Apparatus and method for conveying materials

A conveyor apparatus for conveying materials, said apparatus comprising:

• a frame assembly including first and second spaced frame sidewalls;
• a first track assembly located on said first frame sidewall;
• a second track assembly located on said second frame sidewall and spaced from the first track assembly;
• said first track assembly having a pair of spaced tracks, the spaced tracks each including one or more slotted track blocks each having a slot;
• said second track assembly having a pair of spaced tracks, the spaced tracks each including one or more slotted track blocks each having a slot;
• a first track end block positioned on said first frame sidewall contiguous to said first track assembly and having a first end block track that joins said first and second tracks on said first track assembly;
• a second track end block positioned or said second frame sidewall contiguous to said second track assembly and having a second end block track that joins said first and second tracks or said second track assembly;
• a conveyor belt having a first edge and second edge;
• a first chord member joined to and located along said first conveyor belt edge;
• a second chord member joined to and located along said second conveyor belt edge;
• said first track and said first chord member substantially mate with the first chord member received within the slots of the slotted track blocks of the first track to form a substantially dynamic seal between said first track and said first chord member to preclude wet chips and wet chip fluid from passing through at the dynamic seal when said first chord member is disposed within said first track with opposing surfaces of said first track and said first chord member transverse to the lateral direction abutting to limit removal of said first chord member from said first track in the lateral direction, the opposing surfaces being disposed interior and exterior to the belt;
• said second track and said second chord member substantially mate with the second chord member received within the slots of the slotted track blocks of the second track to form a substantially dynamic seal between said second track and said second chord member to preclude wet chips and wet chip fluid from passing through at the dynamic seal when said second chord member is disposed within said track with opposing surfaces of said second track and said second chord member transverse to the lateral direction abutting to limit removal of said second chord member from said second track in the lateral direction, the opposing surfaces being disposed interior and exterior to the belt;
• and,
• a drive assembly connected to said frame for actuating said conveyor belt to travel relative to said tracks whereby said first chord member slides within said tracks in said first track assembly said and said second chord member slides within said tracks in said second track assembly.

A method of conveying material in a conveyor with an apparatus comprising:

• a frame assembly including a first frame sidewall and a second frame sidewall spaced from said first sidewall;
• a first track assembly located on said first frame sidewall;
• a second track assembly located on said second frame sidewall and spaced from the first track assembly;
• said track assemblies each including a track extending along the length of said track assembly, the track including one or more slotted track blocks each having a slot;
• a flexible conveyor belt having a first edge and a second edge spaced from said first edge;
• a first flexible chord member joined to and located contiguous to said first conveyor belt edge;
• a second flexible chord member joined to and located contiguous to said second conveyor belt edge;
• said first track and said first chord member substantially mate with the first chord member received within the slots of the slotted track blocks of the first track to form a substantially dynamic seal between said first track and said first chord member to preclude wet chips and wet chip fluid from passing through at the dynamic seal when said first chord member is disposed within said first track with opposing surfaces of said first track and said first chord member transverse to the lateral direction abutting to limit removal of said first chord member from said first track in the lateral direction, the opposing surfaces being disposed interior and exterior to the belt;
• said second track and said second chord member substantially mate with the second chord member received within the slots of the slotted track blocks of the second track to form a substantially dynamic seal between said second track and said second chord member to preclude wet chips and wet chip fluid from passing through at the dynamic seal when said second chord member is disposed within said track with opposing surfaces of said second track and said second chord member transverse to the lateral direction abutting to limit removal of said second chord member from said second track in the lateral direction, the opposing surfaces being disposed interior and exterior to the belt;
• a drive assembly connected to said frame assembly for actuating said conveyor belt to travel relative to said track assemblies whereby said first chord member slides within said first track and said second chord member slides within said second track;
• said method comprising:
• placing material to be conveyed on said conveyor belt;
• sliding said chord members joined to said conveyor belt relative to said track assemblies to cause said conveyor belt to move from one location to a second location;
• and
• precluding said material on said conveyor belt substantially from exiting said conveyor belt at the edges of said conveyor belt while said belt is moving.