Patent ID: 6220425
Filing Date: 2001-04-24
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
In a bucket elevator having a head pulley rotatably supported by a head pulley shaft, a boot pulley rotatably supported by a floating boot pulley shaft, and a bucket-carrying, flexible, endless belt co-operating with said head and boot pulleys, a primary drive and belt-tensioning means operatively connected to the boot pulley shaft, and comprising:a fixed-position fulcrum element;a rotatable platform lever element contacting said fixed-position fulcrum element and urging the bucket elevator floating boot pulley shaft in a vertically downward direction; anda motor element mounted on said rotatable platform lever and having an output shaft connected to said floating boot pulley shift in driving relation, the weight of said motor element causing rotation of said platform lever element and the bucket elevator floating boot pulley shaft vertically downardly and about said fixed position fulcrum element in response to elongation of the bucket elevator bucket-carrying, flexible, endless belt.