Finger support for a drum conveyor

A finger support (204) mounted on a surface of an elongate hollow drum (126, 128, 130) of a drum conveyor (112) for slidably receiving a conveyor finger (124) projecting outwardly through an aperture in a wall of the drum, wherein the finger (124) is supported at one end within the elongate drum (122), the finger support (204) comprising:

• a base plate (300) configured to be mounted on, and being fixed to a surface of the wall of the elongate drum (122) in spanning relationship to the aperture;
• a cover plate (304) fixed to the base plate (300);
• and
• a swivel member (302) disposed between the base plate (300) and the cover plate (304);
• wherein the swivel member (302) is constrained by the base plate (300) and the cover plate (304) to rotate with respect to the base plate (300) and the cover plate (304) about an axis (318);
• wherein said swivel member contains an aperture (320) configured and oriented for slidably receiving the conveyor finger (124) projecting outward through the aperture in the wall of the drum spanned by the base plate (300);
• wherein the elongate drum (122) is configured to rotate in a first direction (R) about a horizontal rotational axis (202), and further wherein the axis (318) is disposed crosswise to the axis (202);
• and
• wherein the elongate drum includes a cylindrical center portion (126) having opposite ends respectively joined to outwardly converging conical end portions (128, 130), wherein the one end of the finger (124) is supported within one of the conical end portions (128, 130) for rotating about a horizontal axis (201) extending parallel to the rotational axis (202) and being co-planar with, and spaced in a direction of travel (V) from, the rotational axis (202), wherein the finger support (204) is fixed to one of the conical end portions (128, 130) of the elongate drum (122), and further wherein the finger support (204) supports the finger (124) so as to be angled toward an adjacent end of the drum (122) at an angle (F) with respect to the rotational axis (202) of the elongate drum (122) and further wherein the angle (F) is acute throughout an entire rotation of the elongate drum (122) and varies continuously between two angular limits as the elongate drum (122) rotates between a front position (B), wherein the finger support (204) faces forward, with the supported finger (124) being at a front location relative to the direction of travel (V), and a rear position (A), wherein the finger support (204) faces rearward, with the supported finger 124 being at a rear location relative to the direction of travel (V).