US1423986A - Coal-handling device - Google Patents

Description

H. D. BARTLETT.

COAL HANDLING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. 1921.

Patented J 111 25, 1922.

dz ieod eal I UNITED STATES HARRY D. BARTLETT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COAL-HANDLING DEVICE.

Application filed February 21, 1921.

To a]! whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY D. BARTLETT, acitizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CoaLHandling Devices. of which the following is a specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an apparatus for handling coal for domestic use; to provide an improved form of hopper; to provide mechanism for vertically shifting the hopper in a supporting frame: to provide means for locking said mechanism to hold the hopper in certain elevated positions: to provide an improved form of follower for urging the coal along the bottom of the hopper toward the outlet opening; to provide means for actuating said follower and simultaneously controlling the passage of coal through said opening: and to provide means for weighing the hopper and its contents.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fi we 1 is a side elevation of the device showing the hopper in its elevated position.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail, partly in section, showing the chute and follower.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail showing the catch for holding the winch in its operative position.

In the form shown, the apparatus comprises a supporting frame 1 having arranged, therein a hopper 2 which is vertically shift-- able by means of a winch 3 whereby the hopper is elevated to a position where its con tents may be readily discharged by gravity through the firing door of a furnace or other heating plant.

The frame 1 comprises a plurality of upright supporting members 4 in the form of angle irons providing guideways for the vertically shiftable hopper. Secured at the lower end of the frame. and disposed at right angles. is an axle 5 and a bar 6 carryingrespectively supporting wheels 7 and casters 8 which permit the apparatus to be conveniently trundled between the coal bin and the heating plant. Extending across the upper end of the frame is a brace 9 having suspended therefrom a centrally located weighing scale 10 which is provided with a Specification of Letters Patent.

laten toil July 25, 1922.

Serial No. 446.560.

book 11 for engaging a bracket 12 extendmg across the top of the hopper, whereby the latter may be supported by the scale independently of the hoisting sling when it is desired to weigh the fuel.

The hoisting sling comprises a flexible cable 13 having one end secured to the upper end of the supporting frame at one side of the device. The running part of the sling is in sliding engagement with pulleys l4 journaled at the lower end of the hopper and the other end of the cable is fastened to the winch 3. The winch is journaled in brackets 15 and 16 mounted on the opposite side of the frame and is provided with a crank 17 extending rearwardly and located within convenient reach of the operator. The winch is longitudinally shiftable in its bearings and is held in its outer or operative position. as shown in Figure 1, by an angle-shaped catch 18 which is pivotally connected to the bracket 16' so as to be adaptedto bear between the bracket and a pipe union 19 of the winch. To secure the winch in its inoperative position for retaining the load in an elevated position a lug 20 is secured to one of the uprights 4 and projects outwardly from the frame in position to engage the crank.

The hopper is formed with a bottom which is inclined downwardly and forwardly of the apparatus to form a chute 21 extending through an outlet opening 22 formedin the front wall of the hopper.v The lower part ofthe chute projects beyond the front wall of the hopper and is provided with side walls 23. Mounted in the lower end of the chute is a hinged gate 24 which is shiftable to .controlthe passage of fuel through the projecting section. The gate is provided with side flanges 25 so that when the gate occupies its open position it forms a continuation of the chute.

Pivotallylmounted on a bracket 26 extending across the rear wall of the hopper is a lever construction which comprises a pair of levers 27 connected at their upper ends by a handle 28. The lower ends of the levers are connected to the side flanges 25 of the gate by links 29 located one on each side of the hopper.

To assist the coal in its initial movement through the outlet opening. a channel-shaped follower 30 is slidably arranged in the chute and connected to the flanges 25 by links 31 so as to be operated by the gate through the action of the lever 27. The upper edges of the side flanges of the follower slidably engage pins 32 extending inwardly from the lower walls of the hopper. Extending transversely across the bottom of the follower are ridges 33 which provide shoulders for pushing the coal toward the outlet. A push rod 34 is slidably arranged in the chute above the bottom of the follower and extends through the rear wall of the hop er so that the rod may be shifted back an forth for agitating the coal when the gate is 0 en.

In operation, the apparatus is fille at the coal bin and when a supply is needed for the heating plant the device is trundled to a position directly in front of the firing door. The winch is then operated to elevate the hopper to the desired position soas to permit the lower section of the chute to project into the fire box. To hold the hopper in its elevated position the catch 18 is lifted to permit the winch to be shifted forwardly in its bearing to bring the crank '17 in front of the lug 20. When the'winch occupies this position the weight of the hopper urges the crank into engagement with the adjacent upright member 4 which secures the handle against rotation. The lever 27 is then operated to shift the gate to its open position and the forward movement of the gate simultaneously actuates the follower 30 to assist the fuel in its initial movement through the outlet. When the lever 27 is operated to close the gate, the follower is shifted back to its normal position.. If it is desired to weigh the contents of the hopper, the Winch is operated to elevate the hopper to the upper end of the supporting frame so as to permit the suspended hook of the scale to engage the bracket 12.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device for handling coal comprising .a supporting frame having a hopper slidably mounted therein, mechanism carried by said frame for vertically shifting said hopper, the bottom of said hopper being inclined to form a chute having an outlet at one side of said frame,'a hinged gate mounted in said outlet and arranged to form a continuation of said chute, means for shifting said gate into position to close said outlet, and a follower slidably arranged in said chute and connected to said gate so as to be actuated thereby.

2. A device for handling coal comprising a supporting frame having a hopper slidably mounted therein, mechanism carried by said frame for vertically shifting said hopper,

the bottom of said hopper being inclined to form a chute having an outlet at one side of said frame, a hinged gate mounted in said outlet and arranged to form a continuation of said chute, a lever pivotally mounted on said frame and connected to said gate for shifting said gate into and out of position to close said outlet, a second chute arranged within said first mentioned chute to form a follower, and a link connecting said follower and gate. I

3. A device for handling coal com rising a supporting frame having a hopper s idably mounted therein so as to be vertically shiftable, a winch carried by said frame, a sling supporting said hopper and having sliding engagement therewith, one end of said sling being secured to the upper end of said frame, the other end of said sling being secured to said winch, the bottom of said hopper being inclined to form a chute having an outlet at one side of said frame a hinged gate mounted in said outlet and arranged to form a continuation of said chute, means for shifting said gate into and out of position to close said outlet, and a follower slidably arranged in said chute and connected to said gate so as to be actuated by said gate through the operation of said means.

4. A device for handling coal comprising a supporting frame having a hopper slidably mounted therein so as to be vertically shiftable, a winch journaled in brackets carried by said frame for operating said hopper, a crank carried b said winch, said Winch being longitudinal Y shiftable in said brackets to bring said crank into engagement with said supporting frame for securing said Winch against rotation, the bottom of said hopper being inclined to form a chute having an outlet at one side of said frame, a hinged gate mounted in said outlet and arranged to form a continuation of said chute, means for shifting said gate into and out of position to close said outlet and a follower slidably arranged in said chute and connected to said gate so as to be actuated by said gate through the operation of said means.

5. A device of the class described comprising a chute, a hinged gate mounted in the outlet of said chute, and a follower slidably arranged in said chute and connected to said gate so as to be actuated thereby.

6. A device of the class described comprising a chute having an outlet at one end thereof, a hinged gate mounted in said out let and arranged to form a continuation of said chute, a second chute arranged Within said first mentioned chute to form a follower, and a link connecting said follower and gate.

Signed at Chicago this 18th day of Feb mar 1921.

y HARRY D. BARTLETT.

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