Conveyor flange adapter

Abstract

A one-piece conveyor flange adapter designed for hollow bore, direct drive configurations. A dual flange casting has two opposite flanges machined and bored to attach between a mounting plate on an electric motor speed reducer housing and a similar mounting plate on a conveyor drive frame. The adapter has a large central axial opening between the two parallel plates, through which a rotating drive shaft extends. The adapter is bolted in place between the speed reducer housing and the conveyor drive frame. The flange adapter has a base mounted on the speed reducer. The outer cruciform flange mounts directly on the conveyor frame with two or four bolt connections. The conveyor drive shaft fits through the opening and connects to gears inside the reducer. Alternatively, the reducer has an output shaft that extends through the opening and directly connects to the conveyor drive.

1 . A single piece conveyor flange adapter comprising: 
 first and second flanges connected together by a neck,    a central axial opening through the neck and between the first and second flanges,    one or more holes in the first flange for passing bolts through the first flange and into a conveyor drive frame, and    one or more holes in the second flange for passing bolts through the second flange and into a speed reducer housing.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the conveyor flange adapter is used on hollow bore, direct drive configurations.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein either two or four bolts are used to secure the conveyor flange adapter on the speed reducer housing and on the conveyor drive frame.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first flange has six drilled holes.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more holes on the first flange are slots.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more holes on the first flange are enclosed, scalloped slots.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising rubber grommets surrounding the bolts passing through the first flange.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the conveyor flange adapter is stored as a blank in inventory and the one or more holes in the first flange and the one or more holes in the second flange are sized and created for particular uses when the conveyor flange adapter is removed from inventory.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a conveyor drive shaft extends through the central axial opening between the first and second flanges.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the conveyor drive shaft connects to gears inside a speed reducer.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an output shaft extending through the central axial opening between the first and second flanges and directly connecting to a conveyor drive.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the central axial opening varies along the length of the central axial opening.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a connection system on the second flange for connecting the second flange to the speed reducer housing.  
   
   
       14 . A method of connecting a speed reducer to a conveyor drive comprising: 
 providing a conveyor flange adapter comprising: 
 first and second flanges connected together by a neck,  
 a central axial opening between the first and second flanges,  
 one or more holes in the first flange, and  
 one or more holes in the second flange,  
   passing a conveyor drive shaft through the central axial opening between the first and second flanges,    securing bolts through the one or more holes in the first flange and a conveyor drive frame, and    securing bolts through the one or more holes in the second flange and a speed reducer housing.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the conveyor flange adapter is used on hollow bore, direct drive configurations.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein either two or four bolts are used to secure the conveyor flange adapter on the speed reducer housing and on the conveyor drive frame.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more holes on the first flange are slots.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more holes on the first flange are enclosed, scalloped slots.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein rubber grommets surround the bolts passing through the first flange.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising storing the conveyor flange adapter as a blank in inventory and providing the one or more holes in the first flange and the one or more holes in the second flange for particular uses when the conveyor flange adapter is removed from inventory.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the conveyor drive shaft connects to gears inside a speed reducer.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the conveyor drive shaft connects directly to a conveyor drive.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the diameter of the central axial opening varies along the length of the central axial opening.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the conveyor flange adapter further comprises a connection system on the second flange for connecting the second flange to the speed reducer housing.