ENDLESS BELT FOR CONVEYOR BELTS OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES

Abstract

A belt as an endless traction device for conveyor belts of agricultural machines, the belt being made of a polymer that is reinforced by fabric plies. Endless belt provides a conveyor belt of this type which has high static and dynamic strength at the connecting point, combined with great bending flexibility. This is achieved in that at least one fabric ply of each belt end, folded back on itself, wraps around a thickened area and extends between the thickened area and a stop, which forms an abutment with respect to the thickened area, in such a way that the fabric ply is jammed between the thickened area and the stop when tension acts on the belt in the reverse direction.

Claims

1. An endless belt for conveyor belts of agricultural machines, wherein the belt is made of a polymer that is reinforced by fabric plies, and at least one fabric ply of each belt end, folded back on itself, wraps around a thickened area and extends between the thickened area and a stop, which forms an abutment with respect to the thickened area, in such a way that the fabric ply is jammed between the thickened area and the stop when tension acts on the belt in the reverse direction.

2. The belt according to claim 1, wherein the thickened areas which are wrapped around by the at least one fabric ply are inserted into a cage which is formed in one piece by a first half shell and a second half shell, in the assembled state the first half shell being situated on the outer side of the belt and the second half shell being situated on the inner side of the belt, and both half shells are joined together in one piece at an end-face side of the cage, while the other end-face side of the cage is open, a gap being situated in both side walls of the cage which face in the longitudinal direction of the belt for the at least one fabric ply folded back on itself to pass through, and the side walls forming the stop for the respective adjoining thickened area with the at least one fabric ply situated in between.

3. The belt according to claim 1, wherein the thickened areas which are wrapped around by the at least one fabric ply are inserted into a cage which is formed in two pieces by a first half shell and a second half shell, in the assembled state the first half shell being situated on the outer side of the belt and the second half shell being situated on the inner side of the belt, and both half shells are screwed together, a gap being situated in both side walls of the cage which face in the longitudinal direction of the belt for the at least one fabric ply folded back on itself to pass through, and the side walls forming the stop for the respective adjoining thickened area with the at least one fabric ply situated in between.

4. The belt according to claim 1, wherein the fabric plies folded back on themselves, of which there is at least one, of the two belt ends lie one on top of the other in an overlapping manner, and are situated in the overlap area between a first clamping plate situated on the outer side of the belt and a second clamping plate situated on the inner side of the belt, which are screwed together, a side wall of the clamping plates which extends transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the belt forming the stop for the respective adjoining thickened area with the at least one fabric ply situated in between.

5. The belt according to claim 2, wherein the second half shell situated on the inner side of the belt has the shape of a drive cam.

6. The belt according to claim 2, wherein the first half shell situated on the outer side of the belt is formed by a flattened end of a transverse rod which connects two belts.

7. The belt according to claim 1, wherein the thickened area is formed by a flexible body having dimensions such that even its compressed dimensions ensure jamming of the at least one fabric ply.

8. The belt according to claim 1, wherein the thickened area is formed by a rigid rod.

9. The belt according to claim 8, wherein the rod is inserted loosely into the fabric plies, and is only held in position by same.

10. The belt according to claim 8, wherein the rod is vulcanized into the fabric ply.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The invention is explained in greater detail below, based on the embodiments. The associated drawings show the following:

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a connecting point of a belt made endless according to a first embodiment of the invention,

[0019] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the illustration according to FIG. 1,

[0020] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the connecting point according to FIGS. 1 and 2,

[0021] FIG. 4 shows a cross section of a connecting point according to a second embodiment of the invention,

[0022] FIG. 5 shows a cross section of a connecting point according to a third embodiment of the invention,

[0023] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a connecting point of a belt according to a fourth embodiment of the invention,

[0024] FIG. 7 shows a side view of a connecting point of a belt according to a fifth embodiment of the invention,

[0025] FIG. 8 shows a top view of the illustration according to FIG. 7,

[0026] FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the connecting point according to FIGS. 7 and 8, and

[0027] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a cage that is provided for a connecting point.

[0028] Relative terms such as left, right, up, and down are for convenience only and are not intended to be limiting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, a cage 2 made of steel is used at the connecting point of a belt 1. This cage 2 is made up of a first half shell 3 situated on the outer side of the belt 1 and a second half shell 4 situated on the inner side of the belt 1. Both half shells 3, 4 have channel-like depressions 5 which are used for accommodating steel rods 6.

[0030] The belt 1 is made of a polymer that is reinforced by fabric plies 7, the fabric plies 7 on the outer side and the inner side of the belt 1 being covered by a polymer layer. For creating the connecting point, these polymer layers are removed on both belts so that the fabric plies 7 are exposed at this location.

[0031] On each belt end, on the outer side and the inner side of the belt 1 in each case at least one fabric ply 7 is wrapped around a steel rod 6 and folded back on itself, as is clearly apparent from FIG. 1. The rods 6 wrapped around in this way are subsequently inserted into the cage 2. The two half shells 3, 4 are then screwed together by means of two screws, not illustrated. For this purpose, two countersunk holes 8 for the screw heads are provided in the first half shell 3, and threaded holes, not visible in the illustration, are provided in the second half shell 4. When the half shells 3, 4 are screwed together, a gap 11 remains between their side walls 9 and 10, respectively, for the fabric plies 7 which are folded back on themselves to pass through. When tension is exerted on the belt in the reverse direction (arrows 12 in FIG. 1), the rods 6 together with the fabric plies 7 situated in between are pulled against the side walls 9, 10 of the half shells 3, 4 which act as stops, thus clamping the fabric plies 7 between the rods 6 and the side walls 9, 10.

[0032] The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 differs from the embodiment discussed above, solely in that for each belt end, in each case only one rod 6 is inserted into the cage 2.

[0033] Although the rods 6 according to the embodiments in FIGS. 1 to 4 are illustrated with a quadrangular cross section, a circular cross section is preferred.

[0034] In the embodiment according to FIG. 5, for each belt end in each case only one rod 6 is likewise inserted into the cage 2.

[0035] In this case, however, the two half shells 3, 4 are screwed together not between the rods 6, but, rather, in each case in the area on the fabric plies 7 which are folded back on themselves.

[0036] In the embodiments described above, the cage 2 has a two-piece design; i.e., the two half shells 3, 4 are two separate components. However, the cage 2 may also be in one piece, in that the two half shells 3, 4 are rigidly connected to one another by an end-face wall 19 at an end-face side, while the cage 2 is open on the oppositely situated end-face side in order to insert the rods 6. This type of cage is illustrated in FIG. 10. In this case, screwing together of the two half shells 3, 4 may be dispensed with.

[0037] The embodiment shown in FIG. 6 essentially corresponds to the embodiment according to FIG. 4; in the former embodiment, the two half shells 3, 4 are not only used for connecting the two belt ends, but also take on additional functions. The second half shell 4 situated on the inner side of the belt 1 may thus have the external shape of a drive cam. Thus, for a belt 1 designed as a cam belt, the half shell 4 may at the same time be used as a drive cam which fits into the gap.

[0038] In this embodiment, the first half shell 3 situated on the outer side of the belt 1 also has the shape of a flattened end 20 of a transverse rod which connects two belts, and which is provided on an end-face side, in one piece with a bushing 13 which may receive one end of a transverse rod (without flattened ends) during assembly of a conveyor belt.

[0039] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 9, the polymeric cover layer of the belt 1 is removed on one side at both ends of the belt 1 in order to expose the fabric plies 7. At least one of the exposed fabric plies 7 is folded back on itself at both ends of the belt 1, and wrapped around a steel rod 6, as most clearly shown in FIG. 7. The two belt ends are then placed one on top of the other in an overlapping manner in the areas which are folded back on themselves, and are provided with two through holes which are spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction of the belt 1. Fastening screws 14 are then inserted through these through holes, with a first clamping plate 15 and a second clamping plate 16 in between. The assembly comprising the fabric plies 7 which are folded back on themselves, situated between the first clamping plate 15 and the second clamping plate 16, is then jammed by screwing on a nut 17. Due to a tension on the belt 1 which acts in the reverse direction (arrows 12 in FIG. 7), the rods 6 which are wrapped around by the fabric plies are pulled against an adjoining side wall 18 of the clamping plates 15 and 16, which represent a stop. The fabric plies 7 situated between the rods 6 and the side walls 18 are thus jammed.

[0040] In all embodiments, the rods 6 are inserted loosely into the fabric plies 7, and are only held in position by same. Alternatively, the rods 6 may be vulcanized into the fabric plies 7.

[0041] While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, and uses and/or adaptations of the invention and following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention or limits of the claims appended hereto.