Conveyor belt feeding mechanisms

Claim 1

A FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SWEEPING COMMINUTED MATERIAL OFF A SEHFL ONTO A CONVEYOR BELT, THE MECHANISM COMPRISING A TRACK EXTENDING ALONG THE CONVEYOR BELT, A CARRIAGE MOUNTED ON THE TRACK FOR MOVEMENT ALONG THE TRACK IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, AT LEAST ONE SWEEPING ARM HAVING A PAIR OF RESPECTIVE SIDES WITH A SWEEPING FACE THEREON, SAID ARM BEING MOUNTED ON THE CARRIAGE FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY TO THE SHELF BETWEEN TWO EXTREME OPERATING POSITIONS IN EACH OF WHICH THE ARM ASSUMES A SPECIFIC POSITION FOR A RESPECTIVE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF THE CARRIAGE TO URGE MATERIAL OFF THE SHELF AND ONTO THE CONVEYOR BELT, THE SWEEPING ARM BEING ADAPTED FOR BOTH FACES THEREOF TO BE LOCATED IN THE MATERIAL MASS DURING OPERATIVE RUNS OF THE CARRIAGE IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, AND A CONTROL ARM CONNECTED TO THE SWEEPING ARM FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS, SAID CONTROL ARM BEING ADAPTED FOR HAVING DRAUGHT FORCE APPLIED THERETO IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS AT A POSITION SPACED LATERALLY FROM THE PIVOTAL AXIS OF THE CONTROL ARM WITH THE SWEEPING ARM SUCH THAT THE DRAUGHT FORCE APPLIED TO THE CONTROL ARM IN ONE DIRECTION DURING A RUN OF THE CARRIAGE IS EFFECTIVE TO PROPEL THE CARRIAGE ALONG THE TRACK IN THAT DIRECTION AND TO HOLD THE SWEEPING ARM IN A CORRESPONDING EXTREME POSITION APPROPRIATE FOR THAT DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, WHEREAS WITH THE DRAUGHT FORCE APPLIED TO THE CONTROL ARM IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT THE START OF A NEW RUN OF THE CARRIAGE THE SWEEPING ARM IS URGED TO THE OTHER EXTREME POSITION THEREOF AND TO PROPEL THE CARRIAGE ALONG THE TRACK IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.