Rail conveyor system
AssigneeNewcastle Innovation Limited
InventorCraig Anthony Wheeler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rail conveyor system combining the low friction attributes of railway transportation with the continuous bulk handling advantages of belt conveyors, uses a multiplicity of spaced carriages (4) running on steel wheels (5) on rail tracks (2, 3) to support a continuous carry belt (7). The system is driven by various means including a rope (9) extending between the carriages. Various other drive means including drive belt technology are also described along with loading and unloading stations and distributed drive stations.
Claims17
-18. (canceled)
A rail conveyor system comprising a rail track, a plurality of carriages spaced apart from one another and connected together by a flexible rope arranged to provide tension and variable spacing between the carriages and wherein the carriages are arranged to run on wheels supported by the track, there being at least three wheels on each carriage with two or more of said wheels spaced apart in the intended direction of travel such that each carriage is independently supported on the track, and a continuous carry belt supported by the carriages.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.