GB1389561A - Loading apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1389561 Endless conveyers T H MILBOURN 12 April 1973 [25 Jan 1972] 3433/72 Heading B8A A probe 40 is reciprocated in a vertical plane above a pile of potatoes to which others are being fed via conveyers 2, 6. When the pile grows sufficiently for the probe head to touch the top of the pile, a Bowden cable 42 is activated to cause energization of an hydraulic ram (not shown) which causes the conveyer 6 to be pivoted upwardly about the axis of its trailing guide pulley 8. A drive wheel 18 for the reciprocation of the probe 40 is driven by a chain 20 from the lower pulley 14 of the conveyer 6. The wheel 18 carries an axially extending roller 22 which engages a horizontally extending slot in a member 26 which is pivotally mounted at 30 on a parallel linkage formed by the conveyer 6 and a link 52. The probe 40 is pivotally mounted at its end opposite to that of the probe head on a pivot 38 extending from the member 26. At an intermediate position the probe rests on a pin 34 carried by the member 26. The Bowden cable 42 is connected to a member 41 rigid with the probe 40 and at its other end with a snap-action member 46 of a valve 48 which controls the conveyerlifting hydraulic ram. The casing of the Bowden cable is connected between a pin 32 rigid with the member 26. Thus as soon as the probe 40 touches the summit of the heap of potatoes the resultant relative movement between the member 26 and the probe causes activation of the ram. A rack and plunger arrangement 56, 58 causes return of the valve member 46 to its normal position after actuation of the ram.