Title: Material handling facility and apparatus therefor

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Abstract: A pair of elongated, parallel pits receive materials for handling. Just inwardly of each pit there is located a parallel running belt conveyor. Feeder vehicles mounted on rails in the pits outwardly of the belt conveyors are powered to traverse the pits lengthwise with each including a screw feeder for moving the materials from the pits onto the belt conveyors. Further apparatus on the feeder vehicles moves substantially vertically through the materials in the pits as the vehicles move therealong to break up any clumping of the materials (e.g., bagged material) to facilitate operations of the screw feeders. Control equipment is provided such that if a feeder vehicle encounters an object it cannot move, then the vehicle moves back a certain amount and an alarm is given, after which the vehicle makes another attempt to feed the object. This process will continue until either the object is removed and/or the operator resets the equipment as provided for. Also, the vehicles are controlled to exert a constant pressure against the materials being handled and therefore will move faster through lightly loaded areas than through heavily loaded ones.


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