Conveyor for and method of conveying heated material

A conveyor system comprising:

• a frame;
• a trough assembly supported on the frame,
• the trough assembly comprising a plurality of trough assembly segments, each trough assembly segment including a trough segment having a trough wall and a plenum disposed beneath the trough wall,
• the trough assembly having a longitudinal axis along which material is transported, the trough assembly segments being arranged along the longitudinal axis and the trough walls having longitudinally opposing edges, the longitudinally opposing edges of adjacent trough segments being spaced apart to define a space therebetween, and including a plurality of butt joints, each butt joint gripping the longitudinally opposing edges of adjacent trough assembly segments;
• a first plurality of apertures in the trough wall of each trough segment through which air exiting the plenum may pass;
• a plurality of baffles spaced above the apertures in the trough wall of each trough segment, the baffles attached to the trough wall and defining a second plurality of apertures through which air exiting the first plurality of apertures may pass;
• and
• a vibratory generator operatively coupled to the trough assembly.