Abstract: Disclosed are vehicles used in transporting coarse ore in a mine and systems using the same. The vehicles include a drive mechanism for moving the vehicle along a surface; an inclinable conveyor positioned atop the drive mechanism for moving the coarse ore from a loading position to a discharge position; and vertically extending walls positioned along the longitudinal sides of the conveyor. The loading position of the conveyor being offset from the vertically extending walls and the discharge position of the conveyor extends beyond the vertically extending walls so that one vehicle can be positioned with respect to another to form a continuous walled conveyor. The vehicles and systems described herein do not require rails, so they can be maneuvered within a mine to form a network from the mine face to a coarse ore unloading area.

Abstract: A conveyor station, robot module, sweeper module, and methods for autonomously emptying debris using the conveyor station are described. In one example, a conveyor station includes a housing having an input end and an output end. The conveyor station includes a conveyor belt having a receiving region proximate to the input end and an angled transport region leading toward a dispense region. The conveyor belt has a plurality of fins that extend out from a surface of the conveyor belt. The plurality of fins enable movement of debris collected at the receiving region toward the dispense region. The dispense region is configured to push debris into a drop funnel of the housing, and the drop funnel directs debris into a receptacle. The conveyor station includes a conveyor controller of the conveyor station is configured with a sensor for detecting presence of a sweeper module. The sweeper module includes a container that holds debris collected when the sweeper module is connected to a robot module.

Abstract: A device to facilitate urination by a male includes a vessel having a contact surface area at and adjacent a top edge of the vessel configured to be placed in contact with the penis. The contact surface area includes a thermally conductive material and has a shape configured to reduce pressure requirements for urination from a standing position as compared with urinating into a toilet from a standing position. A method of reducing urinary retention in a male includes contacting the penis of the male with a contact surface area of a device, which may be as described above, and urinating while the male is in a standing position with the penis in contact with the contact surface area, wherein the contact surface area comprises a thermally conductive material and is at an initial temperature at least 14° F. lower than a temperature of the penis.

Abstract: A method of charging a pre-packaged charge in a metallurgical or refining furnace includes providing a disposable metal container having at least one attachment member and forming a pre-packaged charge by loading scrap material into the metal container. The method also includes releasably coupling the at least one attachment member of the container to a lifting device, and then de-coupling the pre-packaged charge from the lifting device so that the combination of the scrap material and the disposable metal container are charged in the furnace.

Abstract: An improved conveyor belt is disclosed for conveying granular material through a curvilinear structure at operating incline angles of at least 30 degrees. The belt has a first surface, a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis, and a plurality of cleat members extending from the first surface of the belt. The cleat members are arranged to cooperate together to form a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart cleat walls during movement of the conveyor belt through the curvilinear structure. In this way, the cleat wall supports at least a portion of the granular material during movement of the conveyor belt through the curvilinear structure. The longitudinal space between subsequent cleat walls is between 4.5 inches and 5.5 inches.

Abstract: An elevator bucket mold combination comprising a common recess and two inserts, namely a first insert and a second insert, separately associable as required with the common recess using respective reciprocal couplings to the common recess without the other, a first insert defining a first bucket mold shape with the common recess while when the second insert is associated with the common recess only a desired part of the first bucket mold shape is provided as a second bucket mold shape.

Abstract: The invention relates to a belt bucket elevator for conveying bulk material, comprising a driven endless belt (23), which is circulated via drums arranged on a bucket elevator head and on a bucket elevator base, and comprising at least one row of buckets (10), each of which is individually fixed to the belt (23) and has a base (15), a back wall (11), lateral walls (13), and a front wall (12), said row extending in the running direction of the belt (23), characterized in that each of the buckets (10), which are arranged in close succession relative to one another, in at least one row extending in the running direction of the belt (23) has a smaller width at the base (15) than at the upper ends of the lateral walls (13), which thus extend outwards laterally and in that the arrangement of the buckets on the belt (23) is designed such that the belt (23) including the outer lateral edges of the belt, is completely covered by the buckets (10) arranged thereon.

Abstract: An elevator bucket mould combination comprising a common recess and two inserts, namely a first insert and a second insert, separately associable as required with the common recess using respective reciprocal couplings to the common recess without the other, a first insert defining a first bucket mould shape with the common recess whilst when the second insert is associated with the common recess only a desired part of the first bucket mould shape is provided as a second bucket mould shape.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a carrier tape having pockets for carrying electronic components. The carrier tape includes a longitudinally extending elevated central portion having a plurality of pockets formed therein and two side portions, each side portion disposed on opposite sides of the elevated central portion and extending longitudinally therewith, wherein each side portion is attached to the elevated central portion by an inclined portion such that the central portion is higher than the side portions when disposed in a flat configuration.

Abstract: A transport bag is used for transporting goods, in other words products, in a hanging manner. The transport bag has a rigid carrying wall which, when in the transport position, has an upper portion that is connected to a carrying element for carrying the transport bag in a hanging manner. A flexible product retaining wall forms, together with the carrying wall, a carrying bag which is closed downwards and towards two opposite sides at least in the transport position of the transport bag. The carrying wall is connected to the retaining wall between a wall connecting portion which faces upwards in the transport position and a wall connecting portion which faces downwards in the transport position in such a way that a length of the web-shaped retaining wall is variably adjustable to the transport of different products, wherein the length of the web-shaped retaining wall is removable from a retaining wall reservoir and a non-required portion of the retaining wall remains in the retaining wall reservoir.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention may provide a modular conveyor that includes a conveyor frame including an access opening, a plurality of conveyor buckets configured to move along a continuous path within the conveyor frame, and an access station where the contents of a conveyor bucket disposed at the access station may be accessible through the access opening. Each of the plurality of conveyor buckets may be configured to be substantially enclosed by the conveyor frame when not at the access station. The conveyor frame may include at least one channel disposed about a perimeter of the continuous path, where each of the plurality of conveyor buckets include at least one projection configured to engage the at least one channel. The conveyor buckets may be driven along the continuous path by a drive mechanism disposed outside of the conveyor frame.

Abstract: A egg belt comprises a belt extending in a conveying direction for conveying eggs in the conveying direction. The belt is provided with a plurality of openings, each being triangular in shape.

Abstract: Device for recovering fines constituted by a dragging conveyor/loop elevator equipped with scrapers/collecting cups (4) moved by a catenary link according to a closed path and associated to a plate conveyor supported by chains or metallic belt, which conveyor is equipped with pendula/pushers hinged to the transport plates themselves.

Abstract: Molded polymer elevator buckets are reinforced by tapering the thickness of front and sidewalls and integral arcuate corner parts to improve bucket life without significant weight increase or reduced bucket capacity. Front lip wear indicators may be molded into the front wall section delimited by the lip and/or on the arcuate corner parts.

Abstract: A downloader conveyor is described and claimed. The downloader conveyor comprises an endless belt to which a plurality of cups is pivotally attached. The cups are adapted to receive apples or like relatively delicate objects. As the cups containing the apples descend into the bin, the cups rotate so as to permit the apples or other objects to roll out of or exit from the cups and to retard the cup acceleration. Each apple engages a skirt, which breaks the fall of the exiting apple. A distal end of the skirt can be arranged to scrape over the bin floor or scrape over the top of apples or other objects already placed in the bin, so as to again break the fall of the apple so that the apple is placed in the bin without substantial freefall.

Abstract: A harvester includes a conveyor having molded conveyor buckets. The conveyor includes a continuous first chain and a continuous second chain extending parallel to the first chain. Parallel spaced apart rods extend between the chains. Each bucket includes a front wall, a rear wall higher than the front wall, opposed sides connecting the front wall and the rear wall and a bottom portion connecting the front wall, the rear wall and the opposed sides. The front wall includes a mounting portion configured to extend over a rear wall of an adjacent bucket and one of the rods when assembled in a conveyor. The mounting portion is a lip in a first embodiment, an insert in a second embodiment and an upper portion of the front wall folded over in a third embodiment.

Abstract: Molded polymer elevator buckets are reinforced by tapering the thickness of front and sidewalls and integral arcuate corner parts to improve bucket life without significant weight increase or reduced bucket capacity. Front lip wear indicators may be molded into the front wall section delimited by the lip and/or on the arcuate corner parts.

Abstract: A material classifier for classifying a liquid-solid mixture containing solid material to be separated. The material classifier includes a tank and an angularly mounted scoop wheel for scooping solid material which has settled on the bottom of the tank.

Abstract: A scoop includes a molded one-piece plastic scoop body having a bottom wall portion and a sidewall portion that extends from the bottom wall portion and that cooperates with the bottom wall portion to confine a material-holding space for holding granular material to be transferred. A metal reinforcing member is provided on the bottom wall portion of the scoop body for strengthening the scoop body.

Abstract: A bucket elevator conveyor system of the straight horizontal, “C” and “Z” configurations. In these bucket elevator conveyor systems, loading of the buckets can occur anywhere along the horizontal run adjacent the take-up end and discharge of the buckets can be made at the drive area or along the bottom run of the upper horizontal sections of the “Z” and “C” configuration. This provides not only for discharge of the product from the buckets traveling along the lower path of the conveyor, but also provides for simple, intermediate discharge. In addition, there are provided relapping mechanisms to assure proper relapping of the buckets, This is accomplished by reason of a unique bucket design having a cam on one end combined with the front and rear flanges angled to assure proper operation and lapping of the buckets.

Abstract: A bucket conveyor for conveying loose grain in different directions, comprising a bucket having: an opening leading to the interior of the bucket; and a dead space constituting part of the interior at the rear, the space not filled with loose grain when grain is loaded from above to or beyond the level of the opening, its volume being larger than the filled volume immediately below the opening. The conveyor does not spill the loose grain even when the angle of the bucket is changed.

Abstract: A bucket conveyor for conveying loose grain in different directions, comprising a bucket having: an opening leading to the interior of the bucket; and a dead space constituting part of the interior at the rear, the space not filled with loose grain when grain is loaded from above to or beyond the level of the opening, its volume being larger than the filled volume immediately below the opening. The conveyor does not spill the loose grain even when the angle of the bucket is changed.

Abstract: A cleat for a conveyor belt, particularly for a vertical conveyor, with a cleat foot 2 attachable to the support side of the conveyor belt, and in which at least one anchoring member 5 is incorporated, and with a cleat section 1 forming a transverse wall of the conveyor belt, which is releasably attachable to the cleat foot 2 with the aid of the anchoring member 5. With the object of enabling a simpler attachment of the cleat section to the cleat foot, the anchoring member 5 is a rod, which extends transversely to the direction of travel 6 of the conveyor belt in the cleat foot 2. The rod may have threaded holes 12, which match holes 13 in the cleat foot 2 and holes 3 in the cleat section 1, through which screws 4 can be thrust in order to attach the cleat section 1. Alternatively, the rod may have bolts projecting radially therefrom, the bolts for extending through respective holes in the cleat section for securing the cleat section to the cleat foot with nuts.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apron conveyor whose mutually overlapping members, consisting of plates with side walls which connect vertically, are arranged on link chains and are partitioned in a way matching the chain divisions. The slats are provided in their overlap area on their oblique edges on one hand with a limb which points upwards away from the plane of the slat and, on the other hand, with an arched recess which covers the raised limb of the adjacent slat. According to the invention, webs connected to the side walls or formed by them are provided along the length of the side walls. These webs connect the chain links laterally. This arrangement allows the use of standardised link chains of which only one in each link pair must be provided with two holes (in particular threaded holes) for connection of the members to the webs.

Abstract: This invention pertains to apparatus and methods for receiving a stream of units of product, such as from a manufacturing operation, separating the stream into discrete groups of product, in a product carrier bucket, and typically presenting each group for further processing at a subsequent processing station as a group. A novel product bucket is disclosed, including articulated buckets which are typically engaged by a driver, about a first path, while receiving units of product, and are subsequently disengaged from the driver for traversing along a second path to a subsequent processing station. The buckets preferably have cam followers which cooperate for urging the rear wall of a leading bucket and the front wall of a trailing bucket into proximity with each other while traversing an arcuate portion of the first path. Product-receiving compartments may be enlarged for receiving product, and contracted for holding product contained therein.

Abstract: Case for temporarily storing pieces of dough, comprising a first continuous conveying apparatus and an identical second continuous conveying apparatus. Each transport apparatus is supported by reversing rollers at the location of which the conveying direction of the conveying apparatus changes. The reversing rollers of the first and second conveying apparatus are opposite each other as pairs. The case further contains carrying members with two ends, in which the one end is attached at a first attachment point to the first conveying apparatus and the other end at a second attachment point to the second conveying apparatus. The first and second attachment points are opposite each other. The case also contains dough trays for containing pieces of dough, in which each dough tray is attached to a carrying member.

Abstract: An apparatus for unloading fish from a hold of a boat adjacent an unloading site has a carriage movable horizontally at the site along the boat, an articulated arm, and an endless conveyor extending along the arm. This arm has a rigid inner section having an inner end pivoted about a horizontal inner axis on the carriage and an outer end, a pivot defining an outer horizontal axis at the inner-section outer end, and a rigid outer section having an inner end pivoted on the inner-section outer end at the pivot and an outer end. An inner actuator braced between the carriage and the inner section can pivot the arm on the carriage about the inner axis and an outer actuator braced between the arm sections can pivot the outer section about the outer axis on the inner section. The conveyor extends along the arm from the inner-section inner end to the outer-section outer end and has a carry stretch on one side of the sections and a return stretch on an opposite side of the sections.

Abstract: This apparatus relates to a materials handling apparatus that has a plurality of open-sided buckets arranged to travel along a first path having a first sense. The buckets are loadable when traveling along a first portion of the first path. An endless belt is arranged to travel along a second path having the same sense as the first path. The first and second paths coincide in a first zone so that the belt achieves closure of the buckets along a second portion of the first path. The materials handling apparatus may be operated over a wide range of conditions by the ability to preselect and change the vertical distance, and the angle of attack between a catenary string of open-sided buckets and the material to be unloaded. The method of handling material according to the present invention is readily adaptable to the unloading of railroad gondola cars, hopper barges, lighters, trucks, yard materials and the like.

Abstract: A bucket elevator system capable of being driven bi-directionally. The system having a plurality of pivoted buckets supported between two endless chains. Each bucket having a primary guide boss with an upper surface and a guide surface thereon. Guides arranged to contact the upper surface of the primary guide boll to restrain the pivotal movement of the buckets.

Abstract: A belt type conveyor includes buckets which include front and rear forward angling walls for nesting. The front walls act as a retaining wall and a pour chute for discharging material at the correct time and location. The buckets may also include rear portions which direct material falling onto the rear portion into the next bucket. The rear portions may also include a wear block mounted at the top of the rear wall for preventing wear on the remaining portions of the bucket. The buckets may include flanges extending on either side, which ride under bogies for maintaining proper tension and for following the correct desired path of the conveyor.

Abstract: A bucket elevator system for a waste water treatment facility is made of non-metallic components. Buckets are carried along a bottom surface of a settling tank and then lifted above the waste water level and tilted to dump the collected waste solids onto an external disposal system. The buckets include a plurality of de-watering slots which allow the water to drain from the buckets as they are lifted from the settling tank. Split block bearing assemblies are provided for drive shafts of the conveyor.

Abstract: A conveyor/elevator for moving bulk granular materials from a first location, at a designated height, to a second location, at an elevated height. The apparatus includes an endless conveyor web which is tensioned and has oppositely facing elevating and return runs. A plurality of carriages or buckets are attached to the conveyor web, and, as the web is driven, the granular material is introduced into the buckets at the first location proximate the bottom of the elevating run. The carriages or buckets into which the material has been introduced move, thereafter, upwardly along the elevating run and over the apogee of the structure. Each bucket has a floor which, when the bucket is moving along an elevating run, extends, at an acute angle, upwardly and away from the conveyor web. When the bucket moves along the return run, the floor extends, at the same angle, downwardly and away from the conveyor web.

Abstract: Apparatus for washing bottles, in which a transfer conveyor define an endless loop belt between an inlet end and outlet end. A plurality of cups are carried along the endless loop. An inlet elevator adjacent the inlet end supplies a quantity of bottles in an open end down orientation to the cups. Fluid injectors are movably mounted on the conveyor to position a nozzle into each open end down oriented bottle to supply fluid to inside of the bottles. An outlet elevator is adjacent outlet end for removing bottles from the apparatus in an open end up orientation.

Abstract: A basket for a basket conveyor comprising a plurality of bottom-opening baskets is disclosed. The basket is characterized in that side plates thereof spread upwardly so as to enlarge the article receiving opening sidewardly. The internal walls of the basket may be provided with projections so as to enable smooth discharging of the articles when the bottom cover is opened. Moreover, complimentary projections and channels may be provided to the edge of the article discharging port and the upper surface of the bottom cover respectively in the direction of opening and closing of the bottom cover to prevent jamming of the sorted articles.

Abstract: The present invention provides a machine for bagging contained liquid products and includes a product dispenser, a product bagger and a chute from the product dispenser to the product bagger. The chute is designed to eliminate or at least substantially eliminate product leakage from reaching the bagger and comprises a lower chute section having an open frame liquid draining construction and an upper chute section which is movable from a product feed to a product divert position relative to the lower chute section for diverting any leaking product away from the bagger.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a conveyor belt system for transporting materials by directly driving a conveyor belt. A plurality of continuous cables are disposed generally parallel one to the other. A continuous conveyor belt is disposed between the continuous cables which includes a plurality of unitary, open top, pocket-like receptacles for transporting the materials. The receptacles are located so that they extend above and below the plane of travel of the continuous cables whereby the materials can be transported within the confines of the receptacles in both a horizontal path of travel and a vertical path of travel, respectively, until the materials are conveyed to the point of travel where they are discharged from the conveyor system for further subsequent processing. This results in the continuous, uninterrupted transportation of the materials carried by the conveyor belt for extended periods of time.

Abstract: A bucket conveyor comprising a plurality of buckets, a chain on which the buckets are mounted in cantilevered relation to one side of the chain by an outwardly-extending bucket spindle connecting the chain to one side of the bucket, a chain track on which the chain is mounted for linear movement thereon, a drive for moving the chain whereby the buckets are moved along a circuitous conveyor path between one bucket filling station and one bucket emptying station, an auxiliary support wheel mounted for rotation on the side of the bucket opposite the bucket spindle in coaxial relation therewith, and an auxiliary track mounted in laterally spaced-apart relation to the chain track in supporting relation to the auxiliary support wheel to support the bucket on both sides thereof.

Abstract: In a flat link chain bucket conveyor constructed in particular as high-speed conveyor with centrifugal discharging, the buckets (4) are mounted with clearance on the chain (2), in particular on the link pins (3), in such a manner that they are freely movable relatively to the chain under the influence of the forces acting on the buckets within the scope of the existing play. As a result the transmission of shocks and vibrations from the chain to the buckets is very greatly reduced and thus crack formation occurring in the prior art in particular at the bucket securing points is avoided or greatly diminished.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing and filling tubular bag packages includes a shaping mandrel, about which a sheet of packaging material is shaped into a tube and an open end of the tube is filled with one portion of a product at a time and separated from the formed tube. For sending the portions of the product gently and quickly through the hollow shaping mandrel, a feed apparatus is disposed in the mandrel. The feed apparatus has a plurality of spaced flaps pivotably connected at equal intervals to two synchronous belt drives. In a feed conduit of the shaping mandrel, these flaps define downwardly moved chambers which receive portions of the product and transport them to the lower end of the shaping mandrel, and then, through a relatively narrow return conduit in the shaping mandrel, the flaps return upward again in an upright position by the belts.

Abstract: A material handling device for transferring a formed good from an injection molding machine includes a pair of spaced tracks. Inner ends of the tracks are positioned below a mold carried by the machine with the track positioned transversely to opening and closing movement of the mold by the machine. On the track is a slidable basket which may be moved from the track inner end to an outer end away from the machine. Basket movement may be effected by activation of a pneumatic drive formed as part of the track and attached to the basket. During forming of a good, the basket is moved under the mold. When forming is complete, the mold opens and the good ejected. The good falls into the basket which has a cushion-like surface to inhibit damage. Opening of the mold starts a first timing period which lapses to activate the pneumatic drive to move the basket and good to the track outer end for good removal. During this first timing period the mold closes to begin a next forming cycle.

Abstract: A bucket for attachment to the chain in a mill duty bucket elevator, includes a one piece wrapper member bent into a U-shaped trough defined by a sloping front wall, a horizontal bottom wall, an upright rear wall, a forwardly sloping rear wall, and a horizontal top lip. A rectangular hole in the wrapper plate defines the outside edges of a chain channel in which the chain lies when the bucket is fastened to the chain. Four side pieces having identical shapes and outside dimensions lie transversely across the trough to provide two end walls and two inside partitions. The partitions brace the front wall and act as side walls of the chain channel. A back plate fastened to the partitions and to the top lip and bottom wall adjacent the rectangular hole acts as the front face of the chain channel. The top lip, fastened to the two end walls and the two partitions, provides torsional stiffness to the bucket.

Abstract: Dough tray for a proofer, provided with two head walls with means for coupling the dough tray to a chain or the like, an element transporting a plurality of dough trays through the proofer and with a carrier frame extending between the head walls for at least one endless strip of cloth or the like material with a part receiving dough lumps and sagging between two frame portions, provided with positive drive means for displacing the cloth over the frame.

Abstract: A sample bucket is disclosed for intercepting a sample while cutting through a flow of particulate material. The bucket is in the form of a receptacle having an open mouth and a suitable depth for retaining a desired gross sample without overflow thereof. The sample bucket has a top enclosure wall which narrows the mouth of the bucket, while the bucket is in its upright position, in order to prevent overflowing and which widens the mouth of the bucket, while the bucket is in its inverted position, to allow full discharge of the contents. The sample bucket is preferably used as a part of a bucket sampler comprising a pair of chain conveyors which pass over a conveyor drive assembly and a conveyor tail assembly having sprocket wheels with sprockets.

Abstract: A system for evacuating sand, paraffin, and other particulate matter from an oil well, while simultaneously lifting the oil to the surface and stimulating its rate of production, comprises a series of transport units attached to an endless belt. The belt is positively driven between a wellhead station at the surface and a downhole module which is self centering within the well casing, thereby avoiding damage and wear to the casing. Preferably, the belt comprises a roller chain which enables the depth and rate of production of the evacuation system to be easily adjusted. The transport units are replaceably mounted on the belt and are specially designed to agitate and accumulate the particulate member in the oil well.

Abstract: A bucket elevator including a bucket having a bottom wall and an integral, upwardly-extending rear wall. The bottom wall includes a longitudinal slot therein which receives one of a plurality of links of an endless link chain. A shield is provided to cover each link to inhibit product being conveyed from passing between laterally-spaced side bars of the link.

Abstract: An elevator having a bucket conveyor for moving material, as grain, from a hopper to a discharge location. The conveyor has an endless belt trained about idler and drive pulleys. A plurality of cups secured to the belt carry columns of material from the hopper to the head of the elevator. The cups include a plurality of open bottom cups and a closed bottom cup located below a column of open bottom cups to carry a column of grain. An arcuate curved material guide element is located adjacent the cups moving around the drive pulley at the upper end of the elevator to retain material in the cups as they move around the drive pulley. The guide element is a curved baffle that is adjustably mounted on the elevator head housing allowing the position of the baffle relative to the outer lips of the cup to be adjusted to retain the material in the cups as the cups move over the head pulley and to control the discharge of the material from the cups.

Abstract: An improved filter bucket for a flight conveyor having two sides and a bottom with an integral rake edge. Numerous equally spaced apart arcuately curved wires are fixed to and supported by longitudinally extended cross bars in a grid fashion to form the generally concave bucket bottom interior surface. The wires extend beyond the cross bar at the leading edge of the bucket to form a rake edge for engaging and retaining material conveyed. Perforated sides with numerous holes formed therethrough of diameter equal to the bottom grid spacing wires provide for a uniform filtering action filtering action through the bottom and sides of the bucket.

Abstract: A grain cup for use with the conveyor belt of a grain elevator includes two oppositely disposed, flat side panels which are perpendicularly joined with a flat rear panel. Joined between the two side panels and extending upwardly from the base of the rear panel is a forward panel which has two separately curved portions. A first portion is of a part-cylindrical shape having a constant curvature about a first axis and the forward panel includes a leading edge having a constant curvature about a second axis. The second portion is also part-cylindrical and has a constant curvature about a third axis. This third axis being at an acute angle relative to the first axis. The grain cup is fabricated as a single integral member out of polyethylene and includes a series of vent holes in the leading panel and adjacent the rear panel for facilitating the scooping of grain into the cup.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing bulk material from dumps, mixed-bed installations or the like. The apparatus includes two horizontally spaced apart, parallel endless roller chains which have side bars and form substantially horizontal upper and lower courses. The chains are driven so that the lower courses move in a predetermined horizontal direction. A plurality of carrying elements are disposed between the chains, each carrying element comprises a frame secured to both chains at respective side bars thereof and a bottom secured to the lower courses to protrude from the frame substantially horizontally opposite to the predetermined horizontal direction and close to the bottom of the next adjacent carrying element. The frame and bottoms of the carrying elements define spaces which are open on both sides.

Abstract: A flexible belt trough type conveyor is directed over a hump having an upwardly angling inclined side defined by belt supporting rails, then over a sprocket or similar rolling support device, and down the declined side of the hump on further rails. At the apex of the hump the belt is tensioned sufficiently to stretch the trough structures and partially or entirely flatten them, creating a loading station for granular materials such as explosives. When the belt has traveled over the apex, the tension decreases and the trough structure returns and automatically separates the granular material into discrete load units separated by the raised edges of the troughs.