US1402558A - weber and f - Google Patents

Description

B. F. WEBER AND F. E. WUDDFURD.

CONVEYER SYSTEM.

APPLlCATION FILED 'Aus.2|. 1912.

1,402,558, Patented Jan. 3, 1922,

3 SHEETSSHEET I f g B. F. WEBER AND F. E. WOODFORD.

CONVEYER SYSTEM.

APPLHIATION HLEU AUG.21. 912.

3 g Wm H m M M mu m m wk (J2,

cm 95 Q G A 4 m L T V UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

snnnean rf WEBER Aim rams. woonrorm; or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; slun woonrozan nssIonon-nv mnsnn .assrsnmnnrs, TO RAYMOND e. rmmmnn,

or NEW-roan; I Y. I 7

" converse srsrnm.

Patented Jan. 3, 1922.

, h nciuoir inn-a g er e1, 191a; Serial No. 716,218.

To all whom a 0mm,-

Be it known th t wevBEBN-ARD- E WEBER and FRANK E. Woonrono, citizens of the UnitedStates, and residents of Chicago, in theState of. Illinois, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Conveyor Systems, oi which the following is a spec fi cation. r, I

Our presentdnvention relates to conveyors in generaland more particularly aerial tramways, and has spec1al=reference-to ,the ntramural transportation of articles in process of manufacture from-one part ofthe manufacturing establishment to another part thereof. In the present instanee, we have shown an embodiment of our invention es- 'pecially adapted for use inmakingloadlng and unloading bricks ina brick yard, other parts of such system forming the sub ects matter of our corpending applicationsSerial No. 545,616 filed February 24; 1910, and Serial No. 575,172, filed August 8, 1910, a division thereof, and inwhich applications the subject matter of this present, application is disclosed; 5 l 1 y The principal objects of cur -present invention are: the provisionfiof automatically operated carrier apparatus for-transferring brick, as they issuefrom the brick ,making machine, to theicars upon ivhieh theyare hacked preparatory to storing, drying. or burning, with theinterventionof a minimum amount of manual labor; the provision of an improved form of mono-rail tracks for supporting the conveyor .units and elevating or lowering them {to any desired level for convenience in taking up and depositing'the load; the provision of unimproved design of motor driven trolley car for operating the individual carriers;"the provision of an improved form. of individual carriers for supporting the goods to be transported; the provision of co-operating. means whereby the operation of the carrier units, andof the engaging means carried thereby, may be varied when desired and thereafter automatically restored; the provision of improved means for intermittently driving the individual com'eycr'uuits; the provision of improved means for intermittently energizing the engaging mechanism and causing them to engage the; articles to be transported; the provision of automatically operated electrical means for controlling the movements of each of the individual trolley cars and of the-engaging means carried thereby; together with such otherobjects as may hereinafter appear. l in the manufacture of bricks as customarily carried on at this day, the bricks as they issue from the forming mechanism are deposited upon an endless belt conveyer runn ng to a point adjacent to a series of cars, and as the bricks approach the cars they are manually lifted from the belt and placed in. thedesired position upon the cars. This system of operation is objectionable in the following respects: Firstly'In order that it may becarried out at all, all of the operatives removin bricks'from the conveyer and the belt and hacking them on the cars, must move in unison to avoid interference, and the speed with which the transference of the brick may be accomplished is governed by that of the least efficient operator; I

Secondly. Much time is lost and the capacity of the plant reduced in the event of the absence for any cause of one of the operatives; that is, any variation in the number of operatives, even for a short time, requires the proportionate variation in the speed of the conveyor belt;

, Thirdly. In the event that the operatives become incoordinated even momentarily, some of the bricks must pass by and become Fourthly. For the efficient disposition of the brick issuing from but a single forming mechanism, the employment of a large number of operatives is required;

In attaining the obiects above mentioned and gaining certain further benefits and advantages below to be ,described, we have provided a construction one embodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure his a general schematic view of a conveyer system embodying our improvements as'useful in a brick making establishment;

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse elevational View, partially in section, taken on the line II'II' of Figure l the dotted lines indicating the various aerial track levels at different heights above the ground tracks;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view illustra-tive of the relative positions assumed by the several members of a series of trolley car units and carrier units as thcv respectively come into position to engage, and complete the operation or engagement of, the several members of a row of brick.

Figure 3 shows a part of the machine of Figure 3, being a continuation of the right hand end thereof;

Figure L is a view of a detail of construction; and Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the circuits for the motor and the solenoid.

Referring first to Figure 1 or the drawings, it will be observed that we have here illustrated the following principal elements, in connection with a brick making machine viz.: an aerial trolley car track, A, A, A, located immediately above a conveyer'belt'B adapted to receive brick as they come from the forming machine; a plurality of motor trollo cars C running on the track A; carrier evices D respectively sup orted by the trolley cars C; a plurality of ranch tracks E, E, E, etc. diverging from the main track A and aiterwar s conver therewith, each of said tracks E E F etc., being provided with a switch F, F, F, etc., and switch operating means. G, G, G, etc., a single circuit changer H for completing in rotation the circuits through the several actuating means G; a pluralit of fiat care J on ground tracks K, upon w ich cars the bricks may be packed preparatory to storing, drying or burning, the ground tracks being disposed transversely to the trolley car tracks E, E; E, etc., driving mechanism M for imparting a continuous motion to the flat care J as they traverse the lanes of the aerial tracks E, E, E, etc., so f-closing switches N arranged to normally connect the branch tracks 12,13, E, etc, with that part of the main track A indicated at P' a suitable electrical conductor Q, for feeding the trolley car motors, and a suitable conductor R for energizing the operating means actuating the engaging devices of the carriers D; secondary conductors S located adjacent the branches T of the conductor Q; short branches V of the conductor R- secondary conductors X located adjacent that part of the conductor Q, indicated at Y, and circuit changers Z for controlling the feed to the conductors S and X, it being understood that a common return for all electrical equipment is bad through the rail A to the ground W.

Referrin now more particularly to Figures 1 fit 2, it will be observed that the center branches E, E, E and E of the main aerial trolley car track A are located above the ground rails K upon which the flat cars J move. In ractice each aerial track is used for depositi a different layer of bricks on the fiat cars. y thus providing a se aratc trolley car track at a different heigiit for depositing each layer of bricks on the car J, the carriers D will at all times be con veniently close to the surface of the flat cars J or to the bricks piled thereupon, thereby avoiding not only unnecessary expenditure of effort by the operatives in discharging the bricks upon the car, but also danger of brcalo age of such bricks by dropping them. In order that each of the flat cars J may he moved from a convenient position below the track E to the track E, E and E in succession, at a rate of s d which will approximate the rate of elivery of brick by the carriers D, we referably utilize the driving mechanism in icated at M in Figure 1, wherein as will be seen u on reference to Figure 2 the conveyor M riven by a motor 10) is of a chain construction and provided with arms 11 normally disposed at right angles to the conveyer, and movable rclatively thereto in one direction only, to-wit:

the direction of normal travel of the con "cyer, such arms 11 bein adapted to engage the axles 12 of the cars and drive such cars forward in the direction indicated by the arrow.

For driving the motor of the trolley cur Q, and energizing the actuating means for the enpaging mechanism D, we make use preforab y of two conductors, Q, and R respectively, having a common feed of the same polarity, such conductors being supported from a suit able bracket but insulated therefrom and spaced somewhat apart, as indicated at 1:1. contact being made with the conductors (Q and R respectively by the collector shoes it and 15, of the motor of the trolley car C and of the actuatin r device 16 of the carrier 1). respectively, w iich shoes are, of course, insulated from each other.

In that embodiment of our invention which is specially available for use in connection with an end out brick machine (that is one which forms the brick ruin a bar of the two least dimensions of a conipleted brick) we make use of a construction of carrier and engaging mechanism illustrated in preferred form in Figure 3.

Referrin now more particularly to Figure 3, which il ustrates more fully the construction of the trolley car indicated at C in Figure 1, it will be observed that the present form of trolley car comprises a frame 17 having a pair of supporting wheels 18l8, riding upon the aerial track A which is supported from a bracket. The frame 17 is provided at each end with upturned bumpers 19 rounded for a purpose to be below described. and upon one end of the frame is mounted a motor 20 in turn mounted to drive one of the trolley car wheels 18. For the purpose f affording a pivotal support for lhe carriers D of Figure 1, we mountccntrally in the lower part 21 of the frame 17, pivotallv. u hanging bar 22 for the carrier device l The central longitudinal member 23 of the carrier D is provided with suitable attaching ll ll a distance slgghtly less than the dicated st 27 in or or to provide a socket for end 28 of the following ourthe progcctinfg rier, an the orwerd end with e downwardly extendin stopplate 29 both useful for purposes to e belowdescribed.

Referring further to Figure 3, it will be observed that we have here shown a lurality of the trolley cars 0 and carriers in the positions-they assume relatively to each other and the brick 30 as such brick are discharged upon the belt B upon emer once from the brick formin device 31, at t 16 time the conveyor units ride into position to engage such brick.

We have indicated it brick forming ma,- chine at 31 purely for pur oses of lllllStL'iL- tion here showing the well nown Chambers machine wherein the molded clay us it issues from the die a. of the mixin 'rnachine Z; is delivered to on off-bearing be t c which moves at a rate of speed substantially uniform with that of the molded material coming from the die and delivers such material to a. cutting machine (I having arms 9 provided with cutter wires f for cuttin the molded clay into bricks 30. In order at the bricks 30 may not be distorted by crowdin or otherwise deformed, they are delivers immediately upon cuttin from the oil-bearing belt a to the belt B W ieh bein urren d to travel at at higher rate of spec than t e belt 0 acts as a separator, thereby carrying the bricks 30 forward in the spaced relation shown. The members a, b, 0, 41,6, f, and B comprise an errun ement well known to those who are sltille in the art, and the belt 13 is always driven in such arrangements at a rate of speed incxcess of the maximums eed of the belt a, which may be done by driving the belt B from. the pulley which drives the belt 0 in the customary manner.

Fromlan examination of this Figure 3 it will be observed that a. portion 82 of the truck A, nearest the point of emergence of the brick from the'device 31 upon the belt 13, is elevated a distance equal substantially to the thickness of the brick, above that portion of the truck indicated at 33 where the carriers D engage the brick, and that the rounded bumpers 19 are rovided "for the purpose of spacing the trol ey cars 0 apart length of the carriers to allow overlap ing of the latter. When each of the trolley corsC mores off the elevated portion of the track (I the projecting portion28 of the clamp will ride into the notched portions 27 of the forward clamp and prevent the. rear clump from any contact whatsoever with the brick engaged or about to become engaged with (o such forward carrier, as is very clearly to be seen on the comparison ofthe relative ositions of the several carriers D, D and This construction also permits the use of the downwardly extending stop plate for retarding the brick us is desirable in the operation of our device below to be described.

The operation of a brick transporting upputatus embodying our present invention is as follows:

Assuming t plurality of carriers coming vertically over thebelt B as is clearly to he understood from Figures 1 and 3. Im-

medintelythc collector shoe let passes out of contact with that port of the conductor Q, indicated at 47, the trolley our 0 descends the inclined portion 33 of the aerial track A, allowing the elements 34, 35, and 36 to come into position to engn e the brick 30 as me be seen at D, D an D. Conve er B wilv move at greaterspeed than the trol cy car C until the-motor 01'- the trolley car C is energized, and the carrier D will thereby and by the impact of the carrier l) be moved to the position shown and its prior positions successively occu led by D and D, but carrier D, since he motor of its trolley car C is still energized, continues to push against the line of carriers D", D etc, and movesa-id carriers one at s time into transporting engagement with the roups of bricks, such as 30, 30, 30 and 5 30, 30. Obviously, however, notwithstanding the fact that the motor of the trolley car G is energized, the line of corriers ouch provided with a retarding plate 29 will move at a slightly slower rate of speed than that of the belt 13, owing to the inertia of such line, and the motor oi one of the trolley cars C, will set as a carrier distributing mechanism operating in unison with the forward movement or". the bricks for deliverin one carrier at a time as fast as a loud of laricks gets in proper position to be taken up by such carrierz. As soon as the collector shoe 14 strikes the guidewey indicated. at 37, the trolley car C will be energized and the carrier D will assume the relation parallel to the belt like that shown for the carrier D. As the motion of the conveyor 13 in the direction indicated by the arrow is continuous, and the retarding plate 29 of the carrier D has dropped in front of the brick 3O consequent upon the removal of the carrier D, the bricks 30, 30*, and 30 will close together similarly to those indicated at 30*, 30, 30, the carrier D thereby acting as on automatic benching mechanism cooperating in timed relation with the separating belt Immediately the collector shoe 15 strikes the guidewuy 38 of the conductor R the actuating device 16 will become energized, and the bricks finally clamped in the carrier and any curvature in their surfaces straightened. The brick clumped in the carrier still contacting with the conveyor B, the carrier continues to progress in the direction indicated by the arrow until the contact shoe 14 strikes that part of the conductor Q, indicated at 37 when the motor is energized and begins its travel along the track A, the speed of the motors of the carriers C, after t ey leave the sepe rating belt B, being obviously much reeter than that of the separating belt 13, which in turn is greater than that of the line of cerrieis, C, notwithstanding the push of the carrier C whose motor is retarded by the overload caused by the weight and the frictional resistance of the line of carriers in front of it.

As the trolley car C approaches the circuit changer H and strikes one of the fingers 39 (see Figure 1) closi the circuit through the wire 40, the solenoi G (Fi e 1) is excited, the switch F (Figure 1) is closed and the trolley car C is diverted down the truck E7 The approach of the following trolley car C will move another of the fingers 39 open the circuit through the solenoid G and open the switch F, simultaneously closing the circuit through the wire 41, the solenoic G and closing the switch F, like operations tuking place with respect to the switch F of the truck E, and the switch F of the track E opening the switch previously closed and closing the next one in order, etc. When the contact shoe i l of the carriers C reaches the point on the conductor T (forming substantinlly a continuation of the conductor Q) indicated at i3, the ener izetion of the motor is discontinued an the trolley car comes to it stop, but the actuating device 16 continues to e energized. The operator standing at 0 then grasps the carrier D with his hand and brings it to its desired position above the our J, pulls down the carrier by extending the springs 44, and opens the clamp and discharges the brick by ressing upon the switch button 45, arranger in the rearward of the two members 24, which opens the circuit throi h the actuating device 16. The carrier D ieing relieved of the weight of the brick will immediately rise from the brick by means of the springs 44 previously held under tension, and the currier may be then given a manual impulse along the aerial track E, and as soon as the contact 14 strikes that port of the conductor T indicated at 46, the motor 34 will become energized and the carrier will proceed on its way along the aerial track E and over the switch N and the aerial track A until the trolley car C again reaches the terminal 47 when the operation first described will be re outed.

rom the foregoing description it will be apparent that to attain a most eflirieut operation, of apparatus embodying our iu1 prcvemcnts, it is desirable that the brick be somewhat spaced apart prior to the instnnt of their final engagement with the curriers D.

If for any reason delivery of brick to the flat cars be temporarily suspended, the trolley car C may be diverted to the storage track indicated at A" having" conductors ii" and Q", and communicating with the truck A'by means of a. manually operated switch F" and a spring switch E".

Having thus described our invention and illustrated its use what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the kind described. menus for delivering successive groupsof bricks in position for transportation, and moving carrier means for receiving said moving bricks and delivering said bricks to c hacking stand in hacked relation.

2. In an apparatus of the lrind described,

automatic means to bunch together bricks in the desired units required for backing, and automatic carrying mechanism for carrying said bunched-together units and depositing them in hncked relation.

3. In an apparatus of the kind described, mechanism for continuously delivering u stream of bricks, mechanism for carrying said bricks forward in successive bunches to a hacking station, and means for introdncing a time element between the deliveries of bunches, without interrupting the storesaid continuous movement of the bricks, for permittitng the proper handling of the bricks at the bucking station.

l. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combinutlon with mechanism for continuously delivering a stream of green brickmaterial in the form of briclm. and carrying means for carrying said bricks to hacking stations, of means for providing n time in terval at the beginning of each carrying movement and means for providing :mother time interval at the end of (3:!L'll carrying movement for enabling the carrying means to take its load of bricks and deposit its lead in hacked relation without interfering with the said continuous movement of the stream of bricks.

5. In an apparatus of the kind described, means for moving :1 stream of bricks forward into position for being loudcd in units of u plurality of bricks each, carriers for carrying said bricks, and carrier distributing mechanism operated in unison with the forward movement of the bricks for drlivcn ing one carrier at a time as fast as u load of bricks gets in proper position for said curnor.

6. In an apparatus of the kind desrribrd. continuously moving brick-delivery menus for delivering bricks with a continuous on word movement in position to be loaded. a carrier for transporting suid bricks. menus adjacent the loading portion of suid deliv- Iflll llll lI l

ery means for positively movin said carrier at the same speed as the brie and c0- opereting automatic mechanism for securing a load of bricks on said carrier while the carrier and bricks ez'e still movin 7. In an apparatus of the kind ascribed means for receiving a continuous stream of bricks, means for forwarding the same in separated bunches, hacking clamps and means for delivering sjaid bunches to said hackin clamps with a space interval between aeiiveries.

8. In an apparatus of the kind described means for receiving a continuous stream of bricks, means 'for segregetin bunches of bricks from such stream, and 0! delivering successive bunches to different stations for subse uent treatment.

9. non apparatus of the kind described, means for receiving a. continuous stream of 21) bricks, means for forwarding the same in separated bunches, and means for delivering successive bunches be separated stations.

In witness whereof we have hereunder sified our names in the presence of the two 25 en cribed witnesses.

BERNARD F. WEBER.

FRANK E. WOODFORD.

Witnesses Wnsrmn, PAUL CARPENTER.

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