# US 10,308,438 B1 · Control apparatus for conveyor of particulate material

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- Number: US 10,308,438 B1
- Document ID: US10308438B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 15/968,831
- Filed: 2018-05-02
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-29
- Assignees: Maguire Super-Shield Ltd.
- Applicants: Maguire Super-Shield Ltd.
- Inventors: Dennis R. Maguire
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308438B1

## CPC

- B65G 19/18: Details
- B65G 15/14: the load being conveyed between the belts {(B65G15/18, B65G15/20 take precedence)}
- B65G 15/16: between an auxiliary belt and a main belt
- B65G 69/04: Spreading out the materials conveyed over the whole surface to be loaded; Trimming heaps of loose materials
- E01C 19/2045: {spreading by means of an endless belt or like conveyor}
- B65G 2201/045: Sand, soil and mineral ore
- B65G 2207/08: Adjustable and/or adaptable to the article size
- B65G 2812/02217: characterised by the configuration
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- E01C: CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR (forming roads or like surfaces by compacting or grading snow or ice E01H)

## Abstract

A control apparatus for use with a stone spreader vehicle improves the control of particulate material travelling on a conveyor. The control apparatus has an endless belt supported about a plurality of rollers, a capture volume at its leading edge for receiving the incoming particulate material on the conveyor, and a release volume at its trailing edge for releasing the particulate material from the control apparatus.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A control apparatus for controlling the conveyance of particulate material on a conveyor, comprising:
a leading edge and a trailing edge;
a frame;
a plurality of horizontally aligned intermediate rollers rotatably attached to the frame;
a leading edge roller rotatably attached to the frame forward and above the plurality of intermediate rollers;
a trailing edge roller rotatably attached to the frame rearward and above the plurality of intermediate rollers;
an endless belt mounted and supported on the leading edge roller, trailing edge roller, and plurality of intermediate rollers;
a capture volume beneath the endless belt at the leading edge of the frame; and
a release volume beneath the endless belt at the trailing edge of the frame;
wherein the plurality of intermediate rollers define a plane and the endless belt forms a first angle between the leading edge roller and the adjacent intermediate roller and a second angle between the trailing edge roller and the adjacent intermediate roller relative to the plane; and
wherein the first angle is greater than the second angle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capture volume is a wedge-shaped volume between the endless belt and the conveyor defined by the first angle and the release volume is a wedge-shaped volume between the endless belt and the conveyor defined by the second angle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first angle is 19°.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second angle is 14°.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The control apparatus of claim 2, comprising a pivoting linkage connecting the control apparatus to the conveyor for permitting vertical movement of the control apparatus between a lowered position in which the endless belt rests on the conveyor to a raised position in which the endless belt is spaced apart from the conveyor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The control apparatus of claim 2, comprising a motor operationally engaged with one of the leading edge roller, the trailing edge roller, or the plurality of intermediate rollers to drive the endless belt.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The control apparatus of claim 6, wherein the motor is operationally engaged with the leading edge roller.