Multi part sprocket wheel

Abstract

A multipart sprocket wheel engages modular belt modules in a conveyor belt. Each multipart sprocket wheel has two or more periphery elements. Each element has an outer edge and an inner edge. Sprocket teeth are provided on the outer edge. The inner edge has an engagement surface. Each element has fasteners for being fastened to an adjacent periphery element. Two or more periphery elements' outer edges form a full circle. One or more adapter members are used. Each adapter member has an outer face and an inner face. The outer face firmly engages the inner edge of one or more periphery elements. The inner face engages a conveyor drive axle.

Claims

1. Multi part sprocket wheel (1) adapted to engage modular belt modules in a conveyor belt, where said multi part sprocket wheel (1) comprises: two or more periphery elements (10,11), each periphery element (10,11) having an outer edge (13) and inner edge (12), where sprocket teeth (15) are provided on the outer edge (13), and where the inner edge (12) has an engagement surface, and where each periphery element (10,11) has means (16,16′) for being fastened to and adjacent periphery element (10,11), such that the two or more periphery elements' outer edges (13) forms a full circle; one or more adapter members (20,21) where each of said adapter members (20,21) has an outer face (17) and an inner face, said outer face (17) being suitable to firmly engage the inner edge (12) of one or more periphery elements (10,11), and said inner face (12) is adapted to engage a conveyor drive axle wherein the sprocket teeth (15) are arranged in a common plane, and that the one or more adapter members (20,21) extends in a direction orthogonal to the common plane of the sprocket teeth (15), optionally on both sides of said common plane, and where the extend (a.sub.1,a.sub.2) corresponds to half the desired distance in use between adjacent sprocket wheels, when mounted on a drive axle (31,32).

2. Multi part sprocket wheel according to claim 1 wherein the adapter members' inner face (12) is provided with means for fastening the adapter member (20,21) to the conveyor drive axle (31,32).

3. Multi part sprocket wheel according to claim 1 wherein the means (16,16′) for fastening adjacent periphery elements (10,11) includes four flanges extending orthogonal to the common plane and arranged in both distal ends of each periphery element (10,11), where each flange is provided with recesses alternative apertures, suitable to receive and hold a bolt (25) and/or nut (26).

4. Multi part sprocket wheel according to claim 1 wherein the periphery element (10,11) and the adapter members (20,21) are made as one integral unit, such that a sprocket wheel (1) is assembled from two or more integral units.

5. Multi part sprocket wheel according to claim 1 wherein the adapter members' extend (a.sub.1,a.sub.2) orthogonal to the common plane of the sprocket teeth, on either side of said plane is equal or un-equal.

6. Multi part sprocket wheel system, comprising: a selection of periphery elements (10,11) according to claim 1 where a plurality of types are provided, where the periphery elements (10,11) are provided in different sizes, such that when one type of periphery elements (10,11) are assembled they form a full circle with one diameter, and when a second type of periphery elements (10,11) are assembled they form a circle with a second diameter and so forth, and where all periphery elements (10,11) has identical inner edges; one or more types of adapter members (20,21), where each type of adapter members is suitable to be mounted with at least one type of periphery elements where said adapter members (20,21) has an outer face (17) and an inner face, said outer face (17) being suitable to firmly engage the inner edge (12) of one or more periphery elements (10,11) of the same type and where said inner face (12) is adapted to engage a conveyor drive axle.

7. Multi part sprocket wheel system according to claim 6, wherein different types of periphery elements are provided with different number of sprocket teeth or the same number of sprocket teeth.

8. Drive axle suitable to be mounted in a conveyor structure where on said drive axle 31,32 one or more multi-part sprocket wheels (1) according to claim 1 are arranged, spaced in the longitudinal direction of said axle by means of the extend (a.sub.1,a.sub.2) of the adapter members (20,21).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate embodiments of assembled multi-part sprocket wheels according to the invention;

(2) FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a conveyor structure;

(3) FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrates details relating to the assembly features provided in the distal ends of the periphery elements in order to assemble the periphery elements;

(4) FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrates embodiments of the adapter member;

(5) FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrates a conveyor belt drive axle on which is mounted a plurality of multi-part sprocket wheels according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(6) In FIGS. 1 and 2 are illustrated two different embodiments of the multipart sprocket wheel according to the invention.

(7) In both examples the sprocket wheel 1, comprises two periphery elements 10,11. Each periphery element 10, 11 has an inner edge 12 and an outer edge 13. The inner edge 12 is partly hidden by a flange 22 on an adapter member 20,21.

(8) On the outer edge 13 of the periphery elements 10,11 are provided a plurality of sprocket teeth 15. The sprocket teeth 15 are designed to be able to engage the underside of a modular conveyor belt, assembled from a plurality of substantially identical modular belt links. Such conveyor belts are well known in the art, and may be supplied from a host of manufactures such as for example Ammeraal Beltech Modular, Intralox or Habasit to mention but a few.

(9) In order for the multipart sprocket wheel 1 to be mounted in a conveyor structure 30, see FIG. 3, the multipart sprocket wheel 1 is provided with adapter members 20,21. The adapter members 20,21 will when assembled, be able to fit on the outside of the conveyor structure's drive axle 31,32 (and any idle axles as well). Typically only one axle will be a drive axle 31 where the other axle 32 will be an idle axle. In the conveyor structure 30 illustrated in FIG. 3 the conveyor belt 35 also travels through a (simplified) belt tightening arrangement 33.

(10) Often the axles 31,32 will have a square cross-section, in order to transfer the propulsion force from the axles 31,32 to the sprocket wheels 1. For this purpose the adapter members 20,21 will when assembled in the embodiment illustrated in the figures have a corresponding cross-section, such that the propulsion force may be transmitted from the axles 31,32 via the adapter members 20,21 to the periphery elements and to the conveyor belt (see FIG. 3).

(11) The adapter members has outer faces 17 suitable to firmly engage and retain the inner edge 12 of the periphery elements 10,11. In the illustrated embodiment this firm engagement is further reinforced by the provision of flanges 22 adjacent the inner edge 12, where the flanges 22 are spaced in order to be able to receive the inner edge 12 of the periphery element 10,11 between two flanges 22, i.e. the distance between the flanges corresponds to the thickness of the periphery elements 10,11. This is more clearly illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7.

(12) The periphery elements 10,11 are in this embodiment assembled by bolts 25 and nuts 26. In order to further stabilize and strengthen the connection a bone element 27 is arranged. The bone element 27, see also FIG. 4 is provided with an aperture in either end of the element for allowing and guiding the bolts 25 to pass through to the nuts 26. A bolt 25 and nut 26 arrangement is arranged on either side of the periphery elements 10,11, such that by tightening the bolts 25 and nuts 26 the periphery elements 10,11 will be forced into a tight and secure engagement (surrounding the adapter members 20,21). The bone element 27 will further stabilize this connection by maintaining the distance between the bolts 25, thereby making sure that the periphery elements 10,11 are not allowed to misalign or otherwise move relative to each other.

(13) In the illustrated embodiments the nuts 26 are fitted in a recess 28 cast into the periphery elements 10,11. It is however clear that the recesses are provided for convenience—easing assembly and disassembly. The periphery elements may be manufactured without these recesses.

(14) In FIGS. 6 and 7 are illustrated examples of adapter members 20,21. In the illustrated example both adapter members may accommodate periphery elements with the same inner periphery 12. Due to the inner periphery construction of the adapter members 20,21 in FIGS. 6 and 7 they are suitable to be mounted on different axles. The adapter member in FIG. 6 is suitable to be mounted around an axle having a square cross-section, whereas the adapter in FIG. 7 is suitable to be mounted around an axle having a circular/round cross section.

(15) In FIG. 8 is illustrated a drive axle 31,32 on which axle 31,32 is arranged a number of sprocket wheels, in this embodiment 15 sprocket wheels 1′. Each sprocket wheel corresponds in principle to the sprocket wheels illustrated in FIG. 1 or 2.

(16) In order to define the extend of the adapter members as independent from the axles 31,32 a common plane is defined. In FIG. 8 is illustrated an “x” axis and an “y” axis, which geometrically illustrates the position of this common plane.

(17) FIG. 9 illustrates a closer view of a section of the axle of FIG. 8. As is illustrated the sprocket wheel 1″ has two periphery elements 10,11 assembled as discussed above, around two half adapter members 20,21. The adapter members 20,21 extends a distance a.sub.1,a.sub.2 in the longitudinal direction of the axle 31,32 (see FIG. 8). In that way the adapter members 20,21 retains and assures a certain minimum distance between adjacent sprocket wheels 1′,1″,1″′ By this arrangement is assured that the periphery elements 10,11 and thereby also the sprocket teeth 15 are kept at proper mutual distances such that the teeth 15 will engage the modular belt links of the conveyor in the proper designated positions.

(18) In order to retain the sprocket wheels in the correct proper position relative to each other it is only necessary to fix one sprocket wheel, 1,1″,1″ etc with respect to the axle, as the remaining wheels will be retained in proper relationship due to the extend a.sub.1,a.sub.1 of the adapter members 20,21. In this embodiment the sprocket wheel 1′″ is fixed by a screw 48, to the axle 31,32.

(19) The extend a.sub.1,a.sub.1 on either side of the adapter members 20,21, need not be equal, but may be selected such that proper engagement of the teeth relative to the conveyor belt is achieved. Likewise, for example at the sides of the conveyor belt, the sprocket wheels may be closer to each other, calling for shorter distances a.sub.1,a.sub.1, whereas in the middle the distance may be larger.

(20) Although the detailed embodiments relates to sprocket wheels assembled from two periphery elements 10,11 equipped with sprocket teeth 15, assembled around two adapter members 20,21, any number of parts may be used to assemble a multi-part sprocket wheel from.

(21) In the embodiments the adapter members 20,21 are also illustrated as separate elements from the periphery elements. It is also contemplated to provide the adapter members as integrated with the periphery members.