Material Placer Side Dump Conveyor System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional material placers require tractors to back up and move away before another tractor can dump material from a side dump trailer, limiting the continuous flow and efficiency of material placement at the receiving area of heavy machinery.
Innovation Solution
A material placer with a support frame, receiving conveyor, transfer conveyor, and placing conveyor system that allows for the efficient reception and placement of material from side dump trailers, enabling continuous operation without the need for tractors to reverse, by using a side material receiving opening and an inclined transfer conveyor to lift and position material for placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional material placers use rear dump trailers with tractors backing up to dump material, then material can be received and placed, but the continuous flow of material placement is limited and efficiency is reduced due to tractors needing to reverse and move away between dumps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional rear-dump configuration by implementing a side-dump trailer system. Instead of tractors backing up to dump material at the rear, trailers now dump material from the side onto a receiving conveyor. This inversion eliminates the need for tractors to reverse and reposition between dumps, allowing continuous material flow and significantly improving placement throughput while reducing repositioning time losses
2Productivity
If a side dump trailer is used with a receiving conveyor, then continuous material reception is enabled, but the material must be lifted and transferred through multiple conveyors increasing system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the material handling system into three distinct conveyor zones, each with a specific function: (1) receiving conveyor for initial material intake from side-dump trailers, (2) transfer conveyor with incline for lifting and elevating material, and (3) placing conveyor for final material delivery to the placing location. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific task while working together in a coordinated sequence, enabling continuous reception without overwhelming single-point complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer conveyor acts as an intermediary element between the receiving conveyor and the placing conveyor. It receives material from the lower receiving conveyor, lifts it through its inclined structure, and delivers it to the higher placing conveyor. This intermediary function resolves the height differential between receiving and placing zones, enabling continuous material flow while distributing the mechanical work across separate components rather than requiring a single complex mechanism
3Ease of operation
If material is received from the side and conveyed rearward, then side dump trailers can be positioned efficiently, but the placing conveyor must be movable to extend over the support frame for receiving material
Solution Approach 1:
The placing conveyor is designed with dynamic mobility, capable of moving between a stowed position where it extends over the support frame and a conveying position where it is positioned to receive material from the transfer conveyor. This dynamic repositioning capability allows the system to adapt its configuration based on operational needs, enabling efficient side-dump trailer positioning while maintaining the ability to receive and place material continuously
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances the throughput of material placement by allowing continuous operation, reducing the time needed to position each trailer and enabling faster distribution of materials like asphalt and concrete across a wider area, such as a roadway.
Implementation Method 1
The transfer conveyor is configured to convey the material to a location adjacent the downstream end portion and is oriented at an incline with respect to the support frame to lift the material with respect to the support frame as the transfer conveyor conveys the material
Data Source
AI summary
A material placer includes conveyors on a frame for receiving material from a side dump trailer and conveying the material to a placing location. The conveyors can include a receiving conveyor for receiving material from the side dump trailer through an opening in a side of the placer, a funneling auger for funneling the material so it flows along a narrow flow path, a transfer conveyor for lifting the material after it is dumped from the side dump trailer, and/or a placing conveyor for placing the material at the placing location. The placing conveyor can be movable between a stowed position and a conveying position. A drive system for the conveyor may be located within a conveyor pulley to reduce the envelope of the material placer.