Abstract: A cleaning pig assembly is provided for use on a tubular drag conveyor. The assembly is quickly and easily mounted anywhere along the cable, chain, or rope via slots in the assembly components. The components include a puck, a plate, a drag disc, and a cleaning member or tool sandwiched between the puck and the plate. The drag disc provides interference fit on the cable, chain, or rope holding the assembly on the cable, chain, or rope and prevents sliding of the assembly along the cable, chain, or rope during use. The cleaning assembly is installed without the use of tools or clamps. Multiple interchangeable cleaning members are provided depending on cleaning needs.

Abstract: A cleaning pig assembly is provided for use on a tubular drag conveyor. The assembly is quickly and easily mounted anywhere along the cable, chain, or rope via slots in the assembly components. The components include a puck, a plate, a drag disc, and a cleaning member or tool sandwiched between the puck and the plate. The drag disc provides interference fit on the cable, chain, or rope holding the assembly on the cable, chain, or rope and prevents sliding of the assembly along the cable, chain, or rope during use. The cleaning assembly is installed without the use of tools or clamps. Multiple interchangeable cleaning members are provided depending on cleaning needs.

Abstract: A conveyor system of a type having a flexible circuitous cable with discs attached thereto for conveying material through a circuitous tube, the system including a cable connector for attaching the ends of the cable together, the connector being designed to reduce cable flexing at the cable connector when the cable is going around a turn, for the purpose of increasing the life of the cable.

Abstract: A conveyor system with an endless loop tubular system has an inlet provided for permitting material to be introduced into the tubular system. An endless loop flexible member extends through the tubular system and has inserts disposed thereon for moving material along the endless loop tubular system. A drive mechanism is provided for causing the endless loop flexible member and inserts to move in at least one direction through the endless loop tubular system. A novel outlet valve disposed in the endless loop tubular system is provided for selectively permitting the material to fall out of the endless loop tubular system by gravity, the outlet valve having an opening with an insert entry end and a insert exit end, a first side and a second side and wherein the insert entry end is larger than the insert exit end.

Abstract: An improvement to cable conveyor system using a pneumatic cylinder system for keeping a cable tight is provided for preventing damage to the system if the cable stretches/fails or is too loose. The fluid cylinder/piston applies a force on the cable proportionate to the pressure that is regulated to the cylinder during normal operation of the cable conveyor system. The relative position of a magnetic switch and a magnet on a piston in the cylinder, provides a way to sense a lack of tension in the cable and shut the system down before damage is done to the conveyor. Likewise, if the cable stretches or fails, a carriage having an idler thereon, will move close enough to a proximity switch to cause the proximity switch to shut down the system.

Abstract: A conveyor system with an endless loop tubular system has an inlet provided for permitting material to be introduced into the tubular system. An endless loop flexible member extends through the tubular system and has inserts disposed thereon for moving material along the endless loop tubular system. A drive mechanism is provided for causing the endless loop flexible member and inserts to move in at least one direction through the endless loop tubular system. A novel outlet valve disposed in the endless loop tubular system is provided for selectively permitting the material to fall out of the endless loop tubular system by gravity, the outlet valve having an opening with an insert entry end and a insert exit end, a first side and a second side and wherein the insert entry end is larger than the insert exit end.

Abstract: An improved cable conveyor system in which buttons provided for pushing the conveyed material are fitted with bearings to relieve the cable of torsional stresses. As a cable is tensioned, torsional stresses are incurred, tending to unwind the braided wire. By providing an opportunity for the cable to unwind, stretching may be carried out without the usual unrelieved torsional stresses.

Abstract: An auger apparatus having an elongated housing for permitting granular, powdery or pelletized material to pass therethrough has an inlet is provided for introducing material to be conveyed into one end of the housing and an outlet for causing the material to drop therethrough to a desired destination, this outlet comprising a plurality of elongated openings disposed at least partially in a lower portion of the housing. An auger is disposed in the housing for moving the material therein in one direction through the housing. A motor is provided for rotating the auger about an axis in a direction to cause material disposed in the housing to move from the inlet to the outlet thereof. The lower portion of the housing is at least partially cylindrical in shape and the elongated openings have one end thereof closer to the inlet than to the outlet of the housing and these elongated openings also have one end thereof lower than the other end thereof.

Abstract: A poultry feeder releasably attachable to a feed conveyor and adjustable to feed poultry on either an ad libitum basis or a restricted feed basis. A segmented cage is mounted on an upright barrel member that is releasably attached to the feed conveyor. Feed from the conveyor passes through the barrel member to a feed pan suspended beneath the barrel member by the segmented case. In the restricted feeding mode, the barrel member can store feed for release into the feed pan as feed is consumed by the poultry. In the overfill or ad libitum mode, a control member directs feed outside of the barrel member into the feed pan to more completely fill the pan for improved access to young poultry.

Abstract: A conveying system of a type including a flexible endless member and circular material engaging inserts disposed on the flexible endless member are provided for catching material and moving the material in response to movement of the endless flexible member and the material engaging inserts. A channel is disposed at least partially around the flexible endless member and the material engaging inserts for confining material for transportation from place to place. A drive unit is provided for selectively causing the flexible endless member to be pulled through the channel. The channel has a pair of opposed sidewalls, a bottom wall and structure integrally formed in and connected to an upper portion of the pair of opposed sidewalls for holding the circular material engaging inserts and the flexible endless member in the channel.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus of a type including a flexible endless member having material engaging discs disposed on the flexible endless member for catching material and moving the material in response to movement of the flexible endless member and the material engaging discs wherein the flexible endless member is disposed within a channel member around the flexible endless member and the material engaging discs for confining material for transportation from place to place. A drive unit is provided for selectively causing the flexible endless member to be pulled through said channel. The channel includes a pair of opposed sidewalls and a bottom wall. A plurality of hold-down devices are connected to an upper portion of the opposed sidewalls and are disposed at intervals along the sidewalls for holding the material engaging discs and the flexible endless member in the channel.

Abstract: A tube hanger for a cable conveying system including a pair of substantially identical sheet metal members wherein each of the members includes a hook portion, a tube engaging portion and a suspension portion with an opening being disposed in the suspension portion. The hook portions are connected together and the openings are in alignment for reception of an S-shaped hook for connecting the tube hanger to a supporting member and for holding the members together in a tube supporting position. The sheet metal members have an inside contour which is identical to the outside contour whereby such members can be stamped from a single sheet of metal without wasting material between members being formed.

Abstract: A conveyor system of a type including a tube, a cable having discs rigidly attached to and equally spaced along the cable for conveying granular or powdery materials within the tube is characterized by having an improved drive unit for causing and controlling the movement of the cable and discs through the tube.

Abstract: A weight actuated dispensing mechanism including a bracket adapted to be attached to a conveyor system and having an inlet opening therein for receiving material from the conveyor system, and an outlet opening for allowing the material to exit from the bracket by gravity. A valving mechanism is pivotally attached along an axis to the bracket for movement between a first position wherein the valve mechanism closes the outlet opening of the bracket and a second position wherein the valve mechanism is open to allow material to pass from the conveyor system, through the bracket, to a container disposed below the bracket. A projection on the valve mechanism is provided for automatically increasing the closing force on the valve mechanism as it closes. One end of a flexible line is attached to the valve mechanism and extends over the projection.

Abstract: A hopper device for delivering granular or powdery material to a conveyor system of a type having a circuitous tube and a continuous flexible member having disc members rigidly attached thereto has a material level monitor and control apparatus attached thereto. The continuous flexible member passes through the hopper and a material flow varying mechanism is disposed within the hopper for causing material to be delivered from the hopper into the conveyor system when such mechanism is in operation. A housing having a chamber therein is attached to the outlet side of the hopper and has a float assembly disposed in the chamber for sensing the amount of material being fed into the conveyor system.

Abstract: A drive apparatus for a cable conveyor system having a channel formed adjacent to a drive wheel for receiving a partial loop of excess cable for the purpose of preventing the cable from becoming too tight or too loose for the proper functioning of the system. A switch assembly is positioned adjacent to one end of the channel for sensing an enlarged partial loop of cable and shutting off the power to the drive apparatus in response to such condition.

Abstract: A volumetric accumulating device for use in combination with a conveyor system. The device is connected to the underside of the conveyor system and includes a housing having two sidewalls with two end walls positioned therebetween. One of the end walls includes a portion which converges downwardly towards a lower end. A discharge opening is formed adjacent to the lower end of the housing. A metering device for selectively controlling the amount of material received within the housing includes an arcuately shaped plate pivotally attached adjacent to the top of the housing and is positioned transversely with respect to the sidewalls. The edges of the plate are complementary to the shape of the sidewalls which permit them to remain adjacent to the sidewalls during pivotal movement of the plate between a vertically oriented position adjacent to the end wall having the converging downwardly portion, and a horizontally oriented position.

Abstract: A hopper apparatus of a type intended for dispensing granular or powdery materials into a conveying system. A container associated with the hopper apparatus has a pair of tapering walls with a discharge opening therebetween. A conveyor loading chamber below the discharge opening and adjacent one of the container walls is in communication with a conveying system. A screen is pivotally mounted to and extends along one of the tapering walls. The screen also overlies the conveyor loading chamber to prevent foreign matter from entering the conveyor. A projection connected to the screen lies slightly in the path of movement of the conveyor to thereby vibrate the screen. A plate mechanism disposed between the discharge opening and the conveyor loading chamber is spaced sufficiently from the wall and screen to allow the powdery or granular matter to pss by, but close enough to the wall such that it will trap larger foreign objects and hold such foreign objects out of the main flow path.

Abstract: Feed distributing apparatus of the type including conveying means which supplies feed to a feeding trough. The feeding trough is of one piece construction and includes an elongated bottom wall, a first substantially upright wall connected to one side of the bottom wall, a second substantially upright wall connected to the other side of the bottom wall and an intermediate wall connected to the bottom wall and extending substantially upwardly between the sides of the bottom wall. A conveyor is disposed between the intermediate wall and one of the upright walls. Openings are disposed in the intermediate wall for allowing feed to pass from the conveyor structure, through the openings and to the trough.