Material transfer system for a body of water

Abstract

There is provided a material transfer system comprising a first reciprocating conveyor which selectively moves material towards a first location, and a second reciprocating conveyor which overlaps with the first reciprocating conveyor, with the second reciprocating conveyor selectively moving material from the first location towards a second location. There is also provided a material transfer system according to another aspect comprising a conduit in fluid communication with an upstream portion of the body of water, and a reciprocating conveyor configured to convey upstream said material in the body of water towards the conduit. There is further provided a reciprocating conveyor configured to promote movement of the material in a first direction and inhibit movement of the material in a second direction, and a conveyor position adjustment assembly configured to selectively move a first end portion of the conveyor relative to a second end portion of the conveyor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A material transfer system for moving material in a body of water, the system comprising:
 a first reciprocating conveyor which selectively moves the material towards a first location; and   a second reciprocating conveyor which overlaps with the first reciprocating conveyor and which selectively moves the material from said first location towards a second location.   
     
     
         2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the first reciprocating conveyor has a longitudinal axis, wherein the second reciprocating conveyor has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the longitudinal axis of the first reciprocating conveyor is angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the second reciprocating conveyor. 
     
     
         3 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the first reciprocating conveyor is generally or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second reciprocating conveyor. 
     
     
         4 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first reciprocating conveyor is a cross-stream said conveyor and wherein the second reciprocating conveyor is a downstream said conveyor. 
     
     
         5 . The system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the second reciprocating conveyor is positioned at least in part below the first reciprocating conveyor. 
     
     
         6 . The system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each said conveyor includes a drive line, with the drive lines overlapping and being stacked. 
     
     
         7 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each said conveyor includes a drive mechanism, with the drive mechanism of the first reciprocating conveyor being elevated relative to the drive mechanism of the second reciprocating conveyor. 
     
     
         8 . The system as claimed in  claim 1  including a first reciprocating drive mechanism to which the first reciprocating conveyor is operatively connected, the first reciprocating conveyor moving in a reciprocating manner via the first reciprocating drive mechanism, and including a second reciprocating drive mechanism to which the second reciprocating conveyor is operatively connected, the second reciprocating conveyor moving in a reciprocating manner via the second reciprocating drive mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each said conveyor comprises a loop-shaped carrying medium. 
     
     
         10 . A material transfer system for moving material in a body of water, the system comprising:
 a conduit in fluid communication with an upstream portion of the body of water; and   a reciprocating conveyor configured to convey upstream said material in the body of water towards the conduit.   
     
     
         11 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the conduit has an inlet in fluid communication with the upstream portion of the body of water and wherein the conduit has an outlet positioned to convey material passing through the conduit to a downstream portion of the body of water. 
     
     
         12 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the conduit comprises one or more siphons. 
     
     
         13 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the conduit comprises one or more chutes. 
     
     
         14 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the conduit comprises one or more funnels positioned in the upstream portion of the body of water. 
     
     
         15 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the conduit is configured to extend overtop of or through a weir. 
     
     
         16 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , including a reciprocating drive mechanism to which the reciprocating conveyor is operatively connected, the reciprocating conveyor moving in a reciprocating manner via the reciprocating drive mechanism. 
     
     
         17 . The system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the conveyor comprises a loop-shaped carrying medium. 
     
     
         18 . A material transfer system for moving material in a body of water, the system comprising:
 a reciprocating conveyor which selectively moves in a first direction of movement and a second direction of movement opposite the first direction of movement, the conveyor being configured to promote movement of the material in said first direction and inhibit movement of the material in said second direction; and   a conveyor position adjustment assembly configured to selectively move a first end portion of the conveyor relative to a second end portion of the conveyor.   
     
     
         19 . The system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the conveyor comprises a loop-shaped carrying medium which rotates about the first and second end portions thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the conveyor position adjustment assembly is configured to enable the first end portion of the conveyor to be moveable incrementally from a first position adjacent a weir to a second position spaced-apart upstream from the weir.