Reciprocating floor conveyor having slats of varied size and drive

Abstract

The reciprocating floor conveyor of the present invention includes a supporting frame, a plurality of base members on the supporting frame, a plurality of elongate, slidable slats mounted on the base members, and a drive mechanism for causing longitudinal reciprocative movement of the plurality of slats. The plurality of slats are divided in at least a first and second interleaved groups. Each slat is connected to the slats adjacent thereto through slidable engagement of the sides of the slats, and are supported by the base members such that the first group of slats is elevated a greater distance from the supporting frame than the second group of slats. Each slat group includes a timing slat having a surface area greater than the surface area of each of the remaining slats in the group. The timing slat coordinates reciprocation of the slats within that group. The drive system of the present invention moves all of the slat groups simultaneously in an extended, conveying direction and moves each of the slat groups sequentially in an opposite, retracted direction. The drive system includes a fluid source, fluid-driven cylinders which each cause reciprocation of a slat group, a direction valve for alternately extending and retracting the slat groups, and flow regulators which control fluid flow from the drive cylinders of a particular slat group to the fluid source when the slat groups are all extended to sequentially retract the slat groups.