Systems and methods for large debris conveyance

1 . A mobile device for sorting particulate material, comprising:

a main conveyor belt;

a separation screen configured to receive material from the main conveyor belt and separate the material into an oversize portion and a graded portion having an average particle size that is less than the oversize portion;

a graded material conveyor positioned below the separation screen and configured to receive the graded portion of the material, wherein the graded material conveyor is oriented in substantially the same direction as the main conveyor belt to deposit the graded portion directly behind the mobile device;

an oversize material conveyor positioned at an end of the separation screen and configured to receive the oversize portion of the material and deposit the oversize portion of the material to a lateral side of the mobile device; and

a motive element configured to move the device relative to a surface on which the device is used.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the graded material conveyor is oriented to deposit the graded portion of the material into a trench below the mobile device.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the oversize material conveyor is oriented transverse to the main conveyor belt.

4 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the oversize material conveyor is oriented to deposit the oversize portion of the material to a lateral side of the trench below the mobile device.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the motive element includes one or more tracks for moving the device relative to the surface.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the motive element is configured to operate over a trench, and wherein the motive element is configured to move the device over the trench.

7 . The device of claim 6 , further comprising a top loading feeder configured to receive a supply of the material as the mobile device is moved by the motive element over the trench and for providing the supply of the material to the main conveyor belt as the mobile device is moved by the motive element over.

8 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the oversize material conveyor is oriented to deposit the oversize portion of the material to a lateral side of the trench as motive element moves the mobile device over the trench.

9 . The device of claim 6 , wherein the motive element includes at least two tracks, and wherein the at least two tracks are positioned on different lateral sides of the device such that the at least two tracks straddle the trench.

10 . A padding machine for sorting particulate material, comprising:

a main conveyor belt;

a motive element configured to move the padding machine relative to a surface on which the padding machine is used;

a top-loading feeder for receiving a material as the padding machine is moved by the motive element and for providing the material to the main conveyor belt as the padding machine is moved by the motive element;

a separation screen configured to receive the material from the main conveyor belt and separate the material into an oversize portion and a graded portion having an average particle size that is less than the oversize portion;

a graded material conveyor positioned below the separation screen and configured to receive the graded portion of the material and oriented to deposit the graded portion directly behind the padding machine; and

an oversize material conveyor positioned at an end of the separation screen, configured to receive the oversize portion of the material, and oriented to deposit the oversize portion to a lateral side of the padding machine.

11 . The padding machine of claim 10 , wherein the top-loading feeder is positioned at a front side of the padding machine relative to a direction of motion of the padding machine.

12 . The padding machine of claim 10 , further comprising a mouth including a rotor assembly, wherein the top-loading feeder is connected to the mouth for providing the material to the main conveyor belt via the mouth.

13 . The padding machine of claim 12 , wherein the top-loading feeder includes a material inlet at a top of the top-loading feeder to enable the padding machine to receive the material to the top-loading feeder while the motive element moves the padding machine over a trench.

14 . The padding machine of claim 12 , wherein the padding machine is not configured to collect the material from the surface.

15 . The padding machine of claim 12 , wherein the top-loading feeder is configured to receive the material to the padding machine from an additional piece of equipment.

16 . A method for separating material, comprising:

moving a padding machine over a trench under the padding machine;

receiving the material onto a main conveyor on the padding machine;

separating the material into a graded portion and an oversize portion using a vibrating screen;

receiving the graded portion on a graded material conveyor positioned below the vibrating screen;

depositing the graded portion directly behind the padding machine into the trench under the padding machine including conveying the graded portion on the graded material conveyor in substantially the same direction as the main conveyor;

receiving the oversize portion on an oversize material conveyor positioned at an end of the vibrating screen; and

depositing the oversize portion to a lateral side of the padding machine and of the trench under the padding machine, including conveying the oversize portion away from the vibrating screen in a direction transverse to the main conveyor.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein receiving includes receiving the material with a top-loading feeder and providing the material to the main conveyor with the top-loading feeder.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein receiving the material with a top-loading feeder includes receiving the material from an additional piece of equipment.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising providing the material to the top-loading feeder with the additional piece of equipment.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the graded portion has an average particle size that is less than the oversize portion.