Method for pulling together a belt puller and belt ends

Abstract

A method for tensioning a modular conveyor belt and a belt puller for carrying out the method. The belt puller has an eyelet at one end that is interleaved with a hinge element at one end of the modular conveyor belt. A rod passing through the eyelet and hinge element connects the belt to the puller, and the puller can be used to tension the belt. Two ends of an unconnected belt can be pulled together by connecting a belt puller to each end, joining the belt puller with a ratchet strap or other tensioning tool, and tightening the strap to pull the ends together.

Description

Background Art

[0001] The invention relates to a tool for pulling an end of a modular conveyor belt and a method for use in bringing belt ends together.

[0002] A modular conveyor belt is configured such that a series of rows of belt modules are joined together by hinge rods and can articulate about the hinge rods at hinge joints between successive rows to form a conveyor belt. A new belt is received with its opposing ends not connected to each other. A belt of length is attached to the conveyor around drive and idler sprockets and is supported by shoes or rollers on the lower return and by wear strips on the upper run. During installation or maintenance, the unconnected opposing ends of the belt are brought together to close the belt, and thus the hinge rods can be inserted into the hinge joints between two rows at the opposing ends of the belt of length. Once the hinge rods are inserted, the belt forms an endless belt loop.

[0003] Before the opposing ends of the belt are joined, the weight of the return belt tends to pull the two ends apart. Manually bringing those ends together on the run is difficult, especially for long, wide, and heavy belts. Belt pullers, which are hooked into openings through the thickness of the belt at each end and connected by a ratchet strap, are commonly used to bring opposing belt ends together. However, a puller that functions well with a belt having sufficient free space does not necessarily function well with a belt having little or no free space.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] One version of the belt puller comprises a puller body and a rod. The puller body has a first side and an opposing second side, and a first end and an opposing second end extending laterally between the first and second sides. Aligned eyelets are arranged laterally spaced along the first end. The rod has long segments and short segments connected by bent segments that maintain the long segments in a non-collinear relationship with respect to the short segments. The long segments are extendable through the eyelets.

[0005] One version of a belt pulling system comprises a pair of belt pullers and a pulling tool. Each belt puller includes spaced-apart aligned eyelets along a first end, a mounting point at the opposing second end, and a rod that can extend through the eyelets. The pulling tool is mounted at the mounting point between the pair of belt pullers.

[0006] A method for pulling the open end of a modular conveyor belt includes (a) inserting an eyelet along one end of a belt puller into the gap between consecutive hinge elements of the modular conveyor belt; (b) aligning the eyelet with an aperture that penetrates the hinge elements; (c) extending a puller rod through the eyelet and the aperture that penetrates the hinge elements; and (d) pulling the belt puller away from the modular conveyor belt to pull the modular conveyor belt. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an isometric view of a section of a conveyor belt with one version of a belt puller attached. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an isometric view of two belt pullers, as shown in Figure 1, attached to the unconnected end of a conveyor belt as shown in Figure 1 and joined together by a ratchet strap. [Figure 3]Figure 3 is an isometric view, similar to Figure 2, showing the belt puller connected to a belt module located inside the unconnected end of the belt. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Figure 1 shows a belt puller 10 connected to the open end 12 of a modular conveyor belt 14, which is composed of rows 16 of belt modules 18 joined by hinge rods 20 at hinge joints 22 between consecutive rows. The hinge rods 20 are received in a lateral passage 24 formed by an alignment aperture 26 of alternatingly arranged hinge elements 28, 29 of the consecutive rows 16. The belt puller 10 comprises a puller body 30 having a first side and two opposing second side portions 32, 33, and a first end and a second end portion 34, 35 extending laterally between the first and second side portions. Eyelets 36 (three in this example) extend outward from the first end portion 34 and are spaced laterally along it.

[0009] The belt puller 10 is connected to the open end 12 of the conveyor belt 14. The puller's eyelets 36 fit into the gaps 38 between the laterally continuous hinge elements 28. The eyelets 36 have a width determined to fit into the gaps 38. The eyelets 36 are positioned laterally at integer multiples of the lateral pitch of the hinge elements 28. Once the belt puller's eyelets 36 are fixed in the gaps 38, the rod 40 is inserted through the lateral passage formed by the alignment aperture 26 of the eyelets and hinge elements 29. The conveyor belt 14 can then be pulled by the belt puller 10 by pulling the belt puller away from the modular conveyor belt section.

[0010] The belt puller 10 shown in this embodiment has an opening 42 in the puller body 30 between the first end 34 and the second end 35 and between the first side 32 and the second side 33 to form a handle, which is convenient for pulling by hand. The hole 44 through the second end 35 provides a mounting point to which a ratchet strap or other pulling tool can be attached. The rod 40 shown in this exemplary version has a long segment 46 and a short segment 47 connected by a bent segment 48. The long segment 46 is used to connect the belt puller 10 to the conveyor belt 14 through its hinge element 29. As shown in this embodiment, the short segment 47 is positioned at a 90° angle to the long segment 46, but other angles can be used. Thus, the long segment 46 and the short segment 47 are not collinear. A notch 50 formed along the first end 34 of the puller body 30 in the first side 32 receives the end of the short segment 47 of the rod 40 to stabilize the inserted rod. A second notch 51 is also formed along the first end 34 on the opposing second side 33, allowing the rod 40 to be inserted into the passage from the other direction. However, it should be clear that a rod without short segments can be used in the belt puller 10. For example, a rod with a head at one end can be used. In that case, the notches 50, 51 would be unnecessary. Since the belt puller 10 uses a rod that is received by the hinge element 29 of the belt, it is useful for belts with little or no free space, as well as belts with ample free space.

[0011] Figure 2 shows how two opposing open ends 52, 53 of a modular conveyor belt 14 are pulled together by a belt pulling system that includes two belt pullers 10, 10' connected by a pulling tool such as a ratchet strap 54. The ratchet strap 54 includes a fixed-length webbing 56 attached at one end to a central ratchet mechanism 58. The free end of a second-length webbing 57 extends through the ratchet mechanism 58. A handle 60 advances the second-length webbing 57 through the ratchet mechanism 58 to pull the two belt sections 52, 53 together so that they can be joined by a hinge rod, and then the puller rod 40 is pulled out. Hooks 62 at the outer ends of the webbings 56, 57 hook into holes 44 in the pullers 10, 10'. Other pulling tools such as cam-alongs, winches, and other cable or rope systems can be used connected between the two pullers 10, 10' with or without a ratchet.

[0012] Figure 3 shows pullers 10, 10' connected to hinge elements 28, 29 of belt modules 64, 65 located inside the open ends 66, 67 of two belt sections 52, 53. After the hinge rods are pulled out of modules 64, 65, the end of belt 14 closer to the open ends 66, 67 is lifted and then connected to belt pullers 10, 10'. A puller eyelet 36 is inserted into the gap between the lifted hinge elements of modules 64, 65. The eyelet 36 is aligned with the aperture that penetrates the hinge elements. A puller rod 40 then extends through the lateral passage formed by the aligned aperture and eyelet. When the ratchet strap 54 is hooked between the two pullers 10, 10' and tightened, it pulls the two open ends 66, 67 of belt 14 toward each other and thus can be joined. Once the apertures of the alternating hinge elements at the open end are aligned laterally, the hinge rod is inserted into the passage, bringing the two ends 66 and 67 together and connecting them. The puller rod 40 is then removed from the belt modules 64 and 65, and the hinge rod is reinserted to form an infinite belt loop.

Claims

1. It is a belt puller, The first side and the opposing second side, A first end and an opposing second end extending laterally between the first side and the second side, A puller body including a plurality of aligned eyelets arranged laterally spaced apart along the first end, A rod having the long segment and the short segment, wherein the long segment is connected by a bent segment that maintains a non-collinear relationship between the long segment and the short segment. The aforementioned long segment is extendable through the eyelet, a belt puller.

2. The belt puller according to claim 1, wherein the puller body includes a notch along the first end on the first side for receiving one end of the short segment of the rod.

3. The belt puller according to claim 2, wherein the puller body includes a second notch along the first end on the second side for receiving one end of the short segment of the rod.

4. The belt puller according to claim 1, wherein the puller body includes a hole that penetrates the second end.

5. The belt puller according to claim 1, wherein the puller body includes an opening between the first end and the second end and between the first side and the second side to form a handle.

6. The belt puller according to claim 1, wherein the eyelet has a width determined to fit into the gap between consecutive hinge elements of a modular conveyor belt.

7. The belt puller according to claim 1, wherein the rod is detachable from the puller body.

8. It is a belt pulling system, Multiple aligned eyelets spaced apart along the first end, Mounting point at the opposing second end, A pair of belt pullers, each including a rod that can extend through the aforementioned eyelet, A belt pulling system comprising a pulling tool attached at the mounting point between the pair of belt pullers.

9. The belt pulling system according to claim 8, wherein the mounting point is formed at the second end as a hole through the belt puller, and the pulling tool has a hook at an opposing end that catches in the hole.

10. The belt pulling system according to claim 8, wherein the eyelets of each belt puller have a width determined to fit into the space between the continuous hinge elements of the modular conveyor belt.

11. The belt pulling system according to claim 8, wherein the rod of each belt puller is detachable from the eyelet.

12. The belt pulling tool according to claim 8, wherein the pulling tool is a ratchet strap or a cam-along.

13. A method for pulling the open end of a modular conveyor belt, (a) Inserting an eyelet along one end of the belt puller into the gap between the continuous hinge elements of the modular conveyor belt, (b) Aligning the eyelet with the aperture that penetrates the hinge element, (c) The puller rod extends through the aperture that passes through the eyelet and the hinge element. (d) A method comprising pulling the modular conveyor belt by pulling the belt puller away from the modular conveyor belt.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the eyelet is inserted into the gap between a series of hinge elements along the open end of the modular conveyor belt.

15. Before step (a), remove the hinge rod from the hinge joint located inside the open end of the belt, This includes lifting the end of the belt module at the hinge joint from which the rod has been removed, thereby making the hinge element at that end accessible, The method according to claim 13, further comprising performing steps (c) and (d).

16. Steps (a) to (c) are performed on the opposing open ends of the belt using a second belt puller across the space between the two open ends. A pulling tool is attached between the two belt pullers. The pulling tool is tightened to bring the two opposing open ends together. Removing the puller rod from the hinge element, The hinge elements of the two open ends are arranged alternately. The method according to claim 13, comprising inserting a hinge rod through the alternatingly arranged hinge elements along the two open ends to close the modular conveyor belt.

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