Roller guard with discharge for friction-driven sweep conveyor

1. A conveyor assembly for limiting the introduction of particulate matter into the interface between a driven roller and an inner surface of a continuous conveyor belt, the conveyor assembly configured to rotate about a central pivot point along a path, the conveyor assembly comprising:

a. a conveyor frame having a leading sidewall;

b. a discharge aperture disposed in the leading sidewall;

c. the continuous conveyor belt having a longitudinal axis, an upper belt portion and a lower belt portion;

d. a guard assembly mounted to the conveyor frame between the upper belt portion and the lower belt portion, the guard assembly comprising:

i. a retaining wall member oriented at an angle that is neither parallel with nor at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the belt and at such an angle that particulates carried on the inner surface of the lower belt portion are directed toward the discharge aperture in the leading sidewall;

e. wherein the guard assembly is configured to discharge the particulate matter through the leading sidewall into the path of the conveyor assembly.

2. The conveyor assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the conveyor frame further comprises a second sidewall and the retaining wall member extends between the leading sidewall and the second sidewall.

3. The conveyor assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the guard assembly has a V-shaped cross section defining a first retaining wall and a second retaining wall; and wherein the conveyor assembly further comprises a second discharge aperture in the second sidewall.

4. The conveyor assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the retaining wall member is non-porous to the particulate matter being conveyed.

5. The conveyor assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining wall further comprises a lower beveled edge in contact with the inner surface of the lower belt portion.

6. The conveyor assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining wall is curvilinear.

7. The conveyor assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a hood member that extends from the leading sidewall adjacent to a top portion of the discharge aperture such that the hood member restricts particulate matter from entering the conveyor through the discharge aperture.

8. The conveyor assembly according to claim 7 , wherein:

a. the hood member further comprises:

i. a top hood portion that is horizontally extended and downwardly slanted;

ii. a first side portion that is extended downwardly from the top hood portion;

iii. a second side portion that is extended downwardly from the top hood portion; and

b. respective flanges extend perpendicular to the at least two of the top hood portion, the first side portion, and the second side portion for securely mounting the hood member to the conveyor frame.

9. The conveyor assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a. wherein the guard assembly further comprises:

i. a mounting member for mounting the guard assembly to the conveyor frame; and

b. wherein the retaining wall is vertically adjustably mounted to the mounting member, thereby allowing vertical adjustments to the position of the retaining wall relative to the conveyor frame.

10. The conveyor assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a. wherein the guard assembly further comprises:

i. a mounting member for mounting the guard assembly to the conveyor frame; and

b. wherein the retaining wall is horizontally adjustably mounted to the mounting member, thereby allowing horizontal adjustments to the position of the retaining wall relative to the conveyor frame.

11. A conveyor assembly for limiting the introduction of particulate matter into the interface between a driven roller and an inner surface of a continuous conveyor belt, the conveyor assembly comprising:

a. a conveyor frame having a first sidewall;

b. a discharge aperture disposed in the first sidewall;

c. the continuous conveyor belt having a longitudinal axis, an upper belt portion and a lower belt portion;

d. a guard assembly mounted to the conveyor frame between the upper belt portion and the lower belt portion, the guard assembly comprising:

i. a retaining wall member oriented at an angle that is neither parallel with nor at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the belt and at such an angle that particulates carried on the inner surface of the lower belt portion are directed toward the discharge aperture in the first sidewall; and

e. a hood member that extends from the first sidewall adjacent to a top portion of the discharge aperture such that the hood member restricts particulate matter from entering the conveyor through the discharge aperture.

12. The conveyor assembly according to claim 11 , wherein:

a. the hood member further comprises:

i. a top hood portion that is horizontally extended and downwardly slanted;

ii. a first side portion that is extended downwardly from the top hood portion;

iii. a second side portion that is extended downwardly from the top hood portion; and

b. respective flanges extend perpendicular to the at least two of the top hood portion, the first side portion, and the second side portion for securely mounting the hood member to the conveyor frame.

13. The conveyor assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the guard assembly has a V-shaped cross section defining a first retaining wall and a second retaining wall; and wherein the conveyor assembly further comprises a second discharge aperture in a second sidewall.

14. The conveyor assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the retaining wall member is non-porous to the particulate matter being conveyed.

15. The conveyor assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the retaining wall is comprised of an Ultra High Molecular Weight plastic.

16. The conveyor assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the retaining wall is curvilinear.

17. A guard assembly kit for use with a sweep conveyor having a conveyor frame, a first sidewall, and a continuous belt driven between a driven roller and a second roller thereby defining an upper belt portion and a lower belt portion, the continuous belt having a longitudinal axis, the guard assembly kit comprising:

a. a mounting member configured to mount to the conveyor frame between the upper belt portion and the lower belt portion; and

b. a retaining wall member configured to mount to the mounting member and adapted to be positioned at an angle that is neither parallel with nor at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the belt such that particulates carried on the inner surface of the lower belt portion are directed toward the first sidewall of the sweep conveyor;

c. a hood member configured to be mounted to the mounting member, the hood member comprising

i. a top portion that is outwardly extended and downwardly slanted;

ii. a first side portion that is extended downwardly from the top portion; and

iii. a second side portion that is extended downwardly from the top portion.

18. A method for removing material carried on an inner surface of a lower belt portion of a belt of a sweep conveyor from a bin through the regular movement of the sweep conveyor, the method comprising the steps of:

a. Rotating a sweep conveyor through a path about a central pivot point;

b. Contacting the inner surface of the belt with a guard assembly;

c. Mounting the guard assembly within the sweep conveyor at an angle that is neither parallel with nor at a right angle to a longitudinal axis of the belt;

d. Discharging the material through a discharge aperture into the path of the sweep conveyor;

e. Removing the material from the bin through the regular movement of the sweep conveyor.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising the step of:

a. Providing a hood member to prevent material from entering the sweep conveyor through the discharge aperture.