Flexible hopper for a conveyor system
AssigneeCaterpillar Paving Products Inc.
InventorsColton Hirman, Nathan Mashek, Nick Johnson, Ryan Hutar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Some examples described herein include a flexible hopper for a conveyor system. The flexible hopper may include a hopper weldment attached to a frame of the conveyor, wherein the hopper weldment surrounds a charge end of the conveyor, a flexible frame configured to enable an opening of the flexible hopper to expand or contract, and/or a skirt attached to the flexible frame and configured to form an enclosure between the flexible frame and the hopper weldment.
Claims12
A conveyor system comprising:
- a first conveyor to convey material from a first charge end to a first discharge end;
- a second conveyor to convey material from a second charge end to a second discharge end;
- and
- a flexible hopper configured to receive material from the first discharge end,
- wherein the flexible hopper is attached to the second charge end of the second conveyor and comprises:
- a hopper weldment that surrounds the second charge end;
- a flexible frame attached to the hopper weldment;
- and
- a flexible skirt attached to the flexible frame and configured to form an enclosure between the first discharge end and the second charge end.
A flexible hopper configured to receive material that is to be conveyed on a conveyor, the flexible hopper comprising:
- a hopper weldment attached to a frame of the conveyor,
- wherein the hopper weldment surrounds a charge end of the conveyor;
- a flexible frame configured to enable an opening of the flexible hopper to expand or contract;
- and
- a skirt attached to the flexible frame and configured to form an enclosure between the flexible frame and the hopper weldment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.