The Conveyor Unveiled and On-site

We had a brief scare with fracking this week, but we are moving on now. The new conveyor is a great piece of machinery that works as beautifully as it looks. I took this picture as we hurried to finish setting it up enough to survive one of our many storms these days.

Testing in the field now begins as it emerges from the shop and links the dirt processing to the block pressing. It will also be used to lift blocks up to the scaffold later and maybe even haul cement to the bond beam. Who knows what all it can be used for right now.

What is clear is that it meets all the original criteria for its design and use. It must:

1.  be light and easy to move around.
2. be easy to get the height set exactly and not have it to move or drop under weight.
3. be made of local materials and use either old carpet or old belts (possibly truck tire tubes patched together in Africa) for the conveyor.
4. be easy to turn so that the hydraulic demand to turn it does not slow the block making process by drawing of fluid from the other two pistons.
5. “marry” to the hopper easily and without spilling too much dirt as it turns under the hopper door.
6. be very quiet and safe to stand near.
7. be weather –proof.

I think it meets all of these criteria and does so elegantly!

Here are some close-up shots of various parts of the machine to give you some idea of how it was built and how it works.

On site setting up with a side view of the hopper frame and block press with the 12 ft long conveyor between

Lashed down for storm survival.

The stitching seam and 20-inch wide PVC carpet belt.