Material conveying apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A material transporting apparatus for transporting material from a first location to a second location, said apparatus comprising:
- an extendible boom having a first end and a second end wherein said second end is extendible relative to said first end to permit the length of said extendible boom to vary from a retracted length to an extended length, said boom defining an upper support surface between said first end and said second end, and end rollers supported by said extendible boom at said first end and said second end;
an endless conveyor belt having a predetermined belt length and defining an excess belt portion and an active belt portion, said active belt portion supported by and adapted to move longitudinally along said upper support surface of said extendible boom about said end rollers at any extended length of said extendible boom, said conveyor belt presenting an upwardly facing material support surface for carrying material placed thereon;
a belt take-up for accumulating said excess belt portion of said endless conveyor belt;
a sensor outputting a signal representative of boom extension or retraction; and
a controller responsive to said signal for operating said belt take-up to accumulate or release a length of conveyor belt corresponding to boom movement.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An extendible conveyor for conveying material to be loaded or unloaded from a trailer includes a telescoping boom supporting an endless conveyor belt for rotation about the telescoping boom at any extension length. A belt take-up is provided external to the telescoping boom for releasing or taking-up excess belt corresponding to the movement of the telescoping boom. A belt tension control arrangement which includes a control circuit and an extension sensor is provided to coordinate the release or take-up of excess conveyor belt corresponding to the telescoping boom movement while maintaining the conveyor belt at a desired belt tension. The extendible conveyor is pivotally supported for accommodating varying trailer bed heights and material loading conditions.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A material transporting apparatus for transporting material from a first location to a second location, said apparatus comprising:
-
an extendible boom having a first end and a second end wherein said second end is extendible relative to said first end to permit the length of said extendible boom to vary from a retracted length to an extended length, said boom defining an upper support surface between said first end and said second end, and end rollers supported by said extendible boom at said first end and said second end; an endless conveyor belt having a predetermined belt length and defining an excess belt portion and an active belt portion, said active belt portion supported by and adapted to move longitudinally along said upper support surface of said extendible boom about said end rollers at any extended length of said extendible boom, said conveyor belt presenting an upwardly facing material support surface for carrying material placed thereon; a belt take-up for accumulating said excess belt portion of said endless conveyor belt; a sensor outputting a signal representative of boom extension or retraction; and a controller responsive to said signal for operating said belt take-up to accumulate or release a length of conveyor belt corresponding to boom movement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method of transporting material from a material source to a destination spaced apart from the material source wherein the distance between the material source and the destination is changeable, said method comprising the steps of:
-
providing an extendible conveying apparatus comprising an extendible boom having a first boom end and a second boom end, wherein the first boom end is extendible relative to the second boom end, an endless conveyor belt supported for rotation about the first and second boom ends, the endless conveyor belt defining an active portion and an excess portion, and a belt take-up for accumulating or releasing the excess portion of the conveyor belt, loading material located at the material source onto the active portion of the conveyor belt of the conveying apparatus to transport the material to a destination, extending or retracting the extendible boom to maintain the first and second boom ends adjacent the material source and the destination; monitoring boom movement with a boom movement sensor having an output signal; and responsive to the output signal of the boom movement sensor, accumulating or releasing a length of excess conveyor belt corresponding to the extendible boom movement. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A material transporting apparatus for transporting material from a first location to a second location, comprising:
-
an extendible boom having a first end and a second end extendible relative to said first end to permit the length of said extendible boom to vary from a reacted length to an extended length, said boom defining an upper support surface between said first end and said second end and comprising end rollers supported by said extendible boom at said first end and said second end; an endless conveyor belt having a predetermined belt length and defining an excess belt portion and an active belt portion, said active belt portion supported by and adapted to move longitudinally along said upper support surface of said extendible boom about said end rollers at any extended length of said extendible boom, said conveyor belt presenting an upwardly facing material support surface for carrying material placed thereon; a belt take-up for accumulating said excess belt portion of said endless conveyor belt; a sensor outputting a signal representative of conveyor belt tension; and a controller responsive to said signal for operating said belt take-up to accumulate or release a length of conveyor belt corresponding to conveyor belt tension. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
-
-
20. A method of transporting material from a material source to a destination spaced apart from the material source wherein the distance between the material source and the destination is changeable, comprising the steps of:
-
providing an extendible conveying apparatus comprising an extendible boom having a first boom end and a second boom end, wherein the first boom end is extendible relative to the second boom end, an endless conveyor belt supported for rotation about the first and second boom ends, the endless conveyor belt defining an active portion and an excess portion, and a belt take-up for accumulating or releasing the excess portion of the conveyor belt; loading material located at the material source onto the active portion of the conveyor belt of the conveying apparatus to transport the material to a destination; extending or retracting the extendible boom to maintain the first and second boom ends adjacent the material source and the destination; monitoring conveyor belt tension with a sensor outputting a signal representative of conveyor belt tension; and responsive to the output signal of the sensor, accumulating or releasing a length of conveyor belt in or from the belt take-up corresponding to conveyor belt tension. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
-
Specification