Conveyor system

Claim 1

In a bulk material conveyor system having an input end and an output end and useful for unloading railway cars movable on a pair of rail members, which cars contain bulk material and each have material discharge capability from beneath and also from the sides thereof, a conveyor apparatus which is water, dust, and contamination proof and comprises: a housing formed of a pair of opposed rectangular half shell sections; a hardened plate separating said rectangular half shells so as to form upper and lower passageways; means for holding said rectangular half shells and hardened plate together to form upper and lower passageways; a continuous chain conveyor means positioned in said passageways and supported by said plate; means for driving said chain conveyor means; sprocket means at each end of said conveyor means and holding said conveyor means generally in a loop configuration; a plurality of spaced flights on said conveyor means for moving bulk material thereon; a first bulk material receiving hopper disposed at the input end of said housing and positionable below the railway cars for receiving bulk material discharged from one of said cars from a discharge port located beneath said car; and, a second bulk material receiving hopper disposed between the first hopper and the output end of the conveyor system, the second hopper being positionable on one side of the railway cars for receiving bulk material discharged from one of said cars from a discharge port located on the side of said car, the second bulk material receiving hopper comprising a retractable grating member surmounting the receiving hopper, dock means, hinge means joining the grating member and dock means whereby the grated member can be pivotally moved from a stored position to a position of use, and means for engaging the railway car and for assisting in the support of said hopper during discharge of bulk material from the side of the railway car.