US1203390A - Gathering apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

R. E.-NOBLE. GATHERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2. I914.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- R. E. NOBLE. GATHERING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED Mn. 2, 1914.

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R. E. NOBLE.

GATHERING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2. 19M. Patented Oct. 31,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

1 2 71 asses.-

UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH E. NOBLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MORGAN-GARDNER ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GATHERING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RALPH E. NOBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gathering Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to an apparatus for moving coal cars into and out of rooms, placing such cars in position for loading, or drawing them out onto a main track to be gathered by the locomotive. While it is primarily designed for such use, yet it may be used for other purposes in and about the mines or other industrial plants.

Among the objects of my invention are to provide a light gathering or hauling apparatus which may be readily moved from place to place in the mines, either by hand or by its own power; to provide a novel means for moving coal cars or the like onto and from switch tracks; and in general to provide an improved structure which will be fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention: Figure 1 is a plan view of a truck provided with my improved hauling or pulling devices ,Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, parts being broken away to illustrate the interior mechanism; Fig. 3 is a detail of the driving gearing for one of the winding drums; Fig. 4 isa detail of a movable rope guide; Figs. 5 and 6 are details of a clamping device for clamping the truck to the track; and, Figs. 7 and 8 are diagrammatical views indicating the method of operation of the device in a coal mine.

My improved gathering or haulage apparatus comprises a truck 9 with wheels 10,-

adapted to run on the track 11, in the usual manner. A frame 12 is mounted on the truck and carries a motor 13. The motor shaft 14 is provided with a pinion 15 which meshes with a gear 16 having its hub 17 mounted in suitable bearings in the frame. The upper end of the hub 17 carries a pinion 18 which meshes with an internal gear 19. The gear 19 fits freely within the lower enlarged end 20. of a winding drum 21, which drum is used for winding up a drawing cable 22. A clutch or dog 23 is provided for throwing the gear 19 into and out of engagement with the lowerend 20 of the drum, as

indicated in Fig. 8. A circular handle 24 is provided for throwing the dog into and out out of engagement. A plurality of holes 25 are provided in the frame or casing 12 to permit the outlet of the cable :22 in any desired direction from the drum 21. A guide sheave 26 and guide roller 27 are provided at one end of the truck for guiding the cable 22 when it is to be carried out at such end thereof, and a similar sheave 28 and roller 29 is provided for guiding the cable when it is carried out at the opposite end of the truck.

The lower end of the hub 17 is provided with a sheave 30 which is engaged by driving rope or belt 31 which passes around a sheave 32, at the lower end of a winding drum 33, which drum is used for winding up the electric cable 34 which supplies current to the motor 13. The driving belt 31 is made suliiciently loose so that the sheave 30 may run without driving the belt, a tightener being provided for driving the belt when desired. This tightener comprises a sheave 35 which is mounted on an arm 36 at the lower end of a vertical shaft 37, which shaft is provided with suitable bearings. A handle 38 is pivoted to the upper end of the shaft 37 so that the handle may be swung vertically, and this handle is provided with a tooth 39 which engages with a rack 40 for holding the handle in adjusted position. By means of this handle the sheave 35 may be swung into and out of engagement with the driving belt 31, so that the drum 33 may be driven or will remain stationary as desired. Any suitable means (not shown) may be used for connecting the inner end of the cable 34 with the motor so that the current will be carried to the motor. The cable 34 is carried between guide rollers 41, 42 and 43, which are mounted in a bracket 44, this bracket being provided with a downwardly extending curved pin 45, and a straight pin- 46 for engagement with suitable holes 47 and 48 in the bed of the truck 9. By inserting the curved pin into its hole first and then inserting the pin 46, the bracket 44 is practically locked in position, but may be easily removed when desired, as will be easily seen from Fig. 4. Another set of holes 49 and 50 are provided at one end of the truck so that this bracket with its guiding rollers may be moved around to'the end and secured in position without removing the cable 34 therefrom. Guide rollers 51 and 52 are provided at the opposite end of the truck for guiding the cable 34 when it is carried out at that end, as indicated in Fig. 1.

A removable seat 53 is provided at one end of the machine for the operator and sockets 5% are provided inthe ends of this seat, or at any other desired place on the truck for receiving jacks 55, as indicated in Fig. 2, such jacks being used at times for holding the truck down when it is pulling a heavy load.

The ends of the truck are provided with couplers 56 of any desired form so that the truck may be coupled directly to the cars if desired.

A controller 57 is provided for controlling the current to the motor, such controller being connected in any ordinary manner.

When this gathering apparatus or haulage apparatus is pulling a car up grade, or perhaps under other circumstances, it may be desirable to lock or. fasten the truck to the track rails in order to hold the truck'in position. In order to do this I provide a hook 58 which is adapted to hook under the track rail, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The

upper end of this hook is pivoted to a lever 59, which lever is pivoted at 60 to suitable brackets 61 on the body of the truck. A support 62 is provided for holding the outer end of the hook when it is not in use. The upper end of the hook 58 and the short arm of the lever 59 are arranged to'form a substantially locking toggle, as will be readily apparent from Fig.5. When the outer end of the lever 59 is swung downwardly, it draws up the hook 58 until it engages with the track rail, and then the upper end of the lever passes beyond the fulcrum so as to lock the hook in engaging position. When the outer end of the lever 59 is raised, the hook 58 moves downwardly until it may be disengaged from the rail, then by again pressing down the lever '59, the outer end of the hook may pass up into position to engage with the support 62 where it is locked in position by again raising the lever 59.

One of the particularly unique features of my invention is the provision of an electric supply cable which is suiiiciently strong so that it may be used as a haulage cable for moving the truck, although not intended for pulling heavy loads. This may be done in any desired manner, as by incorporating'a steel cable with the electric supply cable, which is usually made of copper wire orthe like. On account of being able to use the electric cable for pullingthe truck, it will be readily seen that my improved apparatus may be used in a large number of ways.

When

the electric cable is to be used for pulling, it is provided with a' connection 63, such as a hook or the like, for fastening it to the track rail, and another connection 64 for connecting with the trolley wire 65, as shown 'in Fig. 7. This figure shows a ber of ways for utilizing my improved apparatus. in the room 66, the apparatus is shown pushing a car 67 back onto the room track 68. a In this instance the haulage cable or steel cable 22 is secured to an anchor 69, and the drum 214s being driven so as to wind up this cable and pull the truck 9 into the room, thereby pushing the car 67 along in front thereof, while the electric-cable 34 is being payed out at the opposite end of the truck. When the c'a'ris pushed to the end of the track, as indicated in room 70, the cable is substantially wound up, and is then disconnected 'fromthe anchor 69', and the operator then tightens the. belt 31 and causes the drum 33;to be driven,'thereby winding up the cable '34. and truck out of the room track.

In the method of operation indicated in room 71, the truck 9 is positioned on the main track and may be'looked by meansoi' the locking hook 558', if necessary. A cable 7 2 is attached atone end to the car 7 3 and is then assed around a pulley 74- whieh is secured .to an anchor 75, and its'opposite end is secured to the end of the cable 22. Then bydra'wing in on the cable 22, the car 7 3 will be pulled back into the room and the and back to the main cable 22 is then unhooked from the cable 7 2,

which may be left in position for use in such room. Whenthe' car 73 has been filled,

it may be pulled out from the room by placing the truck 9 in advance of the switch and.

running the cabl 22 around the guide sheave 76, as indicated in'connection 'withroom 77.

pulling the As the car is pulled out, it pulls the cable 7 72 back to its original position which is then disconnected'from the car and may be left lying in'position readyfor ulling thenext car into the room.

Fig. 8 illustrates the operat'ion of the de i vice where it hasbeenus'e'd, asindicate'd in 7 connection with room 7 7, for pulling anumber' of cars out' onto" the main line ready to be gathered up by the locomotive operating on the main track. 7

It willbe readily seen that my improved truck or gathering apparatusmay be readily pushed along the track where the conditions are favorable, or may be pulled by either of its cables, by=having the operato pull the cabl'eahea'd and'fasten it'to the track and.

thenwinding upon the corresponding drum.

From this description it will be readily seen that my improved apparatus is adapted to perform a large service in connection with mining operations or like operations, and is adapted to be used in therefore,

a varietyof ways and, I donut wish' t'o-limit myselfto' the exact construction or method of use herein shown and described, except as specified in the following claims, in which I claim:

1. In a gathering device, the combination of a truck, a reel on said truck, a haulage cable connected with said reel and adapted to be drawn out and used for pulling the truck or pulling cars toward the truck, a motor for driving said reel, a second reel mounted on the truck, means for driving the second reel from the motor, and a combined haulage and electric cable connected with said second named reel, said last named cable serving to carry current to said motor and also serving at times to pull the car when the second named reel is driven.

2. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a truck, a reel mounted on said truck, a motor, means for throwing the reel into and out of operative relation with the motor, a steel haulage cable co-acting with said reel, a second reel mounted on the truck, means for throwing said second reel into and out of operative relation with the motor, and a combined electric supply and haulage cable co-acting with said second named reel, said last named cable serving to carry current to the motor and also serving at times for pulling the truck.

3. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a wheeled truck,

means for locking said truck to the track rails, a winding drum mounted on said truck, a motor for turning said drum, means for throwing said drum' into and out of' carrying cable co-acting with said second named drum, said last named cable also serving as a pulling cable, and guides on the truck for said last named cable.

4. A gathering apparatus for mines comprising a wheeled truck, a motor on said truck, a winding drum, gearing between the motor and drum for turning the drum, a clutch for throwing the drum into and out of engagement, a sheave, means for driving said sheave from the motor, a second sheave, a belt passing around said sheaves, a manually controlled tightener for said belt, whereby the belt may be caused to drive the second named sheave, or will permit it to remain stationary, a winding drum connected with said second named sheave and adapted to be driven thereby, an electric supply cable co-acting with said last named drum for carrying current to the motor, a steel haulv age cable connected with said first named drum, and guides on said trucks for said cables.

RALPH E. NOBLE. Witnesses:

IRENE FORREST, CHARLES O. Gusmvsnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents; Washington, D. C.

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