Conveyor system

Claim 2

A self-contained, fully-enclosed, self-cleaning belt conveyor for moving particulate material, said conveyor comprising two spaced, parallel structural members; elongate, angularly disposed, supporting means extending inwardly and downwardly from each of said structural members, affixed thereto, and supported thereby; horizontal, elongate-supporting means extending between said angular supporting means and affixed thereto; an idler roll rotatably mounted on each of said supporting means, said idler rolls each having a central passage extending therethrough; an enclosure fully enclosing said idlers, and said supporting means, said enclosure means forming a flat supporting surface below said idler rolls; a belt having an upper run carried on said idler rolls and having a lower run supported directly on said supporting surface, with said lower run being in communication with said upper run to receive spills of particulate material from said upper run, only said supporting means and said idler rolls being disposed between said upper and lower runs; a tail pulley; a head pulley; passage means connected between adjacent ends of said idler rolls and communicating with said central passages; a lube fitting projecting outwardly from said enclosure for access from outside the enclosure, there being a fitting for each group of said idlers; additional belt supporting means between some of said angular and horizontal supporting means and comprising additional angularly-disposed supporting means, additional horizontal supporting means extending between said additional angular supporting means, an additional idler roll mounted on each of said additional supporting means, supports connected to said additional angular supporting means, and pivot means pivotally supporting said supports from an upper portion of said enclosure; means located near said tail pulley for removing particulate material from the upper surface of said lower run of said belt by engaging the upper surface and moving paRticulate material thereon transversely off the side edges of the lower run of said belt; and means for moving the removed particulate material to the upper run of said belt.

Claim 3

A self-cleaning belt conveyor according to claim 1 characterized by said removing means comprising a trough communicating with the upper surface of the lower run of said belt for receiving particulate material from said lower run of said belt; a conveyor screw in said trough for carrying the particulate material to one side of said belt; and said moving means for moving the removing particulate material to the upper run of said belt comprises a slanted screw conveyor communicating with said trough and having an end communicating with the upper surface of the upper run of said belt near said tail pulley for transferring particulate material from the lower run of said belt to the upper run of said belt, prior to reaching said tail pulley.

Claim 4

A self-contained, fully-enclosed, self-cleaning belt conveyor for moving particulate material, said conveyor comprising two spaced, parallel structural members; two elongate, angularly-disposed supporting members extending inwardly and downwardly from each of said structural members and affixed thereto; two horizontal, elongate-supporting members extending between lower ends of said angular supporting members and affixed thereto; transverse support means extending between said angularly-disposed supporting members and between said horizontal supporting members; idler rolls rotatably mounted in said transverse support means, said idler rolls being disposed in a generally U-shaped configuration and with at least a substantial portion of said idler rolls being located below said structural members and being supported solely thereby; a belt; means forming a smooth, flat surface directly below said idler rolls and receiving and directly supporting the lower run of said belt, an upper run of which is supported on said idler rolls; a head pulley; a tail pulley; an enclosure enclosing said belt, said idlers, said pulleys, and said supporting means; additional angular supporting means and additional horizontal supporting means extending between said additional angular means and located at spaced positions along said conveyor; an additional idler roll mounted on each of said additional supporting means; supports connected to said additional angular supporting means; pivot means pivotally supporting said supports from an upper portion of said enclosure; means forming a trough extending transversely below the lower run of said belt and beyond both side edges of the lower run near said tail pulley for receiving and collecting particulate material on the upper surface of the lower run of said belt prior to reaching said tail pulley; means engaging the upper surface of the lower run of said belt for pushing material thereon off the sides of said belt and into said trough; conveyor means in said trough for carrying the particulate material to one end of said trough; and additional conveying means for carrying the particulate material back from the end of said trough to the upper surface of the upper run of said belt.

Claim 5

A self-contained, fully-enclosed, self-cleaning belt conveyor for moving particulate material, said conveyor comprising two spaced, parallel structural members; two elongate, angularly-disposed supporting members extending inwardly and downwardly from each of said structural members and affixed thereto; two horizontal, elongate-supporting members extending between lower ends of said angular supporting members and affixed thereto; transverse support means extending between said angularly-disposed supporting members and between said horizontal supporting members; idler rolls rotatably mounted in said transverse support means, said idler rolls being disposed in a generally U-shaped configuration and with at least a substantial portion of said idler rolls being located below said structural members and being supported solely thereby; a belt; means forming a smooth, flat surface directly below said idler rolls and receiving and directly supporting the lower run of said belt, an upper run of which is supported on said idler rolls; a head pulley; a tail pulley; an enclosure enclosing said belt, said idlers, said pulleys, and said supporting means; additional angular supporting means and additional horizontal supporting means extending between said additional angular means and located at spaced positions along said conveyor; an additional idler roll mounted on each of said additional supporting means; supports connected to said additional angular supporting means; pivot means pivotally supporting said supports from an upper portion of said enclosure; means forming a trough extending transversely below the lower run of said belt and beyond both side edges of the lower run near said tail pulley for receiving and collecting particulate material on the upper surface of the lower run of said belt prior to reaching said tail pulley; means engaging the upper surface of the lower run of said belt for pushing material thereon off the sides of said belt and into said trough; conveyor means in said trough for carrying the particulate material to one end of said trough; and additional conveying means for carrying the particulate material back from the end of said trough to the upper surface of the upper run of said belt.