Hold-down mechanism for scraper conveyor and settling tank

Abstract

A settling tank having a flat bottom and an inclined side extending from an arcuate corner along one side of said bottom, a drag-out conveyor means along said bottom around said arcuate corner and up said inclined side, and a mechanism for permitting the idler sprocket or roller of the conveyor to move away from said arcuate corner to prevent jamming, as well as to control the thickness and/or to sense the drag of the settlings on the bottom of the tank. This conveyor hold-down control mechanism comprises an adjustable elongated means parallel to said inclined side, pivoted at one end above the normal surface of liquid in said tank, and at the other end to the idler sprockets or rollers for the conveyor at the arcuate corner, for normally resiliently urging said idlers into said corner, as well as indicating when said idlers move away from said corner by encountering foreign objects which otherwise would jam the conveyor. This movement of said idlers may be directed by a lever forming a toggle arrangement, the knee of which is at the axis of said idlers; or it may be directed by guide means for the axis of said idlers fixed to the opposite sides of said tank. The lever forming the toggle arrangement may be pivoted to a shaft for the idlers along the bottom of the tank, or to the opposite sides of the tank. The indication of the movement of said toggle may be visual and/or audible as well as including means for controlling, cycling and/or stopping the operation of the drag-out conveyor.