Patent ID: 8151975

Claim:
A rail conveyor system adapted for mounting upon the floor of a container for conveying a load therein, the rail conveyor system comprising: a base member for supporting a rail conveyor mechanism, the rail conveyor mechanism including; a mechanical power transfer assembly mounted within the base member; a plurality of support rod members mounted in parallel upon the base member and rotatable by the mechanical power transfer assembly; a plurality of square tube members mounted mutually parallel and resting perpendicular to and upon the support rod members to provide a uniform support surface above the base member; the tube members operatively connected to the power transfer assembly for sequential, longitudinal, reciprocation perpendicular to the support rod members; the support rod members each including a series of indented surfaces for sequentially lowering one of the tube members relative to adjacent, bracketing tube members; and the mechanical power transfer assembly providing sequential, longitudinal movement of the adjacent, bracketing tube members in one direction and movement of a bracketed tube member in an opposite direction, while simultaneously rotating the support rod members to first lower the opposite moving bracketed tube member during said movement, and then to raise the bracketed tube member.