Chain and chain track for rotating conveyor bucket
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A bucket conveyor comprising:
- (a) a plurality of buckets;
(b) a chain on which the buckets are mounted in series;
(c) a chain track on which the chain is mounted for linear movement thereon;
(d) drive means for moving the chain whereby buckets are moved along a circuitous conveyor path between at least one bucket filling station and at least one bucket emptying station, said drive means comprising at least one 90 degree drive tension sprocket around which the chain passes in making at least a 90 degree turn; and
(e) bucket rotating means for rotating the buckets around the longitudinal axis of movement of the chain from the inside of the circuitous path of the chain to the outside of the circuitous path of the chain in advance of said drive tension sprocket and from the outside of the circuitous path of the chain to the inside of the circuitous path of the chain after each bucket has passed the drive tension sprocket, said bucket rotating means comprising a continuous, twisted track section in said chain track in advance of said drive tension sprocket and a second twisted continuous track section after said drive tension sprocket.
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Abstract
A bucket conveyor comprising a plurality of buckets, a chain on which the buckets are mounted in series, a chain track on which the chain is mounted for 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, and a device for moving the buckets around the axis of movement of the chain as required for the buckets to negotiate curves and turns in the conveyor path as the buckets move along the conveyor path on the chain.
24 Citations
5 Claims
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1. A bucket conveyor comprising:
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(a) a plurality of buckets; (b) a chain on which the buckets are mounted in series; (c) a chain track on which the chain is mounted for linear movement thereon; (d) drive means for moving the chain whereby buckets are moved along a circuitous conveyor path between at least one bucket filling station and at least one bucket emptying station, said drive means comprising at least one 90 degree drive tension sprocket around which the chain passes in making at least a 90 degree turn; and (e) bucket rotating means for rotating the buckets around the longitudinal axis of movement of the chain from the inside of the circuitous path of the chain to the outside of the circuitous path of the chain in advance of said drive tension sprocket and from the outside of the circuitous path of the chain to the inside of the circuitous path of the chain after each bucket has passed the drive tension sprocket, said bucket rotating means comprising a continuous, twisted track section in said chain track in advance of said drive tension sprocket and a second twisted continuous track section after said drive tension sprocket. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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Specification