Support frame for a belt conveyor, associated conveyor and mounting method

1 . A support frame for a belt conveyor, the support frame including:

a mount comprising two support elements, each support element extending between two ends along a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction;

at least one upper belt support station and at least one removable assembly member, each upper belt support station resting on said support elements along a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, each upper belt support station being mounted on each of said support elements with said at least one removable assembly member;

at least one arch and at least two arch support members, each arch support member having a first portion mounted by engaging on said at least one upper belt support station, and a second portion mounted by engaging on one end of the at least one arch; and

at least two holding stations that hold said support elements, the holding stations defining housings that receive a part of the ends of said support elements.

2 . The frame according to claim 1 , wherein each upper belt support station extends between two ends, each end partially surrounding one of said two support members.

3 . The frame according to claim 1 , wherein each of said support elements comprises a main section extending along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction and two end sections on both sides of the main section, the end sections extending along directions substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the end sections being partially received in the housings of said holding stations.

4 . The frame according to claim 1 , wherein each housing extends along a main direction, the housing comprising a lower portion along the main direction, a cross-section of the lower portion along a plane substantially perpendicular to the main direction being polygonal, at least a part of the end of said support elements having a matching cross-section.

5 . The frame according to claim 1 , wherein each of said at least two arch support members defines a receiver housing for holding a cable.

6 . The frame according to claim 1 , including:

at least two upper belt support stations each extending between two ends and resting on said support elements;

at least two arches;

at least four arch support members mounted on the ends of said upper belt support stations; and

a tarpaulin resting on said two arches, the tarpaulin covering said upper belt support stations.

7 . A belt conveyor comprising:

a plurality of support frames according to claim 1 ; and

at least one movable belt supported by said support frames.

8 . A method for mounting a support frame according to claim 1 , comprising:

inserting the ends of the support elements into the housings of the holding stations;

positioning the at least one upper belt support station against each of the support elements; and

fastening the upper belt support station with a removable assembly member on each of the support elements.

9 . The method of mounting a support frame according to claim 8 , the support frame including at least one arch and at least two arch support members, the method further comprising:

mounting by engaging the arch support members on each of the ends of the at least one upper belt support station; and

mounting by engaging the at least one arch onto the arch support members.

10 . A support frame for a belt conveyor, the support frame including:

a mount comprising two support elements, each support element extending between two ends along a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction;

at least one upper belt support station and at least one removable assembly member, each upper belt support station resting on said support elements along a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, each upper belt support station being mounted on each of said support elements with said at least one removable assembly member; and

at least two holding stations that hold said support elements, the holding stations defining housings that receive a part of the ends of said support elements, wherein each housing extends along a main direction, each housing comprising a lower portion along the main direction, a cross-section of the lower portion along a plane substantially perpendicular to the main direction being pentagonal, at least a part of the end of said support elements having a matching cross-section.

11 . The frame according to claim 10 , wherein the upper belt support station extends between two ends, each end partially surrounding one of the two support members.

12 . The frame according to claim 10 , wherein each support element comprises a main section extending along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction and two end sections on both sides of the main section, the end sections extending along directions substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the end sections being partially received in the housings of the holding stations.

13 . A belt conveyor including a plurality of support frames according to claim 10 and at least one movable belt supported by the support frames.

14 . A method for mounting a support frame according to claim 10 , comprising:

inserting the ends of the support elements into the housings of the holding stations,

positioning the upper belt support station against each of the support elements,

fastening the upper belt support station with a removable assembly member on each of the support elements.

15 . The method of mounting a support frame according to claim 14 , the support frame including at least one arch and at least two arch support members, the method comprising:

mounting by engaging the arch support members on each of the ends of the upper belt support station,

mounting by engaging the arch onto the arch support members.