Patent Application
20190113103
The present invention relates to repair of failed conveyor belts by compressive binding of a length of splice material into the failed belt with the application of process heating. Incorporate the abstract by reference.
For more than a century there has been a need for a simple and effective way to accurately vulcanize a conveyor belt splice in place without removal of the belt from its operating machinery. This often requires working in the most extreme and awkward conditions, indoors and outdoors, using heavy tools. The placing of such tools is critical their location is determined entirely by the operating conditions of the physical plant where the belt is used. These can be highly elevated conditions on the one hand or completely enclosed conditions on the other.
Difficulties in manoevering and placement are rapidly compounded when the belt in question is very wide, as much as 12 feet or more or the actual length of the splice is large, as much as 3-4 feet in the direction of conveyor travel.
Various attempts at operative solutions useful in the field are shown in the patent art.
Recent technology involves the use of a pair of heat conductive platens which are placed over and under the belt splicing so as to at least completely cover the splice area being the length of the splice times the width of the belt. Upper and lower heating pads are positioned over the splice area. Such heating pads are known to include electrical resistance wire embedded in a pad of heat conductive silicone so as to provide the necessary heat and transmit the compressive stresses vertically through the splice. Above and below the heating pads are cooling platens used in sequence with the heating so as to cure the belt splice in the most optimal conditions. Control of the heating, cooling and pressure characteristics of the splice are critical as the belt will be put back into heavy industrial service almost immediately after the splice is concluded.
The temperature of heating must be uniformly +/−3 degrees C. across the whole splice, preferably O degrees C. under uniform and constant pressure. Cooling must be carefully controlled and uniform across the splice as well. Such belt splicers are effective for purpose but require custom engineering, especially for larger sizes, are costly to manufacture and maintain in stock and difficult to deliver intact when just in time tool availability is required. Many industrial locations would of necessity maintain a splicer in tool inventory in the event of a belt failure as a single conveyor belt failure can bring a production facility to an abrupt and catastrophic halt without notice. Given that these belts are critical components of heavy industry belt failure itself can spread damage across a facility and cause personnel injury.
Thus, there is a need for a belt splicer system which can be delivered quickly into remote and difficult locations from stock which is lightweight and simple to use while maintaining safety and process conditions.
Efforts to date have been focused upon a single platen arrangement in order to maintain process conditions with a component clamping arrangement which is assembled into single clamping sections in situ so as to form the necessary platen clamp from the group, a plurality of individual clamping components. Structural requirements for such clamping components are quite high as the clamping surfaces must be flat. This results in the use of large quantities of expensive fabrication materials such as aluminum for lightness and component-to-component uniformity requirements.
The need for heating and cooling uniformity to +/−3 degrees C. plus the need for uniform and controllable pressure with a view to overall size, complexity, weight and the shear cumbersome nature of some prior art belt splicers, given the extreme environments, has lead to the widespread use of extrusions of expensive aluminum based metals.
Large sections are required not only to bear significant loads but also to act as uniform heat sources and sinks (forced cooling) while maintaining process pressures. These same large sections dictate that design improvements be machined or welded components, the former greatly increasing delivery times and cost, the later adding stress bending issues which continue from manufacture through distribution and long in to the conditions of actual use.
In the past, heating components have been based upon a heating wire strand uniformly and fully embedded in a heat transmissive silicone pad where the pad transfers the process pressure load around the heating wire to the process area. In earlier days, this wire heating was applied wherever space permitted often to the sacrifice of heating uniformity and speed.
This aspect of the invention lies in the field of splicers for splicing conveyor-belts. The invention is concerned with the provision for adjustability of the splicer, to accommodate e.g different belt-thicknesses.
The belt-splicer 20 (
Usually, the belt users prefer that the finished spliced-zone of the belt be of the same thickness as the parent belt. The two belt-ends 23A,23B typically are interfaced conventionally in e.g a tapered or chamfered overlapping configuration, or e.g in a zig-zag pattern, being generally so configured as to create a large area of interface contact between the two belt-ends.
Often, especially when the belts are of rubber, splicing involves applying liquid rubber gum to the contact areas of the belt-ends, and subjecting the splice-zone to heat and pressure. Under controlled conditions, the rubber undergoes vulcanization. The vulcanization having been done properly, the splice is (almost) as strong as the parent belt.
In
The between-beams components in
Also included between the crossbeams is an above-heater-platen 27A and a below-heater-platen 27B. (In some belt-splicers, only one heater-platen is provided—usually below the belt.) Also included are above- and below-heat-insulation-layers 29A, 29B.
The present belt-splicer 20 also includes provision for forced cooling of the splice interface, after the period of heating. Rapid forced cooling is preferred, when rapidity might be instrumental in procuring a more favourable molecular structure in the vulcanized rubber, compared with slow ambient cooling.
The crossbeams 21 are long enough to protrude beyond the left and right side edges of the belt 23. The above-beam 21A is provided with a protruding above-left-end-boss 30AL, while the below-beam 21B is provided with a protruding below-left-end-boss 30BL.
The splicer 20 includes two tension-links, being a left tension-link 32L and a right tension-link 32R. The left tension-link 32L comprises an above-link-element 34AL and a below-link-element 34BL. Pivot-pins 36AL,36BL secure the above- and below-left-link-elements 34AL,34BL respectively to the above- and below-end-bosses 30AL, 30BL.
The above-link-element 34AL is bifurcated or forked, and forms a clevis. The below-link-element 34BL is plain, and is secured to the above-link-element 34AL by a left-clevis-pin 38L. The clevis-pin 38L passes through an above-clevis-hole 40AL in the above-link-element 34AL, and through a below-clevis-hole 40BL in the below-link-element 34BL.
When the inflation-bag 25 is inflated (with a gas (e.g air) or a liquid (e.g water) under pressure) the resulting pressure is applied to the splice-zone of the two ends of the belt. The pressure is reacted by the above- and below-crossbeams 21A,21 B, and in turn by the two tension-links 32L,32R. The pressure urges the crossbeams 21 to move apart in the up/down direction, and the tension-links 32 prevent that from happening.
In a typical large belt-splicer, the inflation-bag 25 applies pressure over an area of, say, 0.25 sq.metres (400 sq.ins). The inflation pressure is typically ten atmospheres (150 psi), so that the force reacted by the left and right tension-links 32L,34R is typically thirty tonnes, i.e fifteen tonnes in each tension-link. There is considerable potential energy stored in the inflation-bag, during operation, and if either tension-link 32 were to fail, serious injuries might follow.
The designers must see to it that the tension-links 32 are capable of sustaining the imposed forces, with a suitable safety margin. But not only that: the tension-links 32 have to be assembled and disassembled with each splicing event, and the designers have to ensure that the tension-links 32 can only be assembled safely and properly. Also, over a long service period, the components of the tension-links can become less able to perform their functions. Also, inexperienced operators can make dangerous mistakes; and even the experienced operators can start to become careless as the operations become familiar and routine. It is up to the designers to see to it that these possibilities do not put the operators (and others) in danger.
The degree to which the inflation-bag 25 is inflated during operation should be kept to a minimum. Too large an inflation, and portions of the material of the bag can start to bulge, perhaps leading to failure. Thus it is desirable, once the belt-splicer 20 has been assembled onto and around the two ends of the belt 23, and made ready for the splicing operation to commence, that the tension-links 32 should be made as short as possible, thereby minimizing the degree to which the bag 25 is called upon to inflate and expand.
It is preferred that the lengths of the left and right tension-links 32L,R should be adjustable as to their (vertical) lengths.
The common reason why the length of the tension-links 32 needs to be adjustable is to cater for different thicknesses of the belts being spliced. To that extent, the required length of the tension-links can be predicted ahead of time.
However, it is preferred that the manner of adjustment should be such that the tension-links can be finally adjusted by the operators, at the time of final assembly of the belt-splicer onto the belt.
These preferences and functionalities can be attributed to the structure of the present tension-links 32L,32R.
The clevis-holes 40AL,40BL in the link-elements 34 are of (vertically) elongated profile, and the clevis-pin 38L is of a complementary profile. The profile comprises two semi-circles joined by two straights.
Several clevis-pins 38 are provided (i.e. a kit of clevis-pins is provided), which differ from each other as to the lengths of their profile-straights. The operators select which one of the several clevis-pins, in the kit, to use for the particular splicing event, on the basis of which of the several clevis-pins will minimize the degree of inflation of the bag 25 (while enabling the splicer to be assembled). The adjustability of the length of the tension-link derives from the fact that: the larger the clevis-pin (i.e. the longer its profile straights), the smaller the overall length of the tension-links 32.
The clevis-pin 38L-C shown in
The clevis-pin 38L-B shown in
The splicer or splicers that create the splice-zone should include as many kits of clevis-pins as there are tension-links in the splice-zone. And each kit should include the same range of sizes of pins, so that all the tension-links can be the same size.
Again, it is important that the left and right tension-links should both be of equal length, after the length adjustment. For this reason, the designers should provide a simple foolproof indicator, for indicating just what adjustments have been made, which preferably should be visible just before the splicing operation starts, and after all the assembly and preparations for the splice have been made.
There being three sizes of clevis-pin 38 (or whatever number of sizes is deemed to be convenient and efficient), all but the selected pins are standing idle during the particular splicing event. It is advisable that all the clevis-pins not currently being used should be retained on the apparatus, and preferably all the clevis-pins should be held captive by being tethered to the crossbeams. The prudent designer will provide suitable receptacles into which the set of clevis-pins can be placed, e.g within the form of the crossbeams.
The components of the belt-splicer 20 are transported to the place where the splice is to be carried out. At this time, the two crossbeams 21A,21B are separated from each other. The above-left-link-element 34AL and the above-right-link-element are never detached from the above-crossbeam 21A (except for service, etc) and the below-left-link-element 34BL and the below-right-link-element are never detached from the below-crossbeam 21B during transport. However, during transport, the clevis-pins 38 are not assembled to the respective link-elements. The kit of clevis-pins is transported as a separate sub-assembly (which is why the kit should be housed in a receptacle within the structure of the crossbeam, or the individual clevis-pins of the kit should be tethered to the crossbeams, or both.) Generally, the operators know the nominal belt thickness before arriving at the splicing site, and can make sure that the kits contain at least the size of clevis-pin that goes with that nominal thickness of the belt. However, the operators should check that the other sizes of clevis-pins are available, in case of unpredicted variations.
Provision is made, at the ends of the clevis-pins 38, for ensuring that the clevis-pins, having been fully and properly assembled into the clevis-holes in the link-elements, remain retained within the clevis-holes, and cannot inadvertently become mis-positioned, for any reason, until deliberately moved by the operators. The clevis-pin can be provided with through-holes for attachment of pull-rings, spring-clips, retainers, or the like. There are many proprietary systems for ensuring that clevis-pins cannot improperly become displaced from their clevis-holes, and yet are easy to assemble and disassemble, and designers should select an appropriate system.
The expression “tension-link”, above, has been indicated as including an above-link-element and a below-link element. In fact, the above-link-element 34AL, as may be seen from
In
The handle 43B also serves to help the operator manipulate the link-elements when assembling and removing the clevis-pin. The above-link-element 34AL is also provided with a handle, but this is not shown in
The extent of the (vertical) adjustable-range of length of the tension-link 32 is determined by the (vertical) slot-lengths of the clevis-holes 40, and the (vertical) length of the profile of the clevis-pins 38. Typically, the need for adjustment is based mainly on the differences in nominal thickness of the various belts being spliced. However other variables might be present, which contribute to the need for the tension-links to be of adjustable length—and conveyor-belts do vary from their nominal thickness. Typically, the designers should provide a range of adjustment of two or three cm—or more, of course, if the requirement (and the room) exists. The clevis-pin is subjected to shear-stress, under load, and the designers must see to it that even the smallest clevis-pins in the kit are able to support the maximum stress with a suitable safety margin. (It is not necessary that the smallest clevis-pins in the kit should have zero-length profile straights.)
The (vertical) length of the present tension-links is small, when compared with tension-links in other designs of belt-splicer. In the other belt-splicers, typically the crossbeams are, by comparison, significantly taller, vertically, at their ends, than the present crossbeams. The taller the crossbeams, the longer the tension-links can be; and a longer tension-link can include the kind of length-adjustment facility that is based on a screw-thread.
Screw-thread adjusters can be convenient in those cases (although screw-thread adjusters can have their own problems).
As shown in patent publication US-2014-0014275 (SHAW), vertically-tall crossbeams can be equipped with the markedly-different tension-links there depicted/described. However, that depicted kind of tension-link, though highly advantageous where it can be accommodated, is not suitable to be made in short lengths. In the present case, where the crossbeams are short, vertically, at the ends, the tension-links are themselves short. The present manner of adjustment is a highly suitable way of providing the required range of adjustment, when the tension-links are short.
As mentioned, in the present case, the splicer includes provision for forced cooling. The forced cooling is done by means of e.g. water pipes embedded in the heater platens 27. The pipes are disposed side-by-side with the (electrical) heating cables required for the heating function, within the heater-platen. Thus, in fact, the present heater-platen should rather be regarded as a combined heating-and-cooling-platen. The combined-platen occupies hardly more than the vertical space that would be required anyway for a platen that contained just the heating elements.
Previously, the cooling function has been provided in a separate cooling platen structure. This may be regarded as disadvantageous because the stack of the two platens inevitably occupies considerably more vertical space than one single combined heating-and-cooling platen. But also, when the heating platens are next to the belt, the cooling platens have to exert their thermal effects through the heating platens—which is significantly inefficient. (If the cooling platens were the platens that lie next to the belt, the heating platens would then have to exert their thermal effects through the heating platens—which is just as inefficient.) Thus, the height of the stack of belt-splicer-components that lie between the crossbeams, in the present design, is significantly reduced when the separate heating-platen and cooling-platen are replaced by a combined heating-and-cooling platen. The present as-described manner of arranging tension-link length-adjustability, being particularly suitable for use with crossbeams of low vertical height, is likewise also particularly suitable for use when the stack of components between the crossbeams is of low vertical height.
As mentioned, the pivot-pins 36 enable the tension-links to pivot, under load, relative to the crossbeams. The lengths of the crossbeams are dictated by the width of the belt, which can be a considerable span. The crossbeams can undergo considerable deflection when under a load of several tonnes, and in fact the crossbeams can so deflect as to be several millimetres further apart in the middle of the span than at the edges of the belt. Such deflection gives rise to a significant rotational movement of the ends of the crossbeams relative to the tension-links (the tension-links themselves remain vertical during operation), and such rotation is accommodated by the pivot-pins 36.
It is preferred that the left-clevis-pin 38L is long enough to extend right through both (or all) the link-element-structures, as in the as-depicted design. However, it is not ruled out that shorter clevis-pins could be used, which each extend through e.g. just one of the link-element-structures. Of course, if more, shorter, clevis-pins are used, the operators must take care to ensure that all the clevis-pins in the splicer are the same size.
The clevis-pins 38 and the clevis-holes 40 are running-track-shaped, i.e have the shape of two semi-circles separated by two straights. Other shapes can be used—e.g. rectangular (preferably with rounded corners). The important aspects are that the components containing the shapes should be strong enough to accommodate the imposed stresses, should be inexpensive to manufacture, and should not pose problems of inconvenience during operational assembly and dis-assembly.
Some of the components and features in the drawings and some of the drawings have been given numerals with letter suffixes, which indicate left, right, etc. versions of the components. The numeral without the suffix has been used herein to indicate the components or drawings generically or collectively.
Terms of orientation (e.g “up/down”, “left/right”, and the like) when used herein are intended to be construed as follows. The terms being applied to a device, that device is distinguished by the terms of orientation only if there is not one single orientation into which the device, or an image (including a mirror image) of the device, could be placed, in which the terms could be applied consistently.
Terms used herein, such as “straight”, “vertical”, and the like, which define respective theoretical constructs, are intended to be construed according to the purposive construction.
The numerals used herein are summarized as follows:
This invention lies in the field of splicers for splicing conveyor-belts. The invention is concerned with edge-irons, which are used for constraining the side-edges of the belt-ends during splicing, and with the manner of supporting the same, within the splicer.
In
Left and right edge-irons 49L,49R are provided. Each edge-iron has a middle-facing-surface 50L,50R (“middle” means the surface faces towards the middle of the belt) and an outward-facing-surface 51L,51R. The edge-irons 49L,49R are supplemented by left and right filler-strips 52L,52R, each of which has a middle-facing-surface 53L, R and an outward-facing-surface 54L, R.
During splicing, the belt-ends 23A,23B are compressed between an above-heater-platen 27A and a below-heater-platen 27B. (In fact, the heater-platens, in the depicted design, are combined heating-and-cooling-platens, but are referred to, here, as heater-platens.) The compression forces on the belt, during splicing, are transmitted through the heater-platens. An upward-facing-surface 58 of the below-heater-platen 27B is in close contact with the underside of the belt 23, and a downward-facing-surface 59 of the above-heater-platen 27A is in close contact with the overside of the belt 23.
In the splicer of
The outer wall of the groove 61L is formed as a middle-facing-abutment-surface 63L. In
The left filler-strip 52L fits between the left side-edge 56L of the belt 23 and the middle-facing-surface 50L of the left edge-iron 49L. The present filler-strips 52 are made of rubber, and are somewhat compressible. The material of the filler-strips should be selected on the basis of being compressible, in the sense of being able to conform to (and thereby to make a seal against) the (possibly-uneven) side edges of the two ends 23A,23B of the belt to be spliced. Also, conveyor belts are not noted for their freedom from variations in the width of the belt, not only after a period of service, but as-manufactured. The designers' aim, in selecting the material and the dimensions of the filler-strips, should be to contain the liquid rubber which tends to extrude itself out of the splice-zone, when the splice-zone is under heavy compression—and also, preferably, not to adhere to the now-cured rubber, when the time comes to dismantle the splicer. The left and right filler-strips 52L,R are chosen as to their thicknesses on the basis of squeezing (compressing) the width of the belt tightly between the filler-strips 52. The left and right filler-strips 52L,R abut against the left and right edge-irons 49L,R, and the edge-irons in turn abut against the middle-facing-abutment-surfaces 63L,R of the left and right grooves 61L,R. Thus, the squeeze-force exerted on the width of the belt is reacted directly within the material of the below-heater-platen 27B.
Upon assembling the belt-splicer 20 in readiness for a splicing event, the two belt-ends 29A,B are laid upon the upward-facing-surface 58 of the below-heater-platen 27B (
It will be understood that, because the edge-irons 49 reside in the grooves 61 formed in the material of the below-heater-platen, nothing else is required, in order to react the lateral-squeeze-force that is applied to the side-edges 56 of the belt. This may be contrasted with prior-art configurations of edge-irons, where, typically, further components are required in order to transmit the lateral-squeeze-force to some other part of the structure of the belt-splicer. The present design enables the lateral-squeeze-force to be self-contained within the below-heater-platen 27B.
The edge-irons 49 and the filler-strips 52 having been put in place, now the above-heater-platen 27A and the rest of the components of the splicer 20 can be assembled. Once the above-crossbeam 21A is assembled, and the tension-links 32 are in place and engaged, the operators make the splicer ready for the splicing event by coupling up the required services (electricity, water, etc).
In
The absence of the engagement of the above-heater-platen 27A with the edge-iron can be a disadvantage. In the splicer as described herein, the crossbeams 21 are prevented from separating, when the belt 23 is under compression, by the tension-links 32. However, the tension-links 32 do not prevent the above-crossbeam 21A from being able to move laterally, relative to the below-crossbeam 21B, and (small) lateral movements can take place. But when the edge-irons 49 engage their grooves 61,65 in both the below-heater-platen 27B and the above-heater-platen 27A, such double-engagement constrains the below-heater-platen 27B and the above-heater-platen 27A against lateral movement relative to each other, and does so very securely.
On the other hand, there is often little tendency towards lateral relative movement of the crossbeams 21, and the (simple) arrangement of
When greater security against relative lateral movement of the crossbeams is required, such can be provided e.g as in
It has been described that the structure that is in contact with the underside of the belt is the below-heater-platen. However, from the standpoint of providing the mentioned self-contained reaction to the lateral belt-squeezing-force, the function of the platen may be other than that of heater, or may include other functions besides that of heater (again, the present heater-platens also include facility for power cooling). Thus, the below-heater-platen may be referred to, generally, as the below-belt-contacting-platen, or simply as the below-platen, rather than the below-heater-platen. The important thing, for present purposes, is that the below-belt-contacting-platen should be provided with left and right middle-facing abutment-surfaces, and that the left and right edge-irons can engage those surfaces in order to react the lateral belt-squeeze forces. The following also should be mentioned. It is considerably more convenient to react the belt-squeeze forces within the below-platen, given that the edge-irons and associated components have to be assembled and configured on-site, i.e at the belt. It is more convenient to place the edge-irons and components on the oversurface of the below-platen, than it would be to do the same thing upwards to the undersurface of the above-platen. However, apart from that difference in convenience, the edge-irons and components can, if the designers so wish, provide the contained-within-the-platen reaction to the belt-squeeze forces in the above-platen.
Sometimes, the material of the upwards-facing surface of the below-belt-contacting-platen does not itself make direct touching contact with the belt. For example, sometimes a (thin) sheet of release material is interposed between the platen and the belt, to act as an aid to separating the block from the belt, after heat treatment. The belt-contacting-platen may be defined as follows. For present purposes, the belt-contacting-platen is the nearest block of metal to the belt (above and below) that is at least 3 mm thick overall (vertically). Thus, the thin sheet of release material is not itself the belt-contacting-platen.
As mentioned, the middle-facing-abutment-surface 63 of the groove 61 is integral with the material of the below-platen. In general, the middle-facing-abutment-surface 63 is defined as being integral with the platen when the middle-facing-abutment-surface is either formed monolithically with the platen, from one common piece of material (metal), or, if formed separately, are fixed together so firmly and rigidly as to be functionally and operationally equivalent to having been formed from one common piece of material.
The platen can be manufactured as, for example, an aluminum extrusion for the main length, and then aluminum end-caps, e.g machined from solid, are affixed to the ends of the extrusion. In that case, the middle-facing-abutment-surfaces 63 can be provided on the end-caps, without the need to machine (or otherwise create) the grooves into the extrusion.
The belt 23 being horizontal, preferably the left and right middle-facing-abutment-surfaces 63 that are formed in the below-platen 27B preferably are vertical—and likewise the outward-facing surfaces 51 of the edge-irons 49.
The edge-irons 49 rest on the upward-facing-surface 58 of the below-platen 27B, and (as with edge-irons generally) the upwards-facing surface of the edge-irons must be well clear of the downward-facing surface of the above-belt-contacting-platen. The clearance should be sufficient that, when the full compression is being applied, the edge-iron does not come near to holding the above- and below-belt-contacting-platens apart. The compression forces should be applied to the belt, not to the edge-irons. A vertical clearance of a millimetre of two is typical.
In
As mentioned, the present invention is concerned with the manner in which the lateral-squeeze-force that is applied to the side-edges 56 of the belt 23 is to be reacted—and with the preference that the reaction should done internally, i.e the reaction should be self-contained within the splicer, and preferably within the below-platen. Another example of a way of enabling the reaction to be internal within the splicer will now be described. Here, the outward-facing surface of the edge-iron is reacted, not against a middle-facing surface actually within the below platen (for example, herein, the surface numbered 63) but against a middle-facing surface of the tension-link 32. It might be considered that the tension link, as a structure, is not at all suitable to serve to resist a lateral force, in the plane of the belt, being a force that urges the tension-link 32 to buckle outwards about its aperture-pins 38. However, in the splicer as illustrated, there is very little tendency for the tension-links 32 to buckle (outwards) when the belt is subjected to heavy squeezing, and the liquid rubber in the splice-zone is being urged to extrude out of the zone. The tension-links do not buckle outwards because the tendency of the liquid rubber to extrude out of the splice-zone does not start to occur until the belt is under heavy compression—by which time the tension-links are under correspondingly heavy tension. The heavy tension in the tension-links keeps the tension-links stable, and resistive to the pressures and forces arising from the tendency of the liquid rubber to extrude out of the splice-zone. In short, the tendency of the tension-links to buckle outwards under a lateral load is negated by the fact that the lateral load does not start to develop until a heavy tension has been established in the tension-links.
Some of the components and features in the drawings have been given numerals with letter suffixes, which indicate left, right, etc versions of the components. The numeral without the suffix has been used herein to indicate the components generically or collectively.
Terms of orientation (e.g “left/right” and the like) when used herein are intended to be construed as follows. The terms being applied to a device, that device is distinguished by the terms of orientation only if there is not one single orientation into which the device, or an image (including a mirror image) of the device, could be placed, in which the terms could be applied consistently.
Terms used herein that define respective theoretical constructs are intended to be construed according to the purposive construction.
The expression “can be”, as used herein, should not be construed as “may be” nor as “might be”, but rather should be construed strictly as “is able to be” or “has the capability to be”.
Where, in a particular one of the accompanying claims, the word “left” is mentioned but not the word “right”, that claim may be construed as if the word “left” had been consistently replaced by the word “right”.
The scope of the patent protection sought herein is defined by the accompanying claims. The apparatuses and procedures shown in the accompanying drawings and described herein are examples.
The numerals mentioned herein are summarized as follows:
In one aspect of the invention as shown in
In
When linked together with linkage components 32L,32R, including components 34A, 34B, 36A, 36B and 38 (either left of right, further designated in the drawings with an “L” or a “R” respectively in the drawings), the clamping component 101 is assembled for uniform compressive belt clamping perpendicular to both the belt surface and the cross-beam across the whole of is elongated projection on to the belt 23, comprising overlapping portions 23A and 23B, an area exceeding the nominal belt width, 104 in
Within each of modular components 101, 102 and 103, herein referred to collectively as cross beam clamping components 100, are upper and lower insulating layer components 29 and upper and lower heating and cooling components 27 (integrated in to a replaceable cartridge, upper 27A and lower 27B), plus at least one airbag 25 adapted to receive externally applied air or water pressure 40. Each modular component 100 has a similar orthogonal projection across the full extent 104 of the belt and within the projected area of the said elongated projection preferably perpendicular to the belt 23 and is adapted to be closely adjacent each other, and preferably abutting, when assembled for use. Preferably there is only one air bag 25 either situated bottom or top of the belt 23 but there are occasions where 2 airbags, top and bottom are preferred. Also preferably, insulating layer 29 lies between the heating and cooling layers 27 and the air bag position as shown on component 101 in
Each of cross beam clamping components 21A and 21B for each of modules 101, 102 and 103 (
Box beam vertical elements 604 are both aligned, as at 604A and 604B in
As shown in
In another alternative of the invention a heating and cooling (forced) cartridge 27 is provided adapted to lie adjacent to and across the full belt splice alone or as a pair either above or below the belt splice. The cartridge is highly elongated in relation to the belt splice with aspect ratios higher than 4:1 and corresponds in projected belt area to an individual pair of orthogonally aligned clamping components.
The 2-layer embodiment of the cartridge as depicted in
Most preferably, each of modular components 100 includes a monolithic structure at each end, as at 605L and 605R in
As shown in
Modular component 200 may be fitted with a safety restraint bar or bars 614 which are adapted to be passed through passages 613 in flanges 604 in respective components 101, 102 and 103. For ease of use, flanges 604 may be fitted with clips 611 to maintain the bar 614 together with a cross-beam 21.
Further, for ease of manufacture and reduced operational weight flanges 604 may be relieved as at 610 in
The cartridge 701 as shown in
The belt surface 702 of the cartridge 701 is provided with a base tray 802 including a heat transmissive layer 820 across its full extent which may be bent upwards at its lateral extremities form outside edges 823. The transmissive layer is preferably no more than a few mm thick.
Formed primarily from an aluminum extrusion the transmissive layer 820 is preferably formed with a plurality of upstanding, preferably integral, internal fins or supports 821 in a closely packed array 822 which, together, form the heating layer of the cartridge. Outside edges 823 provide the inside extent of array 822. Fins 821 are minimally thin and may be as little as 1 mm in breadth and may be tapered to ensure both heat conductivity and structural support across the fin structure 822 to resist and preferably isolate compressive forces delivered by the cross-beams in a splicing operation.
Inter-fin spacings are occupied, and preferably fully occupied, by a continuous electrical heating cable 801 in heat transmissive contact with the fin supports 821. Cable 821 lies in a serpentine pattern substantially throughout at least the projected area of the cartridge onto the belt splice as shown in
The fin supports 821 extend internally at least as far as the extent of the heating cable 801 so as to bear the load, and preferably substantially all of the load, associated with process pressure throughout the whole of the heating and cooling process, plus assembly and dis-assembly operations, including variable bending and stresses associated the thin walled modular componentry.
Most preferably, the serpentine heating cable 801 is a temperature and heat wattage controlled electrical cable flattened on 2 sides to form a race track configuration as shown in
The cable 801 is oriented vertically from both the belt splice 23 and the heat transmissive surfaces 820 and fully contacts that surface and each of the adjacent fin supports along its circular end and along its respective flat sides. Any spacings between the wire boundary and the fins or heat conductive surfaces may be filled on manufacture with a suitable heat structurally supporting conductive material as in
Preferably cable 801 is temperature reactive, with or without embedded temperature measurement devices, and interacts with minimally thin transmissive layer 820 for uniform delivery of process heat across the splice in conjunction with cable side or side wall 823 thermal conductivity and fins 821.
In an alternative embodiment, the electrical cable 801 does not fully occupy the fin support array 821. Fin support array 821 may be sized to provide uniform heating and controlled process temperatures through adjacent fin supports and the heat transmissive layer 802 but with wire 801 not extending beyond the height of the fin supports 821. Corresponding adjustment of the next layer out is made so as not to pressure the conductive wire 801 during processing.
A forced cooling layer 805,
Most preferably as shown in
External sources of process pressure, air or water, may be connected to cooling tubes 825 and 805 through manifold connections 806 and 809 at either shell end of the thermal cartridge and thence to supply with or without an intervening manifold in the event that a non-serpentine cooling tube is used.
The cartridge 701 includes end spacers (not shown) which close the tray 802 at each shell end so as to provide additional vertical structural support and spacing for the cartridge 701 against process pressures.
The interior of the preferred embodiment of
In
Most preferably, the cartridge also optionally includes a substantially rigid load bearing insulating third layer (not shown) either partially integral with or completely supported upon and in contact with at least the cooling layer so as to transmit process pressures from the cross-beam uniformly through to the cooling layer and then the fin support array while insulating the heating/cooling elements from non-process heating losses.
Preferably the insulating layer is formed as a single amorphous layer prefabricated and assembled or poured in place, most preferably including reinforcing fibres and means to lighten the layer.
As can be seen the cartridge 701 may be readily and inexpensively fabricated on a component basis while remaining light in weight and optimal in heating and cooling delivery. Easily manipulated in the field, the cartridge 701 assists in approaching a process fail safe condition by providing for ready and rapid replacement of a single cartridge in the most extreme conditions of storage, installation, process use and decommissioning.
At A in
Most preferably, the cartridge is formed as shown in
In
Cable 801 in
Structural material 852 may contain lightening and -reinforcing elements 855.
Once hardened, materials 851 and 852 provide the supporting fin structural array of the invention providing full thermal conductivity with the belt surface and full insulation with the clamping components.
In an alternate embodiment the cable or the cooling tube may be composed of single straight lengths spliced together at each end.
The scope of the patent protection sought herein is defined by the accompanying claims. The apparatuses and procedures shown in the accompanying drawings and described herein are examples.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1516626.7 | Sep 2015 | GB | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CA2016/051097 | 9/19/2016 | WO | 00 |
