Jervis B. Webb Company

William A Mensch

A conveyor system comprises a pair of side-by-side conveyors adapted to move articles such as baggage or cargo in opposite directions simultaneously, preferably at the same elevation, and linked together by an endless belt. The endless belt is directed from the exit of one conveyor to the entrance of the other conveyor and from the exit of the other conveyor to the entrance of the one conveyor via a pair of conveyor twist assemblies which maintain the baggage carrying surface in an upward orientation on both conveyors. The twist assemblies can employ vertical or horizontal rolls to attain the direction change of the endless belt. Staggered idler rolls can be arranged beneath the two conveyors for belt support and reduction of vibration caused by belt travel. The side-by-side conveyor system is particularly useful in multiple stacked arrangements in tunnels for airports.

Side-by-side belt conveyor system and method of use

Side by side belt conveyor system and method of use

An air supported conveyor, particularly adapted for conveying articles such as baggage or packages at a high rate of speed includes a plenum chamber and a belt support containing a plurality of orifices. Air or another pressurized fluid is supplied to the plenum chamber to provide a clearance or air bearing between the belt and the support during belt travel. The belt support has a generally flat center section with outer sections that curve or angle upwardly. Guides are mounted adjacent the angled outer sections. Disposed along the length of the belt and between an underside of each guide and the angled outer belt sections are elongated members. Each elongated member in conjunction with each guide underside and belt support acts as a belt edge guide by forming a recess which receives the belt edges during belt travel. Each recess directs air from the belt underside up and around the belt side edge, across the upper surface of the belt and out a slot egress. The recess assists in creating a pressure against the upper surface of the belt in the guide underside vicinity, thereby minimizing or eliminating belt contact with the guide underside and potential belt wear or damage with high speed belt travel.

Air supported flat belt conveyor and method of conveying articles

A chain propelled belt conveyor having a centrally mounted single strand of roller chain. The roller chain drives the belt and supports the belt along the upper load carrying run of the belt. Pairs of conveyor trolleys support the central portion of the belt about the return non-load carrying run of the belt. A track having a horizontal rail extending between a pair of opposed C-shaped channel sections is used to guide the roller chain assembly.

Chain propelled belt conveyor

An endless belt conveyor has vertically spaced, oppositely moving, upper and lower load carrying runs having entrance and exit ends, with the entrance end of one run being adjacent to the exit end of the other run. A first series of rollers disposed between the exit end of the upper run and the entrance end of the lower run direct the belt downwardly, around a drive roller driven by a first drive unit, around a dynamic takeup roller, toward the entrance end of the lower run along a first depressed section of belt travel below the level of the lower run, and upwardly to the entrance end of the lower run from a static takeup installed below the lower run. A second series of rollers disposed between the exit end of the lower run and the entrance end of the upper run direct the belt downwardly from the lower run exit end, along a second depressed section of belt travel below the level of the lower run, around a drive roller driven by a second drive unit, around a dynamic takeup roller, and upwardly to the entrance end of the upper run. Lower run feed and take-away conveyors, respectively arranged above the first and second depressed sections of belt travel, converge into and diverge from alignment with the lower run entrance and exit ends for the in-line transfer of articles to and from the lower run. Upper run feed and take-away conveyors are aligned longitudinally with the upper run entrance and exit ends. Load sharing of the first and second drive units is provided by the use of NEMA 'B' type AC drive motors and by a fluid coupling connecting each motor to its speed reducer.

Growing community of inventors

Farmington, MI, United States of America

William A Mensch