Apparatus for emptying receptacles of particulate material

Abstract

Elongated receptacles, such as mushroom trays, are emptied of particulate material by positioning a screw conveyor transversely to the length of the tray and at one end of the tray. A winch, placed at the opposite end of a tray, with its cable attached to the frame of the screw conveyor, pulls the screw conveyor along the length of the tray to discharge the particulate matter out one side of the tray. Steering pads in the form of plates pivotally mounted to the rear portion of the screw conveyor frame may be selectively depressed by the operator standing on them and shifting his weight to aid in steering the screw conveyor through the length of the tray. The winch cable is connected to the frame of the screw conveyor by means of an L-shaped hook which acts on the lower rear portion of the frame. This enables the bottom portion of a shroud, which encloses the screw conveyor, to ride against the bottom of the tray, scrape the bottom of the tray, and remove any loose particulate matter left by the conveyor. Alternatively, the winch may be positioned on the screw conveyor itself and the winch cable secured to the end of the tray.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.