US1606477A - Racking machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 9 1926.-

w. H. MOCLELLAND BACKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 9, 1926. 1,606,477

w. H. MCCLELLAND RACKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15,1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 far/ 11501? WWW H Nov. 9,1926. 1,606,477 W. H. M CLELLAND RACKING MACHINE Filed D80. 15. 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 W. H. M CLELLAND Nov. 9 1926.

BACKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet Nov. 9 1926.

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Nov. 9,1926. v 1,606,477

W. H. M CLELLAND BACKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15. 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 meant PATENT orrrc.

WILLIAM H. McCLELLiAND. OF HUNTINGDON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, ro nor 2. it. nltvrs,

GE MQUNUL, UNION, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAGKIHG MACHINE.

Application flied December 15, 192%. Serial inc. 755,935.

My invention relates to racking machines and more particularly foruse in the loan dling of brick from brick making machines.

The object of my invent on is to provide a eliicient means for automatically placing loaded pallets, that is pallets with brick thereon, upon drying cars.

Other and further objects and advantages will be apparent as the specification is conto sidered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

in the use of standard drying cars con siderable diiliculty has been experienced in transferring the loaded pallets from the 15 elevator racks to the drying cars, without modification of the construction of the cars, due to the fact that the elevator racks would frequently be slightly out of alignment with the drying cars. This objection is overcome by the presentinvention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the elevator in raised position Figure 3 is a detail plan view on the bridge members;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of my device; Figure 5 is a detail view of the means for actuating the pusher members or frames;

Figure 6 is a detail view of the' pallet lubricating mechanism;

Figure 7 is a detail view of the pallet checking means;

:m Figure 8 is a detail view of the means for actuating the bridging devices and brace bars Figure 9 is a detail view of the bridging devices; t

Figure 10 is a detail viewv of the drying car- I Figurell is a section onthe line 11 -11 I of Figure 1; and 1 Figures 12 and 13 aredetail views of the means for supporting and actuating the bridge members.

Referring more specifically to the drawings wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1, denotes the deliver end of a brick making machine from whic allets 2, with brick 3, thereon are lowere to a pair of horizontally disposed endless conveyor belts 6, in any suitable manner as for example, by means of endless chains 5.

These belts run over drums '7, mounted on shafts 8, suitably supported in the framework 9, of the machine and driven from an suitable source of power (not shown The loaded pallets are deposited upon t e belts 6, in groups of four, one group to each belt, the individual pallets of each group being slightly spaced apart as best illustratebl in Figures 1 and 2. The belts 6, deliver the loaded pallets to an elevator 10, by which they are elevated into position to be delivered to the drying car 11, in a manner hereinafter described.

The elevator 10, which is preferably of I beam or angle iron constructlon comprises four uprights 12, connected together by cross beams 13, and angularly disposed braces 14, corner plates 15, and similar centrally disposed plates 16, being employed to insure rigid connection between the parts. The lower portion of the elevator 10, is of open construction, that is, the corner uprights 12, are not tied together by braces at their lower ends. This lower end of the elevator is divided into two compartments 17, each of which are provided at opposite sides with spaced angle bars or ledges 18, suitably connected to the corner uprights 12, and to side uprights 19. These bars or ledges 18, form racks adapted to lift the loaded pallets from the belts 6 as the eleva-v by step in a manner heretor is raised step inafter described.

Vertical movement of the elevator is effected by means of pinions 20, fixedly mounted on shafts 21, which shafts carry large worm gears 22, meshing with small worm gears 23, on the drive shaft 24, in

turn connected to the motor 25, through suitable clutch mechanism 26. The corner uprights 12, are provided with rack teeth 27, throughout the upper portion of their length, which. mesh with the pinions 20. Consequently when the clutch 26, is thrown in, the elevator'will be caused to move upwardly, and the top most angle bars or .ledges 18, in each compartment of the elevator willthen pickup a set of four pallets from the respective belts 6. Thelower end of the elevator is guided by idle rollers 51, during this movement, which movement is continued step by step until all the fourteen racks in the elevator are filled, whereupon the upward movement of the latter is continued until the elevator approxi- Ice matelv registers with the dryer car 11, previous y referred to. When the pallets enter the elevator, the first pallet of each set or group strike stops 28, mounted forshdmg movement on bolts 29, secured to the frame 9, by nuts 30. Springs 31, on the bolts hearing at op osite ends between the sto s 28, and the rame 9, resiliently check t e movement of the foremost pallet of each group, the remaining three pallets of each group continuing their forward-movement until all clearances are taken up and the pallets abut each other.

As previously described, the loaded allots are deposited upon the bolts 6, one pa, let at a time until the belts contain groups of four with small clearance between veach pallet. The belts then advance a distance slightly in excess of the space oceupied by the four loaded pallets, thus bringing the first set of pallets above the top rack in the elevator. lhe upward movements ofelevator 10, and the movements of the bolts 6, and the pallet delivery mechanism is so timed that a second group of loaded pallets will be in position to enter the elevator by the time the elevator has moved upwardly a distance equal to that of the space between the racks 18. It will of course be understood that the movement of the belts 6, may be vaned according to the distance between the brick machine and the elevator. a

Just previous to entering the elevator 10, each pallet of a set or group of four pallets is aligned with respect to the other allets of the set or group, by means of gm ee 32, which are moved to dotted line position Figure 4, by any suitable means. (not shown).

The dryer car 11, is of skeleton construction comprisin uprights 33, the inner uprights subdividing, the car into two compartments. To these u r1 hts are secured angle iron ledges 34, w 10 form racks or shelves for supporting the loaded pallets received from the elevator. It is intended that the compartments of the dryer can 11, be similar in dimensions to the dimensions of the compartments of the elevator 10, and that the number and spacing of the ledges or racks be the same in the car as in the elevator. However, it frequently happens due The space or gap between the elevator 10,

' and the dryer carll, is bridged by a plurality of bridge members 50, comprising pairs .bers 44, are normally drawn of resilient pallet skids or supports 35, one

, pair for each pair of ledges in each compartment of the conveyor and dryer rar. These skids or supports 35, are connected toangle plates or ledges 36, similar to and aligned with the angle plate or ledgcs 18, of the elevator 10, the angle plates 36, in turn being supported by vertical beams'37, it being understood that there will be a air of skids 3."), and angle plates 36, for caci pair of an le plates or ledges 18, in the elevator 10. he vertical beams 37, and attached parts, which are connected at top and bottom by horizontally disposed beams 37, are supported by upper and lower shafts 38, and 30, respective] mounted in bearings 40 and 41. So- Clll'0( to the vertically disposed portion 42, of each angle plate or ledge 36, as by rivets or the like 43, is a leaf sprin 7 guide member 44, the springs of each pair ariug outwardly in, o posite directions at their free ends across t no upper fares of the pallet skids As reviously stated the vertically dis- .posed )can s37, and attached parts which go to make up the bridge members are supported by the. shafts 38 and 39. This is accomplishedby means of vertically disposed rods or plates 100, which are secured in any desired manner to the beams 37, located at each side of thebridge members 50. The

rods 100, have curved upper ends 101, which arerpivotally connected as at 102, to the upper ends of arms 103, in turn fixed to shaft 38. The'lower ends of these rods or plates 100, are formed with lugs 104, which are pivoted as at 105, to the upper ends of arms 106, the lower-ends of the arms 106, being fixed to the shaft 39.

The skids 35, and the sprin guide memack towards the elevator 10, to retracted or full line positions illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, until the elevator 10, has risen to the point where its ledges 18, are level with' or slightly higher than the corresponding ledges 34, of thedryer car.

llll) The bridge members 50,

Figure 3, with the skid members 35, and the spring guide members 44, overlap ing at their ends, the angle plates or le ges 34, of the dryer car. This movement, is effected through partial rotation of shafts 38 and 39 by appropriate manipulation of the hand lever 45,,afiixed to shaft 39, the shafts 38 and 39 being operatively connected together by means of lever arms 46 and 47 fixedly mounted on the respective shafts, and a link 48, connecting said arms. Should the pallet ledges on the elevator be out of alignment either to the right or to the left or should they be above the dryer car ledges, the resilient members 35 and 44, will properly direct the pallets into the car. a

has been filled .and

After the elevator raised, and the bridging devices 50, ad-

vanced to operative position, the loaded paltor into the dryer car, b or frames 49, one for eac compartment of the elevator. These members or frames each comprise vertically disposed beams 52, connected by transverse beams 97, rearwardly extending horizontally disposed beams 53,

iii

' connected to the framework by brackets 64,.

and angularl disposed beams 54, rigidly secured toget er in any approved manner. Horizontally disposed beams 55, connect the rearwardl extending beams 53, of each frame. he two ra-mes are slidably mounted on the framework 9, b means of brackets 56, and supporting rol ers 57.

Slotted bars 58, one for each pusher frame 49, are pivotally connected at their lower ends to shafts 59, mounted in brackets 60,

secured to the framework 9. The upper ends of the bars 58, are connected to the pusher frames by means of pins 61, extending through the slots 62, in the bars. A shaft 63,

has crank arms 65, keyed thereto which have pins 83, extending through the slots 62, of the bars 58. Consequently when the shaft 63, is rotated, one complete revolution by any suitable means (not shown) the pusher frames 49, will first move forwardly to dotted line position, Figure 5;, ush the loaded pallets from the ledges o the elevator onto the ledges of the dryer car, and then returnto Figure 1 osition. This rotation of the shaft 63, ta es place when the bridge members have been moved to operative position.

In order that the thrust required to push the pallets be reduced to a minimum means-- for lubricating the ends of the pallets over-. hanging the sides of the'belts 6, are provided as follows: Oil receptacles 66, containing rollers 67, are secured to the framework 9, by brackets 87, there being two receptacles for each conveyor belt 6, one at each side thereof. By this means, the bottoms of the pallets adjacent the ends thereof become lubricated during the passage of the pallets over the rollers. It will be understood that the receptacles '66, contain lubricating oil, also that the ends of the pallets engage the rollers 67 prior to being deposited upon the ledges'18 of the elevator.

Brace bars 68, are provided opposite each compartment of the dryer car, on the side opposite to that from which thepallets enter, for the purpose of preventing the car from tipping when the pallets are being moved into the car. These brace bars are pivotally connected at their upper ends to the lower arms 69, of the bell cranks 70, the upper arms 71, of the bell cranks being connected to the levers 72, on shafts 38, by means of rods 73. The bell cranks 70, are suitably pivoted to the framework 9, by brackets 74, and shaft 75, and the lower ends of the brace Actuation of the hand lever 45, .to cause the bridging devices 50, to bridge the space between the elevator 10, and carll, also causes the' brace bars 68, to be moved from the Figure 1 to Figure 8 position, through the artial rotation of the shafts 39 and 38.

aving thus fully described my invention, I Will now endeavor to explain briefly its mode of operation: I

The bricks are delivered from the deliverv end of a suitable brick-makin machine indicated at 1 upon pallets 2. w ich are later conveyed by means of suitable carriers from their loading position to a delivery belt 6, where they are fed into the elevator rack disclosed in Figure 1. As the pallets, havmg thereon the bricks, are conveyed toward the elevator, guides 32 are positioned upon each side of the conveyor for aligning the pal-lets thereon so'as to present the same in proper position to be received upon the racks carried by the elevator. 1 During the delivery of the initial set of pallets upon the uppermost rail of theelevator, the motor 25 being constantly rotating and in geared action with the rack 27, moves the elevator rack up gradually, and this movement is synchronized with the movement of the belt 6 so that the uppermost rail is filled and moved upwardly so as to present the second rail 1n position to receive the bricks thereafter delivered to the rack by the conveyor. Thls action continues until the elevator rack is completely filled, and at which time the elevator has nearly reached its upward movement. By the driving means herein ment1oned,the elevator continues upwardly until it reaches the limit of its upward movement, at which time the pusher 52, moving between the racks of the elevator, engages the pallets thereupon and slides the same from the racks through intermediateracks 50 and upon the drying rack 34. The drying rack 34 is braced by means of vertical elements 68 engaging the rack during the movement of the pallets thereon. As disclosed in Figures 1 and 11, the bridging elements, between the elevator: and drying rack, are moved to operative positions by suitable hand levers.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a brick handling machine, an elevator having spaced racks therein, an endless conveyor for delivering thereupon loaded pallets, means for moving said elevator into alignment with'a drying rack, means for engaging the pallets and moving the same from the elevator to the drying rack, and means engageable with the drying rack for adding rigidity to the same during the movement of the pallets thereto.

I no

'2. EIn a brick handling machine,an elevator having therein s aced racks, an endless conveyor for deliverin succ'essfull thereto loaded pallets, means for moving i218 elevator upwardly between the delivery of the pallets to the several racks, said elevator finally falling in alignment with a drying rack, bridging elements connecting the racks of the former with those of the latter, means for sliding the loaded pallets from the racks of the elevator to those of the drying rack, and vertical elements enlga eable wlth the racks of the dryin rac Ior bracing the same during the delivery of the pallets thereto.

3. In a brick handling machine, an elevator having racks therein, drums on opposite sides of said elevator, an endless belt assing over said drums and through said e evator.

for delivering groups of loaded pallets in spaced relation above said racks, resilient means arranged in the path of said loaded pallets for arresting the movement of said pallets and to take u the clearance therebetween, and means or successively raisin said elevator to cause said racks to lift. sai groups of pallets from said belt. a

4. In a brick handling machine, an elevator having a plurality of spaced racks for supporting loaded pal ets thereon, means for delivering loaded pallets successively to the racks, a dryer car having racks similar to the racks of the elevator, and means for simultancously moving the loaded pallets along the racks of the elevator tothe racks of the dryer car.

5. In a brick handling machine, an elevator having a. pluralit of spaced racks for supporting loaded pal ets thereon, means for delivering loaded pallets to the racks, a dryor car arranged adjacent to but in spaced relation to the elevator, said dryer car having a plurality of spaced racks corresponding to the racks of the elevator, means for brid ing the space between the elevator and t e dryer car, means for transferring the loaded pallets in the elevator across said bridging means onto the racks of the dryer car.

(i. In a brick handling machine, an elevator having a plurality of spaced racks for supporting loaded pal ets thereon, means for delivering loaded pallets to the racks. a dryer car arranged adjacent to but in spaced ing a plurality of spaced racks corresponding to the racks of the elevator, means for bridging the space between the elevator and the dryer car, means for transferring the loaded pallets in the elevator across said bridging means onto the racks of the dryer car, ant

while the allets are being transferred.

7. Ina rick handling machine, an elevetor having a plurality of spaced racks for supporting loaded pallets thereon, means for de ivering loaded pallets to the said racks, a dryer car arranged adjacent to but spaced from the elevator, said dryer car having a plurality of spaced racks corresponding to the racks of the elevator, a movable bridging member arranged betweenthe elevator and car for bridging the space between the elevator and the car, a movable bracin bar for the car, said bracing bar and brir ging member being normally in inoperative position, means for simultaneously moving the bracing bar and the bridging member to operative position, and means for transferring the loadedspallets in the elevator across said bridging. means onto the racks of the dryer car.

8. In a brick handling machine, an e1eva tor having a pluralit of spaced racks for supportingloaded pal ets thereon, means for delivering loaded pallets to the said racks, a

dryercar arranged adjacent to but spaced from the; elevator, said dryer car having s aced racks corresponding to the racks of t e elevator, means for transferring the pallets from the elevator racks 'to the car racks, a bridging member comprising pallet skids and spring arms adapted respectively to suport and guide the pallets'during said transer.

for bridging the space between the elevator I and the dryer car.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM H. MCCLELLAND.

means for bracing the\ ,dryer car 9. In a brick handling machine, an eleva

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