Bucket elevator improvements

A bucket elevator, comprising:

• at least one chain adapted to support a plurality of buckets in echelon alignment, and to convey said buckets from a lower collecting station, through an elevating station, and to a discharging station, and then return said buckets to the collecting station, said buckets having a mouth configured for receiving materials to be elevated;
• wherein front and rear portions of said buckets are secured to and supported by said chains so that the orientation of each said bucket remains that of the chain link with which it is associated, thereby reducing spacing between said buckets;
• wherein, at the collecting station, each of said buckets is positioned relative to adjoining buckets so that, at least in a substantially forward to rearward direction, there is a continuous collection area for collection of materials to be elevated;
• wherein said buckets are configured to collect materials to be elevated at the collecting station and elevate the materials to the discharging station, said configuration permitting retention of the materials within said buckets by reason of the shape and orientation of said buckets from the collecting station to the discharging station;
• and
• wherein said collecting station extends across a collecting area in which said buckets are arranged in a collecting position with its mouth uppermost, whereby the materials are retained within said buckets by reason of the shape, position, and orientation of said respective buckets from the collecting station to the discharging station.

A bucket elevator, comprising:

• at least one bucket elevator chain;
• buckets arranged to collect fruits and juice of the fruits at a lower collection station and elevate the fruits and juice to a discharge station;
• wherein front and rear portions of said buckets are attached to said chains so that the orientation of said buckets remains that of the chain to which it is affixed, thereby reducing spacing between said buckets, whereby the fruits and juice are retained within said buckets by reason of the shape and the orientation of the said buckets from the collection station to the discharge station;
• and
• wherein said collection station extends across a collection area, and said buckets are arranged in a collection position as said buckets traverse each said collection area, said collection position including said mouth oriented substantially upright, whereby the fruits and juice will be retained within said buckets by reason of the shape, position and orientation of said buckets from the collection station to the discharge station.