An apparatus (10) adapted to lift a conveyor belt (12) relative to a supporting structure (14). The apparatus (10) includes a cradle (16) adapted to support the conveyor belt (12), a base arrangement (17) adapted to locate with the supporting structure (14) and a lifting mechanism (20) operatively coupled between the base arrangement (17) and the cradle (16) so that the conveyor belt is elevatable in a supported condition. The apparatus including a load sensor arrangement (22) configured to measure a load carried by the apparatus associated with lifting the belt. A system (100) including the apparatus (10) and method are also disclosed

A conveyor module 1, adapted to be releasably attached to at least one other conveyor module 1 to form a conveyor assembly 15. Each conveyor module 1 includes a substantially longitudinal main frame 4, said main frame 4 being adjustable between a first position (FIG. 3), in which said module 1 is compacted for transportation, and, a second position (FIG. 4), in which said module 1 is expanded for conveyor operation. A plurality of support legs 17 is provided to support said conveyor module 1 upon a substrate surface, each support leg being adjustable to facilitate adjustable alignment of said module 1. Conveyor componentry 12 is housed substantially within said main frame 1. The conveyor module 1 is preferably formed from or built to standardised shipping container (ISO) specifications.

The endless path includes: a first region extending linearly in the transport direction and constituting a transport surface on which the object to be transported is placeable, turn-back regions in which the endless path is turned back downward from respective end portions of the first region in the transport direction; and a second region continuous with the turn-back regions and extending in the transport direction below the first region, and the second region has, between the two support legs in the transport direction, a specific zone that is parallel with the first region and in which a spacing from the first region in an up-down direction is smaller than a smallest turn-back dimension corresponding to twice a smallest bending radius of the endless member.

A method 10 of refurbishing a bucket wheel reclaimer (BWR) 41 having structural frame 68, a chute 66 supported by the structural frame 68, a yard conveyor 42 for receiving material from the chute 66 and an impact table 64 supported by the structural frame 68 below a portion of an upper run 44 of the yard conveyor 42. The method includes a step 12 of decoupling a current impact table 64 from the BWR structural frame 68. The impact table 64 is lowered at step 26 from the structural frame 68. Thereafter at step 14 the current impact table is moved laterally away from and to one side of the yard conveyor. At steps 16 and 18 a fresh impact table is moved laterally to a location beneath the upper run 44 of the yard conveyor and coupled to the BWR 41.

An article transport device includes a transport mechanism which is configured to support, from below, a container being transported and to transport the container along a transporting path, and a housing which forms an accommodating space in which at least a part of the transport mechanism is housed. The housing has one or more support plates, a plurality of brackets, and a housing panel. Each of the one or more support plates is a plate-shaped member extending along the transporting path and is configured to support the transport mechanism from below. A lower end portion of each of the plurality of brackets is attached to a corresponding one of the one or more support plates such that the plurality of the brackets are spaced apart from one another along a direction along the transporting path, outside the accommodating space along the lateral width direction. When the housing panel is not attached to the at least one of the plurality of brackets, the housing is provided with a communicating opening for allowing communication between a space inside and a space outside the accommodating space. The vertical dimension of the communicating opening is set to be a dimension that corresponds to a vertical dimension of the at least one of the plurality of brackets.

An article transport device includes a transport mechanism which is configured to support, from below, a container being transported and to transport the container along a transporting path, and a housing which forms an accommodating space in which at least a part of the transport mechanism is housed. The housing has one or more support plates, a plurality of brackets, and a housing panel. Each of the one or more support plates is a plate-shaped member extending along the transporting path and is configured to support the transport mechanism from below. A lower end portion of each of the plurality of brackets is attached to a corresponding one of the one or more support plates such that the plurality of the brackets are spaced apart from one another along a direction along the transporting path, outside the accommodating space along the lateral width direction. When the housing panel is not attached to the at least one of the plurality of brackets, the housing is provided with a communicating opening for allowing communication between a space inside and a space outside the accommodating space. The vertical dimension of the communicating opening is set to be a dimension that corresponds to a vertical dimension of the at least one of the plurality of brackets.

A support frame for a conveyor system, the support frame comprising: an upright longitudinally extending between an operative lower end and an operative upper end; a cross member extending outwardly from the upright between an upright end and a trolley end, the cross member including a trolley located towards the trolley end of the cross member and which trolley is operatively adapted to suspend the upright from an overhead rail; and an idler assembly attached to the upright and operatively adapted to support a carry belt portion and a return belt portion of a conveyor belt.

A weldment structure for reinforcing a boom of a material conveyor apparatus includes a pair of elongate rigid members having an overall length with cut ends, a set of cross members sharing an overall length with cut ends, the cross members fixed orthogonally to the elongate rigid members functioning to hold the rigid members apart and parallel and at the same edge alignment, and a set of cross support brackets fixed to the cross members and to the elongate rigid members, the cross support brackets each supporting at least a return roller bracket assembly and a pair of opposing belt guides.

A weldment structure for reinforcing a boom of a material conveyor apparatus includes a pair of elongate rigid members having an overall length with cut ends, a set of cross members sharing an overall length with cut ends, the cross members fixed orthogonally to the elongate rigid members functioning to hold the rigid members apart and parallel and at the same edge alignment, and a set of cross support brackets fixed to the cross members and to the elongate rigid members, the cross support brackets each supporting at least a return roller bracket assembly and a pair of opposing belt guides.

A cleanable frame and a method for making a cleanable frame having a simplified frame design. A hygienic conveyor frame assembly comprises a plurality of hollow tubular sections joined together to form an evacuated, sealed conveyor frame support structure that functions as a sterilization zone. An integral carryway is placed on the support structure. Lifters coupled to the conveyor frame can lift the carryway and conveyor belt for cleaning. Infeed and outfeed assemblies are also movable between operating and cleaning positions. A sensor can monitor the conditions of the frame interior to ensure that the vacuum is maintained and initiate a corrective action if the vacuum seal is breached.