System for reclaiming bulk solids from a storage pile

A system for reclaiming bulk solids from a large bulk-solids storage pile standing on the ground, said system comprising:

• a longitudinally extending row of supports standing underneath said pile on the ground;
• at least one beam extending longitudinally along said row and secured to said supports;
• a longitudinally extending roof supported on said row of supports and having horizontally and transversely spaced lower edges spaced above the ground;
• a longitudinally extending bucket-type conveyor underneath said roof and below said lower edges thereof, said conveyor having
• a conveyor element having upper and lower reaches extending longitudinally the full length of said row,
• reversing wheels at the upstream and downstream ends of said row over which said conveyor element is spanned,
• a plurality of buckets each in turn having a bottom outlet, and
• guide rails supporting said buckets;
• a carriage displaceable longitudinally along said row beneath said roof and above said conveyor;
• an impeller on said carriage rotatable about an upright axis and having arms defining an orbit projecting horizontally outwardly beyond said lower edges into said pile;
• means for rotating said impeller about said axis and thereby sweeping bulk solids from said pile onto said conveyor;
• means for driving said conveyor and thereby longitudinally carrying away the bulk solids swept by said impeller arms onto said conveyor;
• and
• a channel recessed in the ground and receiving said lower reach, said channel having a lower wall normally blocking said bottom outlets except at the downstream end of said lower reach.