US1702554A - Lowering device - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 19, 1929. 1,702,554

c. w, WALKER LOWERING msvwir 'Filed Oct. 10, 192? I. 5 I j 9 8 Ira/enter (bar/es W Walks/1 Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,702,554 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES w. WALKER, 0F TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR To WALKER- WALLACE LIMITED, or. TORONTO, CANADA.

LOWERING DEVICE.

Application filed October 10, 1927. Serial No. 2925377.

minimum of labour and the maximum of speed.

he principal feature of the lnvention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of a rotatable spiral member in conjunction with a guide-way whereby the can or package is lowered down the guide-way at a uniform speed of movement regulated by contact with the spiral member.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevational View of my improved device.

Figure 2 is a side elevational View havlng a portion of the vertical guide broken away.

Figure 3 is a top plan.

This invention is extremely simple and consists of a guide-way which may be arranged in a vertical position or at an incline and is here shown in the form of a part cylindrical sheet metal structure 1 which extends between two floors of a building.

At the upper end of the guide 1 is arranged a platform 2 which is formed with slde flanges 3 and a circular hopper opening 4. through whichthe cans or packages are directed into the guide. A shield 5 is arranged at the Outward end of the platform to stop the end movement of the cans at the hopper.

A journal bearing 6 is arranged at the end of the guide-way adjacent to the hopper 4 and in this hearing is journalled a vertical shaft 7 which is stepped in a bearing 8 arranged in the bottom guide 9.

The shaft 7 has secured thereto a spirally shaped rod 10 which is supported from the shaft at intervals throughout its length by the rigid spacing bars 11. The top end 12 of the rod-10 is secured in the shaft as also is the bottom end 13.

The spiral rod is so arranged that it extends into the open side of the part cylindrical guide 1 and forms an obstruction to the cans or packages that are to be directed down through the device.

The shaft is operated by a suitable motor 14 geared to the shaft through a worm gear 15 which turns the shaft at the desired speed.

The bottom end of the guide 1 is supported by a bracket 16 and the bottom platform 9 is provided with side flanges 17 to uide the cans or packages away from the gulde. The

lower end of the guide is Open at the back a sufficient height from the bottom to permit the cans or packages to be ejected to the bot tom guide 9 when they reach the bottom.

A looped arm 18 is secured to the shaft at the bottom end in such a position that it moves into engagement with each can or package that is deposited on the bottom member 9 and pushes it outwardly between the flanged sides thereof from whence it is moved by suitable means.

I prefer to arrange a spacing device at the top of the lowering member so that the cans or packages to be lowered will be spaced apart and this is arranged in the form of a circular plate 19 secured to the upper end of the shaft and extending between the hopper 4 and the upper end of the guide 1. plate is provided with a slot opening 20 which extends over a portion of the arc of a circle. The blank space between the ends of theslot is adapted to support a can or package from sliding into the guide until the slot 20 moves to the open position. It thus forms a spacingdevice to hold the cans Or packages apart.

In the operation of, this device, the cans or packages to be lowered from one floor to another in a building are placed on the plat form 2 and moved along bet-ween the flanges 0 until they slip into the hopper 4, being guided by the shield 5.

If the plate 19 is so positioned that the upper end of the spiral rod 10 is just passing under the hopper, the slot 20 will be open and the can or package will drop through the hopper and its bottom will rest upon the rotating spiral rod. Gravity actuatcs the package to follow down the guide as the spiral turns and the spiral holds the package from sliding free, thus a'plurality of packages may be entered in the guide and be moved through the same at the same time without coming into contact or without being injured by being ammed together in any way.

When the lowering spiral deposits the can or package upon the lower receiving bracket the looped arm'18 travelling with the shaft pushes the can or package out through the back opening in the guide and makes room for the next succeeding package to land.

The device is extremely simple and may be manufactured with any desired strength to lower any weight of article to be handled. Very little power is required to operate the spiral as it merely requires to be turned at a This uniform speed and only snihciently to overcome the friction of the spiral shaft against the edgeof the package.

The device is shown of cylindrical form but it may be of a rectangular form to suit other forms of merchandise or packages to be handled or any size or shape of package may be handled in the device that will not slip through the guide without being engaged by the spiral shaft.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A lowering device, comprising a guide arranged to guide articles downwardly and closed at the bottom, a spiral member arranged external to said guide and having its axis parallel with the guide, means for regulating the speed of rotation of said spiral men'iber to effect the lowering of articles in the guide at a regulated speed, and means for directing the articles to be lowered one at a time into the top of said guide.

2. A lowering device, comprising a tubular guide having a slot extending longitudinally thereof from end to end, a spiral member journalled external to the guide and parallel therewith and having its perimeter extending through the slot in the guide to engage and lower articles placed in the guide, means for regulating the speed of rotation of the spiral member, and means arranged at the end of the spiral for ejecting the arti cles from the guide.

8. A lowering device, comprising a tubular guide having a longitudinal opening in one side thereof and an opening in the opposite side at the bottom, a spiral member having its axis journalled in parallel relation to the guide and having its perimeter extending through the longitudinal opening therein and adapted to lower articles placed in the guide, means for regulating the speed of rotation of said spiral member, and means arranged at the bottom of the spiral member for ejecting the articles lowered in the guide through the bottom opening in the guide.

A lowering device, comprising a tubular guide having a longitudinal opening in the side, a platform arranged on the top of the guide having an opening therethrough leading to the guide, a spiral member journalled parallel to the axis of the guide and extending through the longitudinal opening of the guide and adapted to engage articles passed through the opening in said platform and to lower them in the guide, and means for regulating the operation of the spiral member.

5. A lowering device, comprising a part cylindrical guide having the open side thereof extending from end to end, a spiral shaft jonrnalled at its top and bottom ends parallel with said guide and extending through the side opening, means for regulating the speed of rotation of said spiral member, a platform arranged at the bottom of the guide, an opening from said guide at the bottom arranged in alignment with said platform, an arm secured to said spiral shaft at the bottom adapted to engage and move articles lowered by the spiral member on said platform through the opening in the guide, and means for directing articles to be lowered into the top of said guide.

6. A lowering device, comprising a guide closed at one end, a spiral member arranged external to the guide and rotating on its axis to engage and move the articles placed in the guide, and means operating in unison with the spiral member for removing the articles from the guide.

CHARLES W. WALKER.

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