Portec, Inc.

Robert D Brown

Richard A Compton

David M Pruett

Russell J Hogsett

Thomas W Swisher

Attachments for a power turn which power turn has a frame having arcuate inner and outer sidewall portions and support plates forming extensions of the arcuate outer side wall portion and on which are rotatably mounted a driving roll and an idler roll. An endless belt is journaled around the driving and idler rolls and is moved thereby. A cover is mounted on the arcuate outer sidewall portion to cover the outer portion of the endless belt and an endless chain secured thereto and has a main body portion and two removable end portions. One end portion covers a sprocket of the driving roll and portions of the endless chain and the second removable end portion covers a sprocket of the idler roll and portions of the endless chain so that the removable end portions may be readily removed when it is desired to inspect these portions of the driving and idler rolls. The cover has a top wall portion on which are mounted a plurality of lugs, each of which has a support portion spaced a distance above the top wall portion. A safeguard has an arcuate side wall with a plurality of lugs mounted thereon, each of which has a support portion and is positioned so that a portion thereof mates with an arcuate inner wall portion of said top wall portion and the support portions thereof are supported on the support portions of the top wall portion. Bolts and nuts are used to secure the support portions together. The two removable end portions each have a support lug mounted thereon adapted to be secured to a flange on the safeguard.

Attachments for power turns

Drive apparatus for driving an endless moving conveyor belt for a power turn to change the direction of movement of articles in a transfer conveying system wherein the plurality of rolls at each end of the power turn over which the endless conveyor belt passes have a diameter less than about one inch. An endless chain is attached to the endless moving conveyor belt for movement therewith. A drive shaft is provided adjacent to each end of the power turn and has a drive roll having a tapered outer surface and a drive sprocket mounted thereon for rotation therewith. A snub roll shaft is provided adjacent to each end of the power turn and has a snub roll integral with the snub roll drive shaft and having a tapered outer surface and a snub roll sprocket mounted on the drive roll snub shaft for rotation therewith. An idler sprocket is mounted on the outer side wall adjacent to each end of the power turn. The endless moving conveyor belt is trained around the power turn so that at one end portion it moves first over the outer surfaces of the plurality of the rolls, then over a portion of the lower half of a drive roll's outer surface and then over a portion of the upper half of the snub roll's outer surface to provide a frictional driving force. At the other end portion, the movement is in a reverse order. The endless chain is trained around the power turn so that at one end it moves first over the idler sprocket, then over a portion of the lower half of the drive sprocket and then over a portion of the upper half of the snub roll sprocket to provide a positive driving force. At the other end, the movement is in a reverse order.

Drive apparatus for belt power turns

A wheel and track system wherein the track comprises a base and a pair of spaced apart upstanding sides is provided for guiding movement of a vehicle having four wheels over a controlled path and at least two of the wheels are mounted for rolling movement over the base and between the spaced apart upstanding sides and wherein a scuff plate is provided between the two wheels and the upstanding sides of the track so that there can be relative rotational movement between the scuff plates and the wheel and relative movement between the scuff plates and the upstanding sides of the track in the event of contact between the scuff plates and the upstanding sides of the track so as to minimize any tendency for the wheel to ride up the upstanding side and also to protect the upstanding side and the wheel from damage.

Growing community of inventors

Canon City, CO, United States of America

Robert D Brown