US1559023A - Apparatus for handling loose material - Google Patents

Description

. Oct. 27, 1925.

- R. J. WOQD APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LQOSE MATERIAL Original Filed Jun 2, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WM m wfi In a.

. Oct. 27 1925- R. J. WOOD APPARATUS, FOR HANDLING LOOSE MATERIAL Origina1 Filed June 2, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Irwnior m fzflam.

am O w Patented Oct. 27 1925. I

UNITED STATES 1,559,023 PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT J'. WOOD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GOODMAN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION ILLINOIS. i

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LOOSE MATERIAL.

Application and June 2, 1921 Serial a... 474,431 Renewed May 4, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT J. Woon, a citizen of the United States, residin at Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate of Illinois, have invented an Apparatus for Handling Loose Material, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for handling loose material, and more particularly to scraper devices adapted for transporting coal and the like from the working face of the mine to an entry for loading the mine cars.

The principal object of the present inven tion is to provide simple and more efiicient means for changing the course of direction of the scraper. Other objects will appear from time to time as the description pro ceeds.

My invention may best be understood by referring to the drawings in which:

Figure 1'is a top plan view of the turning mechanism.

Figures 2 to 4 inclusive are diagrammatic views illustrating the typical installation in a mine showing a scraper in various positions with respect to the turning mechanism.

Figure 5 is a view and elevation of the turning mechanism in place in a mine.

Figure 6 is a detail.

Scraper loading devices which have heretofore been used in mines usually include a scraper which is moved by means of flexible cables operated by a suitable hoisting engine. With devices of this character, however, it is often found necessary, on account of operating conditions, to change the direction of movement of the scraper in moving it from the working face'to the point of loading on the cars, and again in returning to the startin point. For instance, when such a device is used in the room and pillar system of mining, the working face of the mine is usually at an angle to the direction of movement of the scraper .toward the room entrance. As a large portion of the room is usually occupied with waste material or mine props, it is necessary to direct the scraper first. along the mine face and then in a path along one side of the room toward the room entrance. Heretofore the forward movement of the scraper has been changed by providing one or more fixed sheaves adjacent the end of the working face and adapted to be detachably engaged by the head rope or drag line of the scraper. The return or rearward movement of the scraper'has been directed by a deflector or guide pulley positioned near the point at which the scraper is turned in its forward movement.

In the drawings, the present invention is shown as applied to a typical mining operation of the room and pillar system, and comprises a scoop or scraper 1 having a head rope 2 and a tail rope 3, each of said ropes being operated by a suitable hoisting engine, (not shown) usually situated at or I outside of the entrance of the mine room. A preferred construction of the scraper 1 comprises a body portion including upright side walls .1, 1 converging at the rear of the scraper in a rounded end portion 1 The working face 5 of the room is advanced longitudinally of the room as the mining operation proceeds. In the room illustrated, this face is formed substantially at right angles to the side walls 6 and 7, although it may be found preferable under some circumstances to form the face at an obtuse angle to the side wall 7 nearest the room entrance, as will subsequently appear. The tail rope 3 is led around a stationary sheave 8 anchored in the far corner of the room and from thence around suitable guiding sheaves to the hoisting engine. At the opposite corner of the room, but removed somewhat from the working face. and wall .7, I provide a turning device 9, which comprises a plurality of arms at angles to ,each other ivotally mounted toswing substantially in a horizontal plane about a pivot 12. In a preferred form illustrated three of such arms are provided, disposed at substantially equal angles of 120 to each other, and of the same length. For purposes of illustration in diagrammatical views these arms may be arbitrarily indicated by separate numerals such as 13, 14:,and 15. Each of the arms comprises an upper plate 16, and a lower plate 17 spaced laterally therefrom and connected by suitable spacing members 18, 18. A plurality of vertically disposed flanged anti-friction rollers 19, 19, are mounted one upon each end of arms 13, 14 and 15. It will be noted in Figure 3, that the arms 13, 14 and 15 are so roportioned in length respective to the scraper that when the forward end of the latter comes into engagement with one of the arms, as for instance arm 13, the ad acent arm 15 is of suflicient length to engage one side of the scraper adjacent the rear end thereof, as will hereinafter more fully appear in the description of the operation of the device.

A preferred means of securing the turning device in place comprises a screw-jack 20 having a spiked upper end adapted to engage the mine roof 1n the usual manner, and a retaining member 21 at its lower end adapted to engage a. base plate 22. said re-- v taimng member is illustrated inv Flgure 6 L ment has been found to be more economical and preferably comprises a pin 23, having an upper end 24 adgipted to fit into the lower end of jack 20 a ange 25, and a tapered lower end -26 adapted to extend through the retaining plate 22 into the mine floor. A bearing ring 27 fits pver the lower end of jack 20, and rests on the flange 25 of p1n 23 to provide a spacin element upon WhlCll the lower end 17 of t e turning 'devlce rests. When in operation the retaining member 21 is fixed in place on the floor, and jack 20 1s secured therewith in a vertical position to form a pivotal bearing for the turning device 9 as shown.

The operation of my device. is as follows: When the scraper is in starting position shown in full lines in Figure2, the leadrope 2 is engaged about two of the arms of the turning device such as 13 and 14. When the ulling force is exerted on the lead rope find that the turning device maintains the position substantially as shown in Figure 2. That is to say, the head rope 2 may be moved about the anti-friction rollers at the end of two arms without turning the device about its pivot. From the initial position the scraper moves along the mine face, gathers a load of coal and approaches the turning device until the scraper is brought into contact withthe arm 13, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. A continued pull on the head rope 2 will'swing the turning device about its pivot causing the scraper to turn therewith as shown in Figure 3. As this turning movement takes place the arm 15, and the flanged portion of its roller 19, are brought about into contact with one side of the scraper adjacent the rear end thereof, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, to assist and steady the scraper in its turning movement. The said roller is thus brought into position to engage the tail rope 3 after the scraper is advanced in a changed direction. The turning device continues to pivot until the arm 14 is moved out of contact with the scraper and draft rope, and the roller on arm 13 is brought into engagement .with the tail rope 2 as shown in Figure 4, in which position the scraper is full turned into line with the point of unloa ing and the scraper continues its movement in that direction.

3 is pulled so as to bring the scraper into engagement with the arm 15 (see Figure 4), and to turn the scraper in the reverse direction to a position substantially parallel to the working face 5 as shown in Figure 2.

It has been before suggested that the Working face5 may be formed at an obtuse angle to the side wall 7. Such an arrange- From the above description, it will, be seen that as the working face 5 is advanced, the fixed sheave 8 and the turning device 9 will be advanced accordingly, to transport the coal away from the face. The'apparatus is easily put in iplace, and affords a continuous movement 0 the scraper both forwardly and backwar'dly about-the turning device, and mnimizes the manual labor required for -handling'the draft ropes and scraper.

It w'ill be understood that I have shown my improved apparatus as applied to one system of mining merely for the purpose of illustration of its use, but that it is readily adapted to diversified-uses for transporting material, as for instance in excavating and grading-operation. Furthermore, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the construction of apparatus ilustrated excepting. as specifically defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a scraper apparatus, in combination with a scraper having two draft ropes for reciprocably operating the same, a rotatable turning device having three or more bearing members spaced apart, any two adjacent members being arranged to successively engage said draft ropes at both ends of said scraper.

2. In a scraper apparatus, in combination with a scraper havmg two draft ropes for reciprocably operating the same, a turning device mounted free to rotate on a vertical axis, and having a plurality of bearing members spaced apart, any two adjacent members arranged to successively engage said draft devices at both ends of said scraper.

3. In a scraper apparatus, in combination with a scraper having two draft ropes for reciprocably operating the same, a turning device free to rotate on a vertical axis and comprising a plurality of arms each pro,-' vided with an anti-friction bearing member at the end thereof any two adjacent bearing members bein arranged to successively engage'the dra t ropes at both ends of said scraper.

4. In a scraper apparatus, in combination with a scraper having two draft ropes for reciprocably operating the same, a turning device free to rotate on a vertical axis and comprising three equally spaced radial arms each provided with a vertically disposed anti-friction bearing member at the end thereof.

5. In a scraper apparatus, in combination, a turning device, and a pivotal bearing therefor comprising a screw jack, a perforated plate, a flanged pin having one end adapted to fit in the lower end of said jack and the other end adapted'to extend througn said plate, and an annular spacing member adapted to fit over the lower end of said screw jack to form a bearing for said turning device;

6. In a scraper apparatus, in combination with a scraper having two draft ropes for reciprocably operating the same, a rotatable turning device having three or more bearing members spaced apart, any one of said members coacting with said scraper to move the following member into engagement with the side of said scraper adjacent the rear end thereof.

7. In a scraper apparatus, in combination with a scraper having two draft ropes for reciprocably operating the same, a turning device free to rotate on a vertical axis and com rising three equally spaced radial arms eac provided with a vertically disposed anti-friction bearing member at the end thereof, any one of said arms adapted to 'coact with said scraper to move the bearing member on the following arm into engagement vertically along the side of said scraper adjacent the rear end thereof.

Signed at Evarts, Ky., this 24 day of May ROBERT J. WOOD.

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