US1659824A - Dipper-door control for shovels - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 21, 1928.

E. H. LICHTENBERG DIPPER DOOR CONTROL FOR SHOVELS Filed me 2, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet l in 0cm hvo HE m NW1 [El m/zbery Feb. 21, 1928.

E. H. LICHTENBERG DIPPER DOOR CONTROL FOR SHOVELS Filed June 2, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 21, 1928. v 1,659,824

E. H. LICHTENBERG DIPPER DOOR CONTROL FOR SHOVELS Filed June 2, 1.925 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Z'Hlz'dikmbarg Feb. 21, 1928.

E. H. LICHTENBERG DIPPER DOOR CONTROL FOR SHOVELS 4- Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 21. 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERICH H. LICHTENBERG, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOB TO KOEHBING COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION.

DIPPEBi-DOOR CONTROL FOR SHOVELS.

Application filed June 2,

In the common types of power shovel cranes as used today the dipper door is ordinarily operated for the dumping of the dipper or shovel by a trip rope which runs from a latch operating part coacting with the latch means for the door, back to the car or body of the crane above the operator or adjacent to him. The trip rope usually runs over a sheave or pulley and is supplied with a weight so that the rope may pay out as the shovel dipper moves outwards and be drawn in automatically as the dipper swings toward the machine. The above arrangement of the trip rope makes necessary a pulling thereon by the operator of the shovel each time the dipper is to be dumped and customarily the pull is effected by the operator grasping the trip rope and pulling inwards thereon. When it is borne in mind that the efliciently operated crane of the shovel type may require dumping of the dipper as much as four times a minute, it will be seen that the operator of the machine is subjected to the expenditure of quite a little effort constantly in the operation of the shovel to empty the same. In fact, it might be said with some degree of accuracy that the exertion involved in dumping the shovel by pulling on the trip rope is greater through the inconvenient arrangement of the rope, than the operation of the various levers that control the hoisting swinging and other operations of the dipper.

In the carrying out of this invention I have designed means whereby to materially reduce the labor or effort of dumping the dipper, rendering this phase of the operation of the power shovel negligible so far as the expenditure of the effort on the part of the operator is concerned. To the above' end I utilize a novel tension means lor the trip rope or cable to automatically wind the same in and 'pay it out according to the movements of the dipper, said tension means being a part of an actuating unit including a brake for stopping the turning of a tension drum or reel and operable by means of a lever which greatly facilitates the actuation of a trip rope to produce the desired 1925. Serial 1%. 34,421.

result with the employment of a minimum amount of work or manual effort.

Oneembodiment of the invention is set forth in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isa diagrammatic view of a frame of the shovel type showing the invention 1n operative relation to the main control levers.

'Figure 2 is an enlarged view illustrating the range of movement of the trip rope actuating unit by the full and dotted line positions shown. Figure 3 is a View of the part illustrated 111 Figure 2 but looking at it from the front of the machine.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing more clearly the interior construction of the spring winding drum.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken transversely of the view of Figure 4 and showing substantially the same parts.

Figure 6 is a detail view of the upper lever member upon which the winding drum 1s hung.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the lower lever member that is pivoted to the upper lever member and has a brake or stop means for preventing rotation of the winding drum.

Figures 8 and 9 are sectional and side elevational side views respectively of amodified form of the invention;

. Fig. 10 is a detailed view of the handle lever member;

Figure 11 is a side view showing a further modification of the invention.

In Figure 1 I designate the body of the power shovel at l and 2 is the traction support therefor. At 3 is denoted the turntable mounting between the traction support 2 and the crane or body support 1, the latter being the usual car body well known in the art and containing the operating mameans for the dipper stick'5 and dipper 6 may be of any well known type, same being immaterial to the invention.

For purposes of controlling the movements of the boom and dipper features of the machine I employ a suitable lever stand having the drag lever 9, dipper hoist lever 10, 'boom hoist lever 11 and boom swinglever 12.

Mounted on the car 1 and preferably hung from a bracket 13 secured to the top frame of the car, is a lever unit comprising the upper lever member 14 and the lower lever member 15, the latter having a handle 16. The parts14 and 15 are of somewhat yoke-like form seen best perhaps in Figures 3 and 5. This form is preferably used because between the spaced sides of the parts 14 and 15 is mounted the paying out and winding in drum 17 with winch the trip rope or cable 7 is connected. The cable 7 is attached in any suitable way at 1ts outer end to the latch means by which the door 8 is locked closed during the digging operations of the dipper. Enclosed in the drum 17 and attached at one end to the immovable axis 19 of the drum is a spring 20 the opposite end of which is attached to the portion of the drum on which the rope or cable 7 winds. The axis 19 of the drum or reel 17 is carried by the lever member 14 which is equipped with a forwardly extending bracket 14 provided with a pivot 21'that forms a fulcrum for the lever member 15. At its upper end the lever member 15 is connected by a spring 22 with the upper portion of the lever member 14. Intermediate the handle 16 of the lever member 15 and the peripheries of the sides of the drum or reel 7 is a brake or stop bar 23 capable of being pulled into engagement with the said portions of the drum sides but normally held spaced there from as shown in Figure 4 by means of the spring 22. The handle 16 is designed to be located very near to and just above the dipper hoist lever 10 and with the construction of the part in mind as hereinbefore presented the operation of the mechanism of my invention may now be set forth.

Normally the parts of the trip cable control means above described are supported in the positions of full lines illustrated in F igures'2 and 4. The spring 20 normally tends to turn the drum 17 to wind the cable 7 upon the winding barrel of said drum. This action of the spring 20 maintains the cable 7 under tension or pulled relatively taut. But the action of the drum 17 under the influence of the spring 20 is not of suflicient power to move the cable 7 to trip the latch means holding the dumping door 8 closed. Said tension, however, is sufiicient' to maintain the operating features of the control unit in the position of Figure 4 wherein the upper projecting end 14 of the lever member 14 abuts with the stop late 24 that limits the forward swinging o the whole controldevice.

Supposing that the operator has operated the swing lever 12 after the dipper 6 has been loaded, and by swinging the dipper over the place where it is to be dumped, and has also operated the hoist lever to elevate the dipper in the usual way during its the brake bar 23 to engage the drum 17 whereupon the drum is locked against turning and the cable 7 cannot unwind therefrom. A slightly additional pull upon the lever 15 by the handle 16 then rocks the control unit comprising the two lever members 14 and 15, with the drum 17 and exerts a pull upon the rope 7 sufficient to unlatch the door 8 and cause dumping of the dipper. I incline the control unit comprising the arts 14 and 15, and the drum 17, rela-' tive y to a vertical plane so that the effort required to pull or swing said unit to the left as shown in Figures 2 and 4 is assisted by the weight of the parts. "Obviously, the location of this control unit in relation to the lever 10, and the mounting and construction of said unit are such that the dumping cable operation may be effected by the expenditure of very slight effort on the part of the operator of the machine, and this is of material advantage for reasons obvious to those versed inthe art to which my invention appertains.

The modified form of my invention illustrated in Figures 8 to 10 is now described; and embodies substantially the same construction as I have heretofore presented.

In this modification, I provide a drum 17, actuated by means of the spring 20, and

carried by a lever unit comprising the parts 14' and 15, somewhat the same as heretofore described. In the present described construction, however, I make the handle lever member 15', which has the handle portion 16', of slightly angular formation. Said lever member 15' is equipped with the stop or brake means in the form of the angular brake or stop arms or dogs 23 which are seen best in Fig. 10. The said arms are provided with rounded teeth 23" which are adapted to interlockingly and thus positively engage with correspondingly shaped teeth and recesses formed circumferentially of the drum 17 on both of its peripheral flanges, as shown at 17". The lever unit just described and the drum which is carried by the lever member 14' is very similar to the parts in Figs. 2 and 3, but the notches or recesses 17 offer a means of better engagement between the handle lever member 15 and the drum than is provided by the stop or brake bar 23 of the first described construction.

As seen from Fig. 9 and also Fig. 10, the arms 23' are equipped with the pivot lugs Small coil springs 30 encircle these pivot lugs, each spring having one of its ends engaged with the adjacent arm 23' and its other end engaged with the upper lever member 14' so that the tendency of the springs coacting with the two-arms 23' is to hold the handle of the lever member 15 so that the stop arms 23 are normally disengaged from the notched peripheral flange portions of the drum 17. Obviously, when the handle 16' is grasped and pulled downwardly the initial movement of the handle rocks lever member 15 and the arms 23 thereby causing the teeth 23 to engage in suitable ones of the notches or recesses 23", thereby braking or looking the drum 17 against turning whereupon the further Turning now to Fig. 11, it is notable that a rearrangement of the lever unit and drum controlling means of my invention inthe cab or car has been made; In this view, Fig. 11, the lever unit or drum mechanism is substantially the same as shown and described in Figs. 8 to 10, inclusive, excepting that the controlling means instead of being disposed above the lever assembly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is placed farther back in the car or cab body. Under some conditions, the controlling means of the invention as placed in Figs. 1 to 3 may interfere with the clear vision. of the operator of the crane, may be inconveniently disposed in regard to the other mechanism of the machine or may interfere with the operators free exit or movement when stationed in the cab. This is due to the fact that the controlling means is located near the top of the door opening at the side of the cab. Therefore, it may be desirable as shown in Fig. 11 to arrange the controlling means back in the cab in which event the auxiliary lever actuating device will be availed of. This auxiliary connectionv shown as comprising a hand lever 32 havingthe handle 33 and pivoted on a cross shaft 34. An arm 35 projects up from the cross shaft 34 and is con- 15 of the lever unit of the controllin means substantially the same as heretof ore set forth excepting that the actuating means for the drum 17 to effect operation of the trip cable for the bucket dump door is remote from the said drum. The trip cable 7 leads from the drum 17' to the guiding sheaves 38 on the frame of the machine and to the pulley 39, which is at 40 from the saddle block 41 by which the handle of the shovel dipper is carried and guided in its movement. This arrangement of the cable as resgects the pulley 39 and saddle block 41 is use in Fig. 1 also.

It is understood of course that the controlling means herein set forth is adaptable for use on different kinds of shovel dipper cranes, in fact it is generally advantageous for use in connection with any machines where a dump bucket or shovel member is employed having a trip actuated dumpmg door or dumping means. It is not, there-- fore, limited to the type of shovel dipper crane illustrated in Figs. 1 and 11, owing to the broad utility for uses such as above referred to.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is:

1. In a shovel crane, a car body, having an operators position, upstanding shovel dipper controlling levers at the said position, a pendently suspended swingablc unit arranged above the levers, a shovel dipper having dumping means, a rope retrieving means connected with the dumping means and rotatably pivoted on the said swingable unit, and a trip rope terminating about the retrieving means aforesaid and operableto actuate the dumping means.

2. In a shovel crane of the class described, in combination, a car body, a shovel dipper mounted thereon and comprising dumping means, a trip cable controlling said dumping means and leading therefrom to the car body, control lever ineans for the operation of the dipper mounted on the car body and a control unit for actuating the trip cable to dump the dipper and located so near to the control lever means aforesaid that the operator of the crane may readily shift his hand from the control lever means to the control unit as and for the purpose described, means supporting the control unit for swinging movement and means intermediate the control unit and the tri cable normally main.- taining the trip ca le under tension and holding the control unit in a. position of inclination such that its weight assists in actuating movement thereofunder manual. operation.

3. In a shovel crane of' the class described, in combination, a car body, a dipper mounted thereon for the customary excavating operations, a dumping trip cable associated with the dipper" for dumping the same, a winding drum on the car body and with which the trip cable is connected, means associated with said drum for maintaining the cable under tension and means for movi' 1g the drum bodily to swing the same for exerting a dumping pull on the cable.

4. In a shovel crane of the class described, in combination, a car body,'a dipper mounted thereon for the customary excavating operations, a dumping trip cable associated with the dipper for dumping the same, a

'winding drum on the carbody and with which the trip cable is connected, means associated with said drum for maintaining the cable under tension, sufficient to hold it taut but insufficient to effect dumping action thereof, and means for moving the drum bodily to effect dumping action of the cable.

5. In a shovel crane of the class described, in combination, a car body, a dipper mounted thereon for the customary excavating operations, a dumping trip cable associated with the dipper for dumping the same, a winding drum on the car body and with which the trip cable is connected, means associated with said drum for maintaining the cable under tension, insufficient to cause dumping action of the cable and permitting the cable to pay out and Wind in incident to movements of the shovel dipper, and means cooperative with the drum to prevent turning thereof and for swinging the drum bodily to exert a pull on the cable for effecting dumping operation thereof.

6. In a shovel crane of the class described,

in combination, a car body, a dipper mounted thereon for the customary excavating operations, a dumping trip cable associated with the dipper for dumping the same, a drum on the car body and with which the trip cable is connected, and means for moving the drum bodily to effect dumping action of the cable.

7. In a shovel crane, a car body, a dipper, dumping means for the dipper including a trip cable and control means on the car body including a unit comprising a winding drum with which said dumping cable is connected, means for causing winding action of the cable on said drum and permitting it to pay out both incident to ordinary movements of the shovel without effecting dumping action of said cable and means for stopping the turning of the drum and shifting the same to produce a dumping actuation ofthe cable, including a lever unit swingingly mounted on the car body and composed of a member supporting the drum and a member having a handle and connected to the first mentioned member for movement relative thereto, said second mentioned member having a brake to stop the turning of the drum and being adapted to be swung to move the lever unit and drum for dumping actuation of the cable.

8. A control unit for dumping cables of power shovels consisting of a drum, means for turning said drum to wind a dumping cable thereon, a lever unit supporting the drum and comprising a'brake art to engage the drum and prevent its turning, said lever unit being movable to initially engage said brake with the drum and subsequently move thgldrum to cause dumping actuation of the ca e.

9. A control unit for dumping cables of power shovels consisting of a drum, means for turning said drum to wind a dumping cable thereon, a lever unit supporting the drum and comprising a brake part to engage the drum and prevent its turning,

said lever unit being movable to initially engage said brake with the drum and subsequently move the drum to cause dumping actuation of the cable, the lever unit comprising an upper member on which the drum is mounted to turn and a lower handle member carrying the brake aforesaid and pivotally mounted on the upper member so as to move independently of the latter substantiall as described.

10. In a umping door trip mechanism of the class set forth, in combination, dumping means for a shovel dipper, including a trip cable, means normally maintaining said trip cable taut, and a controlling device connected with the last named means to shift the said means, bodily, and thereby to impart a dumping action to the dumping means.

11. In a shovel crane of the class described, in combination, a car body, a dipper mounted thereon for the customary excavating operations, a dumping trip cable associated with the dipper-for dumping the same, a drum on the car body and with which the trip cable is connected, for maintaining the cable under tension, insufficient to cause dumping action of the cable and permitting the cable to move incident to movements of the shovel dipper, and means for swinging the drum bodily to exert a pull on the cable for effecting dumping operation thereof.

12. In a shovel crane, a car body, a dipper, dumping means for the dipper including a trip cable, and control means on the car body including a unit comprising a drum with which the cable operates, and means to move the drum bodily to place the cable under trip actuating tension for operating said dumping means.

13. In a shovel crane, in combination, a boom, a dipper handle, and dipper therefor, saddle block means on the boom for cooperating with the dipper handle, a dump door for the dipper, a trip cable for said dump door, a car body in which an operator is adapted to station himself and to which the cable leads, and guiding means for said cable carried by said saddle block means, a drum on the car body connected with the trip cable and adapted to wind in and pay out said cable, and means for shifting said drum after rendering the cable stationary relative thereto to effect door dumping movement of said dumping door.

14. In a shovel crane, in combination, a car body, a dipper, means for operating the said dipper, dumping means for the dipper including a trip cable, and control means on the car body including a unit embodying a pivoted lever, a drum carried by the lever and controlling the actuation of said trip cable, said lever having means whereby the drum may be moved bodily to impart trip movement of the cable for causing dumping of the dipper.

15. In a shovel crane, a car body, a dipper, means for operating the dipper to rack the same in and crowd it out, dumping means for the dipper including a trip cable, and

control means on the car body for the trip cable including a pendent pivoted lever, a drum carried by said lever and having the trip cable operatively associated therewith, and a handle for swinging said lever to move the drum bodily to impart actuating movement to the cable for causing dumping of the dipper.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ERICH I-I. LICHTENBERG.

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