US1578036A - Machine for packing explosives - Google Patents

Description

Mmh 23 1926.

G. JOHNSON MACHINE FOR PACKING EXPLOSIVES 5 Sheets-Sheet l NNN ,....L NE n o mm o i QE @N AMT- l www.

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G. JOHNSON MACHINE FOR PACKING EXPLOSIVES Filed Sept. r- 5 Sheets-Sheet E March 23 1926.

G. JOHNSON MACHINE FOR PACKING EXPLOSIVES 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept CSJ @Si March 23 1926.

5 'sheets-sheet 5 Filed Sept. g

Patented Mar. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATESg GUSTAJ.=` JOHNSON, OF BENSON, ARIZONA.

MACHINE FOR PACKING EXPLOSIVES.

Application led September 8, 1925. Serial No. 54,981.

T0 all whom it may concer/n.'

Be it known that I, GUsrAr JOHNSON, (on or about November 12th, 1907, he filed his first papers declaring his intention of becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States of America), a citizen of the Republic of Finland, residing at Benson, in the county of Cochise and State of Arizona, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Packing Explosives, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to high explosives, more particularly to a machine for.. packing explosives.

In manufacturing, high explosives are generally divisible into two classes. In one class the material is somewhat granular and dry, such as ordinary dynamite composed of nitro-glycerine and sometimes combined with another explosive element, for instance, ammonium nitrate which is added to an absorbent. The other class is generally referred to as gelatine and is composed of nitro-glycerine which is combined with the same absorbents, roughly as dynamite, but combined with nitrate of cellulose which forms a jelly with the nitro-glycerine and converts the finished mixture into a plastic mass. The latter mixture or composition above referred to is either formed or cast in sticks or packed in cartridges. Heretofore machines of small capacity have been employed for forming sticks or packing cartridges for safety purposes in order to avoid the concurrent. explosion dangers.

The object of this invention is to provide a machine capable of safely and effectively packing cartridges with high explosives of gelatine form in large quantities.

The object is accomplished by the disclosure of the invention hereinafter set forth by the following description of the accompanying drawings, illustrating a practical embodiment of the invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine for packing explosives,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a verticall section aken on the line 3T3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end elevation.,4

looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 4 in Figs. 1 and 2, 1

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective View showing a portion of the operating mechanism,

'Fig 6. is a Vertical section taken on the same line as Fig. 3, showing the packing machine as it appears while filling the cartridOfes.

Fig. 7 is a View analogous to Fig. 6, showing a step in the operation of filling the cartridges,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a holder or shuttle for empty shells or cartridges to be filled with the explosive compound,

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of an apparatus for feeding empty shells or cartridges into the shuttle shown in Fig. 8,

Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken through the cartridge feeding apparatus taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9, and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary erspective View of a portion of the cartri ge feeding ap'- paratus.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, -particularly to Figs. 8 to 1l inc., 1() generally designates a shuttle or cartridge holder and consists of a central portion 11 secured to a base 12 upon which is hinged a pair of oppositely disposed plates or lids 13 and 14 respectively. The central portion 11 is provided with a plurality of semi-circular channels 15 formed in an upper wall 16 and a plurality of channels 1T formed in a lower wall 18. A plurality of channels 19 in register with the channels 15 are formed in the plate 13, and in a like manner a plurality of channels 2O are formed in the plate 14 which register with the channels 17. The channels 15 and 17 are adapted to receive empty cartridges from a feeding apparatus` and the plates 13 and 14 are adapted to close upon the cartridges and hold them in place therein leaving one end of the cartridges projecting therefrom.

The shuttle or cartridge holder is placed on an inclined Wall 21 of a cartridge feeding apparatus, generally designated at 22, with one of the plates open, for instance plate 13, as clearly shown in Fig. 10. The cartridge feeding apparatus 22 consists of a magazine 23 having a plurality of partitions 24 between front and rear walls 25 and 26 respectively, which form compartments 27 corresponding in number to the channels formed in the shuttle 10. A plunger 28 is mounted in the lower end or bottom of each compartment 27. A groove 29 is formed in the upper face of the outer end portion of each plunger and is adapted to receive a cartridge or empty shell C. Theplungcrs 28 are adapted to feed the shells from the magazine 23 into the shuttle 10 and are operated by' a crank shaft, generally designated at 30, having a throw or crank pin 3l, upon which is mounted a plurality of connecting'rods 32 which are connected to each of the ual pins 33.

plungers 28 by individ- The crank shaft 30 is mounted in a pair of bearings 34 in alignment carried by frames 35, and a gear 36 is mounted on each end thereof which meshes with pinions 37 on a counter shaft 38 mounted in bearings 39 carriedby the frames 35, and a pulley 38a is mounted on one end of the counter shaft 38. As the crank shaft 30 rotates, the

plungers 28 will be retracted into the position indicated by dotted lines, shown in Fig. 10, which will allow the cartridges in the 40 which was opened during the forwardl movement of the plungers 28 and preventA the cartridges from being returned to the magazine and carry them off the ends of the plunger-s. The cartridges will then drop onto an inclined plate 41 which will direct them into the grooves 15 of the shuttle 10. The plate 13 is then closed and the position of the shuttle reversed and the lid 14 opened, so that the channels 17 may in a like manner be filled with the cartridges. The lid 14 is then closed and the shuttle removed from the cartridge feeding mechanism and another shut-tlc placed therein, which is again filled with cartridges, as previously described. l

The plates 13 and 14 are clamped together after the shuttle has been filled with cartridges and is then placed on a carriage 42 which is provided with grooved rollers 43 engaging a pair of tracks 44 which are secured to a bed plate 45 of a shall or'cartridge filling apparatus, generally designated at F, shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inc.

The cartridge filling mechanism F consists of a horizontal frame 46, one end of which is' supported on uprights 47 mounted on a base 48, lwhile the forward end is supported on uprights 49 also resting on the base 48. The bed plate 45 constitutes part of the frame 46 and is adapted to support a chamber 50 which is substantially rectangular in cross section with the bottom of its wide portion resting on the bed plate 45. A neck 50a' extends upwardly from the cham- -ber 50 and is adapted to support a funnel or hopper 51. A mixer, generally desighas a fiange 54, upon which is secured a plate 55 having a plurality of openings 56 formed therein, in which are mounted a plurality of tubes 57 which are in alignment \and corresponding 4in number to the cartridges in the shuttle 10. The openings 56 have flared ends 58 and the tubes 57 have correspondingly flared ends. The chamber 50 is provided with a lining of rubber or other resilient material 59 to reduce friction, and a plunger 60, preferably formed of brass, is mounted therein and engages the lining 59. A cylinder 61 is mounted on the rear end of the frame 46, and a piston 62 is mounted therein and is provided with a rod 63 which is connected to a cross head 64 by a wedge and key connection 65. The plunger 60 is connected to the crossY head 64 bya pin 66 extending through semicircular sockets formed in the cross head, and a member 67 is secured to the end of the plunger 60. The pin is held in place by a pair of brackets 68, thus providing for a slight-angular play in the cross head and plunger. The cross head has a pair of oppositely disposed lugs 69 having openings 71 formed therein into which extend parallel cross head guide bars 72 mounted in brackets T3-secured to the frame 46. A pair of angle irons 74 are secured to the bed plate 45 of the frame 46 directly below the tracks 44. 44 are supported by standards 75, the upper ends of which have ends 76 extending through openings 77 formed in the tracks, and the lower ends thereof being secured to the angle irons.

A four-way valve 78 is mounted dimetly below the cylinde-r 61 and pipes 7 9 and 80 are connected thereto and enter ports 81 and 82 respectively at each end of the cylinder 61. A fluid pressure supply pipe 83 is connected to the top, and an exhaust pipe 84 is connected to the bottom of the valve 78. A controlling device 85 is mounted directly below the chamber 50 and consists of a cylinder 86 in which is slidably mounted a piston 87 secured to a rod 88. A rotary valve 89 is mounted directly above the cylinder 86,l and oppositely disposed branch pipes 90 and 91 extend from the valve and enter openings formed in opposite ends of the cylinder 86. A fluid pressure pipe 92 leading from a source of compressed air is ronnected to the top, and an exhaust pipe 93 is connected to the bottom of the valve 89. 'lhc valve 89 may be of conventional construction and is provided with oppositely dis- The .outer ends of the tracks.

posed parts v94 and 95 formed in the valve proper within the valve housing 96. The rod 88 is connected to the end of a bar 97 which is slidable between pairs of rollers 98 mounted in frames 99 secured to the base 48. A pin 100 is secured to the bar 97 and extends through a slot 101 of a lever 102 which is connected to the movable member of the valve 78. ,s

A rod 103 is slidably mounted in bearings 104 secured to the under side of the frame 46 and has a clevis 105 formed on one end which engages an actuating lever 106 connected to the valve 89 by means of a pin 107 extending through the clevis and a slot 108 formed in the lever 106. A pair of bearings 109 are secured to the under side ofthe shuttle carriage 42 and are adapted to receive a sha-ft 110 upon which is mounted a. pair of tappets 111 and 112. A cam 113 having an inclined face 114 is formed on the lower end of the tappet 111 and an arm 115 is formed on a collar 116 secured to the rod 103 for a purpose to be later explained.

Referring to Fig. 4, a pair of tlat bars 117 are, pivotally connected to the it'ront wall 118 o1 the shuttle carriage 42 by pins or other suitable means indicated at 119. The outer ends of the bars 117 engage elongated notches 12() formed in the under side of' the tracks 44, and are adapted to engage a shoulder 121 for limiting the outward movement of the shuttle carriage, hereinafter mole fully described. A cam 122 is mounted on the shaft 110 and has a fiat face 123 upon which the inner ends of the bars 117 normally rest, and a handle 124 is secured to the outer end of the shaft 110. A safety lever 125 is pivotally mounted upon the frame 46 by a pin or other suitable means indicated at 126. The lower end of the lever 125 has an inwardly turned end 127 engaging the lever 102. A rod 128 is connected to the opposite end ot' the lever 125 and is also connected to a lever 129 pivotally mounted, as indicated at 130, to the forward end of the frame 46, and a retractile coil spring 131 is connected to the upper end of the lever 125 and to a lixed point on the frame 46. A

A cartridge crimping mechanism, generally designated at M, is mounted on uprights 132 adjacent and secured to the hopper 51 by brackets 133, 4and consists of a flanged plate 134, which is slidable between the uprights 132 and is connected to links 135 pivoted on the ends of arms 136 mount'.`

ed on a shaft 137 carried by bearings 140 secured to rigid-plates142 connected to the upper ends of the uprights 132. An arm 143 is also connected to the shaft 1,37 and has a roller 1-44 on its outer end engaging the upper face 145 of an. arm 146 pivotally mounted on a pin 147 carried by the upper end of the bracket 133. The outer end of the arm 146 engages a, cross head 148 from which extends a plurality of tubes 149 having flared ends 150 of slightly larger diameter than the ends of the shells or cartridges C. The tubes 149 pass through openings 151 formed in a guide block 152 and are normally held with the flared ends engaging the under side of the block 152 by a plurality of expansion coil springs 153 mounted between the top of the block and the underside of the cross head 148. An arm 154 is keyed to the shaft 137 and is adapted to receive a clevis 155 fori'ned on one end of a link or rod 156, the opposite end of which is connected to a crank 157 on a shaft 158 mounted in bearings 159 resting on cross members 160 secured to the ends of the uprights 47. A pulley 161 is mounted on the shaft 158 and a second pulley 162 is also mounted on the sha-ft 158 and is adapted to transmit power to a counter shaft 163 by a belt 164 engaging the pulley 162 and a pulley 165 mounted on the shaft 163. The shaft 158 is rotated by a belt 166 engaging the pulley 161 and leading from any desirable source of power, such as an electric motor. The shaft 163 is mounted in bearings 167 secured to cross members 168 carried by the uprights 47. A pulley 169 is mounted on the shaft 163 and is adapted to transmit rotary motion to the mixer 52 by means of a belt 170 extending over the pulley 169 and a pulley 171 secured to the outer end of the mixer shaft 52,

The operation of the cartridge filling mechanism is as follows: A shuttle, which has been filled with empty cartridges or shells, is placed on the shuttle Carriage 42 with the carriage in retracted position, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, at which time the plunger 60 is in its most rearward position, and the valves 78 and 85 being closed or in neutral position, assuming that the machine has been idle. The shuttle carriage is then manually pushed forwardly into the position shown in Fig. 6, which causes the tubes 57 to extend into the empty cartridges C in the shuttle 10, or, in other words, the empty shells will pass over the ends of the tubes 57. As the shuttle carriage is pushed forwardly, the inclined face 114 of the cam 113 formed on the tappet 111 will engage the arm 115 and automatically rock the shaft 110E thus allowingthe shuttle carriage 42 to pass the arm 115. However, the tappet 112 will contact with the arm 115 and move the rod 103, which .in .turn will actuate the lever 106 and bring the port 95 in the valve body in register with the compressed air in the pipe 92, thereby forming a passage of air into the rear end of the cylinder 86 through the pipe 91 and cause the rod 88:A to more forwardly in the ydirection indicated by the ar-V row 172, the movement of which will actuate thelever 102, which will operate the valve 78 and allow compressed air to pass successively through the pipe 83 and the valve 78, thence through the pipe 79 and the port 81 into the rear end of the cylinder 61 and cause the piston 62 to move forwardly in the direction Aindicated by the arrow 173, the movement of which will obviously move -the cross head and plunger in the same direction. As the plunger moves forwardly and reaches a point past the neck 502v of the chamber 50, the gelatine which is entrapped in the forward end 50b thereof will be carried into the empty cartridges through the tubes 57. The reaction of the gelatlne in filling the cartridges will simultaneously move the shuttle carriage 42 forwardly, and finally into the position indicated in Fig. 7, and when in this position the bars 117 will be engaging the shoulder 121 of the notch 120 formed in the tracks 44, thus limiting further movement of the carriage in this direction, and thus cause the gelatine to be firmly packed in the cartridges, it being noted that when in the position above referred to, the ends of the tubes 57 are still within the outer ends of the cartridgesv C. As the shuttle carriage moves forwardly, as above referred to, the tappet 111 engages the arm 115 before the shuttle carriage has reached its limit of movement, hence when the tappet 111 engages the arm 115,` it will move the rod 103 forwardly, and actuate the lever 106 which will operate the valve 85 and reverse the movement of the ro'd 86 by admitting'air through the valve 85 and the pipe 90 to the forward end of the cylinder 86, which will move the rod 88 rearwardly` which in turn will actuate the lever 102 and reverse the valve 78, thereby allowing air to enter the forward end of the cylinder 61 which will obviously cause a retraction of the plunger 60. As the plunger 60 is retracted, a slight suction will be created in the tubes 57, thus preventing any more gelatine from passing out therefrom. The valves 78 and 85 and the levers 102 and 106 remain in their respective positions until the operation above described is repeated.

'lhe shuttle carriage 42 is then entirely retracted from the tubes 57 and is accomplished by manually turning the handle 124 into the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 4, which will cause the outer ends of the bars 117 to be moved -downwardly and out of register with the shoulders 121 and notches 12,0 by means of the cam 122. The handle 124 is then temporarily held in this position until the shuttle carriage has been moved back into any ldesired distance, such as in the position shown in Fig. 1.

The shuttle is then removed from the earriage and turned to a vertical position with the open end of the cartridges pointing upwardly, and is then placed in this position on the fianged plate 134 of the crimping mechanism M, which is then operated by throwing or shifting a clutch .174 on the shaft 158 which Vis adapted to cause one complete revolution of the crank 161, which in turn will rock the shaft 137 by means of the link 156. v

The action of the crimping mechanism is as follows: When the shaft 137 is rocked, the flanged plate 134 will be lifted by the links 135 which will move the shuttle upwardly and bring the open'ends of the filled cartridges into engagement with the crim lng tubes 151. The arm 146 will then Ee forced downwardly by engagement with the shoulder `144 on the arm 143, which will cause the tubes 149 to move downwardly and crimp the ends of the cartridges. Further rocking of the shaft 137 will allow the tubes 149 to move upwardly and out of engagement with the crimped ends of the eartrldges. The `shuttle carriage is then removed from the crimping mechanism. The

fille-d cartridges may then be removed from the shuttle by opening the plates or lids 13 and 14. A shuttle with empty cartridges therein may then be placed in the carriage 42 and the above operation repeated as often as desired.

When desired to stop operations, the valves 78 and 85 may be closed by manually actuating the rod 103 to bring the levers 1 02 and 106 to an upright or neutral position shown in Figs. 1 and 3., If it should be found necessary during the operation of filling cartridges to stop or reverse the movement of the plunger 60, the safety lever 129 Y. may be actuated.

I have in effect developed a mechanical method of filling cartridges with an explosive gelatine or similar explosive composition in which the gelatine is forced into the base of the cartridges and causes the cartridges to recede as the gelatine is pressed therein, thereby pressing the material in the cartridges without undue pressure as the carriage 42 carrying the shuttle 10 with the cartridges therein is allowed to move backwardly.

It will be understood that there is a certain resistance to the backward movement of this carriage, sufficient to develop the proper packing of the explosive. In addition, when the cartridges are filled and the plunger starts on its reverse stroke, a suction is developed in the gelatine in the tubes 57 to withdraw it from the ends of the tubes and thus prevent spilling of the gelatine.

In the cartrldge crimping mechanism the arm 154 is provided with a slot so that the amount of the throw or oscillation ma be governed to increase or decrease as desired. The arm 136 also has a slot so that the height to which the filled cartridges are raised may be adjusted to a nicety in order that when the cartridges are at theproper position the arm 146 will force the cross head 148 downwardly to crimp the ends-of the cartridges without exerting undue pressure on the explosive.

It will be understood that various changes in the detail of construction may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for packing explosives comprising a frame, a chamber adapted to hold gelatine mountedV on said frame, a plunger in said chamber, a plurality of tubes projeeting from one end of said chamber, a cylinder mounted on said frame, a piston in said cylinder having a rod connected to said plunger, a carriage on said frame adapted to receive a shuttle holding a plurality of cartridges in registration with the tubes carried by said chamber, and fluid pressure controlling means adapted to admit fluid under pressure to either end of said cylinder, said carriage adapted to aetuate said fluid pressure controlling means to admit fluid into the rear end of said cylinder and advance the piston and plunger to feed the gelatine in said chamber into the cartridges in the shuttle when said cartridges are enclosing said tubes, said carriage being adapted to be moved rearwardly as the cartridge's are being filled and actuate said fluid pressure controlling means to admit iuid under pressure to the forward end of said cylinder and retract said piston and plunger when said cartridges are filled.

2. A machine for packing explosives comprising a chamber adapted to hold gelatine, a plunger within said chamber for feeding the' gelatine from the chamber into empty cartridges, and means for controlling the movement; of said plunger by the movement of said cartridges.

3. A machine for packing explosives, comprising in combination a chamber open at the top, a neck connected thereto through which explosive material may be fed to the chamber, a reciprocating plunger operative through the chamber and below the neck, tubes through which the explosive may be extruded by the plunger, a carriage supporting a plurality of cartridges to be filled, said carriage positioning the cartridges over the discharge tubes whereby the mouth of the tubes are adjacent the base of the cartridges, said carriage being supported and mounted whereby on the extrusion of the explosive the carriage recedes after the cartridges are lled.

4. A machine for filling cartridges, comprising in combination a chamber, means to feed gelatine therein, a plunger operative in said chamber, discharge tubes on the end of the chamber, a. carriage supporting cartridges to be filled and means to control the movement of the plunger in accordance with the feeding movement of the carriage as the cartridges are filled.

5. A machine for filling cartridges as claimed in claim el, in which a fluid motor actuates the plunger and a carriage actuates a valve to control the fluid motor.

6. The method of filling cartridges with an explosive gelatine, comprising forcing gelatine through a stationary tube into the base of a cartridge, causing the recession of the cartridge as it is filled until the desired amount is inserted, then causing a partial suction on the end of the fixed tube to partially withdraw the gelatine contained therein.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GUSTAF JOHNSON.

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