Bulk-ship unloading system

Abstract

Bulk material is unloaded with a bucket conveyor from a ship floating in a body of water by first positioning the ship in the body of water between a stationary land-fixed location and a float spaced transversely therefrom. An outer intake end of a pivotal bulk conveyor on the float is supported at a fixed height above the body of water adjacent the ship and an opposite inner outlet end of the pivotal bulk conveyor at a fixed height above the stationary location. The pivotal bulk conveyor is swung about a horizontal axis to maintain the heights constant as the level of the body of water changes so that as the water level changes the angle of the pivotal bulk conveyor to the horizontal changes. The bulk material is picked out of the ship with the bucket conveyor, is then passed to the pivotal bulk conveyor and fed along the pivotal bulk conveyor to the outlet end thereof. Both of the conveyors are moved longitudinally along the ship perpendicular to the pivotal bulk conveyor as the material is picked out of the ship and the material is discharged from the outlet end of the pivotal bulk conveyor into a bunker car and thence to a longitudinally extending land conveyor. The bunker car is moved synchronously longitudinally with the pivotal bulk conveyor and bucket conveyor.