JP7718864B2 - Belt conveyor - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a belt conveyor that has a curved section within its conveying section, and in particular to a belt conveyor in which an endless conveyor belt is stretched along the linear shape of the conveying path described by the conveying section that includes the curved section.

Technologies disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, for example, are examples of belt conveyors with curved sections within the conveying section (hereinafter also referred to as "curved conveyors"). The curved conveyors described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have multiple sets of carrier rollers (and return rollers) mounted on individual support frames, arranged along the linearity of the conveying path.

JP 2011-020766 A (paragraph 0002, Figures 8 and 9) JP 2010-159125 A (paragraph 0002, Figures 2 and 4)

However, the curved conveyors described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 require foundation construction for each of the numerous support frames. Furthermore, a large working space is required around the conveyor depending on the scale of the construction. This problem becomes more pronounced the longer the curved conveyor is extended.

The present invention was developed to address these problems, and aims to provide a belt conveyor that allows for continuous transport of loads along a transport route that includes curved sections, and that can be constructed with as simple a foundation as possible as a whole conveyor system, and that can be easily and quickly removed afterward.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one embodiment of the present invention provides a belt conveyor comprising a first conveyor section suspended by a plurality of cables stretched along a first conveying direction, which is a straight conveying section of the load; a second conveyor section supported on a plurality of supports erected from the ground and extending along a second conveying direction, which is a curved conveying section of the load; and an endless conveyor belt looped around the first conveyor section and the second conveyor section, capable of infinite circulation along a conveying path defined by a conveying section that includes the straight conveying section and the curved conveying section.

According to one embodiment of the belt conveyor of the present invention, an endless conveyor belt is looped around the first conveyor section and the second conveyor section along the conveying path in an infinitely circulating manner, so that loads can be continuously transported along the conveying path defined by the conveying sections of the first conveyor section and the second conveyor section.
Furthermore, the first conveyor section is supported in a suspended state by multiple cables stretched along the first conveying direction, which is the linear conveying section of the load.Therefore, by adopting a suspended conveyor, the first conveyor section can be constructed with simple foundation work, and subsequent removal can be carried out easily and quickly.

Furthermore, the second conveyor section is supported on a plurality of pillars erected from the ground surface and is arranged along the second conveying direction, which is a curved conveying section of the load, so that it is suitable as a configuration for providing a curved section within the conveying section, in order to enable continuous conveying of the load along the conveying path described by the conveying section including the curved section.
Therefore, according to one aspect of the present invention, a belt conveyor enables continuous transport of loads along a transport route described by a transport section including a curved section, and the entire conveyor equipment can be constructed with as simple a foundation work as possible, and subsequent removal can be carried out easily and quickly.

As described above, this invention enables continuous transport of loads along a transport route that includes curved sections, and the entire conveyor system can be constructed with as simple a foundation as possible, allowing for easy and quick removal afterward.

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of a belt conveyor according to one aspect of the present invention, which shows a schematic plan view of the entire belt conveyor having three conveyor sections, together with a side view of each conveyor section in the same figure. FIG. 2 is a side view of a first conveyor section of the belt conveyor of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main portion of the first conveyor section of FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of the first conveyor unit of FIG. 2. 5A and 5B are schematic enlarged views of the main part of FIG. 4, in which FIG. 5A is a partial view seen from the arrow A, and FIG. 5B is a partial view seen from the arrow B. FIG. 2 is a side view of a second conveyor section of the belt conveyor of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a side view of a third conveyor section of the belt conveyor of FIG. 1; 1A to 1D are schematic diagrams illustrating the conveying posture of the conveyor belt at the transition point between the ground-standing conveyor body and the suspended conveyor body in a belt conveyor according to one embodiment of the present invention, and (a) to (d) show cross sections at the portions indicated by symbols A to D in FIG. 1, respectively.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the drawings are schematic. Therefore, it should be noted that the relationship between thickness and planar dimensions, ratios, etc. differ from the actual ones, and the drawings also include portions where the relationship and ratio of dimensions differ from each other.
Furthermore, the embodiments described below are intended to exemplify devices and methods for embodying the technical ideas of the present invention, and the technical ideas of the present invention do not limit the materials, shapes, structures, arrangements, etc. of the components to the embodiments described below.

As shown in Figure 1, the belt conveyor 100 of this embodiment is equipped with, from the header side, a first conveyor section 100A, which is a suspended belt conveyor, a second conveyor section 100B, which is supported on supports erected from the ground, and a third conveyor section 100C, which is also a suspended belt conveyor, all of which are successively arranged in the conveying direction.

The first conveyor section 100A on the header side has a cylindrical header roller 41 located at the end of the conveying path. A drive unit 43 is attached to the header roller 41. A hopper 44 is provided to the side of the header roller 41 so that excavated soil and other loads can be dumped therein.
The third conveyor section 100C on the footer side has a cylindrical footer roller 42 located at the tail end of the conveying path. A loading device 45 is located on the footer roller 42 side, which loads excavated soil and other loads onto the conveyor belt 90. Also located on the footer roller 42 side are equipment such as a tensioning mechanism for the conveyor belt 90, a counterweight, and a cleaning device (not shown).

The first conveyor section 100A, the second conveyor section 100B, and the third conveyor section 100C have conveyor bodies 40A, 40B, and 40C arranged along the conveying path in their respective conveying sections. Each conveyor body 40A, 40B, and 40C has a plurality of conveyor roller sets each having a plurality of guide rollers.
The endless conveyor belt 90 is guided by guide rollers of the conveyor roller sets of each of the conveyor bodies 40A, 40B, and 40C in the middle of the conveyor path so as to be able to circulate endlessly along the conveyor path, and is wound around the header roller 41 and the footer roller 42. The conveyor belt 90 is wound around the conveyor bodies 40A and 40C in a flat, spread state near the header roller 41 and the footer roller 42.

Each of the first conveyor section 100A, second conveyor section 100B and third conveyor section 100C will now be described in more detail.
First, the first conveyor section 100A will be described in detail.
As shown in Figure 2, the first conveyor section 100A is a suspended belt conveyor having a pair of main cables 20 stretched along the direction of transport of the load, and multiple pairs of hanger wires 30 hanging down from each of the pair of main cables 20 at opposite positions in the width direction.

The conveyor body 40 of the first conveyor section 100A is supported along the conveying direction by multiple pairs of hanger wires 30 in the middle of the conveying path. In other words, the first conveyor section 100A is supported in a suspended state by multiple cables stretched along the first conveying direction in the linear conveying section of the load, and is configured as a so-called "suspension conveyor."
More specifically, the first conveyor section 100A includes a plurality of main towers 10. Each main tower 10 is constructed of steel or reinforced concrete on a foundation, spaced apart in the width direction. If the foundation is located underwater, the main towers 10 can be constructed by submerging a caisson in the water and pouring concrete into it.

Anchors 11 are constructed at both ends of the main towers 10 located at both ends. The anchors 11 are concrete blocks constructed at both ends of the suspended belt conveyor 100, and function as anchors to secure the main cable 20. If there are topographical constraints or solid bedrock, the bearing capacity of the ground can also be utilized.

In the first conveyor section 100A, as shown in an enlarged view in Figure 3, a main cable 20 is stretched between at least two adjacent main towers. As shown in a perspective view in Figure 4, the main cable 20 is composed of a pair of main cables 20L, 20R that are spaced apart in the width direction perpendicular to the conveying direction and form a catenary curve. Hereinafter, when there is no particular need to distinguish between the pair of main cables 20L, 20R, they will also be simply referred to as "main cables 20."
A plurality of steel wires (piano wires) bundled in parallel are usually used as the main cable 20. The main cable 20 may be surface-treated with rubber or paint to prevent corrosion (rust).

In this embodiment, a pair of main cables 20L, 20R are stretched between each main tower 10 and the anchor 11, and between a pair of adjacent main towers 10, as shown in Figure 2. The main cables 20 are stretched over the top saddles 10s of each main tower 10, and hang the conveyor body 40A along the conveying direction via hanger wires 30.
Pairs of hanger wires 30L, 30R hang down from appropriate positions of each of the pair of main cables 20L, 20R at positions opposite each other in the width direction. As with the "main cables 20," hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the pairs of hanger wires 30L, 30R, they will also be simply referred to as "hanger wires 30."

As shown in Figure 3, the hanger wires 30 are set to different lengths depending on their position in the conveying direction in order to connect the main cable 20, which forms a catenary line, to the roller brackets 60 so that the arrangement of the roller brackets 60 is approximately horizontal. Twisted wire is used for the hanger wires 30. The multiple hanger wires 30 hang down from the main cable 20 and support the conveyor body 40 in an approximately horizontal position. The hanger wires 30 hang down from the main cable 20 at predetermined intervals.

As shown in Figure 4, the upper ends of each hanger wire 30L, 30R are connected to the corresponding main cables 20L, 20R by cable bands 33, and the hanger wires 30L and 30R hang down from the pair of main cables 20L, 20R at a predetermined interval.
3 and 4, the lower end 32 of the hanger wire 30 is fixed to the upper surface of the cross beam 50. A return roller set 62, which constitutes the return path among the multiple guide rollers, is provided on the upper surface of the cross beam 50. A pair of vertical beams 72 is strung across both side portions of each of the multiple cross beams 50.

As shown in Figure 4, roller brackets 60 are provided at positions facing each other in the width direction between the inner vertical beams 72 of a pair of vertical beams 72, and each roller bracket 60 supports a carrier roller set 61. The carrier roller set 61 constitutes the outgoing path of the multiple guide rollers.
The conveyor body 40A has a plurality of guide rollers along the conveying path, namely, a plurality of upper carrier roller sets 61 and a plurality of lower return roller sets 62. Each carrier roller set 61 and return roller set 62 is configured with a plurality of cylindrical guide rollers, and both ends of each guide roller are supported so as to be rotatable about its own axis.

In this embodiment, the upper carrier roller set 61 is provided on a gate-shaped roller bracket 60. The left and right support pillars 60h of the roller bracket 60 have their lower ends fixed to the inner surfaces of a pair of inner longitudinal beams 72, respectively.
The carrier roller set 61 supports, for example, five guide rollers (carrier rollers) in a rosary-like configuration in a U-shape upwards with a roller support wire 61w connected to the roller bracket 60, and holds each guide roller rotatably about its axis. In this embodiment, both ends of the roller support wire 61w are fixed to fixing portions 61j of the roller bracket 60, thereby supporting the multiple guide rollers so that they can roll freely.

In the first conveyor section 100A, the lower return roller set 62 supports, other than at both ends of the first conveyor body 40A, for example, two guide rollers (return rollers) in a nearly flat V-shape by support brackets 62b, while holding each guide roller freely rotatable around its axis.
As a result, in the first conveyor section 100A, each of the upper carrier roller sets 61 transports the conveyor belt 90 in a semicircular arc-shaped support state with a cross section that opens upward and is approximately U-shaped on the outbound path, and on the return path, the lower return roller sets 62 transport the conveyor belt 90 in an approximately flat state.

As will be described later with reference to FIG. 8, in the second conveyor body 40B of the ground-standing type, the conveyor belt 90 is conveyed in a cylindrically rolled state by a plurality of return roller sets 62 at the bottom.
Therefore, at the transfer point from the first conveyor body 40A to the second conveyor body 40B on the return path, the support posture of the multiple return roller sets 62 is gradually changed by the multiple guide rollers (return rollers) so that the conveyor belt 90 transitions from a substantially flat support state to a cylindrical support state, as shown in Figure 8 (a) → (b) → (c) → (d).

5, the first conveyor section 100A is configured such that the forward guide pitch Pc on the forward path by the carrier roller pairs 61 adjacent in the conveying direction and the backward guide pitch Pr on the backward path by the return roller pairs 62 adjacent in the conveying direction are smaller than the backward guide pitch Pr (Pc<Pr). In this embodiment, the forward guide pitch Pc is set to 1/2 of the backward guide pitch Pr (i.e., 2×Pc=Pr).
As a result, the first conveyor section 100A has a large number of carrier roller sets 61 on the outbound path, which is heavily loaded by the load, and a small number of return roller sets 62 on the return path, which is not heavily loaded by the load, thereby simplifying the overall conveyor equipment while maintaining stable conveying capacity.

In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the conveyor body 40A of the first conveyor section 100A has an insulation structure DS in which at least one adjacent cross beam 50 is not connected by a vertical beam 72, resulting in no rigid connection between them. Note that this figure shows one insulation unit in which the front and rear of one vertical beam 72 are separated from other adjacent vertical beams 72 in the conveying direction. The floor boards 70 and vertical beams 72 can be split or joined at appropriate locations in the conveying direction.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, to allow workers to walk, the conveyor body 40A of the first conveyor section 100A has a floor plate 70 made of perforated metal or the like placed and fixed on the upper surfaces of two adjacent vertical beams 72 on the side, providing a walkway that serves as a work passage W. The walkway that serves as the work passage W is arranged along the conveyance direction and extends out to the side in the width direction beyond the left and right support columns 60h of the multiple roller brackets 60.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the conveyor body 40 is provided with an anti-sway wire 80, one end of which is connected to the conveyor body 40 and the other end of which is hung down and fixed to the ground surface, at least at one location along the conveying path. In this embodiment, two anti-sway wires 80L, 80R are provided at a distance in the width direction on the underside of all cross beams 50 of the conveyor body 40. When the two anti-sway wires 80L, 80R are not particularly distinguished from each other, they are also simply referred to as "anti-sway wires 80."
The upper end 83 of each anti-sway wire 80 is fixed to the underside of the cross beam 50, and the anchors 82 at the lower ends of the anti-sway wires 80 are firmly embedded in the ground surface. In the first conveyor section 100A, anti-sway wires 80 are provided on the undersides of all the cross beams 50 in the same configuration.

Next, the second conveyor section 100B will be described in detail.
As shown in FIG. 6, the second conveyor section 100B is a curved conveyor that is supported on a plurality of supports 10B erected from the ground surface and that is arranged along the second conveying direction, which is the curved conveying section of the load.
More specifically, as shown in the figure, the second conveyor section 100B includes a plurality of support columns 10B that are spaced apart along the conveying direction and erected from the ground, and support girders 70B that are provided on the plurality of support columns 10B and that span the conveying direction so as to connect the plurality of support columns 10B to one another. In the example shown in the figure, two types of support columns 10B, I-shaped legs and A-shaped legs, are shown, but the leg configuration of the support columns 10B is not limited to these.

The support girder 70B, which spans along the conveying direction, has, for example, a truss frame structure, and within the frame of the support girder 70B, multiple guide units 74 are arranged that support the carrier roller sets 61 so as to draw an approximate polygon along the curved conveying direction, as shown in Figures 8(c) and (d). The multiple guide units 74 are detachably attached to the support girder 70B with bolts and nuts, and are arranged so that, in a plan view, the center line along the conveying direction draws a polygon that approximates the linear shape of the curved conveying path.

Each guide unit 74 of the second conveyor section 100B is provided with guide rollers corresponding to the carrier roller set 61 and the plurality of return roller sets 62 of the first conveyor section 100A.
For example, each guide unit 74 may have a housing 74k that can be attached to and detached from the support beam 70B with bolts and nuts, a plurality of carrier roller sets 61 for the outward path provided on the upper side of the housing 74k, and a plurality of return roller sets 62 for the return path provided on the lower side of the housing 74k. As shown in Figure 8(d), in the second conveyor body 40B, the conveyor belt 90 is conveyed in a cylindrical state by the plurality of return roller sets 62 at the bottom.

8(c) and 8(d), the plurality of carrier roller sets 61 are detachably attached to the housing 74k of each guide unit 74 with bolts and nuts (not shown), and the fixing positions in the circumferential direction are adjustable in multiple stages. Therefore, the inclination posture of each carrier roller set 61 (bank angle according to the curvature of the conveying path) can be adjusted to match the inclination posture according to the linearity.
As a result, the multiple carrier roller sets for the outbound path can support the conveyor belt 90 in a semicircular arc curved state from below along the conveying direction, while allowing the conveyor belt 90 to move circumferentially within the bank range when curved.

Next, the third conveyor section 100C will be described in detail.
The third conveyor section 100C is supported in a suspended state by a plurality of cables stretched along a third conveying direction, which is a straight conveying section of the load and is a direction intersecting the first conveying direction.
Here, the first conveyor section 100A is what is called a "suspension type conveyor," whereas the third conveyor section 100C differs in that the conveyor body 40C is directly suspended by the main cables 20C, 20C, and has the configuration of what is called a "catenary type conveyor."

In other words, as shown in Figure 7, the third conveyor section 100C comprises at least two main towers 10C, a pair of main cables 20C, 20C suspended between the two main towers 10C in the conveying direction and spaced apart in the width direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and a conveyor body 40C supported by the pair of main cables 20C, 20C so as to form a catenary curve. In the example shown in the figure, an anti-sway wire 80C hangs down from any point on the third conveyor body 40C toward the ground surface GL, and its lower end is fixed to the ground surface GL.

The third conveyor body 40C is equipped with a carrier roller set 61 and a return roller set 62, each with multiple guide rollers on the forward and return paths, as shown in Figures 8(a) and (b), similar to the first conveyor section 100A, so that the endless conveyor belt 90 can be looped along the conveying direction. As mentioned above, in the ground-mounted second conveyor body 40B, the conveyor belt 90 is conveyed in a cylindrically rolled state by the multiple return roller sets 62 at the bottom.

Therefore, at the transfer point from the second conveyor body 40B to the third conveyor body 40C on the return trip, the support posture of the multiple return roller sets 62 is gradually changed by the multiple guide rollers (return rollers) so that the conveyor belt 90 transitions from a cylindrical support state to an approximately flat support state, as shown in Figure 8 (d) → (c) → (b) → (a).
In addition, compared to the first conveyor section 100A described above, the third conveyor section 100C can adopt the same configuration as the first conveyor section 100A described above, except for the suspension structure of the conveyor body 40C, such as the configuration of multiple carrier roller sets 61 on the outbound path and multiple return roller sets 62 on the return path of the first conveyor section 100A, so a more detailed description of the other components will be omitted.

Next, the operation and effects of the belt conveyor 100 of this embodiment will be described.
In the belt conveyor 100 of this embodiment, when the header roller 41 is driven by the drive device 43 of the third conveyor section 100C, the endless conveyor belt 90 starts to circulate endlessly between the header roller 41 of the third conveyor section 100C and the footer roller 42 of the first conveyor section 100A. The conveyor belt 90 is wound in a flat, spread state near the cylindrical header roller 41 and the cylindrical footer roller 42.

In the middle of the conveying path, the first conveyor section 100A, the second conveyor section 100B, and the third conveyor section 100C are conveyed in a state in which the conveyor belt 90 is supported by a plurality of carrier roller sets (61) in a semicircular arc shape with a cross section that opens upward in a substantially U-shape by the upper outgoing path. Furthermore, in the return path in the lower part, the conveyor belt 90 is conveyed in a state in which the conveyor belt 90 is made substantially flat by a plurality of return roller sets (62).
As a result, according to the belt conveyor 100 of this embodiment, the endless conveyor belt 90 is rotated in a substantially U-shaped supported state on the outward path, thereby preventing loads from spilling during transportation.

Furthermore, since the conveyor is transported in a substantially flat state on the outward path, the height of the conveyor bodies 40A, 40B, and 40C of the conveyor sections 100A, 100B, and 100C can be made compact. This is advantageous in simplifying the overall conveyor system. Although not shown in the above embodiment, it is preferable to cover the tops of the conveyor bodies 40A, 40B, and 40C with roofs or covers.
For example, in the suspended belt conveyor described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a large number of sets of carrier rollers (and return rollers) mounted on individual support frames are arranged along the linearity of the conveying path, requiring foundation construction for each of the many support frames. Furthermore, a large working space is required around the conveyor depending on the scale of construction. This problem becomes more pronounced as the length of the curved conveyor increases.

In contrast, in the belt conveyor 100 of this embodiment, as described above, the endless conveyor belt 90 is looped around the first conveyor section 100A, the second conveyor section 100B, and the third conveyor section 100C along the conveying path in an infinitely circulating manner, so that loads can be continuously transported along the conveying path formed by the conveying sections of the first conveyor section 100A, the second conveyor section 100B, and the third conveyor section 100C.
The first conveyor section 100A and the third conveyor section 100C are supported in a suspended state by a plurality of cables stretched along the first conveying direction, which is the linear conveying section of the load, and the third conveying direction, which intersects with this direction.Therefore, by adopting suspended conveyors, the first conveyor section 100A and the third conveyor section 100C can be constructed with simple foundation work, and subsequent removal can be carried out easily and quickly.

Furthermore, the second conveyor section 100B is supported on multiple pillars 10B erected from the ground surface, and the conveyor body 40B (or a row of multiple guide units) is arranged along the second conveying direction, which is the curved conveying section of the load, making it suitable for setting up a curved section within the conveying section.
Therefore, according to the belt conveyor 100 of this embodiment, it is possible to continuously transport loads along a transport route described by a transport section including a curved section, and the entire conveyor equipment can be constructed with as simple a foundation work as possible, and subsequent removal can be carried out easily and quickly.

In particular, the first conveyor section 100A is configured to include a pair of main cables 20L, 20R that are stretched across at least two adjacent main towers 10 at a distance in the width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction and that form a catenary curve; multiple pairs of hanger wires 30 that hang down from each of the pair of main cables 20L, 20R at opposing positions in the width direction; a conveyor body 40 that is supported along the conveyance direction by the multiple pairs of hanger wires 30; and an endless conveyor belt 90 that is looped around multiple guide rollers of the conveyor body 40 along the conveyance direction so as to be able to circulate endlessly, making it an excellent conveyor facility of this type.

In other words, with the first conveyor section 100A, the conveyor body 40A is supported in the conveying direction by multiple pairs of hanger wires 30 hanging down from a pair of main cables 20L, 20R. Therefore, even if the conveying path of the conveyor body 40A is arranged horizontally, it is possible to minimize the tension in the pair of main cables 20L, 20R, which is advantageous for simplifying the overall conveyor equipment that makes up the first conveyor section 100A.

Furthermore, according to the first conveyor section 100A, the conveyor body 40A is disposed along the conveying direction, extends laterally beyond the conveyor belt 90 in the width direction, and has a work passage W that serves as a walkway for workers, so that the overall conveyor equipment is simple in structure and easy to maintain. Note that while no mention has been made of work passages for the second conveyor section 100B and the third conveyor section 100C, it is of course possible to provide work passages for these other conveyor sections.
In addition, the first conveyor section 100A and the third conveyor section 100C have a vibration prevention wire 80 that is connected at one end and fixed at the other end hanging down to the ground at at least one point along the conveying path of the conveyor body 40A and the conveyor body 40C, thereby significantly reducing lateral vibration of the conveyor body 40A and the conveyor body 40C.

In other words, while suspended conveyors such as the first conveyor section 100A and the third conveyor section 100C have the disadvantage of being easily swayed by wind or weight, the anti-sway wire 80 pulls the conveyor body 40A and the conveyor body 40C downward, and the main cable 20 (and the hanger wire 30 in the first conveyor section 100A) pulls the conveyor body 40A and the conveyor body 40C upward, so the conveyor body 40A and the conveyor body 40C do not move easily even when exposed to wind from the side, significantly reducing lateral swaying of the first conveyor section 100A and the third conveyor section 100C.

As described above, the belt conveyor 100 of this embodiment enables continuous transport of loads along a transport route described by a transport section including a curved section, and the entire conveyor equipment can be constructed with as simple a foundation work as possible, and subsequent removal can be carried out easily and quickly.
The belt conveyor according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which a suspended third conveyor section 100C and a suspended first conveyor section 100A were arranged in front and behind a second conveyor section 100B supported on supports 10B erected from the ground. However, this is not limited to this, and the belt conveyor of the present invention can be constructed by arranging a suspended belt conveyor at least in front of or behind the second conveyor section 100B.

Furthermore, for example, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which a "catenary type conveyor" was used for the third conveyor section 100C and a "suspension type conveyor" was used for the first conveyor section 100A, but this is not limited to this.
For example, a "suspension conveyor" may be used for the third conveyor section 100C and a "catenary conveyor" may be used for the first conveyor section 100A, or both the third conveyor section 100C and the first conveyor section 100A may use either a "catenary conveyor" or a "suspension conveyor."

10 Main tower 11 Anchor 20 Main cable 30 Hanger wire 40A First conveyor body 40B Second conveyor body 40C Third conveyor body 41 Header roller 42 Footer roller 43 Drive device 44 Hopper 45 Feeding device 50 Cross beam 60 Roller bracket 61 Carrier roller set 62 Return roller set 70 Floor board 71 Fence 72 Vertical beam 74 Guide unit 80 Anti-vibration wire 90 Conveyor belt 100 Belt conveyor 100A First conveyor section (suspension type conveyor: direct delivery section)
100B Second conveyor section (surface-mounted conveyor: curved section)
100C Third conveyor section (catenary conveyor: direct delivery section)
DS Insulated structure W Work passage (walkway)

Claims (6)

a first conveyor section supported in a suspended state by a plurality of cables stretched along a first conveying direction, which is a linear conveying section of the load;
a second conveyor section supported on a plurality of supports erected from the ground surface and provided along a second conveying direction that is a curved conveying section of the load;
an endless conveyor belt that is wound around the first conveyor section and the second conveyor section so as to be able to circulate endlessly along a conveyance path defined by a conveyance section that includes the straight conveyance section and the curved conveyance section;
a carrier roller for conveying the conveyor belt on the outward path;
a return roller for conveying the conveyor belt on the return path;
Equipped with
A belt conveyor, characterized in that the state in which the carrier rollers and the return rollers support the conveyor belt changes at a transition point between the straight conveying section and the curved conveying section . a third conveyor section that is a linear conveying section and is supported in a suspended state by a plurality of cables that are stretched along a third conveying direction that intersects with the first conveying direction;
2. The belt conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor belt is looped around an endlessly circulating path including respective conveying sections in the first conveyor section, the second conveyor section, and the third conveyor section. the first conveyor section, the second conveyor section, and the third conveyor section each have a plurality of conveyor roller pairs arranged along the conveying path in each conveying section;
3. The belt conveyor of claim 2, wherein the conveyor belt is looped around rollers of the plurality of conveyor roller sets of each of the first conveyor section, the second conveyor section, and the third conveyor section so as to make the endless circulation. The belt conveyor described in claim 3, wherein at least one of the first conveyor section and the third conveyor section comprises at least two main towers, a pair of main cables stretched between the two main towers at a distance in a width direction perpendicular to the conveying direction and drawn in a catenary curve, multiple pairs of hanger wires hanging down from each of the pair of main cables at positions opposite each other in the width direction, a conveyor body supported horizontally in the conveying direction by the multiple pairs of hanger wires, and the multiple conveyor roller sets provided on the conveyor body. The belt conveyor described in claim 3, wherein at least one of the first conveyor section and the third conveyor section comprises at least two main towers, a pair of main cables stretched between the two main towers in a catenary curve and spaced apart in the width direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, a conveyor body supported by the pair of main cables, and the plurality of conveyor roller sets provided on the conveyor body. A belt conveyor as described in claim 4 or 5, wherein the first conveyor section or the third conveyor section has a vibration-stopping wire at at least one of the locations where either of the conveyor bodies is installed, the wire having one end connected to the conveyor body and the other end hanging down and fixed to the ground surface.