Modular base for driving conveyors and related components

A driving apparatus, comprising:

• a frame including a front end and a back end;
• first and second independent drive wheels pivotally connected to the frame and operatively driven by at least one drive motor attached to the frame adjacent the back end, wherein a portion of each drive wheel extends below the bottom of the frame, and where the independent drive wheels are independently driven with respect to one another to provide turning for the driving apparatus about a vertical axis;
• at least one caster wheel attached to the frame adjacent the front end at a position spaced apart from the first and second independent drive wheels, said caster wheel having a portion extending below the bottom of the frame;
• a power source providing power to operate the at least one drive motor in response to control signals;
• and
• an attachment pedestal, extending upward from the frame, to attach at least one conveyor interface component, wherein the driving apparatus turns through a 180-degree range around a vertical driving axis located midway between the first and second independent drive wheels.

A driving apparatus, comprising:

• a frame including a front end and a back end;
• first and second independent drive wheels pivotally connected to the frame and operatively driven by at least one drive motor attached to the frame adjacent the back end, wherein a portion of each drive wheel extends below the bottom of the frame, and where the independent drive wheels are independently driven with respect to one another to provide turning for the driving apparatus about a vertical axis;
• at least one caster wheel attached to the frame adjacent the front end at a position spaced apart from the first and second independent drive wheels, said caster wheel having a portion extending below the bottom of the frame;
• a power source providing power to operate the at least one drive motor in response to control signals;
• an attachment pedestal, extending upward from the frame, to attach at least one conveyor interface component;
• a mid-support slidably and pivotally connected to the attachment pedestal;
• an extendible conveyor, detachably connected to the driving apparatus, for loading and unloading objects from the extendible conveyor;
• an adjustable conveying apparatus including at least one pivoting conveyor operatively affixed on the mid-support, said adjustable conveying apparatus suitable to exchange objects with the extendible conveyor on a first end and with an operator on an opposite second end;
• and
• a movable operator platform removably connected to the driving apparatus and positioned adjacent the second end of the adjustable conveying apparatus,
• where said extendible conveyor includes a bi-directional conveyor, comprising:
• a plurality of telescoping conveyor sections, including an outermost conveyor section of a first width, the outermost conveyor section includes,
• a pair of opposed side members,
• at least one pair of auto-leveling legs attached to and supporting the opposed side members of the outermost conveyor section adjacent an end thereof,
• at least one pair of guide rollers and a pair of opposed guide channels are mounted on an interior of each opposed side member of the outermost conveyor section,
• a conveying surface spanning between the opposed side members of the outermost conveyor section, and
• a power ramp at a first end of the outermost conveyor section to facilitate transfer of an object between the outermost conveyor section and the adjacent nested conveyor section;
• and
• an extendible conveyor section nested within the outermost conveyor section, the extendible conveyor section includes,
• a pair of opposed side members,
• at least one pair of auto-leveling legs attached to and supporting the opposed side members of the extendible conveyor section,
• a guide rail mounted on an exterior of each opposed side member of the extendible conveyor section, where said guide rail passes through the rollers and guide rails of the outermost conveyor section to facilitate telescoping of the extendible section relative to the outermost conveyor section,
• a conveying surface spanning between the opposed side members of the extendible conveyor section.

An apparatus for driving an extendible conveyor, comprising:

• a frame including a front end and a back end;
• at least one drive wheel pivotally connected to the frame and operatively connected to be driven by at least one drive motor, wherein a portion of the drive wheel extends below the bottom of the frame, said at least one drive wheel changing the drive direction of the apparatus around a vertical axis;
• at least one caster wheel attached to the frame at a position spaced apart from the drive wheel, said caster wheel having a portion extending below the bottom of the frame;
• a power source providing power to operate the at least one drive motor in response to control signals;
• and
• an attachment pedestal, extending upward from the frame, to which at least one conveyor interface component is operatively attached to interface to the extendible conveyor.

An extendible conveyor, comprising:

• a plurality of telescoping conveyor sections, including an outermost conveyor section of a first width, the outermost conveyor section includes,
• a first pair of opposed side members,
• at least a first pair of auto-leveling legs attached to and supporting the opposed side members of the outermost conveyor section adjacent an end thereof,
• at least a first pair of guide rollers and a first pair of opposed guide channels mounted on an interior of each first opposed side member of the outermost conveyor section,
• a first conveying surface between the first pair of opposed side members of the outermost conveyor section, wherein at least a portion of the first conveying surface may be driven, and
• a first power ramp at a first end of the outermost conveyor section to facilitate transfer of an object between the outermost conveyor section and an adjacent nested conveyor section;
• the nested conveyor section nestable within the outermost conveyor section, is also extendible from within the outermost conveyor section and includes,
• a second pair of opposed side members,
• at least one second pair of auto-leveling legs attached to and supporting the second pair of opposed side members of the nested conveyor section,
• a second guide rail mounted on an exterior of each of the second pair of opposed side member of the nested conveyor section, where said second guide rail passes through the first rollers and first guide rails of the outermost conveyor section to facilitate telescoping of the nested conveyor section relative to the outermost conveyor section,
• a second conveying surface between the second pair of opposed side members of the nested conveyor section, wherein at least a portion of the second conveying surface may be driven.

An extendible conveyor, comprising:

• a plurality of telescoping conveyor sections, including an outermost conveyor section of a first width, the outermost conveyor section includes,
• an outermost pair of opposed side members,
• at least a first pair of auto-leveling legs attached to and supporting the opposed side members of the outermost conveyor section adjacent an end thereof,
• at least a first pair of guide rollers and a first pair of opposed guide channels are mounted on an interior of each opposed side member of the outermost conveyor section,
• a first conveying surface spanning between the opposed side members of the outermost conveyor section, and
• a first power ramp at a first end of the outermost conveyor section to facilitate transfer of an object between the outermost conveyor section and an adjacent nested conveyor section;
• at least one of N extendible conveyor section nested within the outermost conveyor section, each of the Nth extendible conveyor sections having a progressively smaller width and including,
• an Nth pair of opposed side members,
• at least an Nth pair of auto-leveling legs attached to and supporting the opposed side members of the Nth nested conveyor section,
• at least an Nth pair of guide rollers and an Nth pair of opposed guide channels mounted on an interior of each opposed side member of the Nth extendible conveyor section and a guide rail mounted on an exterior of each opposed side member of the Nth extendible conveyor section, where said guide rail passes through the rollers and guide rails of an adjacent conveyor section to facilitate telescoping of the Nth extendible section relative to the adjacent conveyor section,
• an Nth conveying surface spanning between the opposed side members of the Nth extendible conveyor section, and
• an Nth power ramp at a first end of the Nth extendible conveyor section to facilitate transfer of the object between adjacent conveyor sections;
• and
• an innermost conveyor section nested within one of the Nth extendible conveyor sections, the innermost conveyor section includes,
• a last, innermost pair of opposed side members,
• at least a last pair of auto-leveling legs attached to and supporting the opposed side members of the innermost conveyor section,
• last guide rails are mounted on an exterior of each of the innermost opposed side members of the innermost conveyor section, where said last guide rail pass through the rollers and guide rails of an adjacent one of the Nth extendible conveyor sections to facilitate a telescoping of the innermost section relative to the adjacent one of the Nth conveyor section, and
• a conveying surface spanning between the opposed side members of the innermost conveyor section.

A movable conveying system for loading and unloading objects from an extendible conveyor comprising:

• a driving apparatus removably connectable to the extendible conveyor;
• an adjustable conveying apparatus including at least one pivoting conveyor operatively affixed on the driving apparatus, said adjustable conveying apparatus suitable to exchange objects with the extendible conveyor on a first end and with an operator on an opposite second end;
• and
• a movable operator platform removably connected to the driving apparatus and positioned beneath the second end of the pivoting conveyor.

A movable operator platform suitable for attachment to a conveyor driving apparatus, the movable operator platform comprising:

• a telescoping base including a first frame member and a second frame member, wherein the second frame member slides horizontally within the first frame member such that a footprint of the base is expanded or contracted by sliding the second base frame member relative the first base frame member;
• a telescoping operator platform including an outer frame member and an inner frame member, wherein the inner frame member slides horizontally within the outer frame member such that a footprint of the operator platform is expanded or contracted by sliding the inner frame member relative the outer frame member;
• and
• a platform elevation system operatively connecting the telescoping base to the operator platform to enable the height of the operator platform to be controlled relative to the telescoping base.