US2684750A - Conveyer stacker and trailing conveyer - Google Patents

Description

July 27, 1954 S. M. MERCIER CONVEYER STACKER' AND TRAILI NG CONVEYER Filed Feb. 21. 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l /le 7a //vvE/v7-o/e; STANLEY M-MERCIER BY wai /4%.

ATTY.

y 1954 s. M. MERCIER 2,684,750

CONVEYER STACKER AND TRAILING CONVEYER Filed Feb. 21, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATT 3 July 27, 1954 s. M. MERCIER CONVEYER STACKER AND TRAILING CONVEYER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 21, 1950 //v VEN To/e; STANLEY M-MEEOER BY July 27, 1954 s. M. MERCIER CONVEYER STACKER AND TRAILING CONVEYER Filed Feb. 2 1950 m I x Q on M Y //A Wu /N.Y g i a S ATTK Patented July 27, 1954 CONVEYER STACKER AND TRAILING CONVEYER Stanley M. Mercier, Bexley, Ohio, assignor to The Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Ohio Application February 21, 1950, Serial No. 145,501

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a stacker system and an object of the invention is to provide an improved system involving a stacker boom mounted on a tractor for swinging movement about an upright axis at its rear or receiving end and also mounted for longitudinal movement, to: which stacker boom a trailing conveyor is attached to move rectilinearly therewith, the rear or receiving end of the stacker boom being suspended from the front end of the head section of the trailing conveyor for swinging movement about an upright axis.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above mentioned type in which the head section of the trailing conveyor is provided with front and rear frame supporting axles preferably provided with individually operable crawler type traction means at opposite ends of said axles adapted to propel the trailing conveyor rectilinearly and to guide it.

Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus as above mentioned in which one or more jacks, such as hydraulic jacks, are employed to adjust the trailing conveyor head section relative to at least one of the axles so as to maintain the conveyor head sectionframe level transversely as the unit moves over uneven} ground.

A further object of the invention is to provide a suspending interconnection between the head section of the trailing conveyor and th receiving section of the boom above mentioned, whereby the boom may be swung on a horizontal axis by means preferably involving a turntable which is adjustable to a substantially horizontal plane and in a more specific aspect there is a chute associated with the turntable to guide material discharged from the trailing conveyor head section to the receiving end of the stacker boom.

A further object of the invention is to provide various control devices, such as control switches, between the frame and at least one of the axles of the conveyer head section and in the most specific aspect of the invention there are three sets of these control switches, or the like, one set controlling the maximum angular swing between said axl and frame on a longitudinal horizontal axis, another controlling the swing between said axle and frame on an upstanding axis, and another controlling the up and down movement of the frame relative to said axle along said upstanding axis.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being set forth in the'appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

" trailing conveyer having a head section I l.

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevational view of an installation incorporating features of my invention, showing particularly the stacker boom and its association with the head section of a trailing conveyer;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational View showing one of the traction devices supporting the front of the trailing conveyer head section and also showing the suspending connection between the front of said head section and the rear or receiving end of the stacker boom;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, with certain parts omitted;

Fig. i is an enlarged sectional view showing particularly th turntable suspension connection between said trailing conveyer head section and the receiving end of the stacker boom and also showing a material guiding chute associated, therewith;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view, with parts omitted and parts broken away and with other parts shown in section, showing particularly the connection between the trailing conveyer head section frame and the front axle or axle assembly;

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the structure of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the head section of the trailing conveyer;

Fig. 8 is a plan view showing particularly one of the crawler traction devices in association with the front axle or front axle assembly of the trailing conveyer head section; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 99 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows, certain parts being shown therein in elevation.

The conveyer stacker system herein disclosed, which incorporates important aspects of my invention, includes a stacker I!) attached to a The stacker [0 includes a stacker boom or main frame [2 having a head or discharge pulley I3 over which the material, such as waste dirt or the like, is discharged and a tail or rear end pulley 14, between which pulleys i3 and M an endless power driven belt I5 extends which may be driven in any desired manner from a driving motor, such as an electric motor, or the like.

Generally centrally of the frame or boom l2 there is a supporting tractor l6 which supports said boom I2 and which may be operated to swing it through a large arc as well as to support it while it is moved rectilinearly forwardly or rearwardly and while material is discharged over the head pulley l3. The general arrangement of the tractor if and boom 12 may take any desired or recognized form. For example, it may follow the construction disclosed in my application, Serial No. 74,348,1iled February '3, 1949, now Patent No. 2,632,558, dated March 24, 1953.

The trailing conveyer head section it constitutes the head section of a very long trailing belt conveyer which, for example, may have a length in excess of one thousand feet, the rear portion of the trailing conveyor including, for example, a frame ll (see Fig. 1) mounted upon spaced wheels I3 adapted to ride on rails l9. Said trailing conveyer also includes an endless belt 20 which travels over a foot or tail pulley at the rear end of the trailing conveyerinot shown) and over a head pulley 2! at the front or head end of the head section I i.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings the return run of the belt 2% is preferably reeved about a plurality of drive pulleys 22 which are power driven. The belt 2G is sup-ported on spaced troughing idlers 23, many of which are carried by the head section If and others by the trailing portion of the trailing conveyer substantially throughout its entire length.

One form of construction, particularly of the rear portion of the trailing conveyer, which may be employed, together with mechanism for loading it, is disclosed in the application of Gust Weggum, Serial No. 80,695, filed March 10, 1949, now Patent No. 2,554,077, dated May 22, 1951.

As illustrated particularly in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, the trailing oonveyer head section ll preferably is positioned above the rails or track 59 and is supported entirely independently thereof, with the trailing portion of said trailing conveyer pulled along said rails 19 as the complete system advances forwardly, between which intermittent forward movements the stacker l9 swings through a desired arc to discharge its dirt.

The trailing c-onveyer head section ll generally resemble a crocodile and includes an elongated generally horizontal frame 24 which slopes slightly upwardly and forwardly, as best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Frame 24 is fabricated from longitudinally, vertically, diagonally and transversely extending angles, plates, channels and the like. Of particular significance is the fact that it includes a pair of bolster and axle or axle frame assemblies which are of similar construction, except for differences hereinafter mentioned, there being a forward or front bolster and axle assembly, as seen particularly in Figs. 2, 3, 8 and 9 of the drawings, which includes a front axle or axle frame 25, the generally similar rear bolster and axle assembly including axle or axle frame 26 (see Fig. 7).

As clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, at the front end of the trailing conveyer head section ii there is a bolster 27 comprising a transversely extending box like member built up of plates and angles welded together, as illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings. The bolster 2'! may carry a level indicating device 28 responsive to the transverse level of the head section I I, which device may operate upon the same principle as the leveling device shown and described in United States Patent No. 2,101,837, to L. E. Blanchett.

Adjacent the transverse center of the frame 24 the bolster 27 is provided with a heavy downwardly extending pivotor king pin 29 rigidly attached to the bolster 2i and providing a pivotal and sliding connection with a trunnion 30 (see Fig. 9) which provides a pivotal connection to the axle or axle frame 25 through forward and rearward cooperating bearings 31 carried by removable forward and rearward plates 34, this pivotal trunnion connection being along the longitudinal axis of the trailing conveyer head section H and being substantially horizontal.

As clearly illustrated in Fig. 9, the bottom of the king pin 2% is journaled on an upright axis in the trunnion 38 so as to provide for relative swinging movement between the frame 26 and the axle 25 about said upright axis. Furthermore, this pivotal connection provides for limited relative up and down or vertical movement between the king pin 29 and the trunnion 38 by virtue of the fact that the vertical dimension of the trunnion 3d at the point of connection is less than the distance between top and bottom limit plates 32 and 33 carried by this interconnecting portion of said king pin 28 and said trunnion 3B.

As hereinafter described more completely, this vertical or up and down movement is provided between the king pin 29 and the trunnion 3!) so that under normal conditions the load on the front portion of the head section 1 i will be transmitted to the front axle or axle frame 25 through tilted controlling jacks. The rear axle or axle frame 25 preferably receives its load from the conveyer head section frame 25 directly through the rear king pin which is similar to king pin 29.

Extending upwardly from the central portion of the trunnion til is a cylindrical sleeve 35 to which a strap 35 is removably attached by a pair of U-shaped bands 2?. The strap 35 carries control devices 38 at opposite ends thereof, said control devices illustrated being electrical switches with projecting operating levers or arms adapted to be operated by operating mechanisms carried by the axle frame 25 which, as illustrated, are adjustable angle brackets 35. The angle brackets 39 are adapted to operate the switches 38 selectivel in any case where the relative tilt or angular movement of the frame 2 with respect to the axle 25 on the longitudinal horizontal axis of trunnion 3 reaches a predetermined angle on either side of the right angle relation, as suggested by Fig. 6 of the drawings.

Above the strap- 36 the sleeve 35 carries a disc like plate is which on one side is provided with adjustable projecting finger 2! adapted se lectively to actuate control devices in the form of forward and rearward switches d2 carried by the bolster 27 and projecting downwardly therefrom, said switches 62 having operating levers or arms adapted to be selectively contacted and operated by the finger ll whenever the front axle frame rotates in either of opposite directions through a predetermined angle from a position transversely of the longitudinal axis of the head section 5 l.

The disc or plate 412 carries a rearwardly extending projecting plate 53 (see Figs. 5 and 9) adapted to abut the bottoms of a pair of spaced upright rods dd which are mounted for vertical sliding movement in a pair of upper and lower brackets 35 and 35 attached to the rear of the bolster El and housed within a housing d7 which is open at the bottom and is removably attached to the rear of said bolster 2?. Spring means 38 cooperates with the rods 16 to maintain their bottoms in contact with the plate 43.

Adjacent the bottoms of the rods M there is a bracket 69 rigidly attached to said rods, upon wh ch a Selsyn transmitter 59 is mounted. The rotor of the Selsyn transmitter 59 is operated by a cable 5|, the opposite ends of which are attached to the plate 49 (see Fig. 5), which cable 5! drives a pulley 52 keyed to the rotor shaft of the Selsyn transmitter 59. Angular movement of the axle assembly about the upright axis of the king pin 29 therefore produces rotary motion of the rotor of the Selsyn transmitter 59 which is part of a telemetric system, the receiver of which may be located adjacent an operators station, thereby indicating the angular position of the front axle 25 relative to a true transverse position.

One of the rods i4 is also provided with a pair of stops 53 which operate control device in the form of lever operated switches 54 (Fig. 9) carried by a bracket 55 (see Fig. 5) attached to the bolster 2?. In case the king pin 29 moves to its lowermost position, as illustrated in Fig. 9, the upper control switch 54 will be actuated. Should said king pin 29 be elevated to its uppermost position relative to the trunnion 39 the lower switch 54 will be actuated.

As hereinafter described more completely, the rear end of the stacker I9 is suspended from the front of the head section H. Consequently some of the load on said stacker I9 is carried by the front axle 25. Preferably this load is transferred through the frame at of the head section if to the front axle frame 25 through a pair of double acting hydraulic jacks 56- (see Fig. 3), one on each side of said frame 2 and axle 25. The upper and lower control switches 5 control the operation of jacks 56 and these hydraulic jacks 56 are preferably normally expanded to such an extent that no compression load is transmitted from the bolster 21 to the axle frame 25. Under these circumstances the rods M will have their stops 53 so positioned that neither of the con trol switches 5 is actuated but each said switch will be in its normal or neutral position. This eliminates the necessity of a heavy thrust bearing to take the load between the relatively adjustable front axle 25 and the bolster 2'5,

It is, of course, obvious since axle 25 is swingable upon an upright axis relative to the head section frame 24 that opposit ends of the hydraulic jacks must be pivotally connected to the frame 24 and the axle 25, respectively. To this end universal ball and socket joints 5'! are provided to interconnect the upper and lower ends of both of the hydraulic jacks 56 to the head section frame 24 and axle frame 25, respectively.

It may be stated that the rear axle frame 26 is preferably connected to the head section frame 24 through a bolster and associated king pin and trunnion mechanism similar to that above described and disclosed in Figs. 5, 6 and 9 of the drawings, except, however, the control switches 54 and their operating mechanism are eliminated and there are no jacks comparable with the jacks 56. As a consequence, at the rear end of the head section I I there is a direct bearing transfer between the bolster (similar to bolster 2'5) and the axle frame 26. This load is transferred through a king pin plate similar to the plate 32 and the cooperating bearing surface on the central portion of the trunnion similar to trunnion which is provided with appropriate lubrication or grease grooves as illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings. The load transferred at this point is not as heavy as that transferred to the front axle 25.

At their opposite ends the front and rear axle frames 25 and 26 carry substantially similar selfpropelled traction units 58 which, as illustrated, are of the crawler type, including endless crawlers 59 adapted to have direct contact with the ground. It is to be understood as within the scope of my invention in some of its aspects to employ other types of ground engaging traction means, such as one or more power driven pneumatic tired wheels, or, in some instances the head section it may be mounted upon rails and rail engaging traction wheels provided for supporting said head section and feeding it along a generally rectilinear line.

The traction units 58 are, per se, of essentially standard design and each includes a longitudinally extending frame ournaled at substantially the center thereof on a stub axle 539 (see Fig. 8) which projects laterally from the box-like portion of the axle frame 25 or Thus each t action unit 58 is free to pivot on a transversely extending generally horizontal axis. The lower run of each endless crawler 5% travels over a plurality of load transferring wheels 6! and each endless crawler 59 is driven from a rear driving sprocket through appropriate reduction gearing including a speed reducer 62 driven from an electric motor 63.

It may be mention d that in Fig. 3 of the drawings only one of the driving motors and drive gearing is shown, it being understood that the traction unit 59 on the right hand side is a complete unit which is substantially a duplicate of that on the left hand side. It is evident that if one of the traction units 58 at one end of either of the shafts 25 or 26 travels at a different rate from that at the other end the tendency will be te swing the shaft 25 or 23, as the case may be, about its upright axis and to guide the associated portion of the head section 5 l in one direction or other away from the strictly rectilinear or straight ahead direction of travel. In other Words, the steering of the very heavy elongated trailing conveyer head section H is effected by what is the equivalent of a four wheel steer, since all of the traction devices have a steering characteristic.

It is evident from the description so far given that the stacker l9 and the trailing head section H are intended to travel over the ground which in some instances may be a soil or refuse pile which has been formed by a preceding run of the apparatus. The various pivotal movements and adjusting mechanism above described are designed particularly to keep the trailing head section It level transversely as the head section and/or the stacker move over uneven ground. The rear portion of the trailing conveyer is maintained substantially level since it travels on tracks I9 which may be laid and maintained in a substantially level position. As previously suggested, in some instances it may be desirable also to mount the trailing conveyer head section ll on rails, in which case some of the control mechanism, including the steering and leveling mechanism, may be eliminated. Certain features of the above described conveyer apparatus, the supporting mechanism and control mechanism therefor is described and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 215,499, filed March 14, 1951, now Patent No. 2,642,984, dated June 23, 1953.

As previously mentioned, the rear end of the stacker boom or main frame i2 is supported from the front end of the trailing conveyer head section I! by being suspended therefrom, this suspending mechanism providing for free swinging movement of said stacker l relative to said head section H on an upright axis. To this end there is a circular turntable supporting frame 64 (see Figs. 2 and 4) having a pair of side brackets 65 by which it is pivotally mounted on the front end of the frame E i and laterally of the head pulley 2! by pivot means 66 for swinging movement on a normally horizontal transversely extending axis. Hydraulic cylinder or jack adjusting means 67 interconnects the rear end of the frame 84 and the frame 2% for swinging movement of said frame $5 on said transverse axis. Frame (it also carries a rack or bracket 68 upon which a level indicating device 6% is mounted which may follow that disclose in Patent No. 2,101,837, to L. E. Blanchett above identified.

It is obvious that by adjusting the jack E1 the turntable frame 66 may be maintained in a longitudinal horizontal position. As previously described, the frame 24 is intended to be maintained in a transverse horizontal position. Consequently the turntable frame 6:3 will normally be maintained horizontally along both the longitudinal axis of the head section 1 i and the transverse axis thereof.

R-igidly attached to the frame 64 there is a circular, arcuate or ring type track it on which a turntable ii is supported for free swinging movement about an upright axis. The turntable l'l includes a bull ring "12 having a plurality of stub axles, one of which is seen at E3 (see i), which carry tapered rollers M adapted to roll on the upper tapered surface of the circular track ID. Suspended from the bull ring 12 is a fabricated framework "55 which constitutes the supporting framework by which the rear end of the stacker frame 52 is suspended from the head section ll through the turntable frame 6 1 and the turntable H.

The framework 15 carries a plurality of flanged rollers 15 which contact the lower and inner surfaces of the track it? and hold the turntable on said track Til while permitting it to rotate relatively thereto. If desired, two or more flanged rollers may be carried by the framework '55 and roll on the inner surface of the track 10, being mounted on said framework '15 on upright axes as compared to the horizontal axes upon which the rollers iii are mounted.

Extending downwardly from the bull ring 12 and below the discharge head pulley 2i of the trailing conveyer head section II there is a chute H which guides the material discharged over said head pulley 21 onto the conveyer 15 near the tail pulley Hi of the stacker [0. The feed chute 11, as well as the framework 54 and bull ring 72 will, of course, rotate with the stacker frame [2, to which they are rigidly connected.

In the operation of a typical complete installation involving my invention, material to be removed, such as the overburden of a coal or iron ore open pit, or dirt to be transferred in the construction of a dam, retaining wall, or the like, will be fed to the trailing conveyer somewhere rearwardly of the head section II thereof by any desired means, such, for example, as that disclosed in the Weggum Patent No. 2,554,077, above identified. The material will be conveyed longitudinally rectilinearly forward through the head section 5 l and discharged from the belt over the head pulley 2!, from where it will be directed by the chute H to the belt 15 of the stacker ill adjacent the rear or tail pulley M thereof. The material will be conveyed by the conveyer belt l5 and discharged over the head 8 shaft l3 of the stacker it. As illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the system is discharging ma terial while making a return run. That is, the system will gradually move to the right, having previously formed a soil pile by having moved to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1. As the material is discharged over the head pulley it the boom it will be swung through an are which may be of the order of more or less; this swinging movement being about an upright axis provided by the turntable ii, etc.

Between successive swings of the boom 10 or simultaneously therewith there will be rectilinear feeding, either forward or rearward, of the complete trailing conveyer including the head section H, depending upon whether the system is moving forward to form a soil stack or is progressing rearwardly from a previously formed stack. In either case, the rectilinear feeding of the system along the longitudinal axis of the trailing conveyer, including that of the head section M, will be effected by the traction units 58 which also can steer the trailing conveyer head section it so as to turn it during its generally rectilinear longitudinal movement.

As illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings the trailing conveyer supporting rails l9 extend forwardly of the trailing head section i i, but under some conditions the reverse of this will be true and said trailing co veyer head section Ii will extend in part or entirely beyond the forwardmost ends of said rails 59 which will provide for greater latitude of turning movement thereof. Control means is provided to maintain the trailing conveyer head section H in substantially transverse horizontal position at all times regardless cf the irregularities of the surface over which the traction devices 58 are traveling within certain reasonable limits.

The transverse stability imparted to the trailing head section ii is, of course, transmitted to the boom frame i2 through the turntable H, etc. Control mechanism in the form of the several switches and 52 is provided to indicate whenever undesirable angular relations exist between the axles and the frame 2%. The specific system by which these controls are utilized is the subject matter of my co-pending application Serial No. 185,425 filed September 18, 1950.

As hereinbefore mentioned, the hydraulic jacks 53 are preferably normally expanded to such an extent that no compression load is transmitted from the bolster 2? to the axle frame 25, and, under these circumstances, neither of the control switches is actuated, and each is in its normal or neutral position. It will, of course, be seen that should the bolster 2; move downwardly along the upright axis of king pin 29 that the stops on one of the rods id will actuate the upper switch 52 which will cause the jacks 56 to expand and lift the frame 26 and bolster 21 upwardly and away from the axle 25. When the bolster has moved upwardly a predetermined distance, the upper switch 5 will be operated to its normal or neutral position and hydraulic fluid under pressure will no longer be fed to said jacks 5S and upward movement of the frame 24 and bolster 2? will cease. Of course. if for any reason the bolster 2i moves upwardly along the axis of king pin 29, thereby causing actuation of the upper switch then the jacks 56 will be operated to lower the bolster 2'1.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and applicant therefore wishes not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of the invention, what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A conveyer stacking apparatus, including a stacker boom, tractor means for supporting said boom and for swinging it about an upright axis near its material receiving end, a trailing conveyer including a head section having an elongated generally horizontal frame, means supporting said head section frame and operable to move it forwardly along its longitudinal axis including longitudinally spaced front and rear axles each having traction means at opposite ends thereof, means suspending the receiving end of said stacker boom from the front end of said trailing conveyor head section for relative swinging movement about an upright axis, said last named means including an arouate track, means pivotally supporting said track from said head section frame for adjustment on a transverse horizontal axis, power operated jack means for adjusting said track on said axis to maintain it substantially level, and roller means carried by said stacker boom and cooperating to roll over said track as said stacker boom swings.

2. A conveyor stacking apparatus, including a stacker boom, tractor means for supporting said boom and for swinging it about an upright axis near its material receiving end, a trailing conveyer including a head section having an elongated generally horizontal frame, means supporting said head section frame and operable to move it forwardly along its longitudinal axis including longitudinally spaced front and rear axles each having traction means at opposite ends thereof, and means suspending the receiving end of said stacker boom from the front end of said trailing conveyer head section for relative swinging movement about an upright axis.

3. A conveyor stacking apparatus, including a stacker boom, tractor means for supporting said boom and for swinging it about an upright axis near its material receiving end, a trailing con- Veyer including a head section having an elongated generally horizontal frame, means supporting said head section frame and operable to move it forwardly along its longitudinal axis, and means suspending the receiving end of said stacker boom from the front end of said trailing conveyor head section for relative swinging movement about an upright axis.

a. A conveyor stacking system including a stacker boom having an endless belt traveling over a receiving end pulley and a discharge end pulley, traction means intermediate ends of said boom for supporting it and swinging it on an upright axis, a trailing conveyor including a head section having a frame, a belt on said trailing conveyor frame traveling over a discharge pulley at the front of said head section, means suspending the rear end f said stacker boom from said head section and imparting lateral stability to said stacker boom, said last named means including a turntable assembly,

means mounting said turntable assembly for ad justrnent on a transverse horizontal axis rela tive to said head section, means including a jack for adjusting said turntable assembly on said axis to level it longitudinally'of said head section,

supporting and traction means for said head section frame, and. means for adjusting said head section frame relative to said supporting and traction means to level said frame transversely.

5. A conveyor stacking system including a stacker boom having an endless belt traveling over a receiving end pulley and a discharge end pulley, traction means intermediate the ends of said boom for supporting it and swinging it on an upright axis, .a trailingconveyer including a head section having a frame, a belt on said trailing conveyer frame traveling over a discharge pulley at the front of said head section, means suspending the rear end of said stacker boom from said head section and imparting lateral stability to said stacker boom, supporting and traction means for said head section frame, and means for adjusting said head section frame relative to said supporting and traction means to level said frame transversely.

6. A convey-er system including a generally horizontally extending stacker boom, a trailing conveyer having a head section, head section including a generally horizontal elongated frame, supporting means for said frame, means for adjusting frame on said supporting means to maintain it laerally substantially level, and men, is pivotally connecting the front end of said head section frame to the rear end of said boom, said last named mean being constructed to transmit lateral leveling forces from said head section frame to said boom whereby when said head section frame is adjusted to a laterally level position said boom will be similarly adjusted.

7. A conveyor system including a generally horizontally extending stacker boom, a trailing conveyor having a head section, said head section including a generally horizontal elongated frame, supporting means for said frame, means for adjust .ig said frame on said supporting means to maintain it laterally substantially level, and means pivotally interconnecting the front end of said section frame to th rear end of said boom.

8. A. conveyor stacking apparatus including a stacker boom, supporting means for said boom including a tractor intermediate its ends, a trailing convey-er including a head section, means suspending the rear end of boom from the front of said head section, said means providing for pivotal movement of boom on an upstanding including cooperating ring and wheel means, and a feed chute within said ring and wheel means for aiding material from said head section to said stacker boom.

9. A conveyor stacking apparatus including a stacker boom, supportin mean for boom including a tractor intermediate its ends, a trailing conveyor including a head section, and means suspending the rear end of said boom from the front of said. head section, means providing for pivotal movement of said boom on an up standing axis.

10. A conveyor head section including an elongated generally horizontal frame having a discharge puliey its head end, means for supporting and feeding frame including front and rear transversely extending axles, means connecting at least one of said axles to frame for pivotal movement on upri ht axes, traction devices at opposite ends of at least one of said axles, me pivotally connecting both of said axles to said frame for pivotal movement on a longitudinally extending horizontal axis, jack means for adjusting the lateral slope of said frame relative to said axles, a turntable carried at the head end of said frame below said discharge pulley, means mounting said turntable on said head end for adjustment on a transverse generally horizontal axis, and means for adjusting said turntable on said horizontal axis to make it substantially longitudinally level.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,044,547 Liggett Nov. 19, 1912 Number Number 10 472,033 522,950

Name Date Dillig Nov. 25, 1924 Rib-bans Feb. 23, 1926 Porter July 3, 1934 Blanchett Dec. 14, 1937 Levin Dec. 20, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Feb. 23, 1929 Great Britain July 2, 1940

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