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A bucket elevator conveyor system of the straight horizontal, “C” and “Z” configurations. In these bucket elevator conveyor systems, loading of the buckets can occur anywhere along the horizontal run adjacent the take-up end and discharge of the buckets can be made at the drive area or along the bot

A bucket elevator conveyor system of the straight horizontal, “C” and “Z” configurations. In these bucket elevator conveyor systems, loading of the buckets can occur anywhere along the horizontal run adjacent the take-up end and discharge of the buckets can be made at the drive area or along the bottom run of the upper horizontal sections of the “Z” and “C” configuration. This provides not only for discharge of the product from the buckets traveling along the lower path of the conveyor, but also provides for simple, intermediate discharge. In addition, there are provided relapping mechanisms to assure proper relapping of the buckets, This is accomplished by reason of a unique bucket design having a cam on one end combined with the front and rear flanges angled to assure proper operation and lapping of the buckets.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A bucket elevator conveyor system comprised of a single horizontal conveyor for transporting loose material from a loading station to a discharge station, the system comprising:a pair of endless, parallel spaced apart chains; a supporting framework that defines an endless path for moving the chai

1. A bucket elevator conveyor system comprised of a single horizontal conveyor for transporting loose material from a loading station to a discharge station, the system comprising:a pair of endless, parallel spaced apart chains; a supporting framework that defines an endless path for moving the chains from the loading station through the discharge station and on a return path to the loading station; drive sprockets rotatable about horizontal axes at one end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets; take-up sprockets for returning the chains to the drive sprockets, the take-up sprockets being rotatable about horizontal axes at the other end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets, the loading station being located near the take-up sprocket end and the discharge station being located near the drive sprocket end of the conveyor; a plurality of spaced-apart buckets each pivotally mounted on the chains and moveable with the chains to receive material at the loading station and discharge material at the discharge station; each bucket having spaced apart side walls joined by a front wall and a rear wall to form a generally U-shaped bucket with top edges; a front flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the front wall and a rear flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the rear wall; a hub extending outwardly from each side wall of each bucket from a point beneath the side wall top edge, the hubs being positioned so that the top edges of the bucket are substantially level when the bucket is suspended from the chains by the hubs; pivot pins combined with the hubs on each bucket for pivotally connecting the bucket to the chains; a cam extending outwardly from a side wall of each bucket at a point below the hub; a discharge ramp positioned along a lower path to engage the cam on each bucket as it passes along the ramp to rotate the bucket and discharge the contents of the bucket; and a relapping mechanism located beyond the discharge station and along the lower path of the chains near the drive sprockets, the relapping mechanism including a first inclined ramp engageable by the cam on each bucket as it travels along the lower path to tip the bucket forwardly and a second ramp having an upside and a downside, the upside being engageable by the front flange of the tipped bucket to tip the bucket upside down and cause the bucket to travel upside down along the downside of the second ramp, a cam surface around the outside of the drive sprocket and engageable with the cam on the bucket to continue the rotation of the bucket to an upright position as the bucket passes around the drive sprockets, and a declining ramp positioned to engage the cam on each bucket as the bucket completes its path around the drive sprockets to tip the bucket so that the rear flange on the bucket is lapped over the front flange of the bucket immediately trailing it. 2. A bucket elevator conveyor system comprised of a “Z” configuration with a lower horizontal section, an upper horizontal section and a substantially vertical section connecting the horizontal sections for transporting loose material from a loading station to a discharge station, the system comprising:a pair of endless, parallel spaced apart chains; a supporting framework that defines an endless path for moving the chains from the loading station through the discharge station and on a return path to the loading station; drive sprockets located in the upper horizontal section and rotatable about horizontal axes at one end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets; take-up sprockets located in the lower horizontal section for returning the chains to the drive sprockets, the take-up sprockets being rotatable about horizontal axes at the other end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets, the loading station being located near the take-up sprocket end and the discharge station being located near the drive sprocket end of the conveyor; guide sprockets positioned at the junction of the vertical section and the upper and lower horizontal sections; a plurality of spaced-apart buckets each pivotally mounted on the chains and moveable with the chains to receive material at the loading station and discharge material at the discharge station; each bucket having spaced apart side walls joined by a front wall and a rear wall to form a generally U-shaped bucket with top edges; a front flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the front wall and a rear flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the rear wall; a hub extending outwardly from each side wall of each bucket from a point beneath the side wall top edge, the hubs being positioned so that the top edges of the bucket are substantially level when the bucket is suspended from the chains by the hubs; pivot pins combined with the hubs on each bucket for pivotally connecting the bucket to the chains; a cam extending outwardly from a side wall of each bucket at a point below the hub; a discharge ramp positioned along a lower path to engage the cam on each bucket as it passes along the ramp to rotate the bucket and discharge the contents of the bucket; and a relapping mechanism located beyond the discharge station and along the lower path of the upper horizontal section near the drive sprockets, the relapping mechanism including a first inclined ramp engageable by the cam on each bucket as it travels along the lower path to tip the bucket forwardly and a second ramp having an upside and a downside, the upside being engageable by the front flange of the tipped bucket to tip the bucket upside down and cause the bucket to travel upside down along the downside of the second ramp, a cam surface around the outside of the drive sprocket and engageable with the cam on the bucket to continue the rotation of the bucket to an upright position as the bucket passes around the drive sprockets, and a declining ramp positioned to engage the cam on each bucket as the bucket completes its path around the drive sprockets to tip the bucket so that the rear flange on the bucket is lapped over the front flange of the bucket immediately trailing it. 3. A bucket elevator conveyor system comprised of a “C” configuration with a lower horizontal section, an upper horizontal section and a substantially vertical section connecting the horizontal sections, for transporting loose material from a loading station to a discharge station, the system comprising:a pair of endless, parallel spaced apart chains; a supporting framework that defines an endless path for moving the chains from the loading station through the discharge station and on a return path to the loading station; drive sprockets located in the upper horizontal section and rotatable about horizontal axes at one end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets; take-up sprockets located in the lower horizontal section for returning the chains to the drive sprockets, the take-up sprockets being rotatable about horizontal axes at the other end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets, the loading station being located near the take-up sprocket end and the discharge station being located near the drive sprocket end of the conveyor; guide sprockets positioned at the junction of the vertical section and the upper and lower horizontal sections; a plurality of spaced-apart buckets each pivotally mounted on the chains and moveable with the chains to receive material at the loading station and discharge material at the discharge station; each bucket having spaced apart side walls joined by a front wall and a rear wall to form a generally U-shaped bucket with top edges; a front flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the front wall and a rear flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the rear wall; a hub extending outwardly from each side wall of each bucket from a point beneath the side wall top edge, the hubs being positioned so that the top edges of the bucket are substantially level when the bucket is suspended from the chains by the hubs; pivot pins combined with the hubs on each bucket for pivotally connecting the bucket to the chains; a cam extending outwardly from a side wall of each bucket at a point below the hub; a discharge ramp positioned along a lower path to engage the cam on each bucket as it passes along the ramp to rotate the bucket and discharge the contents of the bucket; and a relapping mechanism located beyond the discharge station and along the lower path of the upper horizontal section near the drive sprockets, the relapping mechanism including a first inclined ramp engageable by the cam on each bucket as it travels along the lower path to tip the bucket forwardly and a second ramp having an upside and a downside, the upside being engageable by the front flange of the tipped bucket to tip the bucket upside down and cause the bucket to travel upside down along the downside of the second ramp, a cam surface around the outside of the drive sprocket and engageable with the cam on the bucket to continue the rotation of the bucket to an upright position as the bucket passes around the drive sprockets, and a declining ramp positioned to engage the cam on each bucket as the bucket completes its path around the drive sprockets to tip the bucket so that the rear flange on the bucket is lapped over the front flange of the bucket immediately trailing it. 4. A bucket elevator conveyor system comprised of a “Z” configuration with a lower horizontal section, an upper horizontal section and a substantially vertical section connecting the horizontal sections for transporting loose material from a loading station to a discharge station, the system comprising:a pair of endless, parallel spaced apart chains; a supporting framework that defines an endless path for moving the chains from the loading station through the discharge station and on a return path to the loading station; drive sprockets located in the upper horizontal section and rotatable about horizontal axes at one end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets; take-up sprockets located in the lower horizontal section for returning the chains to the drive sprockets, the take-up sprockets being rotatable about horizontal axes at the other end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets, the loading station being located near the take-up sprocket end and the discharge station being located near the drive sprocket end of the conveyor; guide sprockets positioned at the junction of the vertical section and the upper and lower horizontal sections; a plurality of spaced-apart buckets each pivotally mounted on the chains and moveable with the chains to receive material at the loading station and discharge material at the discharge station; each bucket having spaced apart side walls joined by a front wall and a rear wall to form a generally U-shaped bucket with top edges; a front flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the front wall and a rear flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the rear wall; a hub extending outwardly from each side wall of each bucket from a point beneath the side wall top edge, the hubs being positioned so that the top edges of the bucket are substantially level when the bucket is suspended from the chains by the hubs; pivot pins combined with the hubs on each bucket for pivotally connecting the bucket to the chains; a cam extending outwardly from a side wall of each bucket at a point below the hub; a discharge ramp positioned along a lower path to engage the cam on each bucket as it passes along the ramp to rotate the bucket and discharge the contents of the bucket; anda relapping mechanism located at the juncture of the lower horizontal section and the vertical section near the guide sprockets, the relapping mechanism comprising a plurality of spaced-apart paddles mounted on one of the guide sprockets interiorly of the sprocket so as to be in the path of the buckets, the paddles extending radially outwardly beyond a pitch line of the guide sprocket so as to engage the top edge of a side wall of the bucket, and a relapping sprocket engageable with the chain upstream from the guide sprockets, the relapping sprocket having a plurality of spaced-apart paddles mounted on the relapping sprocket interiorly of the sprocket so as to be in the path of the buckets, the paddles on the relapping sprocket extending radially outwardly beyond a pitch line of the relapping sprocket so as to engage the top edge of a side wall of the bucket, the diameter of the relapping sprocket and the location of the relapping sprocket relative to the guide sprocket being such that a first bucket downstream from a second bucket will have the leading portion of the top edge of a side wall engaged by a paddle on the guide sprocket simultaneously with engagement of the trailing portion of the top edge of the side wall by a paddle on the relapping sprocket thereby assuring that the front flange of the first bucket will be beneath the rear flange of the bucket immediately downstream from the first bucket and therefore properly lapped. 5. A bucket elevator conveyor system comprised of a “C” configuration with a lower horizontal section, an upper horizontal section and a substantially vertical section connecting the horizontal sections, for transporting loose material from a loading station to a discharge station, the system comprising:a pair of endless, parallel spaced apart chains; a supporting framework that defines an endless path for moving the chains from the loading station through the discharge station and on a return path to the loading station; drive sprockets located in the upper horizontal section and rotatable about horizontal axes at one end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets; take-up sprockets located in the lower horizontal section for returning the chains to the drive sprockets, the take-up sprockets being rotatable about horizontal axes at the other end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets, the loading station being located near the take-up sprocket end and the discharge station being located near the drive sprocket end of the conveyor; guide sprockets positioned at the junction of the vertical section and the upper and lower horizontal sections; a plurality of spaced-apart buckets each pivotally mounted on the chains and moveable with the chains to receive material at the loading station and discharge material at the discharge station; each bucket having spaced apart side walls joined by a front wall and a rear wall to form a generally U-shaped bucket with top edges; a front flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the front wall and a rear flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the rear wall; a hub extending outwardly from each side wall of each bucket from a point beneath the side wall top edge, the hubs being positioned so that the top edges of the bucket are substantially level when the bucket is suspended from the chains by the hubs; pivot pins combined with the hubs on each bucket for pivotally connecting the bucket to the chains; a cam extending outwardly from a side wall of each bucket at a point below the hub; a discharge ramp positioned along a lower path to engage the cam on each bucket as it passes along the ramp to rotate the bucket and discharge the contents of the bucket; anda relapping mechanism located at the juncture of the lower horizontal section and the vertical section near the guide sprockets, the relapping mechanism comprising a plurality of spaced-apart paddles mounted on one of the guide sprockets interiorly of the sprocket so as to be in the path of the buckets, the paddles extending radially outwardly beyond a pitch line of the guide sprocket so as to engage the top edge of a side wall of the bucket, and a relapping sprocket engageable with the chain upstream from the guide sprockets, the relapping sprocket having a plurality of spaced-apart paddles mounted on the relapping sprocket interiorly of the sprocket so as to be in the path of the buckets, the paddles on the relapping sprocket extending radially outwardly beyond a pitch line of the relapping sprocket so as to engage the top edge of a side wall of the bucket, the diameter of the relapping sprocket and the location of the relapping sprocket relative to the guide sprocket being such that a first bucket downstream from a second bucket will have the leading portion of the top edge of a side wall engaged by a paddle on the guide sprocket simultaneously with engagement of the trailing portion of the top edge of the side wall by a paddle on the relapping sprocket thereby assuring that the front flange of the first bucket will be beneath the rear flange of the bucket immediately downstream from the first bucket and therefore properly lapped. 6. A bucket elevator conveyor system comprised of a single horizontal conveyor for transporting loose material from a loading station to a discharge station, the system comprising:a pair of endless, parallel spaced apart chains; a supporting framework that defines an endless path for moving the chains from the loading station through the discharge station and on a return path to the loading station; drive sprockets rotatable about horizontal axes at one end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets; take-up sprockets for returning the chains to the drive sprockets, the take-up sprockets being rotatable about horizontal axes at the other end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets, the loading station being located near the take-up sprocket end and the discharge station being located near the drive sprocket end of the conveyor; a plurality of spaced-apart buckets each pivotally mounted on the chains and moveable with the chains to receive material at the loading station and discharge material at the discharge station; each bucket having spaced apart side walls joined by a front wall and a rear wall to form a generally U-shaped bucket with top edges; a front flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the front wall and a rear flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the rear wall; a hub extending outwardly from each side wall of each bucket from a point beneath the side wall top edge, the hubs being positioned so that the top edges of the bucket are substantially level when the bucket is suspended from the chains by the hubs; pivot pins combined with the hubs on each bucket for pivotally connecting the bucket to the chains; a cam extending outwardly from a side wall of each bucket at a point below the hub; a discharge ramp positioned along a lower path to engage the cam on each bucket as it passes along the ramp to rotate the bucket and discharge the contents of the bucket; anda relapping mechanism located between the discharge station and the loading station, the relapping mechanism including an inclined ramp engageable by the cam on each bucket as it travels along its defined path to tip the front flange of each bucket downwardly, the incline of the ramp being such that a the front flange of a first bucket downstream from a second bucket will be tipped a greater amount than the front flange of a second bucket immediately following the first bucket thereby assuring that the front flange of the second bucket will be positioned beneath the rear flange of the first bucket. 7. A bucket elevator conveyor system comprised of a “Z” configuration with a lower horizontal section, an upper horizontal section and a substantially vertical section connecting the horizontal sections for transporting loose material from a loading station to a discharge station, the system comprising:a pair of endless, parallel spaced apart chains; a supporting framework that defines an endless path for moving the chains from the loading station through the discharge station and on a return path to the loading station; drive sprockets located in the upper horizontal section and rotatable about horizontal axes at one end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets; take-up sprockets located in the lower horizontal section for returning the chains to the drive sprockets, the take-up sprockets being rotatable about horizontal axes at the other end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets, the loading station being located near the take-up sprocket end and the discharge station being located near the drive sprocket end of the conveyor; guide sprockets positioned at the junction of the vertical section and the upper and lower horizontal sections; a plurality of spaced-apart buckets each pivotally mounted on the chains and moveable with the chains to receive material at the loading station and discharge material at the discharge station; each bucket having spaced apart side walls joined by a front wall and a rear wall to form a generally U-shaped bucket with top edges; a front flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the front wall and a rear flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the rear wall; a hub extending outwardly from each side wall of each bucket from a point beneath the side wall top edge, the hubs being positioned so that the top edges of the bucket are substantially level when the bucket is suspended from the chains by the hubs; pivot pins combined with the hubs on each bucket for pivotally connecting the bucket to the chains; a cam extending outwardly from a side wall of each bucket at a point below the hub; a discharge ramp positioned along a lower path to engage the cam on each bucket as it passes along the ramp to rotate the bucket and discharge the contents of the bucket; anda relapping mechanism located between the discharge station and the loading station, the relapping mechanism including an inclined ramp engageable by the cam on each bucket as it travels along its defined path to tip the front flange of each bucket downwardly, the incline of the ramp being such that the front flange of a first bucket downstream from a second bucket will be tipped a greater amount than the front flange of a second bucket immediately following the first bucket thereby assuring that the front flange of the second bucket will be positioned beneath the rear flange of the first bucket. 8. A bucket elevator conveyor system comprised of a “C” configuration with a lower horizontal section, an upper horizontal section and a substantially vertical section connecting the horizontal sections, for transporting loose material from a loading station to a discharge station, the system comprising:a pair of endless, parallel spaced apart chains; a supporting framework that defines an endless path for moving the chains from the loading station through the discharge station and on a return path to the loading station; drive sprockets located in the upper horizontal section and rotatable about horizontal axes at one end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets; take-up sprockets located in the lower horizontal section for returning the chains to the drive sprockets, the take-up sprockets being rotatable about horizontal axes at the other end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets, the loading station being located near the take-up sprocket end and the discharge station being located near the drive sprocket end of the conveyor; guide sprockets positioned at the junction of the vertical section and the upper and lower horizontal sections; a plurality of spaced-apart buckets each pivotally mounted on the chains and moveable with the chains to receive material at the loading station and discharge material at the discharge station; each bucket having spaced apart side walls joined by a front wall and a rear wall to form a generally U-shaped bucket with top edges; a front flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the front wall and a rear flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the rear wall; a hub extending outwardly from each side wall of each bucket from a point beneath the side wall top edge, the hubs being positioned so that the top edges of the bucket are substantially level when the bucket is suspended from the chains by the hubs; pivot pins combined with the hubs on each bucket for pivotally connecting the bucket to the chains; a cam extending outwardly from a side wall of each bucket at a point below the hub; a discharge ramp positioned along a lower path to engage the cam on each bucket as it passes along the ramp to rotate the bucket and discharge the contents of the bucket; and a relapping mechanism located between the discharge station and the loading station, the relapping mechanism including an inclined ramp engageable by the cam on each bucket as it travels along its defined path to tip the front flange of each bucket downwardly, the incline of the ramp being such that the front flange of a first bucket downstream from a second bucket will be tipped a greater amount than the front flange of a second bucket immediately following the first bucket thereby assuring that the front flange of the second bucket will be positioned beneath the rear flange of the first bucket. 9. A bucket elevator conveyor system for transporting loose material from a loading station to a discharge station, the system comprising:a pair of endless, parallel spaced apart chains; a supporting framework that defines an endless path for moving the chains from the loading station through the discharge station and on a return path to the loading station; drive sprockets rotatable about horizontal axes at one end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets; take-up sprockets for returning the chains to the drive sprockets, the take-up sprockets being rotatable about horizontal axes at the other end of the conveyor for moving the chains along the defined paths that include upper paths at the top of the sprockets and lower paths at the bottom of the sprockets, the loading station being located near the take-up sprocket end and the discharge station being located near the drive sprocket end of the conveyor; a plurality of spaced-apart buckets each pivotally mounted on the chains and moveable with the chains to receive material at the loading station and discharge material at the discharge station; each bucket having spaced apart side walls joined by a front wall and a rear wall to form a generally U-shaped bucket with top edges; a front flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the front wall and a rear flange extending outwardly from the top edge of the rear wall; a hub extending outwardly from each side wall of each bucket from a point beneath the side wall top edge, the hubs being positioned so that the top edges of the bucket are substantially level when the bucket is suspended from the chains by the hubs; pivot pins combined with the hubs on each bucket for pivotally connecting the bucket to the chains; a cam extending outwardly from a side wall of each bucket at a point below the hub; a discharge ramp positioned along a lower path to engage the cam on each bucket as it passes along the ramp to rotate the bucket and discharge the contents of the bucket; and an intermediate discharge ramp located between the loading station and the discharge station, the intermediate discharge ramp being positioned along the lower path to engage the cam on each bucket as it passes along the intermediate ramp so as to rotate the bucket and discharge its contents before it reaches the discharge station; the intermediate discharge ramp being moveable into and out of the path of the buckets so as to be selectively used to discharge the contents of the buckets prior to the buckets reaching the discharge station.