Patent ID: 6422381
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
A belt conveyor for conveying granular material comprising:a tube having an upper output end and a lower input end; a hopper for receiving granular material attached at the input end of the tube, the hopper including a hopper end wall and hopper side walls extending from the end wall to the input end of the tube; a belt having an upper surface and a lower surface, and having an upper path extending from a lower roller, then through a bottom of the hopper, then through the tube to an upper roller; and a lower path from the upper roller to the lower roller; a drive to move the belt along the upper path from the input end toward the output end of the tube; guide members at a lower end of the conveyor for guiding the belt from a flat orientation as the belt leaves the lower roller into a cupped orientation as the belt enters the hopper, the cupped orientation maintained by sliding contact at an interface between the lower surface of the belt and the hopper walls as the belt passes through the hopper; left and right baffle members attached along the hopper side walls from the end wall substantially to the tube in proximity to left and right edges of the belt, the baffle members extending from the hopper wall and thereby preventing the granular material from sliding down the hopper walls into contact with the interface between the lower surface of the belt and the hopper walls; wherein the belt has a width that is substantially fully exposed to granular material entering the hopper.