Reciprocating channel floor conveyor

A method of handling garbage at a transfer station, comprising:

• providing a base structure leading to a discharge level;
• positioning a container for receiving garbage with its top below the discharge level;
• providing on said base structure a plurality of spaced apart parallel support beams, each having opposite side walls and a top, and flanges projecting laterally outwardly in opposite directions from the top;
• providing slide bearing means on said support beams of a type including a top part situated above the support beam, a lower flange part located below the flange on its side of the support beam, and a web interconnecting the top part and the lower flange part;
• providing a floor member on each support beam of a type comprising a top wall which rests on the top of the bearing, a pair of side walls which depend downwardly from the opposite side edges of the top of the floor member, and flange means which project inwardly from the side walls of the floor member, below the lower portions of the bearing means, towards the side walls of the support beams;
• spacing the floor members apart a distance that will allow garbage placed on the floor members to fall between adjacent floor members;
• dumping garbage onto the floor members;
• and
• moving the floor members to advance the garbage to the container.

A method of conveying particle ice, comprising:

• providing an insulated base structure;
• providing on said base structure a plurality of spaced apart, parallel support beams, each having opposite side walls and a top, and flanges projecting laterally outwardly in opposite directions from the top;
• providing bottom members in the spaces between adjacent support beams, connected to the side walls of the support beams to define channels between the support beams;
• providing slide bearing means on said support beams of a type including a top part situated above the support beam, a lower flange part located below the flange on its side of the support beam, and a web interconnecting the top part and the lower flange part;
• providing a floor member on each support beam of a type comprising a top wall which rests on the top of the bearing, a pair of side walls which depend downwardly from the opposite side edges of the top floor member, and flange means which project inwardly from the side walls of the floor member, below the lower portions of the bearing means, towards the side walls of the support beams;
• spacing the floor members apart a distance less than the size of most of the ice particles to be conveyed, so that such ice particles will not fall through the space between the floor members;
• placing particle ice onto said floor members;
• moving the floor members to advance the particle ice;
• and
• using the channels to collect small ice particles and water from melted ice and carry it away from below the particle ice that is on the floor members.

A method of conveying a product that is in a refrigerated space, comprising:

• providing an insulated base structure for said space;
• providing on said base structure a plurality of spaced apart, parallel support beams, each having opposite side walls and a top, and flanges projecting laterally outwardly in opposite directions from the top;
• providing slide bearing means on said support beams of a type including a top part situated above the support beam, a lower flange part located below the flange on each side of the support beam, and a web interconnecting the top part and the lower flange part;
• providing a floor member on each support beam of a type comprising a top wall which rests on the top of the bearing, a pair of side walls which depend downwardly from the opposite side edges of the top of the floor member, and flange means which project inwardly from the side walls of the floor members, below the lower portions of the bearing means, towards the side walls of the support beams;
• spacing the floor members laterally apart to provide a substantial space between adjacent floor members;
• placing a load on the floor members;
• moving the floor members to advance the load towards one end of the space;
• and
• refrigerating the space, at least by circulating refigerated air through the spaces between adjacent floor members.