Abstract: A monolithic conveyor belt structure comprising an elongate, substantially planar base belt having a pair of integrally formed, flexible, fabric reinforced, longitudinal sidewalls protruding from its top face. The integral construction prevents delamination of the sidewalls from the base belt, and the fabric reinforcement in the sidewalls strengthens the sidewalls against deterioration due to repeated flexure of the belt, and due to contact with pulleys, turn disks, sliding surfaces, etc. The belt may include cleats between the sidewalls, such as transverse paddles or upstanding nubs, to assist in conveying material on very steep inclines.

Abstract: An enclosed granular or powdered material storage reclaimer, having a floor, a vertical column at the center of the floor, conveyor means disposed below the floor, elongate transfer device hingedly attached to the column, an anchor pedestal for anchoring the bottom end of the column to a footing structure below, and a downwardly directed annular opening formed in the center of the floor, said opening having an inside wall and an outside wall, said annular opening being concentric with the vertical axis of the column and designed to receive granular or powdered material transported there by the elongate transfer device, such that the column may be directly supported by the anchor pedestal and the footing structure, and the conveyor means need not be located directly beneath the center of the column. Such an enclosed granular or powdered material storage reclaimer wherein the conveyor means comprises an air slide conveyor.

Abstract: A crescent shaped support cover for an elongate material reclamation mechanism in a granular or powdered material storage enclosure, the support cover comprising: a first elongate tube having a longitudinal opening formed in its side along the full length of the tube; a second elongate tube having a longitudinal opening formed in its side along the full length of the tube, the longitudinal opening having a width that is approximately equal to the width of the longitudinal opening in the first tube, the second tube being larger in cross-section than the first tube, and the first tube being longitudinally disposed within the second tube such that the longitudinal openings of the first tube and the second tube are aligned, the first tube being continuously attached to the second tube along the edges of the longitudinal openings, forming an elongate structure defining a partially open elongate tubular space within the first tube suitable for partially enclosing an elongate auger, and defining an enclosed cross-se

Abstract: An apparatus for removing bulk materials from a laterally enclosed storage area wherein the apparatus may be substantially buried within the bulk material (11). The apparatus includes a support column (16) mounted at a base into a support floor (25). An auger (17) is attached with an axial mount at the base of the support column for enabling rotational declination of the auger from (i) a vertical orientation wherein the auger is nearly parallel with the vertical axis of the support column, (ii) through intermediate angles of declination (54), to (iii) a substantially horizontal orientation (55) wherein the auger is adjacent to the support floor. The suspension cable (61) is coupled between the support column and auger to enable selective adjustment of auger declination. A rotational displacement drive (35) is coupled to the support column to rotate the column about its vertical axis, along with the attached auger. A rotational drive motor (51) is mounted at a distal end of the auger.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing bulk materials from a laterally enclosed storage area wherein the apparatus may be substantially buried within the bulk material (11). The apparatus includes a support column (16) mounted at a base into a support floor (25). An auger (17) is attached by an axial mount at the base of the support column for enabling rotational inclination of the auger from (i) a vertical orientation vertical orientation wherein the auger is nearly parallel with the vertical axis of the support column, (ii) through intermediate angles of inclination (54), to (iii) a substantially horizontal orientation (55) wherein the auger is adjacent to the support floor. The suspension cable (61) is coupled between the support column and auger to enable selective adjustment of auger inclination. A rotational displacement drive (35) is coupled to the support column to rotate the column about its vertical axis, along with the attached auger. A rotational drive motor (51) is mounted at a distal end of the auger.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing bulk materials from a laterally enclosed storage area wherein the apparatus may be substantially buried within the bulk material. The apparatus includes a support column mounted at a base into a support floor. An auger is attached by means of an axial mount at the base of the support column for enabling rotational inclination of the auger from (i) a vertical orientation wherein the auger is nearly parallel with the vertical axis of the support column, (ii) through intermediate angles of inclination, to (iii) a substantially horizontal orientation wherein the auger is adjacent to the support floor. The suspension cable is coupled between the support column and auger to enable selective adjustment of auger inclination. A rotational displacement drive is coupled to the support column to rotate the column about its vertical axis, along with the attached auger. A rotational drive motor is mounted at a distal end of the auger.

Abstract: A system for covering and supporting a conveyor belt system. The conveyor belt system is supported in large measure by a structural support tube. The structural support tube is simply a tube or pipe of the conventional type. Disposed through the center of the tube are a plurality of internal support pipes. In turn, auxiliary support pipes, smaller in diameter than the internal support pipes, may traverse the interior of the internal support pipe and extend out either end. Attached to the auxiliary support pipes is a conventional belt conveyor system. The belt conveyor system is, in turn, enclosed by a top cover and a lower enclosure. All of the parts are held securely together using readily available materials such as angle iron. The present invention is extremely flexible providing the capability of easily constructing 40, 60, 80 and 120 foot spans of conveyor system. In addition, it is possible to provide an open conveyor, a partially enclosed conveyor, or a totally enclosed conveyor.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus for fabricating non-linear side wall conveyor belting wherein the non-linear side walls are cured simultaneously with the conveyor belting with which they are associated, thereby providing a much stronger attachment than obtainable through use of conventional adhesives or a thermal bonding process. The apparatus of the invention comprises a novel mold having fixed inner side wall mold components and movable outer side wall mold components adapted for movement between an open position, wherein the outer side wall mold component is spaced from the corresponding inner side wall mold component in order to permit insertion of side wall material, and a closed position wherein the side wall mold components are substantially engaged so as to form the side wall material into a suitable non-linear shape.

Abstract: Prior known enclosed conveyors have had a conventional belt conveyor mounted on a structural framework resting on a series of support columns known in the art as bents. A housing or gallery, as it is known in the art, consisting of a roof, side walls and optionally a floor, is constructed on structural members around the conveyor covered by a protective material. Often times, the housing is large enough to accomodate a walk-way alongside the conveyor. In each instance, however, both the housing and the conveyor are supported by structural members and not by the protective covering material of the housing. There have been instances of short spans of enclosed conveyors using solid longitudinal members as side and top walls as well as for support, but these spans have no internal stabilizing members to prevent undesirable distortion of the conveyor housing.

Abstract: A closed conveyor for transporting finely divided solids, such as grain and the like, comprising feed and discharge sections interconnected by a transport conduit and a return conduit. Sprockets are provided in the feed and discharge sections and a cable is trained about the sprockets and through the two conduits. The cable is equipped with material-engaging flights of area less than the cross-section of the conduit. Each sprocket is provided with material-engaging blades which serve to stir, fluidize and impart movement to the material being transported to render it as a fast-flowing dilute suspension. Lugs are provided on the cable between the flights and are positioned to be engaged by complemental lug-engaging elements on the sprockets. Each pair of lug-engaging elements on the sprockets fits between but in contact with a pair of lugs on the cable. The sprocket elements are notched to accept the cable lugs.