US1362651A - Canvas slat - Google Patents

Description

A. TOWNS.

CANVAS SLAT. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3,1919.

Patented Dec. 21,1920

j amend/cop JfLflwma PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT TOWNS, OF OTTERTAIL, MINNESOTA.

CANVAS SLAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

Application filed June 3, 1919. Serial No. 301,431.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT TowNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ottertail, in the county of Otter Tail, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Canvas Slats; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to slats for conveycr aprons, and it has for its object to provide an improved means for providing a slat on the conveyer, in which the fabric of the conveyer will not be subjected to sharp bends such as serve to injure the fab-- ric in use. It is, of course, understood that the cotton fabric or canvas of which the conveyer apron is ordinarily made, may be broken by repeated reverse bending of it, as is the fabric in a pneumatic tire that is uninflated.

It is the object of the present invention to so build the complete article that when positioned upon the belt, the bendin of the belt will be around a comparatively road curvature.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, wherein like reference characters re fer to similar parts throughout the several views, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a canvas carrier or apron provided with an improved form of slat constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view thereof taken transversely, and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 10 designates a canvas carrier or apron preferably of the endless type upon which ordinarily wooden slats are arranged and secured transversely at spaced intervals to constitute carrier means, as particularly adapted for use in connection with binders, threshing machines or the like. In lieu of employing such ordinary wooden slats, the present invention contemplates the use of a slat designated at 11, composed of a .tube or other member of circular cross I section, preferably a hollow steel tube which is made relatively light. This tube is of the same length as the width of the carrier and is disposed so as to be enveloped by a portion of the canvas, in the manner shown It will be observed from the drawings that the portion 12 of the canvas substantially envelops the tube forming the slat 11, leaving a narrow neck or throat portion 13 uncovered. However, since the major portion of the circumference of the tube is enveloped by the canvas, the tube may be retained in position by means of a sheet or spring metal case or retainer 14 engaged on the slat or tube outwardly of the canvas in the manner clearly shown in the drawings. This case is made of a section of sheet metal or spring steel and rolled into the form of a longitudinally split cylindrical tube so that the meeting edges 15 thereof will then spring together when released from the slat. These edges 15 are turned backwardly or rolled as indicated at 16 so loss of grain will be prevented and as the device is very light, and can be readily assembled or disassembled for repair, replacement or for varying the spaced relation of the slats, it will be seen that the device possesses a marked advantage over the old construction. It should also be noted that the case or retainer fits snugly on the canvas enveloping the tube forming the slat, thus retaining the parts against displacement. Furthermore, one end of the tube is rounded or reduced in size as shown at 18, so as to facilitate its attachment by preventing the end thereof from catching in the canvas.

It will be understood, of course, that it is the side of the apron opposite to the slat that engages around the drive and carrying rollers. As the apron moves, it has a slight up and down waving motion which causes a back and forth bending movement of the apron about the cylindrically rolled edge portion 16 of the case 14, and by reason of the wide curvatures of these portions 16, the bending is gradual and not abrupt, so that the canvas does not crack as it would do were it not for the cylindrical beads 16.

This bending takes place in one direction also as the belt passes onto the roller and takes place in an opposite direction asthe belt incases the cylindrical tube 11 for an angular distance of approximately 300 degrees, which is the approximate angular extent of the casing 14 so that the parts are held securely in proper positions.

It will furthermore, of course, be under stood that when the canvas of the apron is tensioned around-the slat 11, the curvingly reduced end portions 18 will permit the margins of the apron to draw slightly inwardly over such curvatures and thus hold the slat securely against longitudinal dis placement. It will furthermore be noted that the uncovered portion 13 of the slat 11 is so broad that the slat is held against ex cessive rocking with respect to the apron. Excessive rocking with considerable ampli tude, of course, deteriorates the fiber of the canvas apron so that the apron tends to break Where it leaves the retainer. With the vibrations and the amplitude of the vibrations reduced, the life of the apron is correspondingly prolonged.

What is claimed is:

The combination with a canvas conveyer apron of a cylindrical tubular 'slat incased partway of its circumference by the canvas with its ends terminating in planes includ ing the marginal edges of the canvasywhich ends of the slat are curvingly reduced, and a resilientlongitudinally splittube between which and the slat the incasing portion of the canvas is gripped and which split tube extends from edge to edge of the canvas, the split tube having an angular extent of substantially 270 degrees and having its material at each side of the split directed away from the split in the form of a cylindrical bead, partway about which the canvas is bent and extended in opposite directions away from the slat.

In testimonywhereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. V ALBERT TOWNS.

\Vitnesses:

FRED. B. PETERSON, E; W, 'FRANcIs.

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