Mobile apparatus with plurality of conveyors

• US 6,283,697 B1
• Filed: 05/14/1999
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karen Dufault, Kevin J. Pierce, Michael J. Pierce, Wayne A. Pierce
• Original Assignee: Karen Dufault, Kevin J. Pierce, Michael J. Pierce, Wayne A. Pierce
• Inventors: Pierce, Kevin J., Pierce, Michael J., Pierce, Wayne A., Dufault, Karen
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, Frank E.
• Application Number:
  US09/312,591
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 414/528, 414/503, 414/504, 414/505, 414/502, 414/523, 414/489, 239/672, 239/674, 239/676, 198/311, 198/312, 198/314, 198/315, 198/316.1, 198/606, 198/588, 198/313, 198/586
• US Class Current: 414/504
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/36 using endless chains or belts thereon

Abstract

The invention is directed to a mobile bin device having a mobile bin with a first conveyor extending along the bottom of the bin beneath a bin opening to convey material in the bin to one end of the bin. A second belt conveyor has one end pivotally mounted to the one end of the bin to pivot relative to the bin upward and downward and to one side or the other. The second conveyor is slidably mounted in its pivotal mounting to side longitudinally in the mounting to along the one end of the bin beneath the one end of the first conveyor to shorten or lengthen the distance from the outer end of the first conveyor to the outlet end of the second conveyor at the one end of the bin. Power devices are provided to power the upward and downward movement of the second conveyor and the longitudinal movement of the second conveyor.

Claims

1. In a mobile bin device having a mobile frame with a elongated bin mounted on said frame, said frame having wheels rotatably mounted to said frame to rotatably support said frame, said bin having a remote ends and opposing sides with a bottom with an opening along its bottom;

with a first elongated belt conveyor mounted to said frame beneath said bin opening with said first belt conveyor having remote ends, and a second elongated belt conveyor with said second belt conveyor having remote ends;

a conveyor channel apparatus comprising a elongated channel and a pivot frame;

said channel being adapted to slidably receive and carry said second belt conveyor and enable said second belt conveyor to slide longitudinally in said channel, said pivot frame being pivotally mounted to said channel about a horizontal axis and pivotally mounted to said bin device adjacent one end of said first belt conveyor about a vertical axis, said pivot frame being pivotal about said vertical axis to pivot said channel and said second belt conveyor from a position parallel to and adjacent to one end of said first conveyor to a position extending laterally outward from said one end of said first conveyor and adjacent to said one end of said first belt conveyor with one end of said second belt conveyor beneath said one end of said first belt conveyor;

power means to power the pivotal movement of said pivot frame about said vertical axis and thereby pivot said channel and second belt conveyor about said vertical axis from said position parallel in length and beside said first belt conveyor to said position extending laterally outward in length from said first belt conveyor with said one end of said second conveyor beneath said one end of said first belt conveyor;

power means to power the sliding movement of said second belt conveyor longitudinally along said channel to enable said second belt conveyor to be extended laterally outward from said one end of said first belt conveyor by said sliding movement a selected distance laterally outward away from said first belt conveyor, while maintaining portions of said second belt conveyor beneath said one end of said first belt conveyor to enable material to be transported from said bin by said first belt conveyor to the second belt conveyor and distributed off the other end of said second belt conveyor a selected distance laterally outward from said first belt conveyor;

power means to power the pivotal movement of said conveyor channel about its horizontal pivotal mounting to the pivot frame to thereby pivot the other of said ends of said second belt conveyor upward or downward about the horizontal axis of said channel mounting to the pivot frame.

2. A mobile bin device according to claim 1, wherein said power means to power the sliding movement of said second belt conveyor along said channel comprises a hydraulic piston and cylinder mounted between said channel and said second conveyor;

and wherein said power means to power movement of said channel about said horizontal axis on said pivot frame includes a second hydraulic piston and cylinder connected between said channel and pivot frame to power said pivotal movement of said conveyor frame about said horizontal axis.

3. In mobile bin apparatus having a mainframe, a elongated bin mounted on said frame, wheels rotatably mounted to said frame for rotatably supporting said frame, with said bin having remote ends and sides and a bottom with an opening in the bottom, a elongated first belt conveyor mounted adjacent said frame beneath said opening in said bin with said first belt conveyor having remote ends with elongated opposing sides;

and a second elongated belts conveyor with remote ends;

a conveyor carrier apparatus comprising and elongated conveyor carrying frame, a pivot frame pivotally mounted to said carrier frame about a horizontal axis and pivotally to said bin apparatus adjacent one end of the first conveyor to pivot about a vertical axis, said carrying frame being adapted for slidably receiving and carrying longitudinally said second conveyor to enable said second conveyor to slide longitudinally along the carrier frame, said conveyor carrying frame being pivotal on said pivotal frame about said vertical axis to pivot said second conveyor from a position adjacent one end of said first conveyor and parallel and beside said first conveyor on said vertical axis of said pivot frame to a position extending laterally outward from said first conveyor and bin and adjacent said one end of said first belt conveyor with one of said ends of said second belt conveyor below and beneath said one end of said first belt conveyor, a hydraulic piston and cylinder mounted along a length of said second carrier frame and mounted between said second conveyor and carrier frame to power the slidable movement of said second belt conveyor along said carrier frame when said second conveyor is positioned laterally outward from said bin to extend the other end of said second conveyor to selected distances outward laterally away from said first conveyor while maintaining at least a portion of said second conveyor beneath said one end of said first belt conveyor.