Patent ID: 7779987

Claim:
A method of sampling carryback material transferred by a bulk material belt conveyor system, the belt conveyor system comprising a belt, a structural frame, and a carryback sampling device, the belt being supported by the structural frame and a having a downwardly facing portion having carryback material attached thereto, the carryback sampling device comprising at least a first bracket, first and second support members, a carryback receptacle, and a carryback scraper, the first support member being pivotally attached to the first bracket in a manner such that first support member is pivotally movable relative to and beneath the downwardly facing portion of the belt, the second support member being slideably attached to the first support member, the method comprising: attaching the carryback receptacle to the second support member of the carryback sampling device while the belt is in motion relative to the structural frame; moving the second support member relative to the first support member in a manner positioning the carryback receptacle under the downwardly facing portion of the belt while the belt is in motion relative to the structural frame; pivotally moving the first and second support members relative to the first bracket while the belt is in motion relative to the structural frame into a position that causes the carryback scraper to scrape the belt and to transfer a portion of the carryback material to the carryback receptacle; removing the carryback receptacle together with the portion of the carryback material from beneath the belt while the belt is in motion relative to the structural frame by sliding the second support member relative to the first support member.