Coaling installation for power plants

Claim 1

Coaling installation for power plants comprising an underground supply bunker defining a single coal supply bin, a plurality of coal crushers, crusher feeding means connected at one end to said coal crushers respectively, chute means connected at one end thereof to the other end of said crusher feeding means, endless conveyor means comprising a first portion thereof extending at an upward slope from said underground supply bunker to a level overlying said coal chutes, and a second portion thereof substantially intersecting said first portion and extending substantially horizontally above said coal chutes, said endless conveyor means conveying coal directly to said crusher feeding means from said underground bunker in excess of the capacity of said plurality of coal crushers, said second portion of said conveyor means being formed with discharge openings overlying the other end of said chute means so that said discharge openings are alignable with said chute means for discharging therethrough and through said crusher feeding means to said coal crusher a quantity of coal substantially equal to the capacity of said coal crushers and for filling said chutes with coal so as to seal said coal crushers against the outer atmosphere, and additional conveyor means for conveying excess coal remaining on said second portion of said endless conveyor means to a coal stockpile downstream of said coal crushers in said direction of feed of the coal and at the very end of said conveyoR system in said feed direction.