Patent ID: 6048153
Filing Date: 2000-04-11
Classification: B63B,B65G

Abstract:
A barge comprising:a hold for containing loose materials including opposed side walls and opposed front and rear end walls and defining side wall and end wall upper edges;a track assembly provided along said side wall upper edges, and an unloading gantry movably supported on said track assembly extending between the side walls, and movable back and forth on said track assembly between said front and rear end walls;a second track assembly provided on said unloading gantry and a pick up conveyor mounted to the second track assembly and movable back and forth on said second track assembly between said side walls;said pick up conveyor mounted for pivotal movement with its distal end projected from said unloading gantry toward one of said front and rear end walls and defining thereby a forward direction, said distal end controllably pivoted incrementally between a fully raised position and a fully lowered position, and a shearing member mounted to the distal end to project forwardly from said distal end of the pick up conveyor in a fixed relation to said distal end, and said shearing member in response to movement of the gantry in said forward direction providing forced penetration and skimming removal of the material contained in the hold and directing the material onto the pick up conveyor for conveying the material from the hold to the gantry; anda conveyor system mounted to the barge for receiving material from the pick up conveyor for depositing the material onto a shore position.