Bunker-discharge apparatus, especially for bulk material

A bunker-discharge apparatus, especially for bulk material which moves with difficulty, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing having a bottom;
• at least one set of conveyor elements, for moving said bulk material, arranged at least in the vicinity of said bottom of said apparatus, each set of conveyor elements being adapted to be driven back and forth in the conveying direction and including side members interconnected by crossbars arranged transverse to the conveying direction, thus providing a ladder shape, said crossbars being generally wedge-shaped in cross section, having a perpendicular pusher surface on that side facing the conveying direction, and a flat-inclined wedge surface on that side facing counter to the conveying direction;
• a discharge unit, arranged below the level of said at least one set of conveying elements, including a conveyor member and arranged at right angles to the conveying direction of said at least one set of conveying elements;
• at least one pair of hydraulic cylinders respectively operatively connected to said housing and one end of said at least one set of conveying elements;
• diverting rollers respectively operatively connected to said housing at the other end of said at least one set of conveying elements for at least indirectly guiding same;
• and
• a timing member operatively connected to said hydraulic cylinders for providing a cycle of operation, said at least one set of conveying elements, said hydraulic cylinders, and said diverting rollers being operatively associated in such a way that at any given time at least one hydraulic cylinder is adapted to be fully engaged and at least another hydraulic cylinder is adapted to be partially engaged by said timing member, so that all push forces are convertible into pulling forces, and said at least one set of conveying elements, in operation, is continuously under adjustable pulling tension.