative cross-section of belt housing 16 where like numerals have again been used to illustrate like features.

In this embodiment guards 28 are attached to guide 26 and guide 26 is of greater curvature than in Figures 2 and 3.

Referring to Figure 5, a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated. Like numerals have been used to illustrate like features. In this embodiment the belt has been omitted for clarity exposing the belt guide which in this case includes spaced side rollers 27 in addition to conveyor rollers 34. The return rollers 25 can be seen i -7below the conveyor rollers 34. Guards 28 are also provided as in the earlier embodiments. An abuttment 38 as was shown in Figure 4 is also employed in this embodiment to prevent transverse slewing of the belt.

It will be realised that although conveyor rollers have been used in the embodiment of Figures 2, 3 and 5, by increasing the rigidity of belt 22 and reducing the transverse contact points thereof with guide 26, the rollers may be dispensed with and the belt driven in a nn complete sliding contact with the guide 26.

By providing an arcuate conveyor path material

I

conveyed is directed toward the centre of belt 22 as well as in the direction of conveyance. This has the effect of increasing the angle to the horizontal at which material can be conveyed when compared with a planar belt.

Whilst the above has been given by way of 0# I 2 illustrative example of the invention, many modifications and variations may be made thereto by persons skilled in the art without departing from the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein set forth in the following claims.

Claims (7)

1. 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said endless belt conveyor includes a-discharge portion extending r rearwardly of said container body.
2. 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said belt guide member includes a longitudinally extending central slot having spaced transverse support rollers to support a central region of said endless belt.
3. 4. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said container body comprises a plurality of storage compartments, each storage compartment including selectively actuable closure means to selectively meter particulate material located respectively therein. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said endless belt conveyor is located with a housing positioned below said one or more storage compartments.
4. 6. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein longitudinally extending inwardly and downwardly inclined deflection members are provided above opposed edges of said endless belt along said conveying path to direct, in use, particulate material from said one or more storage compartments towards a central region of said endless belt.
5. 7. A mobile bulk particulate material transporting and dispensing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. o ot 46 t .t I 64 -t i -6 4 t 1* i I 1.3: -j s discharge outlet at the ether end, a pluraliyf stu -Diytja compartments on said tipping body and an e dless belt conveyor located between the compartme s, said endless belt conveyor being a conveyor acc rding to any one of Claims 1 to 6.
6. 8. An endless belt c nveyor substantially as defined with reference to the ccompanying drawings.
7. 9. A mobile ulk material carrier substantially as described wit reference to the accompanying drawings. AED this 5 day of D-cembe-- ,---1987. QUEENSLAND MNINNG AND EXPLORATION PTY LTD By their Patent Attorneys G.R. CULLEN CO. t 41: UJ yo U Kw -o c V' \^/rTJ I-