Patent ID: 7946410

Claim:
A mobile conveyor machine for use in a conveyor system in the form of a plurality of mobile conveyor machines pivotally connected together in an end-to-end manner, said conveyor machine comprising: a conveyor mechanism having an endless conveyor belt and an elongate supporting frame with two longitudinal side frame members on opposite sides thereof and two opposite end sections, said conveyor belt extending between said end sections and movably mounted on said supporting frame; a pair of transversely aligned wheel units for supporting and moving said conveyor machine, each wheel unit having a wheel support structure connected to a respective one of said side frame members and a wheel mounted on said wheel support structure for pivotable movement about a respective substantially vertical pivot axis for steering the conveyor machine; a curved track mounted at one end of said supporting frame and extending in a substantially horizontal circular arc when said conveyor machine is positioned on a horizontal surface, said arc having a centre of curvature located between the wheel units; a hitch unit mounted on said track for rolling movement along said track and adapted to connect pivotably said conveyor machine at said one end to an adjacent end section of another mobile conveyor machine; and sensor means for determining a substantially horizontal angle between a central longitudinal axis of the conveyor machine and a central longitudinal axis of said another mobile conveyor machine and transmitting an electrical signal indicative of said angle to a steering controller of the conveyor system, wherein said conveyor machine during use as part of said conveyor system is able to pivot about a substantially vertical axis extending through said centre of curvature relative to said another mobile conveyor machine connected to the conveyor machine by means of said hitch unit.