Modular conveyor belt with non-circular hinge pin

• Main Authors: ROBERT S. LAPEYRE, JAMES O. GUNDLACH, CHRISTOPHER G. GREVE
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 29.05.2008
• Subjects: BELTS, CABLES, OR ROPES, PREDOMINANTLY USED FOR DRIVINGPURPOSES; BLASTING; CHAINS; CONVEYING; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; FITTINGS PREDOMINANTLY USED THEREFOR; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS; SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS; STORING; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING ORTIPPING; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS

A modular conveyor belt forming a hinge between consecutive belt rows ( 14 A-C) hingedly connected by a noncircular hinge pin ( 34 ). Hinge eyes ( 28 ) along the forward and rearward ends of each row ( 14 A-C) of belt modules include aligned openings for the hinge pins ( 34 ). The belt rows ( 14 A-C) are arranged end-to-end with the hinge eyes ( 28 ) of adjacent rows interleaved. In one version, the hinge pins ( 34 ) are inserted in the passageway formed by the aligned openings of the interleaved hinge eyes. The hinge pins ( 34 ) include first ( 40 ) and second ( 41 ) hinge pin members, such as flat strips. The openings in the hinge eyes ( 28 ) are characterized by a narrow slotted portion ( 32 ) for restraining the first hinge pin member ( 40 ) against rotation within the slotted portion and a wider sector-shaped portion ( 33 ) that allows the second hinge pin member ( 41 ) to rotate relative to the first hinge pin member ( 40 ). In another version, a single non-circular hinge pin having a convex rocker face along one side is received in aligned openings in the interleaved sets of hinge eyes of consecutive rows. The convex rocker faces rock on convex rocker surfaces bounding the second aligned openings as the belt articulates at the hinge formed at the hinge pin.