Cable conveyor disc

Abstract

A disc for a cable conveyor comprised of a polymer formed from a resin including a blend of siloxane, and polyethylene. The siloxane may be a high molecular weight siloxane having a viscosity ranging from 10,000 cst. to 1,000,000 cst., preferably about 500,000 cst., and the polyethylene may be an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene having a molecular weight ranging from 3 million grams/mol. to 8 million grams/mol., preferably about 3.5 million grams/mol. The siloxane is present in the blend from 0.5 percent to 30.0, preferably about 3.0 percent.

Claims

1. A disc for attachment to a flexible member movable through a tube to convey material disposed within interior walls of the tube, the disc, comprising: a body member having a central portion attached to the flexible member and an outer peripheral edge disposed to move adjacent the interior wall of the tube; the peripheral edge of the body member being composed of a polymer formed from a resin including a blend of siloxane and polyethylene.

2. The disc of claim 1, wherein the resin includes a blend of a high molecular weight siloxane having a viscosity of from 10,000 cst. to 1,000,000 cst. and an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene having a molecular weight of from 3 million grams/mol. to 8 million grams/mol., wherein the high molecular weight siloxane is present in the blend from 0.5 percent to 30.0 percent.

3. The disc of claim 2, wherein the resin includes a blend of high molecular weight siloxane having a viscosity of about 500,000 cst., and an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene having a molecular weight of about 3.5 million grams/mol., wherein the high molecular weight siloxane is present at about 3.0 percent.

4. The disc of claim 1, wherein the body member is composed of the polymer.

5. The disc of claim 2, wherein the body member is composed of the polymer.

6. The disc of claim 3, wherein the body member is composed of the polymer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other attributes of the invention will become more clear upon a thorough study of the following description of the best mode for carrying out the invention, particularly when reviewed in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a typical cable conveyor system using the polymer discs of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view with a portion cut away to show the relationship of the polymer discs to the cable and the tube; and

(4) FIG. 3 is a sectional view further showing the relationship of the components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) As can be seen by reference to the drawings, and in particularly to FIG. 1, the cable conveyor system that forms the basis of the present invention is designated generally by the reference number 10. The conveyor system 10 includes a tube 20, a cable 30 that moves within the interior of the tube 20, and a number of discs 40 spaced at intervals along the cable 30.

(6) The tube 20 has an exterior wall 22, an interior wall 24, and an interior cavity 26 through which the cable 30 travels.

(7) The disc 40 of the present invention has a body member 42 having a central portion 44 attached to the cable 30, and a peripheral edge 46 that slideably engages the interior wall 24 of the tube 20.

(8) The body member 42, and in particular the peripheral edge 46, is composed of a polymer that is formed from a resin that includes a blend of siloxane and polyethylene. The resin formulation is illustrated in the following Examples.

EXAMPLE I

(9) The preferred embodiment of the present invention is a polymer disc 40 that was formed from a resin including the following:

(10) TABLE-US-00001 high molecular weight polydimethylsiloxane 3.0 wt. % viscosity 500,000 cst. ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene 97.0 wt. % molecular weight 3.5 million grams/mol. when calculated using the Margolies' equation

(11) This resin was processed to form polymer discs 40 used in a cable conveyor system 10 having a stainless steel tube 20. The conveyor system was operated for several hours conveying material containing oil with no signs of a black deposit. When the same material was conveyed in a system 10 using regular discs formed of nylon or high molecular weight polyethylene, black deposits were observed after about 30 minutes.

EXAMPLE II

(12) The polymer disc 40 may be formed from a resin including the following:

(13) TABLE-US-00002 high molecular weight/siloxane 5.0 wt. % viscosity 100,000 cst. ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene 95.0 wt. % molecular weight 3.0 million grams/mol. when calculated using the Margolies' equation

(14) It is believed that this resin could be processed to form polyethylene discs 40 that could be used with results similar to Example I.

EXAMPLE III

(15) The polymer disc 40 may be formed from a resin including the following:

(16) TABLE-US-00003 high molecular weight siloxane 2.0 wt. % viscosity 60,000 cst. ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene 98.0 wt. % molecular weight 4.0 million grams/mol. when calculated using the Margolies' equation

(17) It is believed that this resin could be processed to form polyethylene discs 40 that could be used with results similar to Example I.

Example IV

(18) The polymer disc 40 may be formed from a resin including the following:

(19) TABLE-US-00004 high molecular weight siloxane 30.0 wt. % viscosity 10,000 cst. ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene 70.0 wt. % molecular weight 3.0 million grams/mol. when calculated using the Margolies' equation

EXAMPLE V

(20) The polymer disc 40 may be formed from a resin including the following:

(21) TABLE-US-00005 high molecular weight siloxane 0.5 wt. % viscosity 1,000,000 cst. ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene 99.5 wt. % molecular weight 3.0 million grams/mol. when calculated using the Margolies' equation

(22) Although only an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims.