CA1044631A - Conveyor equipment, especially cargo loading and unloading equipment for a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

CONVEYOR EQUIPMENT, ESPECIALLY CARGO
LOADING AND UNLOADING EQUIPMENT FOR A VEHICLE

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
There is disclosed a conveyor device and frame suitable for use as a vehicle bed with includes a slatted floor carried on lugs that are in turn mounted on a closed loop cable. The cable is trained over and driven by notched sheaves at each end of the conveyor frame.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to conveyor equipment, esp-ecially conveyor equipment which is adapted for loading and unloading a vehicle. The equipment of the invention is useful in many conveyor type applications. In its more specific aspects, it is concerned with cargo carry-ing, and loading and unloading equipment for, or compris-ing part of, a transportation vehicle such as a truck or semi-trailer.
The loading and unloading of cargo vehicles has been a continuing problem impairing the efficiency of their use. For road vehicles carrying bulk cargo, the dump truck or dump trail~r configuration has long been popular for unloading purposes, despite its disadvantages which include the necessity for heavy structural equip-ment which amounts to dead weight so far as the hauling capacity of the vehicle is concerned, a dangerous rais-ing of the center of gravity ~ the vehicle during dumping operations, and difficulty in controlling the rate of discharge of the bulk material. More recently, as exemplified by my U.S. -~ ~ .
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I lQ~631 . I, ~ .~
¦ Patent No. ~,482,717, entitled "Self-Unloading Trailer"
and U. S. Patent ~o. 3,247,983, to Thompson, entitled "Truck Unloading Structure", the use of bulk cargo bodies having belt conveyors forming the bed or floor of the cargo body has begun. While such constructions overcome many of the disadvantages of dump trailers or dump trucks, ¦ the relatively expensive large endless conveyor belts involved (and the relatively complex understructure in- ~
volved in the Thompson-type vehicle) have limited the; ;
application of such vehicles. ~ `
Slat-type~conveyor beds have been proposed in tne past,~
~both for~general cargo vehicles and for bulk cargo vehicles. ;
In~ this connection see U. S.` Patents 1,081,697, 1,375,535 and 1,558,164. Such slatted conveyor vehicle beds have - ~ ~
uni'on~ly~emp~loyed chains~worXing over sprocket wheels to ~ -. : ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - . . . .~ .................... . . . ~ . . ~ - .
~carry the~slats of the conveyor.~ Such chains are expensive, ~ ~`
prone to breakage, sensitive~to alignment~with respect to ~ -~ ~ .
~- ~. ~the sprocket wheels, and inherently~re~uire a~large~amoun.
of slackness~and tolerance between slats, to accommodate ~-~
-the manufacturing tol-rances~ involved in each link of chain.
The~`~disadvantages of prior slatted conveyors utilizing ~ ~-chains in other~applications are-similar to those en~
S ~ I countered when such conveyors have been employed in -~ ` -v icle béds.
In~accordance with the present nvention a conveyor `
~structure, especially suited for use ~as loadins and un-~ ~ " . - ~ ,. .. . ~ ..
~ ~loading~equip~ent;~forming the bed of a cargo vehicle, ~
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is provided which, while it is of the slatted conveyor type, has substantial- :
ly none of the disadvantages of such conveyors as employed heretofore, and which, by virtue of its simple and economic construction, retains all of the ~
advantages gained by the before-mentioned conveyor belt vehicle bed construc- '.
tions, while eliminating the costly large endless conveyor belt involved in such constructions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION , ; .
The invention provides conveyor apparatus comprising: a generally ;
rectangular support frame including at least two longitudinal beams extend-ing the length of said frame, a plurality of cross beams connected between said longitudinal beams, and means for supporting said frame to permit the lower run of the conveyor to pass below the major portion of said frame;
first and second parallel spaced apart axles extending transverse thereof adjacent opposite ends of said frame; axle support means for said axles mounted on said frame adjacent said opposite ends of said longitudinal beams;
at least one pair of coplanar notched sheaves, one of said pair being mounted on said first axle and the other of said pair being mounted on said second axle, each sheave having a continuous groove extending about its ~ -circumference; a conveyor cable trained over each coplanar pair of sheaves in a closed loop having upper and lower runs, said cable lying in the groove .
of each sheave to restrain sideward displacement of the cable; said conveyor cable being provided with lugs fixed thereon at spaced intervals, said lugs ~::
being configured to engage notches on said sheaves; a plurality of floor -~
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slats being directly connected to each of at least a majority of said lugs -on said conveyor cable, the lugs connected to floor slats being contiguous to one another, the point of connection of a floor slat to a lug being between the ends of the floor slats; side walls mounted on said cross beams near both ends of each of said floor slats, including a portion overhanging the .

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-`` 10~631 ends of said slat in close proximity thereto; at least a pair of rails mounted on said frame and extending longitudinally thereof between said pair of axles in position to support floor slats connected to lugs located in said upper run with said slats sliding directly on said rails; and means for driving at least one of said sheaves.
Since conventional sprocket-driven conveyor chains are eliminated and replaced by a driving cable, all parts of the conveyor mechanism, including all of the slats, commence movement substantially at the same time when the conveyor mechanism is started, there being no chain slack to be taken up. The absence of chain slack, and the absence of a need to accommodate it, make it possible to have slats forming the vehicle bed floor in continuous close abutment to one another, if that configuration of slats is employed.
The slatted conveyor structure is superior to a conveyor belt structure in that it is more economical in construction, and because in the event of damage or heavy wear in one localized section of the conveyor it is possible to remove and replace only those slats which are in poor condi-tion. By contrast, a damaged or locally worn conveyor belt must in most instances be completely replaced.
The invention will further be described, by way of example only, in the detailed description which follows together with the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS -Figure 1 is a simplified perspective view, with parts omitted, of a conveyor constructed in accordance with the invention;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a portion of the upper run of one embodiment of the conveyor of the present invention showing one preferred slat arrangement;

lU4~j3~
Figure 3 is a fragmentary isometric view of a portion of the upper run of a conveyor constructed in accordance with the invention, illustrat-: . .. ..
ing an alternate form or shape for the conveyor slats; .~
Figure 4 is a side elevational view with parts broken away and :
with a section broken out, of a semi-trailer '. :

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1044li31 1 ~, construct~u in accordance with and incorporating the present invention;
~¦ FIG.~ 5 is a rear sectional elevational view of the I¦ semi-trailer of FIG. 4, the section being taken along the 1¦ line 5-5 o~ FIG. 4;
¦ FIG. 6 is a plan view on an enlarged scale with parts broken away, and with'a section broken out, of the conveyor ¦ structure of the semi-trailer o~ FIGS. 4 and 5;
I! FIG. 7 is a sectional elevational view of the conveyor - 1I structure of FIG. 6, the section being taken on line 7-7 ¦¦ of FIG. 6;
¦I FIG. 8 is an isometric view on an enlarged scale of . .
the sheave and cable structure forming a portion of the conveyor apparatus of the invention, wi~h'certain parts ¦ shown in ghost outline;
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary elevational view on an enlarged :
¦ scale of the sheave, conveyor, and one form of slat structure of the conveyor apparatus of the invention;
FIG. 1~ is a fragmentary isometric view of the rear j portion of the semi-trailer of FIGS. 4 and 5; .
. ' . FIG. 11 is a plan view of the sheave of FIG. 9;
FIGS. 12A, B, C and D are side, front, plan and .
¦ isometric views respectively of a cable'lug employed . . ¦ in accordance with the invention;
¦ FIGS. 13A, B, C and D are side, front, plan and ¦ isometric views respectiveIy of a cable'splicing lug employed in aocor~ance with'the lnvention;

, I 10~ 31 1 FIG. 14 is a side eIeva~ional vi~w of an altern~te . . . . . form o~ conveyor lug employed in acco~dance with. the .
invention, the view also showing a slat, and a portion of a cable;
FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of another alternate . form of lug employed in accordance with the invention;
: FIG. 16 is an exploded sectional view of the lug of . FIG. 15, the section being taken on the line 16-16 of : FIG. 15; ~nd .
FIG. 17 is an isometric yiew of another form of spliclng . lug employed in accordance with the invention.

., -. In FI5. 1 a conveyor constructed in accordance with :.
. the invention is designated generally as 10. It is gen- . -.
erally rectangular in plan view and has an upper run 11 ~: and a lower run 12. At the ends of the conveyor the runs :
.~ ~. are trained over sheaves 13 and 14 which are shown very diagramatically in FIG. 1 because of its scale, but which : .
. I are shown in more detail in other figures dlscussed herein- .
~20 ¦ below. The load carrying surface of the conveyor 10 is . . comprised of slats lS, which in the embodiment of FIG. 1 are flat rectangular members extending transversely across the conveyor, in closely abutting relationship to one . another.
FIG. 2 shows the structure of the conveyor in greater detail, and also illustrates another arrangement of the slats. F m FIG. 2 it can b_ seen that the conveyor 10 ~ 7 i . ", .

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!,~' . includ~s a cabl2 16, which'is preferably constructed of ' .. steel. Mounted on the c~ble at eve~ly s~aced intervals........... ~ ..
¦ are lugs 17, and slats 15 are at~ached to the iugs 17.
Assuming that only a single'cable is use~ in a given con- :
¦ veyor, one slat lS is attached to each'of its lugs 17, at ' least in the upp2r run. ~More than one cable 16 may be .`
~ employed in accoraance with'the invention as discussed more .'', . fully hereinbelow.) ~ .
In the embodiment of.FIG. 2 the slats 15'are arranged ~in lapping relationship, with each slat having'its left . .edge above its neighbor to the left and its right edge ~
.. .. ~;benea~h its neighbor to the right. Such an arrangement - ---~ - ..
; is of particular advantage when the conveyor is employed .
:to handle bul~ material such'as-gravel or aggregate because .; ~there is less spillage of such'materlal~into-the works of .
the convcyor.at th- turnaround~oints. ~ . . ~ :
~.~r: ~ ~ ~ FIG. 3'illustrates a form of the conveyor of thc . .-s'' ~ ~invention in which.two cables~16.are~employed, each carrying .: -, ~ ; ~ lugs to~which slats are~attachcd, and in which the slats ~ ~. :
. ~ 15 aré in::lapping~relationship~as cxplained above in .~
. .-.~ '~ connection~with F~G. 2. In addition,-~the ends of slats~l5 .~.`' ~ .
are~bent upwardly to providc~;- conveyor surface which~is~ ..
~generally trouSb~shaped.~ This configuration~is particularly -~: .
.:use,ul~in~applications of ~he~'co~veyor structure wherc bul`~ ~ .
matérial is to be handled, and no.s~ationary:~side~walls.-for ~ .
` th- conveyor are:provided-or;desired. ~

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' In PIGS. 4-7 and 10 a semi-trailer constructed in , acco-dance with and incorporating the invention is desig-nated generally as 20. FIGS. 4 and 5 show that it includes ~ -trailer wheels 21 carried on !axles 22 which are journaled ~ j throug~ axle posts 23. For the sake of simplicity, the `
- I conventional spring suspension mechanism associated withaxles 21 and axle posts 23 is omitted from the dra~ings. ' Mounted above the axle posts 23 is a transverse beam ~,. .
-~ j, structure 24 which extends substantially across the full O j width of the trailer. Beam structure 24 may be built up of a plurality of smaller beams, and is so proportioned -, as to constitute one of the principal load bearing structural members of the frame of the semi-trailer. At the front end ~;~ ! of the semi-trailer 20, a second transverse beam structure 25 is provided. It too may be built up of a plurality of ~l ~ smaller beams, and is proportioned to constitute a principal load beaA ng portion of the trailer frame. Attached to ~-¦~front transverse beam structure 25 is the upper half 26~
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of a conventional fifth wheel unit. In operation, the upper ~half 26 of the fifth wheel is connected to lower half 27 I which is in turn supported by~frame 28 of a conventional - -truck tractor, only a fragmènt of which appears in FIG. 4.
A pair of longitudinal side beams~29 are mounted on and run between transverse beam structures 24 and 25.
~ ~A plurality of cross~beams 30~are transversely mounted ;~
,~ !' on longitudinal beams 29. A cargo body~designated ~ ~;t 31 is ~ounted on the frame of the semi-trailer 20, and is ~ ~t .. .. . .
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`` 1~44~31 1 ' supported princip~lly by cross beams 30. In FIGS. 4 and 5 i the car~o body shown is of the bulk cargo type, although ' the invention may also be employed r'o advantage for general cargo, in which case a general cargo body can be mounted , upon cross beams 30 in a manner similar to the mounting , of the bulk cargo body 31. It should also be noted that in some applications of the invention a flat-bed st~le trailer is desirable, in which case no cargo body super-structure of any kind is required.
i~ The structure of the conveyor forming the vehicle ~ i bed of the semi-trailer 20 can best be understood by a `~ I' consideration of FIGS. 6 and 7, together with some reference~ to FIGS. 4 and 5. As is shown in FIG. 6, the cross beams , j. .
!j 30 are interrupted by four, internal longitudinally oriented ¦I beams 32. The cross beams 30 and longitudinal beams 32, are welded together at their points of intersection to form a grid-like frame. A series of runners 35 formed of an inherently slippery material such as oak are mounted , longitudinally on the top of said fr~.e. Preferably the 'l~ 20 1, top surface of runners 35 is coated with a wear layer 36 formed of a synthetic rubber.
At the rear end of trailer 20 tat the top of FIG. 6) four pillow blocks 37, are mounted, one at the end of each j ~' of longitudinal beams 32. Journaled through the !~ll pillow blocks is an axle 40. At the front end of , ' trailer 20 (botto~ of FIG. 6), a conveyor tension .1 1 -;~ 1' i, ' 10- ' .1: , . . .
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~ adjusting structure is provided, which consists of three pairs - I!of slotted plates 41 abutted again t the frontrnost cross - ¦ibeam 30. Slotted plates 41 are joined at their front - j¦ends by a cross member 42. Each pair of slotted plates ¦141 has a pillow block 43 adjustably positioned on it.
'Associated with each pillow block 43 is a pair of adjusting ¦screws 44 wnich work against nuts 45 welded to the frontmost cross beam 30 and abutments 43a on the pillow blocks. A front I I
axle 46 is journaled through pillow blocks 43 and extends across jthe front of the unit.
Rear axle 40 carries three rotatable sheaves 47, and , Ifront axle 46 also carries three rotatable sheaves 48. On the front axle the sheaves are positioned between the posts of the pillow blocks 43.
For purposes of the present discussion, a rear sheave 47 and a front sheave 48 are regarded as a pair when they are -arranged coplanarly. In the ernbodiment of the invention ,i shown in FIGS. 4-7 there are three such-coplanar pairs of ^i sheaves provided. It should be understood however that in !: some embodiments of the invention a single pair may suffice, ~;~ I while in other embodiments it may be desirable to provide two, or more than three such pairs. An example of the latter 1 ase is a trailer or other transportation vehicle designed 3~ o carry extraordinary heavy loads.
~ Trained around each of the pairs of sheaves is cable 3~ 6, which is preferably constructed of steel. Cable 16 is arranged in a closed loop extending longitudinally of Ji ~ l ~
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¦~ the semi-trailer 2~ and ~as an up~er run and a lower run .

- I! as a consequence of the vertical planes in ~hich'the sheave " ¦Ipairs are'arr&~ged. ' ' ' ' ¦l ' The structure and o~eration of the drive syst2m for -'~ ijthe conveyor mechanism of the invention can ~est be under-jlstood ~y a consid~ration of FIGS. 8, 9 and 11, taken to~e~har with ihe views of the'semi-trailer appearing in ..,..~
FIGS. 4, 5, and 10. From the enlarged views it can be seen tnat sheave 47 is a modified form of a conventional pulley sheave. It has a hu~ S7, a bore ~8 to accom~modaie an axle 40 and a disc portion 59. Around the periphery or the disc portion 59, there is provided a rel~atively dee~ groove 60 in which cable 16 is accommodated. Gr?ove 60 serves to restrain sideward displacement o cable 16. Sheave-47 ~
differs from conventional sheaves in that it is provided -¦with a series of notches 61 around the periphery of disc 59.' ~ot hes 61 are su~stantially uniformly spaced, as a~pears most clearly in FIG. 9. Cable 16 has mounted on it in -fixed positlon a series of lugs 17.' The lugs, and their ~'~ -means of mounting, are more fully-described hereinbelow in connection with FIGS. 12-17.~ As best appears in FIGS. 8, 9 and 4, lugs 17 are spaced along cable 16 at distances such that t ey fit into and engage the notcnes 61'o, sheave 47;when cable 16 passes around sheave 47 in the groove ~ ~
thereof. It should~be noted that sinFe lugs 17 extend ~ ~ -radia}ly inwardly from cable'l6', the notches 61 on sheave ~ ~
47 are of a~ aepth such that '~hey~extend radially inwardly ~ ~ ~-from the floor of the groove 60.~' ~ . ' ' ' '~ 12- '`
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10~ 31 Attached to eac;~ lug 17, on .he radially ou~ward si'de ~! .hereof is a slat 15. Slats 15 are'generally board-shapecl, I
'~ and are positioned wiLh'respect to lugs 17 so that they .
extend parallel to tne.axle 4~ which carries sheave 4?
,l As appears best in FIG. 10, slats 15, takep together,.es- . .
il tablish a.movable vehi'cle bed floor 64~"hen they are positioned ¦ in the upper run of cable l6. In .he embodiment of FIGS. 4-11, ' I the width of slats 15 is such that adjacent slats are in close abutment io one another so that the floor 64 is sub-stantially impervious. The length of slats 15 is such ~ ~
is such that they extend substantially across the full :
. . .: width of the transportation vehicle; their length is at ~ -- .
least'adequate to extend across the floor of the cargo space.
As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 7,.the sloping side walls 62 - .
. ~ of cargo body-31 approach the vehicle bed floor.34~closely; ¦
. .. and angle members 63 close-~the space behind ~he lower edges of side walls 62 to prevent packing of bulk material therein. .
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.... I - Spaced lugs-17 are provided throughout the length of -' ¦ the looped cable }6 so that luss are always available'for ' ~:~
engagement with both the front and rear sheaves 48 and 47. .
. l In the preferred embodiment, each~lug has associated with ~ it a slat 15. ~owever, in order to save on weight and .. I . .
material, in some applications of the invention half or ~ .
¦ somewhat less than ~alf of.the slats may be omitted. - ~:
I Stated differently, it is necessary only to p.rovide suf- .:
I ~ ¦ ficient contiguous slats to es'tabIish'a floor in the upp--r run of cable 16. When the'in~ention is employed in a bulk :.
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``` 10~31 1 car~o vehicle, som~w~at more than half oE the leng-th of cable 16 should be fitted with slats to accomodate spill-- back of the bulk cargo as the slatted floor is moved in an unloading operation as discussed below.
The remainder of the conveyor structure of the invention can be seen from FIGS. 4-7 where it appears clearly that cross bearns ~0 are so proportioned that they fit between the upper and lower runs of cable 16. Cross beams 30 support above mentioned rails 3S which extend longitudinally of the frame of the trailer. They are so proportioned that their upper surfaces underlie and support slats ¦ 15 located in the upper run of cable 16. Rails 35 are preferably formed of a strong but inherently slippery ~ material, such as oak.
1~ As appears from FIG. 4, at the forward end of the semi-trailer, a pulley (not shown~ is ~ournaled onto an ; end of axle 46, and a drive motor 67 is mounted on the frame of the trailer and connected to the pulley on axle 46 by belt 68. Drive motor 67 may be a self-contained power plant 1 such as a gasoline engine, or a power p~ant driven by an ~ auxiliary system of the truck tractor, such as an air motor.
I Drive motor 67 is desirably reversible and of variable :
, speed so that conveyor speed may be controlled independently I of vehicle road speed, and correlated therewith in any desired manner. As is shown in FIG. 10, rear axle 40 is desirably also provided with a drive motor 66, whose op- `
eration is correlated with that of front drive motor 67.
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~L lU4 ~i31 I In FIGS. 12-17 there are illustra~ed the two b~sic ¦I types of lugs 17 e~.ployed in accordance with Lhe invention. .
¦ The lugs illustrated in ~IGS. 12 and 14-16 are variations o' ~he type used for all portions of a cable 16 except the . portion at the ends o~ .he ca~le. Th2 lugs illustra~ed ~ .
, in ~IGS~ 13 and 17 are two forms of splicing lugs by which . the two ends of cable 16 are joined to form it into a closed ~ loop trained about the sheaves.
.. . From FIG. 12B it can be seen that the siandard lug 1~ j 17 is generally wedge-shaped in elevatLon; while FIGS. 12A
,~ . ¦ and 12C show that it is generally rectangular in side . :
,: . - . .
,~.. ..... elevation and in.plan view. ~When the lap?ed slat con- . .. ~
figuration shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is used, '.he tops o. lugs ~
17 should preferably be angled to acco date ihe lapping, ~- ~. ..
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¦ as illustrated in FIG. 2.) Each lug 17~is provided with a cable hole.69 which passes.through it from one side.~o the -: .
.~ other. It is some~ha: arger in diameter~than cable 16 . : ; :
which is passed through hole 69.~.A cross~hole 70 is pro- ~
~; vided in each lug and is internally thrèaded to accommodate~ :~ .::
~ a set screw 71. When the set screw is positioned in the .
i ~ cross hole, it compresses and distorts som~what the ca~le 16, thereby effectively~attaching the lug 17 to the cable tightly .
t~ enough that it will not be displaced~along the cable under . ~1 :: .
the influence of the ordinary:~forces encounter-d in operation ~
of the conveyor system. ~t ` ~ : ~ ::
. 1~ The lug 17 illustrated in FIG. 14-is substantially .
~:. : ., :.................... ,: ' :. ~- ' the same:in shape as.that illustrated in FIG. 12, and is ~:: ~ `'; ' q., ~ ~
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¦Iprovided with a cable hole 6~ in the same manner. E~owever, ~ the means o attachment to the cable, and to the slaL 15, -: ¦1 differ, in that a vertically extendi~g slot 72 is .orm~d in the lug, and a U-bolt 73 is ritted in slot 72. When nut 74 .
¦l (a pair of such nuts are'employed, one on each leg of the U-bolt) ¦~ is tightened, the U-bolt 73 grips the cable 16 tightly, thus affixing the'lug to the'cabIe, and at the same time attaches .- ¦ the slat 15 to the'lug.
.~ I The lug 17 shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 is also of the samé
.' : shape as that shown in FIG. 12, and is also provided with .' a cable hole'6~ through which cable 16 is passed. A sideward 1 ':
.. oriented slot 75, having legs at one end to accommodate the . legs of a U-bolt 76 is provided in lug 17. When U-bolt 76 . . is inserted in slot 75, and nuts 77 are tightened on the legs .. of the U-bolt.76, the cable is again tightly gripped and the .:;
.j' . . lug fixed on it. . . - ' . A comparison of FIG. 13 with FIG. i2 reveal~ thaL '............ :
external configuration the'splicing lug 17 of FIG. 13 is . ~ ~
~.'. the same as that of the standard lug 17 illustrated in ~. . ;j~ .. ..
'D FIG. 12. A pair of curved cable holes 78 and 79 are pro- .
vided in'splicing lug 17. These holes enter the sides of the splicing lug, as.cable hole 69 entered the sides of the standard lug. .However, interiorly of the splicing lug 17 . the cable holes 78 and 73 are curved substantially 90 ~. ~ and issue from opposite'faces o.the splicing lug. A ver-.~ tical se~ screw hole 80 is provided in the'splicing lug and ~ .
.. is so positioned ~h~t it intercepts both~'of the'curved .
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I cable holes 78 and 79. A set screw 81, when threaded in'o - ¦ hole 80 engages and distorts the portions of cable 16 whLch -are disposed withi'n cable holes 7 and 79, and effectively links the two ends of the'cabl'e toge~her to form a closed ' loop. The portions of the cable 16 issuing from the .aces ¦ of the splicing lug may be conveniently trimmed substantially - flush with'the faces of the'splicing wedge,' although such .. -~
,' parts are shown projecting from the faces in FIGS. 13C ~nd ; ¦ 13D ror clari~y of illustration. ' ~ I . . , The splicing lug 17 shown in FIG. 17 has the same -, ¦¦ wedge shape as those in FIGS. 12 through 16, bu~ it is longer than a~y o. those lugs. A consideration of the shape of notches 61 of sheave 47 as shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and ¦1 11 will demonstrate that such greater leng~h will not inter- I -~ fere ~ith the passage of the lug of FIG. 17 around the ,,j ¦ sheave. Lug 17 of FIG. 17 is provided with a pair of cable :
,1 ¦ holes 82 and 83, whicn cabie hole~ erL~er ~c lug centrally , , ¦ thereof and are angled to pass through'the lug toward one '~'''~ ¦ side thereof. The ends of ca~le 16 are passed through cable ;
,~,, holes 82 and 83 and are then looped back toward lug 17 to ' , pffS through clamping cable holes 84 and 85. Set screws 86 ~ are moun~ed-in holes in the ends of lus 17 to engage the ,, I clamp the portion of cable 16 passing through the cable ~ ;
, ¦ ho~les 84 and 85. Again, the~portions of the cable 16 issuing l ¦ from t.~e cable holes 84 and 85 may convenier.tly be tri~med ' ,~ ~ substantially flush-with the lug, although such'parts are ¦ shown projecting in FIG. 17 for~clarity of illustration '`'. I . , ~ . :- ~
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1(~4~;31 t~rnile the conveyor system of the present invention, especially as applied ,o a veh-cle, may be constructed of a ~ariety of materials, it is preferred that the frame, as discussed above, be fabricated of steeI for strength, with the exception Oc ~he rails 35, which are most con-veniently formed of a slippery, but strong, wood such as oak. Cables 16 should also be of steel ~or streng~h. T.ugs 17 ~ may be of steel, or of another strong material. Sla~s 15 .:s may be~of steel, wood, or alumin~m, but alwminum is preferred j `
for its com~ination of streng~h and light weight. When ~ I slats 15 are formed of aluminum, they may be welded or - ;
; ¦ brazed to the lugs 17. Alterna~ely, the slats may be -¦ attached to the lugs by screws or bolts, one example of ¦ such attachment being il1ustrated in FIG. 14 discussed above.
~e~ the invention is applied to a bulk cargo vehicle ;~
¦ of the kind illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5~and lO, it finds its i principai ~tili~y .n unioadins operations. The rear gate ¦ ;
87 (see FIG. 10) of the trailer may be opened partially and fixed in such partially opon position to serve as a ``
¦ doctor blade. Drive motors 66 and 67 are then operated~
to move the upper run of the-conveyor in the leftward~ -direction as FIG. 4 is drawn.-~Bulk material in the cargo ¦ space of the semi-trailer~is~thus propelled leftwardly-~an~ -¦ out of the semi-trai1er onto`the ground. At the sa~e time ~;~
the vehicle may be pulled by~its tractor to the right, as FIG. 4 is drawn, thus affording uniform distribution of the ~buLk materia1 onto the road~surface~which is its point of use. When the invention is~-applied in a general cargo vehicle, : :! ~ . .

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packases an~ the like ~Q pl~c~d ~n t~e le'thand ~nd Or thc j floor of the conveyor from z loading dock, and drive motors i~ 66 and 67 are operated to carry them forwa~d in the cargo - ils?ace o_ the ~railer. ~hen i. is desired to unloa2 sucn j pac'xages at a point of delivery, drive motors 66 and 67 are operated in ~.he opposite direction to move the packages . j from wi.hir. the cargo space o~ the trailer to the rear o .~ the trailer where they may be removed to a loading dock.
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Claims (17)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. Conveyor apparatus comprising: a generally rectangular support frame including at least two longitudinal beams extending the length of said frame, a plurality of cross beams connected between said longitudinal beams, and means for supporting said frame to permit the lower run of the conveyor to pass below the major portion of said frame; first and second parallel spaced apart axles extending transverse thereof adjacent opposite ends of said frame; axle support means for said axles mounted on said frame adjacent said opposite ends of said longitudinal beams;
at least one pair of coplanar notched sheaves, one of said pair being mounted on said first axle and the other of said pair being mounted on said second axle, each sheave having a continuous groove extending about its circumference; a conveyor cable trained over each coplanar pair of sheaves in a closed loop having upper and lower runs, said cable lying in the groove of each sheave to restrain sideward displacement of the cable; said conveyor cable being provided with lugs fixed thereon at spaced intervals, said lugs being configured to engage notches on said sheaves ; a plurality of floor slats, one of said floor slats being directly connected to each of at least a majority of said lugs on said con-veyor cable, the lugs connected to floor slats being contiguous to one another, the point of connection of a floor slat to a lug being between the ends of the floor slats; side walls mounted on said cross beams near both ends of each of said floor slats, in-cluding a portion overhanging the ends of said slat in close proxi-mity thereto; at least a pair of rails mounted on said frame and intending longitudinally thereof between said pair of axles in position to support floor slats connected to lugs located in said upper run with said slats sliding directly on said rails;
and means for driving at least one of said sheaves.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which said conveyor cable comprises a length of cable whose two ends are attached to a single one of said lugs to form said closed loop.

3. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 1 in which one of said axle support means includes positioning means for varying the longitudinal separation of said axles on said frame.

4. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 1 and further comprising a cargo body having side walls and an end wall, said side walls being supported by said longitudinal beams.

5. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 1 and further comprising:
means connecting one of said transverse beams to road wheels and the other of said transverse beams to a fifth wheel thereby adapting said equipment for use as semitrailer.

6. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 1 in which every lug has a floor slat connected thereto.

7. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 2 in which said single lug has a pair of divergent passageways formed therein for receiving the two ends of said length of cable, said passageways being angled to permit the ends of the cable to enter the single lug on opposite sides of the lug at opposed positions aligned with the cable rung.

8. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 1 in which adjacent ones of said slats overlap one another.

9. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 1 including a plurality of pairs of coplanar sheaves, the number of pairs of sheaves being n and the number of rails being at least n + 1 with the plane of each pair of coplanar sheaves positioned between a pair of rails.

10. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 1 wherein said support frame includes a pair of transverse means, one positioned adjacent each end of said frame and means, for supporting the longitudinal beams and cross beams above the transverse beams to define a slat in which the lower run passes.

11. Conveyor apparatus comprising: a generally rectangular support frame including at least two longitudinal beams extending the length of said frame, a plurality of cross beams connected between said longitudinal beams, and means for supporting said frame to permit the lower run of the conveyor to pass below the major portion of said frame; first and second parallel spaced apart axles extending transverse thereof adjacent opposite ends of said frame; axle support means for said axles mounted on said frame adjacent said opposite ends of said longitudinal beams; n pair of coplanar drive members, where n is an integer of one or greater, one of each said pair being mounted on said first axle and the other of each said pair being mounted on said second axle, each drive member having a continuous groove extending about its periphery; a longitudinally extending pulling member trained over each co-planar pair of drive members in a closed loop having upper and lower runs, said pulling member lying in the groove of each driven member to restrain sidewards displacement of the pulling member; said pulling member including engaging elements at spaced intervals configured to engage complementary elements on said drive member; a plurality of floor slats positioned trans-verse to said longitudinal beams, each of said floor slats being directly connected to each pulling member, the point of connection of a floor slat to a pulling member being between the ends of the floor slat; side walls mounted on said cross beams near both ends of each of said floor slats, including a portion overhanging the ends of said slat in close proximity thereto; at least n+1 rails mounted on said frame and extending longitudinally thereof between said pair of axles with each pulling member and associated pair of drive members being positioned between a pair of rails, said rails being positioned to support floor slats connected to that portion of said pulling member located in said upper run with said slats sliding directly on and supported by said rails; and means for driving at least one drive member of each pair.

12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 in which one of said engaging elements has a pair of divergent passageways formed therein for receiving the two ends of said pulling member, said passageways being angled to permit the ends of the pulling member to enter said one engaging element on opposite sides of the engaging element at opposed positions aligned with the pulling member run.

13. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 including a plurality of pairs of coplanar drive members, the number of pairs of sheaves being n and the number of rails being at least n+1 with the plane of each pair of coplanar drive members positioned between a pair of rails.

14. Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 wherein said support frame includes a pair of transverse means, one positioned adjacent each end of said frame and means for supporting the longitudinal beams and cross beams above the transverse beams to define a slat in which the lower run passes.

15. Apparatus in accordance with claim 14 and further comprising means connecting one of said transverse beams to road wheels and the other of said transverse beams to a fifth wheel thereby adapting said equipment for use as a semitrailer.

16. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 and further comprising an angle member attached at the bottom of said overhanging portion closing the space between the sidewall and the overhanging portion to prevent packing of bulk material therein.

17. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 wherein each said sidewall extends substantially vertical from said cross beam, and wherein said over-hanging portion abuts said sidewall at an angle to slope towards said con-veyor slats.