Patent ID: 10189647

Abstract:
A conveyor system, at least a portion of which may traverse a continuous slope sufficiently steep such that tensile forces associated with overcoming the effects of the slope are several times larger per unit length of run than tensile forces per unit length of run due to main frictional resistance of the conveyor system, may include a belt-on-belt drive. The belt-on-belt drive may include at least one internal belt configured to operably engage the carry belt of the conveyor system so as to frictionally drive the carry belt over at least a one-third length of the sloped run. At the portion of the external belt driven by the at least one internal belt, the rate of tension change in the external belt may be configured to be approximately zero or a modest rise. In some embodiments, the longitudinal stiffness of the at least one internal belt may be substantially greater than the external belt's longitudinal stiffness.