positioned so that their widest part is at the top, functioning as a series of funnels. Each cone's upper diameter is 60 inches and its lower diameter is 27 inches. The cones are made from fiberglass and, depending on the application, can be fitted with stainless steel, polyethylene, or ceramic liners.

Three nylon straps that run the chute's length support the cones. Stainless steel and nylon connections sewn onto the straps attach to each of the cones' tops in such a way that when the chute is fully extended the cones become alternately angled at 57.5 degrees.

The first cone is angled 57.5 degrees to the left; the second cone is angled 57.5 degrees to the right; the third cone is angled 57.5 degrees to the left; and so on until the bottom cone, which is attached to a carrier frame and remains vertical. This angling maintains a maximum flow velocity of 2 m/s and creates mass flow through the chute, which maintains product quality and virtually eliminates fines generation.

Several exterior cables run from a hoist winch at the chute's top to the carrier frame at the chute's bottom. The hoist winch raises and lowers the carrier frame to retract and extend the chute. As the chute retracts, the shroud folds like an accordion and the cones vertically stack into the bottom-most cone like a telescope. A skirt made from neoprene strips extends from the carrier frame and touches the product's top surface, creating a dust barrier that minimizes fines generation caused by the product impacting the discharge pile.

Product detection probes are also attached to the carrier frame's bottom.

The probes are connected to an automatic retraction system. Product filling into a ship's cargo hold creates a pile, and when the product detection probes come into contact with the pile's top, they signal the automatic retraction system to raise the chute 6 inches. This allows the chute's neoprene skirt to maintain contact with the product's top surface as the pile is being built, which again minimizes fines generation.

To overcome plugging and product arching in the chute, a load cell is attached to each strap. The load cells monitor product flow inside the chute and detect when product flow inside the chute and detect when product flow problems occur. When a load cell detects a product flow problem, it signals the conveyor to shut down. For instance, say the normal operating weight experienced by the chute is 10,000 pounds at any instant during the loading process and that a plugged chute weighs 25,000 pounds or more. To prevent damage to the system, the load cells would be calibrated to shut the conveyor down when a cone detected an operating weight exceeding 20,000 pounds. Then, the chute retracts, creating a vertical flow line which removes any plug or blockage.