Pusher assembly for scrap metal conveyors

A pusher assembly for a scrap metal conveyor having a trough including bottom wall means on which the pusher assembly is supported for longitudinal reciprocation to advance scrap metal along the trough between opposite ends thereof and means at one end of said trough to reciprocate said pusher assembly, said pusher assembly comprising rigid push rod means extending longitudinally along said trough, said push rod means being circular in cross-section and having an axis, a plurality of axially spaced apart scrap metal pusher means each supported on said push rod means for reciprocation therewith and against axial displacement relative thereto and for swinging circumferential pivotal movement relative to one another and to said push rod means, said swinging movement being restricted to a plane transverse to said axis, each said pusher means including pusher blade means and a tubular support sleeve for said blade means, spacer sleeve means between the support sleeves of axially adjacent ones of said pusher means and providing said axially spaced apart relationship therebetween, said support sleeves and said spacer sleeve means being axially slidably received on and removable from said push rod means, and means releaseably retaining said support sleeves and said spacer sleeve means on said push rod means.