Abstract: A bench mining system and mining method, particularly useful for open pit bench mining, employs a combination of bulldozers and transversely movable apron feeders to provide the primary mechanism for removal of overburden. The apron feeders are preferably equipped with a self-cleaning arrangement to facilitate continuous operation without undue stoppages.

Abstract: A process for de-watering foodstuffs, such as leafy vegetables, includes moving the foodstuffs along a path, creating an upwardly moving air vortex which intersects the path, thereby raising the foodstuffs upwardly from the path while swirling them in a vortical manner. The foodstuffs raised above the path are received in one end of a duct, the other end of which deposits them on a conveying means. Preferably, the foodstuffs are moved by an air-permeable transport means such as an endless belt. The upwardly moving vortex is created by an air blower which forces air through a tubular portion that contains helically oriented vanes having a tighter and tighter helix in the downstream direction.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for desegregating and conveying aggregate. A drag slat conveyor has a notch in the floor of its discharge end which causes larger aggregate at the lateral edges of the conveyor to drop out of the conveyor after smaller aggregate located between the lateral edges. The larger and smaller aggregate are thereby reoriented from a side-by-side lateral orientation to a longitudinal orientation. The longitudinally oriented segregated aggregate may then be thoroughly desegregated in a second conveyor.

Abstract: A continuous bucket conveyor/elevator is provided which comprises a series of buckets mounted on at least one endless cable. The cable or cables and attached buckets are urged forward by means of an adjacent driving mechanism, such as, a pneumatic or hydraulic piston, which engages contact members attached at intervals to the cables. Because no drive chains or sprocket wheels are employed, lubrication is minimized even in corrosive or abrasive environments.

Abstract: In a developing station functioning on the principle of cross-blending in an electrophotographic printing device, two mixing screws running in opposite directions are arranged at a distance from one another. The first mixing screw is situated in a mixing trough provided with a plurality of oblique slots and comprises two mixing strips in the delivery region of the developer mix which are offset by 180.degree. and which neighbor one another. A scraper strip having an actual scraping region and scraping teeth is situated above the two mixing screws. A metering baffle is arranged at an angle relative to this scraper strip, this metering baffle extending through the teeth of the scraper strip and including baffles at its lower end for controlling the flow of the developer mix.

Abstract: A chip sampling unit and method for obtaining a representative sample from a chip transporting unit such as a railcar or trailer.

Abstract: A trough and trough support for conveying liquids along open modular chuting is disclosed. The trough support is releasably secured to the sidewall of the open modular chute. The trough, in a preferred embodiment, is pleated to allow the trough to curve.

Abstract: A device for feeding particulate material to a moving surface comprising a hopper for containing particulate material and having an outlet in the bottom for dispensing that material; a moving surface spaced downwardly from the outlet of the hopper and adapted to receive particulate material distributed across the surface; a receiver spaced downwardly from the outlet of the hopper to receive particulate material from the outlet and to direct that material generally horizontally to fall from an open edge of the receiver; and a vertical chute to receive the particulate material falling from the open edge of the receiver and to direct it downwardly and then horizontally to a dispensing edge spaced vertically above and closely adjacent to the moving surface.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and method for removing the fines that fall through the load run and accumulate on the return run of a foraminous, endless conveyor. In accordance with the invention, the fines are collected on the return run, conveyed on the load run to the discharge end of the conveyor and then passed through the conveyor at its discharge end.

Abstract: A conveyor feed apparatus cooperable with a conveying apparatus for controlled feeding of material to the conveying apparatus in a manner that overfilling of the conveyor apparatus is avoided.

Abstract: Feeder apparatus in which bulk material, in fibrous or stringy form, is delivered onto an endless belt by means of a rotating rake. The weight of the material on the belt is sensed by a transducer which effects the operation of a control system for automatically adjusting the belt speed to maintain a constant discharge of the material from an end of the belt. Excess material deposited on the belt is returned to the hopper by the rotating rake.