GB2103192A

GB2103192A - Improvements relating to chutes or hoppers

Info

Publication number: GB2103192A
Application number: GB08222284A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Bush; Keith Brian Ball
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-08-01
Filing date: 1982-08-02
Publication date: 1983-02-16
Also published as: GB2103192B

Abstract

Chutes and hoppers often have linings to prolong life, reduce noise and spark risk, or to cushion the product being handled. Instead of a continuous sheet lining, panels (1, 15, or 18) are hung in tile-like fashion over the wear surface, and are individually replaceable. The top row of panels may hook onto a rail (9) fixed to the chute or hopper (6), with the next row hooking to that top row behind its lower edge and so on. The lower edge of the bottom row will engage and be retained by a removable rail (11) (Figure 3 not shown). The panels may be of composite construction, having a steel plate (1) with a resilient facing (2), and hook formations (4, 5) may be bent out of the plane of the plate. Alternatively, the panels may be plastics or rubber sheets (15) (Figure 5 not shown) with hooks (16, 17) partially embedded in them, or integral sheets (18), (Figure 6, not shown) having hooks (19, 20) formed by extrusion. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to chutes or hoppers This invention relates to chutes or hoppers, and is concerned with their lining.

Certain chutes and hoppers are lined with resilient sheet material rather than being of plain metal. This is necessary for various reasons, such as noise reduction, lessening the risk of sparks, cushioning of the product being handled, or prolonging the life of the hopper. However, such linings wear, and then they have to be replaced.

Since the wear tends to be localised, stripping off a lining for one relatively small area is very wasteful. Also, such linings are difficult to remove since they are generally bonded in place. This means that the hopper or chute has to be out of action for some time.

It is the aim of the invention to provide a different form lining, by which replacement of worn parts can be quickly and easily achieved.

According to the present invention there is provided a lining panel for chutes or hoppers having complementary hook formations on the reverse side at the upper end and lower end so that similar panels can be interengaged with an overlap.

The references to the reverse side (and later to the front side) and to the upper and lower ends is used in relation to the attitude of the panel when in position in a chute or hopper, which will be assumed to have a slope.

In one preferred form the panel is of composite construction, comprising a plate with a resilient facing on its front side. This may commence below the upper edge and extend beyond the lower edge of the plate in order to provide the overlap. The lower edge of the facing may be undercut or angled, with an upper edge shaped in complementary fashion so that there is a tile-like overlap down the slope.

The upper edge portion of the plate is preferably cranked away from the interface plane of the plate and facing, and bent back on itself towards that plane to form the upper hook. The lower end portion is also bent back on itself, but away from the interface plane.

In an alternative form, the panel is itself of resilient material. The hook formations may be elements partially embedded in the panel, or they may be integrally formed with the panel.

In use, the chute or hopper will be provided with a hooked mounting rail at its upper end by which an upper mounting panel, or row of such panels, can be suspended. Further panels are then hooked on below this, forming a chain down towards the bottom of the chute or hopper. At the lower end there will be removable retaining rail providing a formation around which the lowermost hooks of the panels can engage and which, when so engaged, can be fitted to the chute or hopper wall. Conveniently, it may have studs which project through the wall from inside to out, where they can be secured by nuts, clips or other fastening devices.

For a better understanding of the invention, one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a vertical section through parts of two similar, mutually engaged lining panels, Figure 2 is a cross-section of an upper mounting rail, Figure 3 is a cross-section of a lower retaining rail, Figure 4 is a face view of a hopper wall lined with such panels, Figure 5 is a vertical section of an alternative panel, and Figure 6 is a vertical section of another panel.

The panel is of composite construction comprising a steel backing plate 1 and a facing 2 of rubber or other resilient material. They are bonded together at an interface 3. The plate 1 projects beyond the facing 2 at its upper end, and the facing 2 projects beyond the plate 1 at the opposite, lower end. At its upper end, the plate 1 is cranked away from the interface plane 3 and then bent back on itself towards the plane to form a hook 4. At the lower end, the plate is simply bent back on itself away from the plane 3 to form a hook 5, these hooks being complementary as shown at the upper end of Figure 1. When so engaged, the lower edge portion of the facing 2 of the upper panel conceals the join and just extends to the main flat portion of the plate 1 of the panel immediately below.Its extreme edge is bevelled on the underside so that it angles from the interface plane down the slope, and the upper edge of the adjacent facing is similarly angled so that there is a tile-like overlap, offering no impediment to material falling down the chute or hopper.

Figure 2 shows how the panels may be suspended. The wall of the chute or hopper is indicated at 6, and there is permanently attached to it a mounting rail 7. This has a flange 8 drilled to receive bolts (not shown) by which the rail is secured to the wall 6. Below this, the rail is bent outwardly and downwardly, and then formed with an inturned hook 9 in which can engage the upper hooks 4 of lining panels. The spacing of the hook 9 from the wall 6 is just sufficient for there to be room to manoeuvre the hooks 4 in between. To protect the rail, a resilient covering strip 10 is bonded to the upper edge of the flange 8, and below the bolt holes it is angled across to be bonded to the outwardly cranked portion.

Generally, this part of the hopper or chute will not be subject to impact by the material being handled.

At the bottom, the lower edges of the lining panels must be held in to the hopper or chute wall. For this, there is provided a retaining rail as shown in Figure 3. This comprises a flat metal strip 11 with spacers 12 on the side away from the panels, the strip 11 projecting below the spacers so that the hooks 5 can engage around it.

This is done with the already hooked-on lowermost panels slightly canted away from the wall 6. They are then moved back against the wall, and studs 13 welded to the rail then project through matching apertures 14 in the wall 6. They are secured in that position by nuts, spring clips or other fasteners. Thus, the chute or hopper will be lined with panels secured at top and bottom and resting at the hooked joins on the wall 6.

Installation is quick and easy. The rounded formation of the hooks can allow interengagement simply by pushing the lower panel up the slope until it forces the upper panel to hinge out and then fall back into the engaged position. Generally it will be preferred to have adjacent rows staggered in tile fashion as shown in Figure 4. Replacement of any worn panels is also quick and easy. The retaining rail is released and the panels removed from the bottom upwards to the worn zone. Replacement panels are fitted, the other ones put back and the retaining rail resecured. If replacements are not available, then it is possible simply to swap around the panels so that the worn ones can be placed in less exposed areas, and panels from those areas used in the main wear zone.

A worn panel taken out of service can have its facing removed and replaced, and the metal backing plates can thus be used indefinitely.

However, instead of this composite construction, the alternatives shown in Figures 5 and 6 may be employed.

In Figure 5, the panel 1 5 is an integral sheet of tough rubber or plastics material such as polyurethane. Although this is not spongy, it does have a certain resilience. Hooks 1 6 and 1 7 are partially embedded in this panel and serve the same function as hooks 4 and 5.

In Figure 6, the panel 18 is not only integral in itself, but with hooks 1 9 and 20. This panel may be formed by an extrusion process, the hooks being continuous with formations along the reverse side. With suitable thickness and profiling, the hooks will have adequate strength, even though the material may not have the rigidity of steel plate.

Claims

1. A lining panel for chutes or hoppers having complementary hook formations on the reverse side at the upper and lower ends so that similar panels can be interengaged with an overlap.

2. A lining panel as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the panel is of composite construction, comprising a plate with a resilient facing on its front side.

3. A lining panel as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the facing commences below the upper edge and extends beyond the lower edge of the plate to provide the overlap.

4. A lining panel as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, wherein the lower edge of the facing is undercut or angled and the upper edge is shaped in complementary fashion so that there is a tile-like overlap down the slope.

5. A lining panel as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the upper edge portion of the plate is cranked away from the interface plane of the plate and facing and bent back on itself to form the upper hook.

6. A lining panel as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 8, wherein the lower edge position of the plate is bent back on itself, away from the interface plane of the plate and facing, to form the lower hook.

7. A lining panel as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the panel is itself of resilient material.

8. A lining panel as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the hook formations are elements partially embedded in the panel.

9. A lining panel as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the hook formation is integrally formed therewith.

10. A lining panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3, Figure 5 or Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A chute or hopper having a hooked mounting rail at the upper end of its slope and an array of lining panels as claimed in any preceding claim suspended from said rail.

12. A chute or hopper as claimed in Claim 12, wherein a removable retaining rail is provided at the lower end of its slope, for engagement by the iowermost hook formation(s) of the panels.