Impact beds with rubber spring suspension
AN idea by Richard Sharp early in 1991 led to the production of the first “dynamic” impact bed (DIB) for troughed conveyor belts in Australia, forming the foundation for Leverlink’s current leading-edge technology.
It was conceived from an idea to develop a better and more reliable product – one that would dissipate kinetic energy and provide the benefits of long service life, as well as assisting in reducing maintenance costs in terms of consumables and labour.
The design for the DIB, using rubber torsion springs as suspension, was radically different from the static impact beds that were dominating the Australian marketplace at the time.
Most belt damage occurs at conveyor load zones (e.g. under crushers) and transfer points, and the reasons for this are many and varied.
Many so-called impact beds are nothing more than belt support cradles with limited design capacity to dissipate impact energy and provide belt damage protection.
Leverlink’s experience, engineering skills, and continuous improvement program through research and development and infield monitoring, have made it a leader in the design and application of dynamic impact beds in Australia.
All Leverlink DIBs are custom built to suit each application.
In areas where installation space and access are restricted, the design can be such that the individual parts can be broken down and reassembled on the conveyor frame in manageable parts, with minimum effort.
Leverlink has also developed its own line of rubber torsion springs which provide a unique method of absorbing impact with the added benefit of vibration attenuation.
Rubber torsion springs are used extensively in Leverlink’s designs for various applications, and Leverlink is the largest manufacturer of rubber torsion springs in Australia, manufacturing some of the largest rubber torsion springs in the world.
The design of an effective conveyor load zone can often be a complex issue.
Leverlink has used DIBs and rubber torsion springs to solve some of these complex problems.
Functional specifications such as belt speed, width, type of belt, product size, free fall heights, and product moisture content are all major design considerations.
Spillage can be controlled by effective skirting and inner wear plate design and the added use of belt support systems.