US1217412A - Conveyer-controller. - Google Patents

Description

wirnes ses.

M. P. CHAPLIN.

' CONVEYER CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 28. I913.

1,2 1 7 ,4 1 2 Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

3 M I Fire/hem?" ere q in, M WMWEZW m M, I Attys.

M. P. CHAPLIN.

CONVEYER CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED on. 28. m3.

1,217,412. Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses.

invenTor. P Merle PChapiin, mwlzw.

" AIIy's.

m; mums IEYERS can. PNOTO-LIINUW WAaNuvrJON. 0.1:.

entrain srarns earner ora ion,

MERLE P. CHAIPLIN, OF FAIRFIELD, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO KEYES FIBRE COMPANY, OF

WATERVILLE. MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

CONVEYER-CO NTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

Application filed. October 28, 1913. Serial No. 797,860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MERLE P. CI-IAPLTN, citizen of the United States, residing at Fairfield, county of Somerset, State of Maine, have invented an Improvement in Conveyor-Controllers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to an apparatus for drying articles newly formed of liquid pulp, such as pie plates and butter dishes, from which it is necessary to remove a large quantity of moisture, although it is equally useful for the drying of other articles.

The apparatus is designed especially for use in connection with such machines as that shown in the prior Patent No. 740,023, granted to M. L. Keyes, September 29, 1903, for apparatus for making pulp articles. In that machine a series of molds are successively passedthrough a vat containing liquid pulp, the pulp being drawn by suction upon the face of the concave mold parts. The convex part of the mold is at the proper time applied to the concave part, and during their subsequent movements, the mold parts are subjected to a great compression which causes the proper molding of the article and also serves to squeeze out the greater portion of the liquid constituent of the pulp.

It is necessary, however, to dry said articles, and they are usually transferred by a rotating series of suction nozzles from the molding machine to a drying mechanism. In the drawings of the present invention one of the series of suction nozzles for removing the articles from the molds is shown as in a position to release the article upon the conveyer of the drying apparatus.

The drying apparatus proper, to which this invention relates, comprises a chamber containing a series of two or more conveyers which pass over suitable heating means. The molded article is deposited upon the upper lead of the first conveyer, is carried over the heating mechanism and then transferred to a second conveyer which runs in the opposite direction, and conducts the molded article over a second heating means.

The conveyers are usually made of reticulated wire cloth and in use it is found that they frequently shift from side to side, com

ing in contact with the sides of the chamber and .wearing them away by abrasion. This action also frequently results in wearing out or tearing of the edges of the conveyer.

The object of the present invention is to provide means for so controlling the movement of the conveyer that it will be prevented from any extended lateral movement, which would be likely to cause it to abrade the sides of the chamber.

A further object of the invention is to provide a means of adjustment for the conveyer, which will be controlled by the conveyer itself, in such a manner as to auto matically regulate its direction of movedrier provided with automatic conveyer controlling mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the portion of the I apparatus showing the conveyer controlling mechanism.

- Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing. a pair of conveyors, and means for regulating the same, comprising groups of three angularly adjustable rollers for each lead of each conveyer.

The apparatus comprises a drying chamber 1 which is. formed by heavy side frames or'wallsQ and 3 adapted to support the conveyer mechanism, and a thinner top 4, there being also a floor or bottom for the chamber, which is not shown in the drawing. The side walls 2 and 3 of the chamber are provided with recessesin whichthe bearings for suitable rollers for supportingand driving a conveyer are mounted. These rollers comprise the usual parallel main end rolls 5 and 6 and tension rollers 7 and 8 around which the endless conveyer 9 is adapted to pass. Suitable driving mechanism 10, 11 is provided for actuating the main rolls, and drying means, such as a series of steam pipes 12 is arranged beneath the upper lead of the conveyor 9.

111 machines of this character the conveyor is usually formed of reticulated wire fabric, and inasmuch as the conveyors are required to be of considerable length, the weight of the same is carried in part by several, preferably idle, supporting rollers 13 mounted between the main or end rolls.

By properly varying the angular position of the axis of one or more, preferably three, of such supporting rollers relative to the direction of movement of the conveyer, the lateral shifting of the conveyer may be controlled so that the same may be prevented from shifting beyond the ends of said main rolls and therefore from contacting with the side walls of the drying chamber. The angularly adjustable rolls which serve to guide the conveyer will hereafter be termed guiding rollers.

In Fig. 1, two connected adjustable guiding rollers 13 are shown, together with the means for eausii'ig their angular adjustment. These adjustable guiding rollers are provided with fixed bearings 14', mounted in re cesses 15 in the side wall 2 of the chamber, and with movable bearings 16 mounted in similar recesses in the side wall 3 of the chamber. As shown in the drawings, each movable bearing is provided with slots 17, through which pins or bolts 18 pass into the wall of the chamber, thus providing a means for the bearing to slide a limited distance longitudinally of the side wall. Each movable bearing 16 is provided with a projection, such as a bracket 19, and the brackets of tWo or more of the movable bearings are connected together, preferably by a wooden bar 20 thus causing all of the rollers of a group or series to have the same angular adjustment As the series or group of movable rollers underlies and supports a considerable portion of the conveyor the simultaneous angular movement of the rollers of a group exerts an influence over a relatively large area of the conveyer and does not place so great a strain upon a particular portion of the conveyor as would occur by the angular adj ustment of a single roller. Thus damage to the reticulated fabric of which the conveyer is made is avoided. Furthermore the joint action of the rollers of a group effects a more positive and consequently a more sensitive regulation of the direction of movement of the lead of the conveyer operated upon.

The adjustment of the movable bearings is accomplished through a bell crank lever 21 pivotally mounted upon a bracket 22 secured to the side wall 3 of the apparatus. The short arm 23 of the bell crank is attached by an adjustable link 24: to the bracket 19 of one of the movable bearings 16. The other, or long arm 25, of the bell crank lever separate piece.

the side walls of the chamber at right angles to the direction of movement of the conveyor belt. The guide is provided with anti friction rollers 27, which are adapted to engage the edgesof the conveyor. By this construction it follows that any lateral shifting of the belt will cause an endwise movement of the guide 26, which in turn will cp erate the bell crank lever to adjust the axial position of the supporting rollers relative to the direction of movement of the belt, and thereby impart a tendency to the belt to shift in the other direction.

In order that the bell crank lever may be properly proportioned for its work it is necessary that the arm which is attached to the guide shall be of considerably greater length than the short arm, which is connected to the bearing. in order that the adjusting mechanism may be sensitive it is do sir-able that the weight of the parts should be reduced as much as possible, consistent with necessary rigidity and strength, and it is also desirable that the weight of all of the moving parts be carried upon the pivotal bearing for the bell crank lever, it being understood that if desired, a tion bearing may be provided at this point to give greater sensitiveness of movement to the parts. To accomplish the above ends, it has been found desirable to construct the shorter arm of the bell crank lever and the pivotal portion by casting or forging, and to make the longer arm of the lever in a In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the shorter arm of the bell crank lever is provided with oppositely extending projections 28 having flanges 29 forming a channel. The longer arm of the lever 25 is preferably an iron bar which fits in said channel. and is secured thereto by suitable bolts. The long arm of the lever may be provided with an integral. extension 30 carrying a sliding weight 31 which will counter balance the weight of the long arm of the lever 25 and the guide 26. The weight may be adjustably secured on the extension 30 in any desired position by a set screw 32 or other suitable fastening device.

The opposite end of the guide 26 to that which is supported bythe lever 25 may also be supported in a similar manner. In the apparatus shown in the drawing such a means is disclosed as consisting of a bracket 33 secured to the side wall 2 of the frame and pivotally supporting a bar 34:, which is secured at one end to the guide 26, and is provided at its opposite end with a sliding weight 36 which may be adjusted to counter-balance the weight of the guide.

suitable anti-fric- In operation the conveyer travels between the anti-friction rollers 27 of the guide 26. If the conveyer shifts laterally it causes the guide to move endwise, thereby pushing the end of the arm 25 of the bell crank lever toward or from the side of the casing. This movement causes the short arm 23 of the bell crank lever to move forward or backward in a line substantially parallel with the side of the casing, and by reason of its connection to the brackets 19 upon each of the adjustable bearings of a group of miding rollers causes the movable end the rollers to simultaneously move backward or forward as the case may be, thus adjusting the angular relation of said rollers relatively to the direction of movement of the conveyer, whereupon the conveyer will be caused to shift in the opposite direction.

While a single adjustable guiding roller placed in advance of the end rolls carrying the conveyer will serve to properly control the lateral shifting of the conveyer, I have found by experience that the best results are obtained by providing a series of two or more, preferably three, connected adj ustable rollers placed a short distance in advance of each of the main rolls, and providing an idle roller between said group of adjustable rollers and the main roll. This arrangement provides for a. rapid adjustment, but one which is not so rapid as to cause an unnecessary lateral vibration of the conveyer.

The weights 32 and 36 serve to counterbalance the guide and the longer arm of the bell crank lever and cause the weight to be carried upon the pivotal supports on the brackets 21 and 33. By reason of these balanced parts adelicate adjustment is provided, so that the conveyer is caused to run in a substantially uniform path.

t is desirable that the adjustable guiding rollers of this character shall be located a short distance in advance of the main roll for both the upper and lower leads of the conveyer, and in Fig. 4t there is diagrammatically illustrated a group 36 of three supporting rollers for the upper lead of the conveyer, and a group 37 of three similarly adjustable supporting rollers for the lower lead of the conveyer.

It will be understood that in drying machines of this character it is customary to provide a plurality of conveyers traveling in opposite directions so that the articles may be passed back and forth through the drying chamber until they are completely dried. In Fig. 4 two of such conveyers with heating means therefor are shown, each of said conveyers being provided with adjustable supporting rollers of the character above described.

VVhile' this invention is primarily designed for an apparatus to be used in drying articles molded from pulp, it is obvious that the invention is applicable to conveyers used for other purposes, and it will be understood that the apparatus described herein is illustrative merely, and not restrictive.

Having fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I 1. In an apparatus of the class described comprising a pair of rolls, an endless conveyer of reticulated material passing over said rolls and means for driving one of said rolls, means for controlling the lateral shifting of said conveyer comprising a group of guiding rollers located beneath and supporting the moving lead of said conveyer in ad vance of said driven roll, said guiding rollers being spaced apart to support a relatively large area of said conveyer and means actuated by the lateral shifting of the conveyer for simultaneously changing the angular position of said guiding rollers to cause the conveyer to shift in the opposite direction.

In an apparatus of the class described, comprising a pair of rolls, an endless conveyer of reticulated metallic material passing over said rolls, and means for driving one of said rolls, means for controlling the lateral shifting of said conveyer comprising a group of guiding rollers located beneath and supporting the moving lead ofsaid conveyer in advance of said driven roll, said guiding rollers being spaced apart to support a relatively large'area of said conveyer, a fixed idle roll having its axis parallel with that of, the driven roller located intermediate of said group of movable guiding rollers and a driven roll and means actuated by the lateral shifting of the conveyer for simultaneously changing the angular position of said guiding rollers to cause the conveyer to shift in the opposite direction.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of parallel end rolls, means for driving the same, an endless conveyer mounted upon said rolls, a guiding roller mounted in proximity to and in advance of one of said rolls, means for adjusting the angular posi- I tion of the axis of said guiding roller, relative to the direction of movement of the conveyer comprlsing a slldable bearing for one end of said roller, a bell crank lever having one arm adjustably connected with said bearing, and means connected to the other arm of said lever adapted to engage the edges of said conveyer, whereby any lateral shifting of the conveyer in one direction will cause an angular adjustment of the guiding roller, and thereby cause the conveyer to shift in an opposite direction and means for counterbalancing the weight of the lever actuating means. I

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair of parallel end rolls, means for drivring the same, an. endless conveyer mounted upon said rolls, a group of parallel guiding rollers each of which is provided with a movable bearing, mounted in advance of one of said rolls, means rigidly connecting the movable bearings, means for adjusting the angular position of the axes of said guiding rollers, relative to the axes of the parallel rolls, comprising a bell cranklever having one arm connected with the movable bear ings of the supporting rollers, and means connected to the other arm of said lever adapted to engage the edges of said conveyer, whereby any lateral shifting of the conveyer in one direction would cause the angular adjustment of the guiding rollers, and a consequent shifting of the conveyer in the opposite direction.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a conveyer and means for driving the same, means for controlling the lateral shifting of said conveye'r comprising a guiding roller having a movable bearing, a lever connected to said bearing, a guide connected to said lever adapted to engage the edges of said conveyer and counter balancing means for said lever and guide.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a conveyer and means for driving the same, means for controlling the lateral shifting of said conveyer comprising a series of guiding rollers each having a movable bearing, a lever connected to the movable bearing of said guiding rollers, a guide connected to said lever adapted to engage the edges of said conveyer and counter balancing means for said lever and guide.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MERLE P. CHAPLIN.

Witnesses a W. P. SANBORN, C. W. VIGIRE.

Copiesof this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. 0.

Images