Abstract: An improved endless belt conveyor apparatus includes a supporting frame in the form of a pair of parallel longitudinal carrier rails that flank the endless belt in a plane below the upper carrying run of the belt. The carrier rails extend continuously from end-to-end of the conveyor and have uninterrupted trolley supporting portions that are adapted to support wheeled trolleys for movement therealong. The apparatus may be readily converted from a belt conveyor to an animal feeding apparatus that includes a reciprocating plow assembly by mounting such a plow assembly in a carriage that has wheeled trolleys that ride on the trolley supporting portions of the carrier rails. The conveyor frame structure also permits easy addition of the drive components for the reciprocating carriage.

Abstract: A silo unloader is of the type which has three support arms, and three suspension cables connected to the support arms are trained over sheaves on a tripod in the top of the silo and connected to a winch on the outside of the silo wall by means of which the unloader is raised and lowered; and a filler spout is used for loading material into the top of the silo. The cable connection to one of the support arms is constructed to permit the point of attachment of the cable to be moved relative to the support arm so the unloader may occupy either a horizontal working position for unloading, or, an inclined position when it is raised for filling the silo; and in the inclined position the high side of the unloader is above the filler spout.

Abstract: Electrically powered apparatus is provided with a remote primary control station from which energization of the apparatus is usually controlled, and a secondary control station, such as a jog control station, which is remote from the primary control station and close to the apparatus, from which energization of the apparatus may also be controlled. A single manual push button start control module may be mounted at either station, so that when the module is at the secondary station there is no start button at the primary station. A holding circuit provides for extended energization of the apparatus when the push button is momentarily depressed at the primary station, and there is a stop button at the primary station; while the secondary station has no holding circuit. The holding circuit is disabled when the module is mounted at the secondary station, so the apparatus cannot be energized by mounting a second identical start control module at the primary station.