US1445218A - Sugar-cane-mill-feed controller - Google Patents

Description

Feb 13 1923. 1,445,218

E. G. KOCH SUGAR CANE MILL FEED C OlIlROLLER Filed Feb. 28, 1922 2 sheets-sheet l y 3mm/do@ dwjam E. G. KOCH SUGAR CANE MILL FEED CONTROLLER Filed Feb. 28, 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2 fzmkdmaw; I

Patented Fels., ld,

envi/'Ann s. noon, or :aaron conne., Louisiane', fissrsnonjer cnn-Hann ro nanna' e. nannies, or rnaa'sniviriir, Lenrsitiinni. f

Application filed February 28, 1.922. Serial e. kees, a

usetul Improvements in Sugar-Cane-Mill-` Feed Controllers; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact f description of the invention, suchywill enable others skilled in the art to Whichit appertains to make and use the same.

It hasfbeen dilicult in practice to properly regulate the feeding oit sugar cane to the mill or to the Crushers owing to various causes, amongst which may bel stated:

(l) An uneven supply of cane to thecarrier at the place Where the carrier is vfed, Which uneven Jfeed is, `oi'f course, carried along to the mill or Crusher.

(2) The nature of the cane stalks themselves, Whether crooked-or straight, or long` or short, all of which allect the nature of the feed. Y Y Y.

(8) There is a tendency of the feed cane to nip or to choke up in the chute leading to the mill or crusher, which causes a. considerable unevenness in the i'feed.

There are also other causes which need not be enumerated. i l

Lhis uneveiiness in the feed causes unequal extraction of the juice, and imposes at times excessive strains upon the receiving rolls.

rlhese receiving rolls are ordinarily the Crusher rolls through which thev cane is passed from the roller before being fed to the grinding rolls. 1

According to my invention l provide power operated means manually controlled, Which in a large measure prevents the choking up of the cane as it leaves the carrier and is fed to the Crusher, and provides a substantially normal and constant volume of sugar cane fed to the Crusher and mill rolls; thereby increasing the capacity of the milling tandem through the regularity olv the feed` and at the same time aiding in the sucrose extraction and reducing the moisture in the hagasse, due to maintaining alevel mat of bagasse passing through the mill rolls at the mill setting required for the thickness oi the mat.

This regularity of feed alsoreduces Wear and tear on the milling tandem by eliminating clicking and nipping of the cane, which in turn reduces vibration and excessive Worktetes7 residing at' sensei.

i ing or' thetop rolls of the millingtandem i hydraulics. a V

invention will be inorefully'lunder'- stood after relierence to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicated. by similarA reference symbols throughout the several views, 'and in ivhichz-` Figure l is a view in side elevation `of the upper end ofthe cane'carrier With the de-V klivery chute connecting the same'witli the crusher rolls, parts being broken away.; and

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. l. x Y N A represents the cane carrier in the form` ot an endless belt which travels between the .tired side Walls or rails B. Certain ofthe slats a ot this carrier may be providedl vvith` cleats a', it desired, Which -cleats should pi'e'feral'ily be staggered as shown in- Fig. 2.

rlhis carrieris vdriven in the usual or inl any `convenient Way;l themode of driving saine being well known in the art Willl not he further described herein.l n C represents the delivery chute for deliverinyg` the cane trom the `end of the carrier to the' crusher rolls l),vwliich Crusher rolls may be o l any suitable orfpreferred type.

.'l censtriiction vand operation of the ie rolls not being a part of my presentv invention will `nothe further described hei'ev between crusherrolls before subjecting it to the ordinary milling rolls.` rlilhe controller can be placed oveil the head shaft drum of` the feeder table or cross conveyor which conveys cane to the maincane conveyor.

Projecting 4down between the side Walls oi" said chute, l provide cane holding or arresting mechanism comprising a rake E having a series of tines e rigidly attached to the shaft c. rlhese tines are curved, as at e2, rthe Whole y forming a pivoted rake or holdei'someivhat similar to those used on` harvester-sy i Engaging 'the'back of this rake is a inoi`Y` able beam F, formingwith the side brackets F rectangular yoke. the ends ot which side brackets are connected by the connecting rods G to the piston rods l-l, iast to the pistons H of thecylinders l.

To prevent sagging et `the piston rods l vlnstead. oit delivering thecane to the .through the eXhaust pipe S.

may provide a sliding support J, fast at one end to the piston rod and having` its other end sliding on the guide rod K which has one end fast, as at c, to the cylinder, and the other end secured, as at 7c', to the tramework of the apparatus. rIhe cylinders may be secured to the side walls of the carrier in any convenient way, as by the brackets M and bolts m.

In Figure l I have shown the rake in the lifted position for narrowing down the throat through which the feed cane passes from the carrier to the crushers. 'Ihe pistons arev moved in the cylinders by iuid pressure, as water pressure, steam pressure, or the like. I have shown the vfluid pressure applied through the pipe N to the valve P, which is controlled by the hand lever P. 'Ihis valve directs the duid through the pipe Q, moving the piston in the direction for lifting the rake, and through the pipe It in the direction for lowering the rake. The fluid is exhausted It will be seen, however, that it will only be necessary to use any appreciable amount or luid pressure for lifting the rake, as the weight oi the cane thereon and also the Weight or" the parts will tend to restore the rake to the lowest position under the action ot gravity.

rIhe fluid pressure is `applied to the two cylinders simultaneously, and igor this purpose branch pipes It and Q are shown connected to the second` cylinder, see l? 2, which is on the opposite side of the apparatus from the first cylinder shown in Iiig. l.

I/Vhile I have shown two cylinders both simultaneously operated, it will be obvious that a single cylinder with the proper mechanism operated thereby may be used to swing the rake; but I do not mean to limit the invention to the use of two cylinders, although this would ordinarily give a better balanced result.

In the operation of the device, the operator regulates the feed of the cane carried to the mill by swinging the rake to the desired position. rIhis rake will engage the top layer of the feed cane as it passes down the chute and may be eased oil to feed more cane, or swung upwards to reed less, as desired.

It would be a very simple matter for the operator to learn by experiment the position of the rake which gives the best results under the conditions prevailing at any given mill.

It will thus be seen that I provide an an rangement by means of which a substantially regular volume of feed to the mill may be secured without excessive variations therein, and the hereinberore .described results may be obtained thereby.

It will be obvious that various modiiications might be made in the herein described apparatus, and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention; and I do not mean to limit the invention to such details except as particularly pointed out in the claims.

I-Iaving thus desc ibediny invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is l. In apparatus for regulating the .teed of cane to crushing rolls, the combination with a cane carrier, and a chute receiving the cane from the delivery end oi said carrier, and

f delivering the same by gravity to said rolls,

or means for checking the liow of the cane down said chute, comprising a swinging rake, power operated means for swinging said rake, and hand operated means for controlling said power operated means.

2. In apparatus for regulating the Yfeed of cane to crushing rolls, the combination with a cane carrier, and a chute receiving the cane from the delivery end of said carrier, and delivering the same by gravity to said rolls, of means for checking the fiow of the cane down said chute comprising a swinging ralre having tines )rejecting downwardly and curved towarc s the carrier end, power operated means for swinging said ralre, and hand operated means for controlling said power operated means.

S. In apparatus for regulating the :teed of cane to crushing rolls, the combination with a cane carrier, and a chute receiving the cane from the delivery end of said carrier, and delivering the same by gravity to said rolls, of means for checking the flow of the cane down said chute, comprising a swinging ralre, a fluid pressure system for swinging said rake, and valve mechanism for conn trolling said fluid pressure system.

4f. In apparatus for regulating the feed et cane to crushing rolls, the combination with a cane carrier, and a chute receiving the cane from the delivery end 'of said carrier, and delivering the same by gravity te said rolls, of means for cliecl-:ing the dow ofi the cane down said chute comprising a suf'inging rake having tines projecting downwardly and curved towards the carrier end, a ilu-id pressure system for swinging said rake, and valve mechanism for controlling said duid pressure system.

nnwann toon.

Images