Conveyor belt cleaning system

Abstract

A conveyor belt cleaning system being a torsion blade holder assembly having a mounting sub-assembly and a blade support sub-assembly. The mounting sub-assembly has a first hollow member and a second member situated at least partially therein with torsion elements in the plurality of spaces or cavities between the first hollow member and the second member. The blade support sub-assembly, in which a scraper blade is secured, is attached to the second member such that when the scraper blade meets resistance while scraping the surface of a conveyor belt, the torsion elements are compressed and the blade support sub-assembly with the scraper blade rotates away from the conveyor belt. The blade support sub-assembly includes notched receiving members for receiving the scraper blade, a face plate extending between the notched receiving members approximately parallel to the scraper blade such that at least a portion of the scraper blade rests flush against the face plate when the scraper blade is situated in the notched receiving members, a horizontal blade stabilizer approximately perpendicular to and extending beneath the face plate, and a means for vertically adjusting the scraper blade within the notched receiving members. The means for vertically adjusting is one or more adjustable lock bolts extending upward through the horizontal blade stabilizer for adjusting the scraper blade up and down within the notched receiving members. The torsion blade holder assembly optionally includes a shield and a means for spraying a liquid on the conveyor belt.

1 - 30 . (canceled)  
     
     
         31 . A mounting sub-assembly adapted for use with a scraper blade secured to a shaft for scraping and cleaning a conveyor belt, comprising: 
 at least one compression arm attached to the shaft that resiliently adjusts a position of the scraper blade in relation to the conveyor belt such that the scraper blade remains in contact with the conveyor belt and moves away from the conveyor belt when the scraper blade contacts a protrusion on the conveyor belt, said compression arm comprising a base plate secured to the shaft, a means for pivoting in communication with said base plate, and a means for compressing in communication with said means for pivoting.    
     
     
         32 . The mounting sub-assembly according to  claim 31 , wherein said means for pivoting comprises a pivoting spindle having a pivoting shaft and a pivoting component, wherein said pivoting component secures said pivoting shaft to said base plate, and said means for compressing is in communication with said pivoting shaft.  
     
     
         33 . The mounting sub-assembly according to  claim 32 , wherein said means for compressing comprises a spring positioned on said pivoting shaft and a means for securing said spring to said pivoting shaft.  
     
     
         34 . The mounting sub-assembly according to  claim 33 , wherein said means for securing said spring to said pivoting shaft comprises one or more spring buckets.  
     
     
         35 . The mounting sub-assembly according to  claim 34 , wherein said means for securing said spring to said pivoting shaft further comprises a thrust collar.  
     
     
         36 . The mounting sub-assembly according to  claim 33 , wherein said pivoting shaft is threaded.  
     
     
         37 . The mounting sub-assembly according to  claim 31 , wherein one said compression arm is attached to one end of the shaft.  
     
     
         38 . The mounting sub-assembly according to  claim 37 , further comprising a second compression arm attached to a second end of the shaft, said second compression arm working in conjunction with said compression arm to resiliently adjust a position of the scraper blade in relation to the conveyor belt such that the scraper blade remains in contact with the conveyor belt and moves away from the conveyor belt when the scraper blade contacts a protrusion on the conveyor belt, said second compression arm comprising a second base plate secured to the second end of the shaft, a second means for pivoting in communication with said second base plate, and a second means for compressing in communication with said second means for pivoting.  
     
     
         39 . The mounting sub-assembly according to  claim 31 , wherein said means for compressing comprises a spring in communication with said means for pivoting.  
     
     
         40 . A method for cleaning a surface of a conveyor belt, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) attaching a scraper blade to a shaft;    (b) positioning the scraper blade in a first position such that it is in contact with the surface of the conveyor belt to be cleaned;    (c) attaching at least one mounting sub-assembly to the shaft, said mounting sub-assembly resiliently adjusting a position of the scraper blade in relation to the conveyor belt such that the scraper blade remains in contact with the conveyor belt and moves away from the conveyor belt when the scraper blade contacts a protrusion on the conveyor belt, said compression arm comprising a base plate secured to the shaft, a means for pivoting in communication with said base plate, and a means for compressing in communication with said means for pivoting;    (d) scraping the surface of the conveyor belt with said scraper blade; and    (e) rotating the shaft and the scraper blade away from the surface of the conveyor belt to a second position when the scraper blade contacts the protrusion on the surface of the conveyor belt, said rotating resulting from a compression of said means for compressing.    
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 40 , further comprising the step of: 
 (f) restoring the scraper blade to said first position, said restoring resulting from a decompression of said means for compressing.    
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 40 , wherein said step (c) attaches one said compression arm to one end of the shaft.  
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 42 , further comprising the step of: 
 (f) attaching a second mounting sub-assembly to a second end of the shaft, said second compression arm working in conjunction with said compression arm to resiliently adjust a position of the scraper blade in relation to the conveyor belt such that the scraper blade remains in contact with the conveyor belt and moves away from the conveyor belt when the scraper blade contacts the protrusion on the conveyor belt, said second compression arm comprising a second base plate secured to the second end of the shaft, a second means for pivoting in communication with said second base plate, and a second means for compressing in communication with said second means for pivoting.    
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 40 , wherein said means for pivoting comprises a pivoting spindle having a pivoting shaft and a pivoting component, wherein said pivoting component secures said pivoting shaft to said base plate, and said means for compressing is in communication with said pivoting shaft.  
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 44 , wherein said means for compressing comprises a spring positioned on said pivoting shaft and a means for securing said spring to said pivoting shaft.  
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein said means for securing said spring to said pivoting shaft comprises one or more spring buckets.  
     
     
         47 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein said means for securing said spring to said pivoting shaft further comprises a thrust collar.  
     
     
         48 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein said pivoting shaft is threaded.  
     
     
         49 . The method according to  claim 40 , wherein the means for compressing comprises a spring in communication with said means for pivoting.