CHUNG CHIEH LEE
Engineers in Moon Twp, PA

4946018, Aug 7, 1990

Oct 30, 1989

7/429076

Willard Binzen - Mars PA
Chung C. Lee - Coraopolis PA
David A. Gadsby - Coraopolis PA

Dravo Wellman, Inc. - Pittsburgh PA

B65G 1114

193 25C

The present invention is directed to a loading chute which includes a hoist frame adapted to be mounted on a conventional loader conveyor above a bulk material hold of a cargo vessel, for example. A plurality of chute segments are provided and are hingeably attached end-to-end in zigzag fashion such that a lower discharge end of a chute segment is attached to an upper receiving end of a subjacent chute segment. Each hinge attachment includes an outwardly extending pivot pin which is attached to a link plate. The link plates between adjacent spaced chutes are joined together by vertically extending semi-rigid support strands which bear the weight of the array of chutes. Hoisting ropes are attached to the lowermost chute segment and are reeled in and out by motor driven hoist reels or drums. Elastic ropes extend laterally from the link plate members at each chute segment hinge to an adjacent support strand. The elastic ropes apply a biasing force to the respective support strands to cause the support strands to be pulled inwardly toward the respective chute hinges to fold into a nested, stowed position when the chute segments are retracted.