Apparatus for unloading bulk material from a storage enclosure

Claim 1

In a cargo vessel, apparatus for unloading bulk material from a cargo hold thereof having sidewalls, a floor, a longitudinally extending channel beneath said floor, and a longitudinally extending conveyor within said channel; a reclaimer for moving material across said floor into said channel and on to said conveyor, said reclaimer comprising a wheeled undercarriage having a frame adapted to be moved longitudinally of the enclosure, rake means mounted on said wheeled undercarriage for dislodging material piled within said enclosure, said rake means extending forwardly of said undercarriage, said rake means including a rake frame, a plurality of spaced-apart movable bars on said rake frame, said bars being substantially normal with respect to said sidewalls, said bars having a plurality of prongs extending outwards with respect to said frame, and means for propelling said bars on said rake frame; said rake means being spaced forwardly from said undercarriage by substantially rigid upper and lower beam means secured to said rake frame and to said undercarriage frame; said rake means being pivotably mounted on said lower beam means, and said upper beam means being movable forwardly and backwardly with respect to the direction of movement of said wheeled undercarriage.