Abstract: A trough conveyor that transports fine bulk material and is exposed to windy conditions may include a belt for transporting bulk material, a center roll for supporting the belt, first and second wing rolls that support angled segments of the belt, a frame that supports the center roll and the first and second wing rolls, and a hood cover disposed above the belt. The trough conveyor may also include first and second baffles that form labyrinths that help attenuate wind velocity over the fine bulk material. The baffles may also help contain fine bulk material that is stirred up within a stilling space formed between the hood cover, the belt, and the baffles. In addition or in the alternative, the trough conveyor may include fairings that deflect crosswind beneath the belt.

Abstract: A trough conveyor that transports fine bulk material and is exposed to windy conditions may include a belt for transporting bulk material, a center roll for supporting the belt, first and second wing rolls that support angled segments of the belt, a frame that supports the center roll and the first and second wing rolls, and a hood cover disposed above the belt. The trough conveyor may also include first and second baffles that form labyrinths that help attenuate wind velocity over the fine bulk material. The baffles may also help contain fine bulk material that is stirred up within a stilling space formed between the hood cover, the belt, and the baffles. In addition or in the alternative, the trough conveyor may include fairings that deflect crosswind beneath the belt.

Abstract: A tensioning system maintains tension within a target range for an endless belt of a conveyor. The tensioning system may include a movable carriage that supports a take-up pulley that provides tension to the conveyor belt. The tensioning system may also include various hydraulic components supported on a repositionable cart. One example hydraulic component is a hydraulic cylinder that is in tension between the movable carriage and the repositionable cart. An accumulator initially pressurized to a predetermined pressure may be connected so as to supply pressure to the hydraulic cylinder. One or more flow-restriction valves between the hydraulic cylinder and the accumulator may substantially increase a pressure in the hydraulic cylinder during phases when a piston rod is rapidly drawn out of the hydraulic cylinder by tension waves in the endless belt. Further, a check valve may permit substantially unimpeded fluid flow from the accumulator to the hydraulic tensioning cylinder.

Abstract: A material handling apparatus may be employed to transfer discrete loads of excavated waste from an excavator or other excavation equipment to a dumping location beyond the reach of the excavator. The material handling apparatus may include a mobile bridge supported by two or more crawlers that enable movement of the mobile bridge. The material handling apparatus may further include a conveyance mechanism that transfers material between first and second ends of the mobile bridge. The conveyance mechanism may transfer material to haul trucks at the second end of the mobile bridge, which may be disposed above the first end of the mobile bridge. The conveyance mechanism may receive material from an intermediate transfer mechanism at the first end of the mobile bridge.

Abstract: A tensioning system maintains tension within a target range for an endless belt of a conveyor. The tensioning system may include a movable carriage that supports a take-up pulley that provides tension to the conveyor belt. The tensioning system may also include various hydraulic components supported on a repositionable cart. One example hydraulic component is a hydraulic cylinder that is in tension between the movable carriage and the repositionable cart. An accumulator initially pressurized to a predetermined pressure may be connected so as to supply pressure to the hydraulic cylinder. One or more flow-restriction valves between the hydraulic cylinder and the accumulator may substantially increase a pressure in the hydraulic cylinder during phases when a piston rod is rapidly drawn out of the hydraulic cylinder by tension waves in the endless belt. Further, a check valve may permit substantially unimpeded fluid flow from the accumulator to the hydraulic tensioning cylinder.

Abstract: A material handling apparatus may be employed to transfer discrete loads of excavated waste from an excavator or other excavation equipment to a dumping location beyond the reach of the excavator. The material handling apparatus may include a mobile bridge supported by two or more crawlers that enable movement of the mobile bridge. The material handling apparatus may further include a conveyance mechanism that transfers material between first and second ends of the mobile bridge. The conveyance mechanism may transfer material to haul trucks at the second end of the mobile bridge, which may be disposed above the first end of the mobile bridge. The conveyance mechanism may receive material from an intermediate transfer mechanism at the first end of the mobile bridge.

Abstract: A material handling machine for transferring discrete loads of excavated, uncrushed waste from an excavator or other excavation equipment to a dumping location beyond the reach of the excavator. The material handling machine may include a mobile bridge supported by two or more crawlers. The material handling machine may further include at least one skip that is selectively moved between a first end and a second end of the mobile bridge. The at least one skip may receive material from excavation equipment at the first end and deposit the received material proximate the second end. When the material handling machine includes two skips, one skip may be positioned above the other skip, or the skips may be positioned to be side-by-side.

Abstract: An apparatus configured to secure multiple items by means of a single lock and multiple locking cables is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a shaft sized to slide within a sleeve, each of the shaft and the sleeve comprising holes formed in their outer surfaces. The sleeve and the shaft are sized for disposition in a threading alignment position and a locking alignment position. The threading alignment position provides passages through which locking cables coupled to locking lugs may be passed. The locking alignment position creates a constriction in each threading passage, and also provides a locking passage sized to accept a locking member such as the shackle of a padlock. Insertion of a locking member maintains the constriction in the threading passages, thereby preventing removal of the locking cables.

Abstract: A conveyor system, at least a portion of which may traverse a continuous slope sufficiently steep such that tensile forces associated with overcoming the effects of the slope are several times larger per unit length of run than tensile forces per unit length of run due to main frictional resistance of the conveyor system, may include a belt-on-belt drive. The belt-on-belt drive may include at least one internal belt configured to operably engage the carry belt of the conveyor system so as to frictionally drive the carry belt over at least a one-third length of the sloped run. At the portion of the external belt driven by the at least one internal belt, the rate of tension change in the external belt may be configured to be approximately zero or a modest rise. In some embodiments, the longitudinal stiffness of the at least one internal belt may be substantially greater than the external belt's longitudinal stiffness.

Abstract: A material handling machine for transferring discrete loads of excavated, uncrushed waste from an excavator or other excavation equipment to a dumping location beyond the reach of the excavator. The material handling machine may include a mobile bridge supported by two or more crawlers. The material handling machine may further include at least one skip that is selectively moved between a first end and a second end of the mobile bridge. The at least one skip may receive material from excavation equipment at the first end and deposit the received material proximate the second end. When the material handling machine includes two skips, one skip may be positioned above the other skip, or the skips may be positioned to be side-by-side.

Abstract: A long run conveyor system is disclosed in which at least a portion thereof traverses a slope sufficiently steep so that tensile force associated with overcoming the effects of the slope is greater per unit length than tensile force per unit length of run due to main frictional resistance of the conveyor system. The long run conveyor system includes an external belt defining a continuous loop traversing an entire route of the conveyor system and is configured to transport material load across the entire route. The conveyor system also includes an internal belt positioned inside the continuous loop of the external belt, which also traverses substantially the entire route. An upper side of the internal belt operably engages an underside of the external belt. The internal and external belts are configured such that each respectively carries an approximately equal amount of belt tension.

Abstract: A wheeled hand-cart configured to carry and secure ski equipment and accessories is described. The hand-cart is of the type where a user adjusts an attitude of the hand-cart for rolling travel so as to balance the load about a wheel axis of the hand-cart. The hand-cart includes a load platform extensive enough to carry ski boots as well as a large securable container. Ski mounts joined to the hand-cart carry skis outboard of the load platform at an attitude that provides for ample clearance between the tips of the skis and the user's upper body. The ski-carrying cart may include a voluminous securable container to serve as a mobile ski locker, and locking devices may be provided to secure the skis and the cart. The hand-cart is further configured to partially collapse to a narrow-stance mode adapted for rolling travel in narrow spaces.

Abstract: A material handling machine for transferring discrete loads of excavated, uncrushed waste from an excavator or other excavation equipment to a dumping location beyond the reach of the excavator. The material handling machine may include a mobile bridge supported by two or more crawlers. The material handling machine may further include at least one skip that is selectively moved between a first end and a second end of the mobile bridge. The at least one skip may receive material from excavation equipment at the first end and deposit the received material proximate the second end. When the material handling machine includes two skips, one skip may be positioned above the other skip, or the skips may be positioned to be side-by-side.

Abstract: A conveyor system, at least a portion of which may traverse a continuous slope sufficiently steep such that tensile forces associated with overcoming the effects of the slope are several times larger per unit length of run than tensile forces per unit length of run due to main frictional resistance of the conveyor system, may include a belt-on-belt drive. The belt-on-belt drive may include at least one internal belt configured to operably engage the carry belt of the conveyor system so as to frictionally drive the carry belt over at least a one-third length of the sloped run. At the portion of the external belt driven by the at least one internal belt, the rate of tension change in the external belt may be configured to be approximately zero or a modest rise. In some embodiments, the longitudinal stiffness of the at least one internal belt may be substantially greater than the external belt's longitudinal stiffness.

Abstract: A conveyor system, at least a portion of which may traverse a continuous slope sufficiently steep such that tensile forces associated with overcoming the effects of the slope are several times larger per unit length of run than tensile forces per unit length of run due to main frictional resistance of the conveyor system, may include a belt-on-belt drive. The belt-on-belt drive may include at least one internal belt configured to operably engage the carry belt of the conveyor system so as to frictionally drive the carry belt over the sloped run. The longitudinal stiffness of the at least one internal belt may be at least twice the external belt's longitudinal stiffness. At the portion of the external belt driven by the at least one internal belt, the rate of tension rise in the external belt may be configured to be approximately zero or a modestly higher rate.

Abstract: A conveyor system may include a pipe conveyor with a head end, a tail end, and an inclined section. The conveyor system may also include a conveyor belt including a first portion and a second portion. The conveyor belt may form a pipe shape when the first and second portions of the conveyor belt are overlapped. The pipe shape may extend from a pipe closing point to a pipe opening point and may enclose two or more longitudinally spaced-apart centering structures. The centering structures may allow for self-bridging of a bulk material carried in a pipe volume above each centering structure. Means of implementing this material-transport principle within a pipe conveyor system are described.

Abstract: A conveyor system, at least a portion of which may traverse a continuous slope sufficiently steep such that tensile forces associated with overcoming the effects of the slope are several times larger per unit length of run than tensile forces per unit length of run due to main frictional resistance of the conveyor system, may include a belt-on-belt drive. The belt-on-belt drive may include an internal belt configured to operably engage the carry belt of the conveyor system so as to share the tension load with the carry belt.

Abstract: A conveyor take-up device may include a carriage, a pulley, a counterweight assembly, at least one connector, and at least one safety restraint. The carriage may be movably joined to a support structure and may support the pulley, which may be configured for operative association with an endless conveyor belt. The counterweight assembly may include a counterweight arm, a tension arm, and a counterweight. The counterweight arm may be pivotally joined to the support structure and configured to move between upper and lower limit positions. The tension arm may extend generally transversely from a first end portion of the counterweight arm with the counterweight supported by the counterweight arm distal from the tension arm. The connector may be joined to the carriage at one end portion of connector and to the tension arm at a second end portion that is distal the first end portion of the connector.

Abstract: A conveyor system may include a pipe conveyor with a head end, a tail end, and an inclined section. The conveyor system may also include a conveyor belt including a first portion and a second portion. The conveyor belt may form a pipe shape when the first and second portions of the conveyor belt are overlapped. The pipe shape may extend from a pipe closing point to a pipe opening point and may enclose two or more longitudinally spaced-apart centering structures. The centering structures may allow for self-bridging of a bulk material carried in a pipe volume above each centering structure. Means of implementing this material-transport principle within a pipe conveyor system are described.

Abstract: A conveyor system, at least a portion of which may traverse a continuous slope sufficiently steep such that tensile forces associated with overcoming the effects of the slope are several times larger per unit length of run than tensile forces per unit length of run due to main frictional resistance of the conveyor system, may include a belt-on-belt drive. The belt-on-belt drive may include at least one internal belt configured to operably engage the carry belt of the conveyor system so as to frictionally drive the carry belt over the sloped run. The longitudinal stiffness of the at least one internal belt may be at least twice the external belt's longitudinal stiffness. At the portion of the external belt driven by the at least one internal belt, the rate of tension rise in the external belt may be configured to be approximately zero or a modestly higher rate.