US1652419A - Conveyer - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,419

H. M. sHlELDs coNvEYER Original Filed July '7Y 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,419

H. M. SHIELDS CONVEYER Original Filed July 7, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l Patented Dec. V13, 1.92?.

1res/1211s',GrsM. sHIKEIins, or Los ANGELES, oamiroanra i original application mea July 7, 1925, Aserieu, No. 42,026. vDivided and this appncanon mednovembe e,

i 1,9125. Serial 310.4'5475739.-u l i j My invention has -to do with .conveyers, Q

and is a true divisionvof my application entitled Method of and apparatus for peeling fruit, Serial No. 42,026, filed July .7, 1925.

Conveyers are of different types, some conveying objects from one place to another for the purpose of transportation,` and others conveying' objects While some operation fis performed thereon. `lt is toA this last meir tioned type of conveyer that this invention relates. Y

Itisanobj ect of this invention to provide a conveyer Which Will rotate and feed an object, Y j y j Y Itis. another object of kthis invention to provide a ,conveyeroffthis Character Which rotates an .feeds the kobj ect solely lby. engaging `the surface of .the object.

.It isalso an object yof'jthis invention to provide -a conveyer. having arplurality of rollers arranged'torrotateand `feed an object.

.It is further object of this inventionto provide 'a conveyer 'of the character men-1 jtioned, in which the rollers are adj ust-able so aste accommodate 'different :sizes of objects.

It is a still further objejotjof the invention to ,provide a cOnVeyerofthe characterinentioned vin which the rollersare adjustahleso as to feed the objects at different speeds.

It is another object of :this invention to vide a conveyer having;a'plurality of rollers arranged to provide a path therebetween along which lan object'may be fed. The

axes of the rollers aretwisted into non-pau allelisin with respect to the axis ofthe pat-h Pand, .by .virtue offthis, rotate and feed the object ,along the path.

Other objects and advantages of the in#` ventio'n will `be made. evident hereinafter.

, substantially 'as Referring to the three sheets .of ldrawings Vin Which I illustrate afpr'eferred embodiment Fig. 3 4is anend view taken as indicated -by the arrow: 3 of AFig. l.

Fid. L is a fra mentar section talen'ionA b `Fig. 5 is a seetionltaken onthe line y5-.5 ofFigQl. f y i .Fign ris an enlarged fragmentary sectio talrenatthe exhaust.endoftheinvention.

.Fig Tis an enlarged fragmentaryseetion takenas indicated-by the'line 7-7 offF-ig. 6.

Fig. vvS is a diagram illustrating ,the princi ple of operationofvmy invention. l

'In ithe drawings the numeral lldenotes an end plate at the feed end of my apparatus, andthe numeral 12 denotes anend plate at ltheexhaustV end of my apparatus.I The end plates l1,1 and 12 are'seCured together bytige-loars.r 14- Which are attaehed'toitheend plates 11 and 12. by inner andouternuts l5 and'l; The end platesll andv12 have legs 17 secured thereto by cap scews 18, or-the like, whereby theya-re supported.

As'shown best in Figs. y2 and 4 the feed end plate 11 is provided with a cylindrical opening-2 0. ,Placed'inthe cylindrical. opening 2 0 is -a cylindrical feed `adjustment vplate 21. lThe feed adjustment plate 21 has an annular-.flange22fvvhich rests in an annular recess 23 ,which` surrounds the cylindri-l cal opening of the feed end plate .f1-1. The feed adjustment .plat-e 21 is retained/in .theoylindrical vopenin-g`20 andthe flange 22 Vis retained in the recess 23Qby discs 25. The upper twojdises-j25 areheld in place bytheknuts V16*7 Whereas lower disc25is secured -in Aplace by a cap Soren/'27 which threads into the feed end plate 11. Thehdiscs y25 merely prevent ythe feed adjustment plate 21 from being1 removed.from-place,-but per- 'mit a 'rotation thereof.

Y An" arcuated .racl\:28 'is secured to the upper'portion of the said adjustment plate 21 lay-screws 29 .ufhjicliV extend through lugs SO ofthe'racl. This rack 28 is engaged-by a Worm 32 VWhichjis secured toa shaft 33, whichv sha-ft 33 is rotatably supported inY bearings l-.carried by the said end plate 11.L Y

VYThe extending en dof the shaftSS is provided with aknurled head so that'it may" be conveniently manually operated.' ,',The

' 4feed ,adjustment plate 21 may be adjusted f `into theY desired position, as Will;be'described later,Y by rotating'the. Worm gages the rack 28. J Y

' Thebfeed adjustment plate 21 is provided With a centra-ll cylindrical opening 38 which is' jsurrounded, by an annularl recess 39,1this 'annular' recess 39 'being formedfin the -out- ,32 Vwhich en- Carried in the annular recess 39 is a size adjustment plate 41 which has a cylindri- :al opening 42 which is slightly larger than the opening 3S. The size adjustment plate is ot such a thickness that it iills the recess 39 and no more.` As shown clearly in Fig. 4- the plate 41 is retained in place by a plie rality of winged nuts 43 which are advanced onto screws 14.- which extend throiigh the feed adjustment plate 21. hen these winged nuts L13 are tightened the size adjustment plate l1 is locked against movement relative to the feed adjustment plate 2l. An operating bar`45 extends outward from the size adjustment plate Lil whereby the plate 4l, majY be rotated into the desired position, as will he described later, when the winged nuts i3 are loosened.

Re'ierri n g to Figs. 3. (i and T in particularg the exhaust end plate 12 has a central cylindrical opening 5() which is surrounded by spaced i equidistantly an annular recess 51 formed in the outward part ot the exhaust end plate 1Q. The ejf'lindrical opening 50 and the annular recess 51 correspond to the opening 38 and the annular recess 39 of ythe feed adjustment plate 21.

Resting in the annular recess 5l is a size adjustment plate 52 which completely 'fills the annular recess 5l and no more. This size iuljustment plate 52 corresponds to the size adjustment plate 41,. This plate is retained in the annular recess 51 b v winged nuts 5-1 which are advanced on screws 55 which extend through the exhaust end plate 12. Then the winged nuts 5st are tightened on the screws 55,` the size adjustment plate 52 locked against rotation :in the same manner as is the size adjustment plate 51. An arm 57 extends from the size adjustment plate 52 (Fig. 3) for the purpose of rotating the. plate 52 when the winged nuts 54 are loosened.

Reterring to Figs. 2 and t in particular the teed adjustment plate 2l is provided with three radially extending slots (SO, which are spaced equidistantly apart in concentrie arrangement around the center ot the plate 2l, as shown in Fig. f2. The exhaust end ot plate 12 is likewise provided with three equally spaced radial slots (il having posh tions which correspond to the j iositions ot the radial slots (Si). The size adjustment plate ill is provided with three Spiral slots (Si which are spaced equidistantlyY and conceutrieally around the center ot the plate 11 as illustrati-ail in Fi g. Q. These spiral slots (ist are termed on centers which are eecelr tric of the center oi the plate Ll1 aiultherctore occupy the positions as shown .in Fig. 2. The size adjustment plate 52 is likewise providedwith three spiral slots Gwhichare and concentrieally around the center of the plate These spiral slots G5 occupy positions which correspond to the positions ol' the slots 54 and are oli corresponding shapes.

Extending through the slots and 61 at the iteed end of my invention are hearing 'my invention are hearing blocks TO having straight parallel laces .71 which engage the sides ot the radial slot (Si and curved :tacos 72 which engage the sides oit the spiral slots (i5. I

Extending through the bearing hloels GG are trunuions Tiwhich extendv :trom the tet-d end et rollers 75. ltlxtcuding through the bearing bloeli's T() are trunnionso which extend 'trom the exhaust ends ot the .rollers 75. The hearing hlocls ((3 and Til, therefore, rotatably support the rollers T5, whichare three in number. i

Ae shown clearly in Figs. 1, and partieularljv Fig-(3` the trunuious 7G are much longer than the trunnions T-l and extend outwardly through the hearing blocks quite a distance. The extending ends ot these trunnions 76 have extension rollers 7S secured thereto. The extension rollers 78 are split, consisting of halves 79 which are seemed around the sha't't by bolts d0. `The heads and nuts ot the bolts Si) rest in cavities Si formed in the halves 79. The extension rollers TS are also divided into inner and outer parts 83 and 81.1: between which sprockets are secured by means oit screws Si'. The inner parts S3 ot the extension rollers 78 have central cavities S8 into which the vouter parts ot the bearingl blocks 70 may extend.`

The. three rollers T5 are drivei'ibjT means ot a chain heit which extends around and ei'igages the sprockets `This is clearly shown in Fig.` 3. The chain belt 90 extends over a sprocket fil which is secured on a shaft 92. This shaitft, 92, as shown in Fig. 1,

rotatably supported in a bearing Uil. supported h v one oi the legs 'i7 and which may he driven by a pulley 95. j

The tension in the chainhelt il() controlled bj' a1 roller il? which `isrotatablycarried on an arm ot a bell crank 0S. this hell crank 9S heilig pivoted at llt). `ltlxtending from the lower arm lll() ot the hell crank 9S is a. lever 10i having notches 1th! pro vided therein. pin fltlz extends trom one of the legs 17 und is adaptedto rest in one oit the notches 102. The lever ltll may he operated by a handle lili so that the roller 9T is torced against the chain belt 2)() to a proper pressure, the level' 101 `heilig held in` proper position by the engagement of the pin 103 in one of the notches 102.

In the operation oi my invention the rollers 75 are `first radially adjusted so that the innerniost portions thereof `define a circle` lift) whichfisy of proper size to'v accommodate .the v objectV which ris to be fedftherethiiough.

yThis adjustment is Vaccomplished .fi'rstjby disengagin'g the rollery 97 front the chain.

belt as to reduce the tensionthereof,

that: the size adjustment. plates 41- and52 may rotate relativelyto the feed adjustment plate 21 and the exhaust eno plate .12. rllhe size adjustmentrplate l1 is thenrotated'by engaging the bar 451;' l/Vhentliis plateV is rotated, different portions of the spiral slots G4: are brought into adjacenoy with' thel blocks G6, and the blocks are therefore iiioved. inwardly or outwardly according. to the direction infivhichthe size'adjustment plate 4:1 is rotated. The size adjustment plate l1, however, is moved into suoli position lthat the feed end of therollers 'T51/'ill be properly spaced to receive an object, such object being indicated at110 in Fig. 5. The winged nuts 413 are thentightened and-.the size adjustment plate 52 .is rotated to proper position by means ofLthe arm 57. Such a rotation will bring different portions ofthe 4spiral slot (35 into'V adjacencywith the bearing bloclrs 7.0' 'and thusmove them radially` innf'ardly or outwardly asidesired. The size radjustment. plate 52 is moved into such a position that the exhaust-.ends of therollers 75 are positioned to accommodatethe object 110, after `which the winged nuts .541 are n tightened so as to lock the plate. 52 against rotation. The roller 97 is then ,again brought into engagement with. they cham y belt 90 and a..proper. tensionjis appliedr thereto. I

The next operation-in settingthe machine is to .adjust the rollers intofproper feedingV position. rlhe principle of feeding of the rollers 75 is clearly shown in FigyS. The rollers 75 are spaced in confining relationship around a space along which 'the objects are to be fed. ln Fig. 8 the line AHArrepref sents the center line of the space or the center line of the path along which the objects are fed. It should be noted thatthe rollers '.75 are so placed as to forni a.Y confined path or, in other words, a definite path along which the object is moved. The rollers 7 5 are set so that the axes B-B thereof are at L ltr-Al of the path of the object 110. Dotted lines 112 represent the object 110, and dotted lines 113 represent the portion of therv object which is in engagement with the top roller 7 5 at any time. A point on the object 110A therefore lcomes,y into contact with lal pointon the top rollerat115 asvindicated in Fig. 8. This point-115 travels along-ir path indicated by a 'dotted line 116, which linell is at right angles to the anis of rotation` B-B'of the roller in. discussion. The point on the object, therefore, travels iii con-l tact with thefpoint on the roller until `it reaches a point 117 where it disengages the roller. `In traveling from the pointf115- to the' point 117, the point'on the object is carriedz forward with respect to the axis A-A a distance indicated at C.. As the rollers r0- tate, an object is rotated with the rollers and graduallycarried forward orV fed from the feed end of the rollers tothe exhaust ends thereof. The feeding action of the rollers 75 results entirely from the twisting of the axes B-B of the rollers from the center line 114A of the path of the objects.

'lhevtwisting ofthe rollers 75 from parallelism with the center' line A-A is accomplished by rotating` the feed adjustment plate 21. The feed adjustment plate 21 is rotated by operating the lrnurled head 36 of the shaft 33,' which results ina rotation of' the worm 32'. rThe worin 32 by virtue of its engagement with therack 28 rotates the feed adjustment plate 21. It is evident that ther feed ends of the rollers 75 are moved `circumferentially, whereas the exhaust ends of the rollers remain stationary.A The feed adjustment plate 21 maybe rotated in either vdirect-ion` so that, if desired, the objects may ber-.fed in a reverse direction through the apparatus. Y Y

*l VThe objects, ask indicated at1110 inig. 5, are then'placed between the rollers 7 5,`acccss being. had `thereto through the openings 38 and 4t2-in the1platesf21 and/i1. These objects inay bev fedby hand orf they may be fed by suitable conveyingy means. It is desirable to taper the forward ends of the rollers 75 as indicated at 120 so that the objects 110 will be easily received by the rollers. The rollers 75, of course, have been set into rotation previously to the introduction of any objects therebetween. j These objects are fed according to the principle described in connection with Fig. 8 and pass between the rollers 75 through to theexhaust end of the coiiveyer. f

rlie extension rollers 7 8 are provided for- Vcarrying the objects to the exterior of the lexhaust end plate 12 so that they maybe conveniently taken directly from the conveyer or pass through another apparatus.

My invention may be utilized in various arts and the" principal feature of it is that an object may be conveyed without pene-- trating it in any manner. Not only is the object conveyed but it is also rotated. My

yYconveyer may be used in the washing and 'polishing of various fruits, such as oranges,

lemons, apples, etc., or it may be used to p will not be.l bruised.

reniore the oil or peel :troni oranges, lemons, etc. loine specilie resent my invention are shown in my application entitled Method and amiaratus :tor peelingr Strait, Serial No. 42,026, liled .lilly 7, 1925, and in my appli cation entitled ivlvethod ot and apparatus tor recovering the valuable eonstitnents lironi trait, terial No. (M1302, .tiled (.letober Qat, 1025. ln the lirst ease the eonreyer isused iior conrev n; oranges while the peeling` is heine' reinm'ed therefrom, and in the second case is employed 'l'or conveying` oranges while the oil is beingr released :troni the peeling l hereof. i

ln the. drawings l'. have shown the rollers as solid and haring' smooth surlzn'es. lt should. he understood. however, that l may provide one ol the rollers or all ot them with rarions surfaces to accommodate the use to whieh theyY are to be pnt. For in stance, in handling;- eertain "lrnits such as apples, it may be desirable to provide the rollersl with rc .lient tacos so that the fruit also, it may he desirable lo run one of the rollers slower tha the others so that a trietion and polishing,` action will be obtained. This `eonld be readily aeeoniplislied by providing one o't the, sprockets S5 slightly larger than the others.

l claim as my invention:

1. A conveyor consistiai;` ot: A pluralityT et rollers supported in confining1 relationship so as to torni a contined path, one ot said rollers being positioned so that the axis thereol2 is non-parallel with the axis ot said path; and means for operatimoT said rollers.

il. A. converer consisting' ot: A plurality oit rollers supported in conlining relationship so as to 'lform a confined path and being positioned so that their axes are non-parallel ing: Three rollers disposed around said path` and twisted 1n the saine direction Atrono para allelism with said path, said rollers being rotated `in the saine direction.

5. In a conveyor ot the class described: A 'trame harina* spaced end members; a pluralil)Y ol` rollers rotatably jonrnaled between said end members and disposed .in confining relation about a central space; and means tor circoin'lerentially shitting,l the roller journais in an end member to cause said rollers to assume positions twisted from parallelism with the axis of the aforesaid central space and means for rotating said rollers in the saine direction. ti. ln a conveyor of the class described: A phirality ot rollers rotatably journaled and disposed in eonliningr relation about a path in. space, the axes ot said rollers being de# llected from parallelism with the axis of said path; and means ttor rotating said rollers.

7. A conveyer consisting,r of: A plurality ot rollers eircularly arranged to forni. a path; means for varying the radial positions ot said rollers; and means for operating said rollers. f S. A combination as delined in claim 3 which one end of each roller is tapered.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 3rd day of November', 1925.

HASTINGS M. SHIELDS.

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