Drive head for flexible conveyor fluid lifting system

摘要

An improved drive head for use in transporting materials has a frame for mounting near a tubing orifice, a drive wheel and second wheel rotatably mounted on the frame. Each of the wheels are adaptable to receive a fluid entraining conveyor. The drive head causes the conveyor to move through a predetermined conveyor path on which the conveyor winds about the drive wheel through at least a majority of its surface, and preferably 330 DEG . The radius of a down-conveyor conveyor track of the second wheel is preferably slightly greater than the radius of the drive wheel conveyor track. Preferably, tires are provided which are mounted on wheel hubs of the drive and second wheels, and these tires may be made of an elastomer having a higher coefficient of friction than the preferably plastic drive and second wheel hubs. The preferred embodiment includes a third wheel which is disposed on the conveyor path to be closer to the orifice than the second wheel.