Patent ID: 6896123
Filing Date: 2005-05-24
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
1. A movable idler support for use with an extensible conveyor system that uses at least one moving idler support to extend over a surface next to a dock structure, the system comprising: a moving head; a base with sides, a front section and a rear section, the front portion of the base being adapted for cooperating with the rear portion of a similar base, such that the front portion of the base accepts the rear portion of the similar base to allow stacking of the bases, each of the sides of the base having pair of spaced apart supports, each of the supports extending along a line that is at an angle to the surface; an idler support frame mounted over said supports and between the front portion and the rear portion of the base, so that several of the support frames can be nested against one another to reduce the overall space taken up by the support frames; and a constant counterweight takeup system, the constant counterweight takeup system having a reeving system that is held in tension by a counterweight, the reeving system being adapted for extending between the dock structure and the moving head, the reeving system being joined by a take-up pulley assembly to a belt loop, the belt loop extending between the moving head and the idler support frame, so that the counterweight is used to provide tension between the moving head and the idler support frame.