GB857557A - Improvements in and relating to overhead runway conveyor systems - Google Patents

Abstract

857,557. Grab buckets. PARKER MITCHELL ENGINEERING CO. Ltd., and PARKER, W. J. July 9, 1959 [July 10, 1958], No. 22188/58. Class 78 (4). A bucket 12, Fig. 1, is supported by a cable from a winding drum 4b carried by a bogie 1a which is pulled along a rail H by a second bogie 4. The bucket is moved between loading and unloading stations and can be raised or lowered at these stations by the winding drum 4b. At each loading station a pair of ramps 27 is secured to the rail H with which rollers 16 co-operate. As the bogie approaches a loading station the rollers 16 are forced downwardly by ramps 27 taking with them rollers 17, Fig. 2. Each roller 17 co-operates with an inclined face 18, Fig. 1, of a lever 19 which pivots about a pin 20. Through spring-biased contacts 21 the levers 19 turn the downwardlyextending arms 22 about their pivot so that their slots are moved clear of hooks 24. When the bucket is lowered the said hooks move therewith so that the bottom sections of the bucket remain in the closed position. The bucket can then be loaded, raised and transferred by means of the bogie to any selected discharging station. As the bogie leaves the loading station the roller 16 moves clear of the ramps 27 and the rollers 17 move clear of the inclined faces of the levers 19. This results in the arms 22 being moved so that their slots receive the hooks 24. When the bogie stops at a discharging station the bucket is lowered but as the hooks 24 now engage with the slots thev are not lowered with the bucket. Thus the bucket descends relative to the arms 25, which through the links 25a, Fig. 2, turn the bottom sections 25b about pivots 26 so that the contents of the bucket are discharged.