Towable Conveyor Elevating Carriage Height Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveyors are often heavy, expensive, and require a CDL-rated truck for operation, limiting their versatility and mobility, especially in construction and agricultural applications, and are difficult to maneuver and extend at job sites.
Innovation Solution
A towable conveyor system with an elevating carriage that can be towed by a standard truck without a separate trailer, featuring a multi-position towing hitch, self-leveling casters, and a winch mechanism for easy maneuverability and height adjustment, allowing for safe and efficient material handling up to 25 ft high.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conveyor is made heavy and rigid to support long spans and elevate materials, then structural strength and stability are improved, but mobility and ease of transport deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor is divided into multiple modular sections that can be connected together. Each section is lightweight and can be easily transported, yet when assembled, they form a structurally sound conveyor system capable of supporting materials up to 25 ft high. The modular design allows the conveyor to be segmented for transport and reassembled at the job site.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor incorporates dynamic elements such as telescoping sections that can extend and retract, and an elevating carriage that can raise and lower the conveyor belt to different heights. These dynamic features allow the conveyor to adapt its configuration for both transport and operation, providing structural strength when needed and compactness for mobility.
2Productivity
If a conveyor is designed to be long to reach distant locations, then coverage and productivity are improved, but maneuverability and setup difficulty worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The long conveyor is constructed from multiple modular sections that can be easily connected and disconnected. This segmentation allows the conveyor to be broken into manageable pieces for transport through narrow spaces and then quickly reassembled to achieve the required length for productivity at the job site.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor incorporates telescoping capabilities and an elevating carriage that can adjust the position and height of different sections independently. This dynamic adjustment allows the conveyor to be maneuvered into position and then configured for optimal material handling performance.
3Ease of manufacture
If a conveyor leans against structures for support, then setup simplicity is improved, but structural damage and safety worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor incorporates self-supporting legs and stabilizing elements that provide counterbalancing support, eliminating the need to lean against external structures. The stabilizing legs distribute the conveyor's weight to the ground, preventing damage to buildings or other structures while maintaining setup simplicity.
4Quantity of substance
If a conveyor uses a CDL-rated truck for transport, then payload capacity and stability are improved, but operational restrictions and cost worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor is designed as a modular system that can be disassembled into compact sections for transport. This segmentation reduces the payload requirement, allowing transport on standard non-CDL vehicles while maintaining the capability to assemble a large-capacity conveyor at the job site.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor incorporates collapsible and telescoping features that reduce its transport footprint and weight distribution, enabling it to be loaded onto standard vehicles without requiring CDL-rated trucks. The dynamic configuration allows the same system to provide high payload capacity during operation while meeting standard vehicle payload limits during transport.
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
The system enables easy setup and operation at various sites without damaging structures, reduces the need for a CDL-rated truck, and provides safe operation by confining moving parts within the frame, enhancing mobility and reducing the risk of injury.
Implementation Method 1
a cable system for raising the conveyor into the second position of use and for lowering the conveyor into the first towing position
Implementation Method 2
The leveling plate keeps both casters on the ground when the conveyor is raised, allowing for high mobility regardless of the conveyor incline
Data Source
AI summary
A towable conveyor for transporting and elevating articles and a method and system for towing a conveyor and conveying articles up inclines is provided. The conveyor system has an elevating carriage and a plurality of support elements for conveying articles up the conveyor. Specifically, the towable conveyor system comprises a conveyor having a support frame, a plurality of support elements, a drive end with a motor, and an idle end; an elevating carriage having a first end interconnected to the support frame of the conveyor, a second with two or more wheels, and a support member extending upwardly from the elevating carriage; a cable system for raising the conveyor into a position of use and for lowering the conveyor into a towing position; one or more locking mechanisms; and a hitch for connecting the conveyor to a rear end of a towing vehicle.