This disclosure relates to reciprocating floor slat conveyors. More particularly, this disclosure relates to bearings that support the reciprocating floor slats that are used in conveyor systems of this kind.
Reciprocating floor slat conveyor systems are well known. Some of these systems have reciprocating slats that are supported on each side by stationary slats. The stationary slats have “wings” that extend laterally outwardly. The lateral wings are covered by curved bearing strips that have a “J” cross-section. The curve of the “J” overlaps the end of each wing. The J-shaped bearing and wing of the stationary slat are received within a lower side region of the reciprocating slat, such side region being defined by an upper, side, and lower wall that cooperatively present a bearing-receiving recess (“side recess”) underneath each lateral side of the reciprocating slat.
The following discloses an improvement to the shape and dimensions of J bearings from the earlier conventional design.
The bearing disclosed here has an elongated top surface (looking in cross-section) relative to prior designs. Rather than have a continuously curved “J” shape that covers the end of each lateral wing on a stationary slat, the present design has segmented interior surfaces (in contact with the outer surface of each wing) that are “angled” relative to each other. This enables the outer end surface of the bearing to have less outside curvature within the walls of the slat's side recess. By creating less curvature, the bearing more efficiently fills the void space within the side recess of the reciprocating slate (i.e., a void between the outer surfaces of the bearing and the inner surfaces of the side recess on the slat). The void space has the potential to create an accumulation area for particulate matter from the load carried by the conveyor system—which can sometimes work its way between reciprocating slats and bearings as the slats reciprocate back-and-forth. The present disclosure is an improvement on that problem but, at the same time, the bearing shape still provides a small space between the end of the bearing (inside the side recess) to enable particulate matter, if any, to escape and drop out from the reciprocating floor slat system.
One edge of the bearing terminates underneath a lateral side wing. The other edge of the bearing (or “inner edge”) terminates near a central top surface region of the stationary slat. For reasons relating to saving weight, the stationary slat can be made of extruded aluminum. However, the central top surface just described may be covered by or carry a narrow strip of thin steel that serves as both a resting surface for the edges of reciprocating slats (one on each side) and a gap filler. With respect to the latter, the strip reduces problems attributable to voids under the edges of the reciprocating slats that can capture and accumulate particulate matter from the load carried by the conveyor system. The inner edge of the bearing is angled laterally, upwardly and inwardly, from bottom to top, so that it partly overlaps a side edge of the steel strip just described, thus holding it in place.
The foregoing will become better understood upon consideration of the following more detailed description that is to be taken in conjunction with the drawings that are part of the present disclosure.
In the drawings, like reference numerals and letters refer to like parts throughout the various views, and wherein:
Referring now to the drawings, and first to
Referring to the left-hand reciprocating slat 10, this slat is an all-steel slat that has an inverted “V” shape consisting of two lateral top surfaces 20, 22 that come together at a peak 24. An underlying support piece (indicated generally at 26) is connected to the inverted “V” just described. The support 26 includes a horizontal section 28, opposite lateral side sections 30, 32 that depend downwardly, and outwardly flared sections 34, 36.
An underside area 38 of the top lateral surface parts 20, 22 that make up the inverted “V” of the reciprocating slat 10, along with the side sections and flared sections just described, cooperatively form a lateral side recess (one on each side) of each reciprocating slat 10, 12. This is better illustrated by reference numerals 40, 42, 44 in
Attention is now directed to
The above bearing configuration creates an outer curve, at the location generally indicated by arrow 68. The radius of the curve 68 is shorter than the radius of smooth-curved “J” bearings used in the past. This enables the “point” of the bearing 54 to project farther into the corner of the reciprocating slat's side recess 46, thereby leaving a smaller void between the bearing and sidewalls of the recess.
The reduced size of the void is indicated by arrow 70 in
As discussed above, the reduced size of the void 70 also reduces the amount of material that can accumulate in that area. To the extent any material does accumulate, the gap 72 allows the material to work its way downwardly through the system, to eventually fall on the ground.
Referring now to
The foregoing description is not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of patent protection is limited not by the foregoing description but by the patent claim or claims that are allowed by the U.S. Patent Office, the interpretation of which are to be made in accordance with the standard doctrines of patent claim interpretation.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62633399 | Feb 2018 | US |