High angle conveyor with self-adjusting inflection zone assembly

A self-adjusting inflection zone assembly for a high angle conveyor including a first conveyor belt a second conveyor belt, a concave up section in which a slope of the high angle conveyor increases, a concave down section in which the slope of the high angle conveyor decreases, and an inflection point at an intersection between the concave up section and the concave down section, the self-adjusting inflection zone assembly comprising:

• a first frame;
• a first idler roller coupled to the first frame, the first idler roller engaged with the first conveyor belt at a position adjacent the inflection point on an upstream side of the inflection point;
• a second frame;
• a second idler roller coupled to the second frame, the second idler roller engaged with the second conveyor belt at a position adjacent the inflection point on a downstream side of the inflection point;
• wherein at least one of the first frame or the second frame is pivotable from an initial position toward an expanded position to increase a spacing between the first frame and the second frame.

A high angle conveyor comprising:

• a first conveyor belt;
• a second conveyor belt arranged in an endless sandwich configuration with the first conveyor belt to convey material between the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt in a conveying direction, wherein the first conveyor belt and the second conveyor belt define an inflection point at which a curvature of the high angle conveyor changes from concave up to concave down;
• a first idler roller engaged with the first conveyor belt at a position adjacent the inflection point on an upstream side of the inflection point, the first idler roller being coupled to a first frame;
• and
• a second idler roller engaged with the second conveyor belt at a position adjacent the inflection point on a downstream side of the inflection point, the second idler roller being coupled to a second frame;
• wherein the first frame and the second frame are positioned on opposite sides of the inflection point, and
• wherein at least one of the first frame or the second frame is pivotable from an initial position toward an expanded position.