US1442939A - Loading machine - Google Patents

Description

4 SHEETSSHEET 2 Jan" 23, 11923.

R. P. GREENLEAF. LOADING MACHINE FILED JULY 23, 192 0.

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ROBERT ]P. GREENLEAJF, 0F CLEVELAND,-OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 FRANK BILLINGS, UK

' GLEVELANJD, OHIO.

Loainuve MACHINE.

Application filed July 23,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RO ERT P. G mmi- LEAF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Loading Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to loading machines and has particular reference to load ing machines for use in mines'having limited head-room, for example, thin veined coal mines.

The, limited headroom in mines of this character prevents the use of the major portion, if not all the really practical load ing machines designed for use in mines, and presents difficult problems of construction and operation, for while thepower required to load the material is practically independent of the space available, the amount of machinery which can be placed in the available space is not independent of it, and in consequence, in the designing of a successful machine for use in mines having low head-room .there is first, the problem of providing a powerful machine with a construction such as to utilize the available space to the best advantage. Likewise the lack of head-room restricts the space available for the discharge of the material into the receptacle or car, for in order that a loading machine can be used to advantage it is necessary that the receptacle or car be of as generous capacity as is practically possible. For example, in a coal mine having a seam of say four and one-half feet, a car should have a height ofat least thirty inches above the track, and this height together with the height of the ties and rails take up a space approximately three feet high. There would then be available for the discharge of mate-rial into the car a clearance of only about. eighteen inches. The same considerations which require a car as large as possible require a material handling member such as a shovel or dipper to have as great capacity as possible.

In a mine of this character a machine having a shovel which swings to discharging position over the machine, or which has either a tilting or .drop bottom bucket or 1920. Serial No. 398,467.

shovel is impracticable, or at least cannot be used to a very great advantage.

With the present invention the problems mentioned above are solved in a very satexcept to a point necessary to clear the top 4 of the car, and the material is discharged from the shovel by scraping it therefrom. An important feature of the invention resides in the fact that to accomplish this the rear wall or back of the shovel is moved toward the front thereof so as to cause the material to discharge over the digging edge without requiring a separate motor for this purpose, for in accordance with the present design the mechanism which is utilized to load and retract the shovel is caused to shift the rear wall of the shovel to discharge material from the shovel simply by giving the shovel a thrust or horizontal movement while over the car or material receiving receptacle.

lt is also an important feature of the invention that the dumping or discharging mechanism is rendered inoperative by the movement of the shovel except when the shovel has been elevated to a predetermined height, and this permits the other parts of the machine to function in the. desired manner while the shovel is being filled and is being shifted todumping position.

The invention may be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel details of construction and combinations'and arrangements of parts which will be described in the specification and pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings, Fig. 1 is a side view of a. machine constructed in accordance with my invention, the shovel being shown by full lines in elevated position and b clotted lines in lowered or filling position; Fig. 2 is a top plan.

view of the same; Fig. 3 is a rear view; Fig. 4 is a front View; Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 1 on a reduced scale, showing the ram which actuates the shovel extended; and Fig. 6 is a view showing the material being discharged into a car.

The machine includes a wheeled truck 10 designed to run on a track 11. On this truck is a turntable or superstructure 12, swiveled to turn about a complete revolution in either direction. and supported from a circular track 12 of the latter through the medium of wheels or rollers 13. This superstructure includes a frame 14 which carries all the operating mechanism, including a forwardly and rearwardly movableram 15 composed of two parallel channels on opposite sides of the machine and. suitabl connected together. The ram 15 is supported by means of rear rollers 16 which travel back and forth on outwardly facing channel-shaped guideways 16 (see particularly Fig. 3) and also by front shrouded pinions 17 (see particularly Figs. 1 and 4) which are supported by the frame 14 and engage racks 18 extending along opposite sides-of the bottom of the ram. Though it is immaterial to the present invention how the ram is actuated. in this instance the pinions 17 are mounted on a front crossshaft 19 suitably journaled in the front portion of the frame and connected to operating mechanism hereinafter described.

The material is picked up and deposited in cars or other suitable receptacles by means of a shovel 20 having a forwardly and rearwardly slidable back or rear wall,

20 hereinafter termed the shovel-back? This shovel is supported from the ram/fby two pairs of arms 21 and 22 (one pair being on each side of the machine), which arms at their front ends are pivotally connected to the sides of the shovel and at their rear ends are pivotally connected to suitable depending brackets 23 on the sides of the frame (see particularly Figs. 1 and 2). In this instance the distance between the front and rear pivotal centers of the arms is the same and in consequence the bottom of the shovel regardless of the point to which the shovel is moved. remains in parallelism with respect to its position at any point of movement. As here shown the bottom of the shovel is horizontal, but this is not essential, though perhaps desirable. Furthermore. while the parallel movement is thought at the present time to be desirable. this is not essential for the distance between the centers at the front and rear ends of the arms may be made unequal if necessary.

It will be apparent that the shovel can be given a forward and rearward movement by actuating the ram, and that it can be swung vertically from the position shown by full lines to the dotted line position and vice versaby swinging the arms 21 and 22. It will be apparent also that the whole superstructure can be turned so as to swing the shovel from a position in front of the machine to the rear of the machine over a car to be filled such as that shown in Fig. 7 at C. Likewise it will be apparent that when the shovel is elevated, say to the position shown in Fig. 1. or approximately to that position. and is then swung around until it is over the car, and if the shovel-back 20 is moved toward the front end of the shovel. material will be discharged from the shovel into the car, and that therefore the shovel will be emptied without requiring any headroom other than that to elevate the loaded shovel to the point shown and referred to. It is by this method that material is transferred from the shovel to the car or other receptacle in accordance with the present invention. and it is an important feature of the invention that this is accomplished by giving the shovel a horizontal thrust by the same motive mechanism which moves the shovel horizontally at the front of the machine for filling and retracting purposes.

For'this purpose I provide on each side of the ram a so-called rocker 24, pivoted by a pin to a downward extension 22 at the rear of the. shovel operating arm 22. At the lower part of the rocker below its pivot point are two rollers 26, and above the pivot point the rocker has two diverging arms 27. Connected to the pivot pin 25 of each rocker is an arm 28 with a laterally projecting pin 29 which is between the rocker arms 27. The upper ends of the two arms 28 (one on each side of the machine) are connected by forwardly extending arms or links 30 to trunnion-like members 31 projecting laterally from the top of the shovel-back 20. which trunnions extend through slots 20 in the sides of the shovel near the top thereof. lt will be seen therefore. that if the arms or links 30 are moved forwardly relative to the shovel, they will move the shovel-back 20 toward the front or digging edge of the shovel. and in order that this may be accomplished by giving the ram and shovel a horizontal thrust when the shovel is elevated to or substantially to the position shown in Fig. 1. I provide on opposite sides of the frame a pair of cams 32 which are adapted to be engaged by the rollers 26 of the rockers if the ram and shovel are given a. horizontal thrust providing the shovel is elevated to a position substantially as shown in Fig. 1 which lowers the rollers of the rockers beneath the upper portions of the cams 32. Of course this is true regardless of the position to which the superstructure is previously swung. Therefore. when the shovel retracted after being filled and is elevated to substantially the position shown in Fig. 1, if the ram and shovel are moved horimaaeae I zontally, the foremost rollers of the two rockers will engage the cams 32 and rock the rockers in a counter-clockwise direction, and this through the engagement of the rear arms 27 of the rockers with the laterally projecting pins 29 will move the arms 28 and links 30 forwardly, pushing the shovelback toward the front end of the shovel, and causing material to be discharged at the front end thereof. Obviously after the rockers have thus been moved past the cams 32, if the ram and shovel are now retracted, the rear roller 26 of the rockers will engage and ride over the cams, and the front arms 27 of the rockers will by engagement with the pins 29 swing the arms 28 and links 30 back to their normal position so as to move the shovel-back to the rear of the shovel.

It will be seen that when the shovel is lowered to digging position, the rollers of the rockers are above the cams 32, and in consequence the shovel can be given its filling and retracting strokes Without causing any movement of the shovel-back, and it is not until the shovel is elevated to or substantially to the position of Fig. 1 that the mechanism which actuates the shovel-back .becomes effective.

means of which the cams 32 can be secured in different positions along the frame.

I The shovel-back is capable of swinging. relative to the links 30, but it is normally held by gravity in the position shown in Fig. 1, with the bottom of the shovel-back engaging an upturned lip 20 near the rear of the bottom of the shovel, and, of course,

while the shovel isbeing filled it is held inthis position by the material entering the shovel, but when the shovel-back isbeing shoved forwardly to push the material from the shovel, a lip 33 on a collar provided on each of the shovel'back trunnions 31 engages a shoulder 34 (see Fig. 1) at the forward end of the associated link 30, and thus the shovelback is prevented from swinging toward the rear of the shovel when it is actuated to push the material out of the front of the shovel.

I have heretofore made no mention of the motive means which is, or may be utilized to swing the superstructure to reciprocate the ram and shovel forwardly and rearwardly and to elevate the shovel. It is immaterial to the present invention what type of motive means is employed, or the number of motors utilized for this purpose. A separate motor may be employed for each movement, or a single motor may be employed and such an arrang nent is shown somewhat conventill;

tionally in the drawings as illustrative of any suitable operative motive means that may be utilized. In this case I have shown operating mechanism similar to that embodied in my prior application, Serial No. 274,326, filed April 16, 1920, and inasmuch as this particular operating mechanism per se forms no part of the present invention. it will be described only briefly.

This mechanism includes a motor 35 which may be of any suitable type, either electric or fluid pressure operated. This motor, which is mounted on the frame of the superstructure near the rear end thereof, rotates a forwardly extending shaft which with this mechanism can be operated continuously.

On this shaft are two gears of equal size, 37 and 38, the rearmost of which meshes with a train of three gears 39, 40 and 41 extending crosswise of the machine, while the front gear 38 meshes with a broad faced idler 42 which in turn meshes with a similar line of three gears 43, 44 and 45. The three pairs of gears 39 and 43, 40 and 44, and 41 and 45, are mounted on three parallel shafts 46, 47 and 48, each carrying near the middle point thereof a double clutch cone 49, and each serving to impart one movement to the shovel. 'The shaft 46 has at its forward end' a worm 50 (see Figs. 1 and 2) which engages a worm wheel 51 on the front cross-shaft 19 carrying the shrouded pinions 17 which engage the racks 18 and actuate the ram forwardly and rearwardly. The shaft 47 has at its rear end a worm 52 engaging a worm wheel 53 on a rear drum shaft 54, carrying a pair of winding drums 55 which accommodate ropes 56 which extend from the drums 55 upwardly over sheaves 57 which'turn on an upper rear sheave shaft or axle 58. From these sheaves 57 the ropes 56 extend forwardly and pass over a pair of front sheaves 59 which turn on a front cross sheave shaft or axle 60, the sheaves 57 and 59 being simply guide sheaves to accommodate the ropes 56, which after passing over the front sheaves 59 extend downwardly and are connected to the shovel, in this instance to the lower rear corners thereof, as shown at 61.

The third shaft 48 has at its front end a worm 62 (see particularly Fig. 4) which engages a worm wheel 63 on a short vertical shaft 64 supported by the frame of the superstructure and provided at the bottom with a pinion 65 which engages a stationary circular gear 66 secured to and mounted on the truck concentric with the circular track 12 and'vertical axis about which the superstructure turns. 7 v

The gears 39, 40, 41, 43, 44 and 45 normally run freely on their respective shafts, but each is provided with a clutch element indicated at 49 in Fig. 2, so that either can be clutched to its shaft by the endwise movement of the middle clutch cone 49. l[ have not herein illustrated devices for shifting the clutch cones 49 but it will be understood that either double clutch cone 49 can be shifted to the right or left by appropriate clutch shifting means.

It will be understood that the gears 39, 40 and 41 of one series will be respectively clutched to their shafts 46, 47 and 48, (all three of which are constantly driven by the motor 35) so as to move the ram in one direction, to rotate the drum shaft 54 in one direction, and to turn the superstructure in one direction respectively, and that the gears 43, 44 and 45 of the other train will be clutched to their respective shafts to actuate the ram, drum shaft. and to turn the superstructure in the opposite direction.

As before stated, this particular operating mechanism is not at all essential to the machine, and any other suitable mechanism involving one or a plurality of motors may be utilized to shift the ram. and hence the shovel, forwardly and rearwardly, to elevate the shovel by swinging the shovel supporting arms. and to turn or revolve the superstructure.

The machine is operated in the following manner. lVith the shovel in front of the machine, lowered to the position substantially as shown in Fig. 1, the ram is actuated forwardly so as to give the shovel its filling stroke. If desired, the shovel can at the same time be given a slight upward movement. \Vhen the shovel is filled it is retracted and elevated to, or substantially to the position shown by full lines in Fig. 1, it being understood that the retraction of the shovel and the elevating of the shovel can be done separately or simultaneously. Likewise it will be understood that while the shovel is being filled with material the shovel-back is in its rearmost position. and while the filling, elevating and retracting movements are being imparted to the shovel, the shovel-back is stationary. Assuming that the material is to be dumped into a mine car at the rear of the loading machine, the superstructure is then turned substantially 180. Then when the shovel is over the ear, the ram is thrust forwardly or is given a movement similar to that imparted to it in filling the shovel. This pulls the rockers which are now lowered beneath the tops of the cams 32 over the cams and the shovelback is moved longitudinally toward the front or digging edge of the shovel, pushing the material out of the shovel so that it Will drop into the car beneath, this movement being imparted by the action of the swinging rockers on the pins 29, and the movement being transmitted to the shovel-back through the arms 28 and links 30. Then the ram is retracted, and as the rockers ride over the cams in the reverse direction, the shovelback is restored to its normal position.

Then the superstructure is turned back to normal position, the shovel is lowered, and the operation is repeated. It is to be understood also that the shovel-back can be restored to normal position by the retraction of the ram and the superstructure can be turned back to normal position either separately or simultaneously. When in operation the machine is held to the rails by suitable clamps, not shown.

Thus with this mechanism the material can be loaded rapidly in a very limited space. i. e., a space limited as to height, and therefore this machine as stated at the beginning of the specification is admirably adapted for use in mines having low headroom such as thin veined coal mines.

Though one embodiment only of the in vention is shown, changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended. claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a loading machine. a frame, a shovel having a forwardly and rearwardly movable scraping member, mechanism for giving the shovel a filling movement and for shifting to discharging position, and means controlled by a movement of the shovel for shifting the scraper member to discharge the material from the shovel.

2. In a loading machine, a frame, a shovel having a movable scraper, mechanism for giving the. shovel a filling stroke and for moving it to discharging position, and means for shifting the scraper to discharge the material from the shovel, said means being operative only when the shovel is elevated to a predetermined height.

3. In a loading machine, av frame, a shovel, mechanism for giving the shovel a filling stroke and for moving it to discharging position. and means for discharging the material from the shovel, said means being operated by giving the shovel a horizontal movement in a forward direction when in discharging position.

4. In a loading machine, a shovel, means for reciprocating the shovel in one position thereof to fill and retract it, means for moving the shovel to discharging position, and means operated by moving the shovel in. a forward direction while in discharging position for causing the material to be discharged therefrom, said discharging means being inoperative when said shovel is in filling position.

In a loading machine, a shovel, mechanism for moving the shovel back and forth, for elevating it and discharging the material therefrom, said mechanism being effective for discharging the material by moving the shovel horizontally in a forward direction while in an elevated position.

. and mechanism operated by the first-named 6. In a loading machine, a shovel, means for moving the shovel back and forth and for elevating it, a scraper in the shovel for discharging the material therefrom, and means for shifting the shovel and scraper simultaneously in the same direction to dis charge the material from the shovel.

7. In a loading machine, a shovel, means for moving the shovel back and forth, for elevating it and for swinging it horizontally, a scraper in the shovel for discharging the material therefrom, and means for shifting the scraper to discharge the material, the scraper operating means being effective only when the shovel is elevated.

8. In a loading machine, a shovel, meansfor moving the shovel back and forth, for elevating it and for swinging it horizontally, a scraper in the shovel for discharging the material therefrom, and means for shift-ing the scraper to discharge the mate rial, the scraper operating means being rendered effective by giving the shovel a horizontal movement.

9. In a loading machine, a shovel, means for moving the shovel back and forth, for elevating it and for swinging it horizontally, a scraper in the shovel for discharging the material therefrom, and means for operating the scraper, the scraper operating means being rendered effective by giving the shovel a horizontal forward movement while in an elevated position.

10. In a loading machine, a shovel having a scraper for discharging material. there-- from, mechanism for shifting the shovel,

mechanism for shifting the scraper to discharge the material.

11. In a loading machine, a shovel having a scraper for discharging material therefrom, mechanism for reciprocating the shovel, and means operated by said mechanism for shifting the scraper to discharge the material.

12. In a loading machine, a shovel having the material and efiec-tive only when the shovel is elevated to a predetermined height.

13. In a loading machine, a shovel having a scraper and mounted for reciprocating and swinging movements, a ram for reciprocating the shovel, mechanism for shifting the scraper to discharge material from the shovel, and means whereby said mechanism is operated by the ram.

14.111 a loading machine, a shovel having a scraper and mounted for reciprocating and swinging movements, a ram for reciprocating the shOVeLmechanism for shifting the scraper to discharge material from the shovel, and means whereby said mechanism is operated by the ram and is rendered effective only when the shovel is elevated.

15. In a loading machine, a shovel, mechanism for moving the shovel back and forth and for elevating the same, a scraper in the shovel for discharging the material therefrom and means operative when said shovel is moved forward in its elevated position to simultaneously operate said scraper to discharge the material.

' 16. In a loading machine, a shovel, mechanism for moving the shovel back and forth and for elevating the same, a scraper in the shovel for discharging the material therefrom'and' means operative when said shovel is moved forward in its elevated position to simultaneously move the scraper along the shovel to dischar e the material and on re turn movement 0 the shovel to return said scraper to its original position.

. 17. In a loading machine, a shovel, a scraper for discharging the material from the shovel, said scraper having trunnions adjacent its upper edge, guides for said trunnions extending longitudinally of said shovel, and operating means engaging said trunnions,said scraper and operating means having interengaging parts adapted to prevent rearward swinging movement of said scraper during the discharging movement thereof.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

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