Side discharge conveyor assembly

An improved side discharge conveyor assembly capable of discharging its carried load in a wind row, wherein the conveyor assembly is of the known type having a support framework defining a generally longitudinal pathway for conveyor operation;

• a transport means carried by the support framework for relative motion along the longitudinal pathway defined by the support framework and including a plurality of carriages joined to a pulling chain;
• and a conveyor belt assembly carried by the transport means for motion therewith along the pathway defined by the support framework, the belt assembly being of the type forming an endless conveyor belt from a plurality of segments that are joined together to define the belt, each segment having a central transverse flexible convolution with a shelf extending longitudinally from each of the two opposite longitudinal faces of the convolution, each shelf being attached to a joining leg near the end edge of the shelf for uniting adjacent segments, wherein the improvement comprises:
• (a) a first hinge arm connected transversely to the longitudinal pathway of the belt assembly at a joining leg, a first portion of said first hinge arm extending laterally of the conveyor belt on a first side thereof for receiving tilting forces during side discharge operations, and a second portion of the first hinge arm extending laterally of the conveyor belt center line in opposition to said first portion thereof;
• (b) a hinged joining means connected to a carriage and receiving said second portion of the first hinge arm in pivotal connection supporting the belt assembly for local tilting by force applied to said first arm portion of the first hinge arm;
• (c) actuator means positionable in the longitudinal pathway of the first arm portion for inducing lateral local tilting of the belt assembly with respect to the transport means to side discharge, in use, at the local tilted portion of the belt assembly;
• and
• (d) means for longitudinally moving the actuator means with respect to the support framework to longitudinally vary the local position of side discharge on a continuous basis for permitting deposit, in use, of the discharged material in a wind row.