NL2013855B1

NL2013855B1 - A bent segment for a conveyor and method of making.

Info

Publication number: NL2013855B1
Application number: NL2013855A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Hendrik Mijndert Menke Cornelis; Theodorus De Bruijn Roelof
Original assignee: Rexnord Flattop Europe Bv
Priority date: 2014-11-21
Filing date: 2014-11-21
Publication date: 2016-10-11

Abstract

The invention relates to a bent segment for a conveyor, having at least one curvedly extending guide track for guiding a conveyor segment along a curve, the bent segment comprising a base portion made of a slap of material and at least two rails forming a guide track, wherein the rails are mounted on top of the base portion as distant sections along a curved mounting path distant from each other, wherein each rail is unlockable secured to the base portion via an unlockable bolt arrangement, the bolt arrangement comprising bolt elements and preferably screw bolt elements, arranged distant from each other along the curved mounting path, each passing through a hole in the rail from an upper side to a bottom side of the rail and being unlockable secured to a counter element and especially a screw thread element integrated in the base portion. The invention further relates to a method for making said bent segment.

Description

Title: A bent segment for a conveyor and method of making

The invention relates to a bent segment for a conveyor, having at least one curvedly extending guide track for guiding a conveyor segment along a curved conveying path.

Such bent segments are known, and may for example be used to guide a number of modular conveyor chains along a curve in a conveying track. The bent segments may have a single guide track or may have a plurality of guide tracks, and the length and radius of the curve may depend on the lay-out of the conveying track.

In view of the great variety of the required number of tracks, radius and length, it is currently most common to manufacture a bent segment based on a base portion made of a slap of material, namely a base plate, by milling the top of a slab of a low-friction, wear resistant plastics material, such as for example UHMWPE, so that the guide rails of the required track remain.

To save costs it has been proposed in EP 0 790 197 to provide the slab as a sandwich structure comprising a top portion of low-friction, wear resistant material and a bottom portion of low-cost material with a higher coefficient of friction. Although saving on material costs, such provisions require significantly increased costs for assembly and machining of the portions.

The invention aims to provide a bent segment for a conveyor, providing a base portion made of a slap of material in which the costs of material and machining maybe reduced without undue increase in assembly costs. A solution is provided by the subject matter of independent claims 1 and 12.

Thereto the invention especially provides for a bent segment for a conveyor, having at least one curvedly extending guide track for guiding a conveyor segment along a curve, the bent segment comprising a base portion made of a slab of material and at least two rails forming a guide track, wherein the rails are mounted on top of the base portion as distant sections along a curved mounting path distant from each other, wherein each rail is unlockable secured to the base portion via an unlockable bolt arrangement, the bolt arrangement comprising bolt elements and preferably screw bolt elements, arranged distant from each other along the curved mounting path, each passing through a hole in the rail from an upper side to a bottom side of the rail and being unlockable secured to a counter element and especially a screw thread element integrated in the base portion.

The invention further provides for a method of making a bent segment for a conveyor having at least one curvedly extending guide track respectively for guiding a conveyor segment along a curve, comprising providing a base portion made of slab of material; providing a number of rails, and fixing each rail as a separate section distant from each other to the top of the base portion along a curved mounting path via an unlockable bolt arrangement, by passing bolt elements and preferably screw bolt elements distant from each other along the curved mounting path through holes in the rail from an upper side to a bottom side of the rail and unlockable securing them to a counter element and especially a screw thread element integrated in the base portion.

By providing the rails as separate sections they may be made economically from a material with the required low coefficient of friction and high resistance to wear, wherein the base portion made of a slap of material, e.g. a plate shaped base portion, can be provided made from a cheaper material. By unlockable mounting the rails as separate sections to the base portion along a curved mounting path via a bolt arrangement, the rails may be mounted as complete units even when the base portion and the whole conveyor track arrangement is laid out already. Also renewing of worn rails is easily possible without the need of replacing the base portion and ripping the whole track arrangement apart.

It turned out that contrary the prevailing opinion fixation of high quality rails on a base portion, especially made from a cheaper material, is reliably possible by fixing the rails via a bolt arrangement from the top of the rails using bolt elements detachably fixed to counter elements integrated to the base portion. Accessibility of the bolt arrangement is therefore unproblematic achieved wherein also replacement of worn rails is easily and quickly possible.

The above arrangement may absorb radius forces exerted by the conveyor without need for further strengthening elements or support portions and especially transfers acting conveying forces to the base portion in a reliable and especially absorbing manner reducing wear of the rails and the base portion respectively.

Preferably it holds that the top surface of the base portion made of a slab of material is the top surface of the slab.

To easy assembly of the rails to the base portion the bolt elements and the counter elements are preferably coupled via a bayonet coupling.

Also other especially threaded coupling could be used to reliably and especially quickly attach the rails to the base portion thereby implying normal forces on the rails in the direction of the base portion to establish friction forces for transferring radial conveying forces acting on the rails to the base portion.

Preferably it holds that the counter elements are inserted from the bottom side, opposite to the side the rails are attached to. Especially in this regard insertion recesses are provided the counter elements can be fixedly inserted being accessible from the top side of the base portion for the bolt elements. These insertion recesses are preferably insertion holes extending from the bottom side to the top side of the base portion. It preferably holds that the insertion recesses comprise an abutment portion the inserted counter elements are abutting against in direction of the rails and the bolt elements respectively. By coupling the bolt elements with the counter elements the later are forced against to the abutment portions. This abutment portion can e.g. be provided as an at least partially annular arranged projection in the insertion recesses or a tapering portion etc.

Preferably it holds that the holes comprise a sink portion a bolt head of the bolt element can be integrated in such a way that the bolt element is situated event to or below the top surface level of the rail. It turned out that disregarding the “interference sections” provided by the holes on top of the rails, conveying abilities are not negatively influences. Preferably the holes and the sink portion respectively are provided in such a way that conveying residues are collected in said holes and sink portions respectively improving the friction abilities on the top surface of the rails.

Reliable fixation and transfer of conveying forces is especially achieved if the rails have a constant cross section and/or especially if the rails each include side and top guide surfaces.

The rails may be provided in standard lengths. This way, the rail sections may be cut to the required length without significant loss of material due to machining. As an alternative, the length of the rail may e.g. be provided in a casting process, or may be cut from a slab. In general the rails are provided from low friction, high wear resistant materials. An example of such a material that may be processed is UHMWPE or similar. Advantageously, the extruded rail may comprise a lubricant for example grease saturated UHMWPE.

The base portion comprises a slab of material. Such a slab of material may for example be made of a low-cost material and comprising the counter elements and especially inserts, extending along the required curved mounting path. An example of such a low cost material is conventional PE, recycled PE or PVC. The base portion may be continuous, and may e.g. be made from a single slab.

With regard to the rails provided, it is preferred if the rails are pre-bend and provided with the curvature for the guide track in un-mounted condition. It turned out that pre-bended rails can be fixed to the base portion made of a slap of material via the bolt arrangement in a reliable manner ensuring transfer of conveying forces and especially radial conveying forces to the base portion even under long term exposure.

It is however also possible that the rails are provided as straight rails in un-mounted condition and with the curvature for the guide track via the bolt arrangement during the fixation process.

To further enhance fixation of the rails and transfer of conveying forces to the base portion, especially when the rails are provided as straight rails in un-mounted condition the rails are additionally guided in a horizontal direction relative to the base portion via cooperating tongue- and groove portions. The base portion may be machined to be provided with that tongue and especially ridges that may continuously or discontinuously extend along a curve. Such tongues may cooperate with respective grooves provided in the rail sections, or vice versa.

The rails may be provided to include side and top guide surfaces. Also, the rails may be provided as solid portions, and may be provided with a core of another material. Further, the rails may be provided with a hollow inner portion, or with an open cross section.

The rails and/or the base portion may be provided with magnetic elements for guiding the conveyor segments and/or for reducing friction of the same etc. These magnetic elements can be coupled with the bolt arrangement and especially with the bolt elements and/or the counter elements. Also it is possible to provide the bolt elements and/or the counter elements as magnetic elements. Further respective recesses can be provided at or in the rails and/or the base portion to insert the magnetic elements and preferably fix them via the bolt arrangement and especially via the bolt elements.

Preferably it holds especially in this regard that the base portion comprises a tongue portion extending from its top surface arranged at least partially along the mounting path, wherein the counter elements are integrated in said tongue portion, and wherein the rail comprises a groove portion complementary to the tongue portion.

Preferably it holds that the ratio of the number of bolt elements arranged on an inner side rail of the bent segment to the number of bolt elements arranged on an outer side rail of the bent segment is about 1:0.7 -1:1, preferably 1:1. Due to the fact that guiding forces acting by the conveyor on the inner side rail are higher than the ones acting on the outer side rail, this ration guarantees a reliable fixing of the rails to the base portion.

The above inventive arrangements especially apply when the bent segment comprises a plurality of concentrically curved guide tracks, each track comprising of a radially inwardly disposed guide rail and a radially outwardly disposed guide rail.

As mentioned the invention also relates to a method of making a bent segment for a conveyor having at least one curvedly extending guide track for guiding a conveyor segment along a curve, comprising providing a base portion made of a slap of material; providing a number of rails, and fixing each rail as a separate section distant from each other to the top of the base portion along a curved mounting path via an unlockable bolt arrangement, by passing bolt elements and preferably screw bolt elements distant from each other along the curved mounting path through holes in the rail from an upper side to a bottom side of the rail and unlockable securing them to a counter element and especially a screw thread element integrated in the base portion.

Preferably it holds that the rails are attached to the base portion in a vertical direction, especially a vertical direction to the top surface of the base portion and/or the top surface of the rail.

Preferably alignment elements and counter alignment elements, like projections and complementary recesses are provided at the rails and the base portion respectively, to align the rails along the curved mounting path before the bolt elements are inserted, to facilitate fixation via the bolt arrangement. An ahgnment element can e.g. be a projection of the counter element provided in such way that it can be brought in especially horizontal coupling with a counter alignment element and especially a recess in the rail. Such a recess can be the above hole or an additional recess arranged at the hole and preferably concentrically to the hole. Also respective projections can be provided at the rail arranged to bring them into especially horizontal coupling with a recess in the base portion for alignment reason. Such a recess can be a recess at the counter element and preferably a concentrically recess.

All the specifications and embodiments mentioned herein and especially with regard to the inventive bent segment do also apply for that method and can be transferred respectively. They are however not fisted here for redundancy reasons.

All the above can also be applied to a straight segment having no curved extension, namely having at least one straight extending guide track for guiding a conveyor segment along a straight. With such a bent segment all the above curved portions and paths are straight.

The aforementioned and other features and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, taken together with the accompanying drawings, which are meant to illustrate and not to limit the invention.

In the Figures:

Fig. 1 shows an isometric view of one embodiment of a bent segment according the invention;

Fig. 2 shows an isometric partly exploded assembly drawing of the embodiment of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows an isometric detail view of the embodiment of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 shows a cross sectional view of the embodiment of Fig. 1

In the following for identical parts same reference signs are used, wherein indices might be set.

Fig. 1-4 show a bent segment 1 for a conveyor, having at least one curvedly extending guide track 2 for guiding a conveyor segment along a curve. The bent segment 1 comprises a base portion 3 made of a slap of material and at least two rails 4 forming a guide track. The rails 4 are mounted on top 6 of the base portion 3 as distant sections along a curved mounting path distant from each other, wherein each rail 4 is unlockable secured to the base portion 3 via an unlockable bolt arrangement 28.

The bolt arrangement 28 comprises multiple bolt elements 8 and preferably screw bolt elements, arranged distant from each other along the curved mounting path. Each of the bolt elements 8 is passing through a respective hole 10 in the rail 4 from an upper side 12 to a bottom side 14 of the rail 4 and is unlockable secured to a counter element 18 and especially a screw thread element integrated in the base portion 3. This coupling could be a screw thread coupling, a bayonet coupling or similar unlockable coupling. Also snap on connections are applicable.

The holes 10 each comprise a sink portion 11a bolt head 9 of the bolt element 8 is integrated in such a way that the bolt element 8 is situated even to or below the top surface 12 level of the rail 4 (see Figs. 3 and 4). The result is a top guide surface 22 having at least no projections due to the bolts inserted in the holes.

The attached rails 4 have a constant cross section, wherein in this embodiment they are not only providing a top guide surface 22 but also a side guide surface 24 for guiding a conveyor segment or conveyor.

As can be seen in Fig. 2 the rails 4 are pre-bend and provided with the curvature of the guide track 2 in un-mounted condition. This curvature can be of different radii. The length of the rails can be a standard length, e.g. for providing a curve angle of 90°. Also other curved segments and prebend rails can be provided, e.g. providing curve angles of 30°, 45° and 60°.

It is also possible to provide the rails 4 straight in un-mounted condition, so that the curvature for the guide track 2 is provided via the bolt arrangement 28, namely during attaching of the rails 4 to the base portion 3.

Especially with such an embodiment but also with pre-bend rails the rails are additionally guided in a horizontal direction relative to the base portion 3 via cooperating tongue- and groove portions 16,26 (see Fig. 3).

Here the tongue portion 16 is provided at the base portion 3, the groove portion 26 at the rail 4 and in detail at the bottom side 14 of the rail 4. It is also possible to arrange them vice versa.

Preferably, like shown here, the bent segment comprises a tongue portion 16 extending from the top surface 6 of the base portion, arranged at least partially along the mounting path, wherein the counter elements 18 are integrated in said tongue portion 16. Like mentioned the rails 4 comprise a groove portion 26 complementary to the tongue portion 16.

As shown with Figs. 3 and 4, with a bent segment having above tongue- and grooved portions it preferably holds that at least one side wall portion 30 respectively of the groove portion 26, in a vertical direction, perpendicular to the top 6 of the base portion 3, is shorter than the tongue portion 16 in the same direction. Preferably the dimensions of at least one side wall 30 of the groove portion 26 and the tongue portion 16 in the same direction and preferably in the direction perpendicular to the top 6 of base portion 3 are arranged in such a way, that in the mounted state the free end face portion 32 of the side wall portion 30 is distant from the base portion 3, wherein an inner portion 34 of the groove portion 26 abuts against a free end face portion 17 of the tongue portion 16 defining a height level for the rail 4. This means that there can be provided play between the free end face portion 32 of the side wall portion 30 and the top 6 of the base portion 3.

In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment of the invention. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. It has to be mentioned that all the features mentioned and especially the features mentioned in the claims could be provided with an embodiment of the invention in combination or on their own. The combination of features as brought forward with the above embodiments is not necessarily required.

However, other modifications, variations and alternatives are also possible. The specifications, drawings and examples are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in a restrictive sense.

In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word ‘comprising’ does not exclude the presence of other features or steps then those listed in a claim. Furthermore, the words ‘a’ and ‘an’ shall not be construed as limited to ‘only one’, but instead are used to mean ‘at least one’, and do not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

Reference signs 1 bent segment 2 guide track 3 base portion 4 rail 6 top of base portion 8 bolt element 9 bolt head 10 hole 11 sink portion 12 upper side of the rail 14 bottom side of the rail 16 tongue portion 17 free end face portion 18 counter element 22 top guide surface 24 side guide surface 26 groove portion 28 bolt arrangement 30 side wall portion 32 free end face portion 34 inner portion

Claims

A bend segment (1) for a conveyor, provided with at least one curved extending guide track (2) for guiding a conveyor segment along a bend, the bend segment comprising a base part (3) made of a plate of material and at least at least two rails (4) forming the guide track, the rails (4) being mounted on (6) the base member as spaced sections along a curved mounting path spaced apart, each rail (4) being non-closably secured to the base member ( 3) via a non-closable bolt arrangement (28), the bolt arrangement (28) comprising bolt elements (8) and preferably screw bolt elements arranged spaced apart along the curved mounting path, each through a hole (10) in the rail (10) 4) extending from a top side (12) to a bottom side (14) of the rail (4) and non-closable to a counter-element (18) and in particular a threaded element integrated in the base part (3).

Bend segment according to claim 1, wherein the bolt element (8) and the counter element (18) are coupled via a bayonet coupling.

Bend segment according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the holes comprise a countersunk part (11), into which a wood head (9) of the bolt element (8) can be integrated in such a way that the bolt element (8) is equal to or below the upper surface level (12) of the rail (4).

Bend segment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rails (4) have a constant cross section.

Bend segment according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rails (4) each comprise side and top guide surfaces (22, 24).

Bend segment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rails (4) are pre-bent, and are provided with the curvature for the guide track (2) in an unmounted state.

Bend segment according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein the rails (4) are straight in an unmounted state, and are provided with the curvature for the guide track (2) via the bolt arrangement (28).

Curve segment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rails (4) are additionally guided in a horizontal direction relative to the base part (3) via cooperating tongue and groove parts (16, 26).

A bend segment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base part (3) comprises a tongue part (16) extending from its upper surface (6) which is arranged at least partially along the fastening path, the counter elements (18) being integrated in said tongue part (16), and wherein the rail (4) comprises a groove part (26) that is complementary to the tongue part (16).

A bend segment according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of concentric curved guide tracks, wherein each track comprises a radially inwardly placed guide rail (4) and a radially outwardly placed guide rail (4).

11. Bend segment as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the ratio of the number of bolt elements arranged on an inner rail of the bend segment and the number of bolt elements arranged on an outer rail of the bend segment is approximately 1: 0.7-1: 1, preferably 1: 1.

A method of making a bend segment for a conveyor provided with at least one curved extending guide track (2) for guiding a conveyor segment along a bend, comprising; - providing a base part (3) made of a plate of material - providing a number of rails, and - attaching each rail (4) as a separate section spaced apart at the top (6) of the base part (3) along a curved fixing path via a non-closable bolt arrangement (28), by passing bolt elements (8), preferably screw bolt elements, spaced apart along the curved fixing path through holes (10) in the rail (4) of a top side (12) to a bottom side (14) and lock them non-closably to a counter-element (18), and in particular a screw-thread element integrated in the base part (3).