Chain conveyor and drive sprocket for same

1. A conveyor system configured to move material relative to a mine face, the conveyor system comprising:

a conveyor pan configured to support the material;

a drive unit including a drive shaft and a plurality of sprockets secured to the drive shaft, the drive shaft driven about a rotational axis; and

a conveying element including a plurality of chains and a plurality of flights, each of the chains driven by one of the sprockets to move the chain and the flights over the conveyor pan, each of the flights coupled between the plurality of chains, each of the plurality of flights including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion coupled to the second portion by a movable joint, the flights configured to move the material over the conveyor pan;

wherein the plurality of sprockets are angularly offset about the rotational axis relative to each other, and wherein the first portion moves relative to the second portion at the movable joint in response to the plurality of chains engaging the plurality of sprockets and moving about the rotational axis.

2. The conveyor assembly of claim 1 , wherein each flight includes a central axis extending between a first end and a second end of each flight, and wherein the central axis includes at least one curved portion.

3. The conveyor assembly of claim 2 , wherein each chain defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein at least one portion of the central axis is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of each chain, and wherein another portion of the central axis is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of each chain.

4. The conveyor assembly of claim 1 , wherein each chain includes a plurality of horizontal links and a plurality of vertical links, and wherein the first portion of each flight is fixedly coupled to one of the horizontal links, and wherein the second portion of each flight is an intermediate portion extending between two adjacent chains.

5. The conveyor assembly of claim 4 , wherein each flight includes two fixed portions, each fixedly coupled to one of the chains, and wherein the intermediate portion is pivotably coupled between the two fixed portions.

6. The conveyor assembly of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of chains includes three chains, and wherein each flight includes three fixed portions, each of the three fixed portions secured to one of the three chains, and wherein each flight includes two intermediate portions, each of the intermediate portions pivotably coupled between two of the three fixed portions.

7. A conveyor assembly for moving material, the conveyor assembly comprising:

at least two chains configured to be driven by a sprocket that is rotatable about a sprocket axis; and

a plurality of flights, each of the plurality of flights including a first portion coupled to a second portion by a movable joint, the first portion fixedly coupled to one of the at least two chains, the second portion extending between the at least two chains, each flight of the plurality of flights configured to contact and move the material, the first portion moving relative to the second portion as the flight is driven about the sprocket axis.

8. The conveyor assembly of claim 7 , wherein each flight includes a central axis extending between a first end and a second end of each flight, and wherein the central axis includes at least one curved portion.

9. The conveyor assembly of claim 8 , wherein each chain defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein one portion of the central axis is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of each chain, and wherein another portion of the central axis is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of each chain.

10. The conveyor assembly of claim 7 , wherein each chain includes a plurality of horizontal links and a plurality of vertical links, and wherein the first portion of each flight is fixedly coupled to one of the horizontal links, and the second portion of each flight is an intermediate portion extending between the at least two chains.

11. The conveyor assembly of claim 10 , wherein each flight includes two fixed portions, each fixed portion fixedly coupled to one of the at least two chains, and wherein the intermediate portion is pivotably coupled between the two fixed portions.

12. The conveyor assembly of claim 11 , wherein the at least two chains includes three chains, and wherein each flight includes three fixed portions, each of the three fixed portions secured to one of the three chains, and wherein each flight includes two intermediate portions, each of the intermediate portions pivotably coupled between two of the three fixed portions.

13. A conveyor assembly for moving material, the conveyor assembly comprising:

at least two chains, the at least two chains driven along a path including a carry run and a return run; and

a plurality of flights coupled to the at least two chains for movement along the path, the flights configured to contact and move the material along the carry run in a first direction, the flights moving in a second direction along the return run, each of the plurality of flights extending along a central axis oriented obliquely with respect to the first direction;

wherein the central axis of each of the plurality of flights is configured to bend in response to each of the plurality of flights transitioning between the carry run and the return run.

14. The conveyor assembly of claim 13 , wherein each flight includes a first portion offset from a second portion in the first direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of each chain, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are both oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of each chain.

15. The conveyor assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first portion is coupled to the second portion by a movable joint.

16. The conveyor assembly of claim 13 , wherein each flight includes a first end positioned distal to a second end along the central axis, and wherein the first and second ends of each flight move relative to each other in response to each flight transitioning between the carry run and the return run.

17. The conveyor assembly of claim 13 , wherein each flight includes two curved portions.

18. The conveyor assembly of claim 17 , wherein the two curved portions are located between the at least two chains.

19. The conveyor assembly of claim 13 , wherein the at least two chains includes three chains, and wherein each flight includes four curved portions.

20. The conveyor assembly of claim 19 , wherein two of the four curved portions are located between the first chain and the second chain, and wherein the other two of the four curved portions are located between the second chain and the third chain.

21. The conveyor assembly of claim 14 , wherein each flight includes a third portion substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of each chain.