US1715469A - Loading machine - Google Patents

Description

J1me 1929. NA. NEWDICK LOADING MACHINE;

Filed Jan. 22. 1921 7 Sheets-Sheet June 1929- N. A. NEWDICK LOADING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22. 1921 7 Sheets-Sheet E is-I J 1929-- N. A. NEWDICK LOADING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22. 1921 7 Sheets-ashes! A/ Z M ,4/VWJ/CA.

June 4, 1929. "N. A. NEWDICK LOADING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1921 7 Sheets-Sheet June 4, 1929.

N. A. NEWDKZK LOADING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22, 1921 '7 Sheets-Sheet June -4, 1929.

N. A. NEWDICK LOADING MACHINE Filed Jan. 22. 1921 TSheets-Sheet Elmqutoq A A e o l c 1% Patented June 4, 1 929.

UNIT I Non'ron A. nnwnicx, or COLUMBUS,0HIO,ASSIG1\IQR :ro COLODEVR ooMPAn h, on COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OFDELAWABE. I 1

LOADING MACHINE} A pplic'a'tion filed J'anua1'y22, 1921. Serial No.1 439fi92;

This invention relates to loading machines, and has for its principal object toprovide an ellicient yet simply constructed and operative machine for thepurpose of loading coal from the face of a mine working and to deposit such coal into mine cars, by means of which the coal, or other analogous material, may he quickly and economically removed from the mine. 1 k

Another object of the invention resides in the provision ofla machineiof this character wherein the gathering and loading mecha nisms are mountedupon a common wheeled base unit, in suchfman'ner that the machine maybe readily adjusted to assume operative positionslwhen theoperation of loading is being performed upon curved track ways or in tortuous rooms or entries or pillars of mine, whereinit is necessarythat the-gather-v ing and loading mechanisms should assume angular positions with respect to one another,

5 the arrangement being such th at the discharge end of the gathering mechanism willalways 38 positioned under working conditions over F the receiving end of the loading mechanism.

A further object resides in constructing the machine so that the same will be exceptionally convenient and simple to operate, and where-v in all of the various controls thereof are centrally located so that thecontrols will be at all times within the convenient reach of the i operator, this, feature beingprimarily accoms plished by eliminating the isolated controls 7 found in many machines of the prior art, re ducing the number ofsuch controls, render mg operationslargely automatic, and in generally simplifying the machine to the end i A that the-operator thereof will have the vari-" ous mechanisms and parts under ous and convenient control; '7 r I Other objects of the invention reside in a coal loading machineof thecharacterspeciinstantane;

fied wherein a common motor is provided for r effecting the operat on of the gatherlng andloading mechanisms; in providingitheloading mechanism with anyautomatically operinent on the part of the loading mechanism: will be the same, irrespective of the CllIBCiZlOIL atcdclutch, whereby the direction-of moveof rotation of the driving motor or the operation of the athering mechanism; in the pros vision of a novel and improved structure for supporting the rear ;en d of the gathermg form of the present inventiorn'.

mecl anisnri in conjunction with the forward portlon of the base unit, in order that said gathering mechanism will be'permitted to} swing laterally and horizontally across the floor of'a mine, to have the necessary vertical up and downmovement to compens'ate for;

irregularities in the mine floor and to permit. the drivingor power imparting connections for the gathering mechanism to pass through will appear as the description proceeds, the lnvent on accordingly consists in the novel;

features of construction, combinationsoflelements'and arrangements of parts, hereinafter to befully'descrihed and pointed out in the appended claims. i i v i In the accompanying drawings, 7 formingv a part of'this specification, and in which similar characters ofreference denote like "and corre sponding parts throughout the several views thereof;

; Figure 2 is atop plan view thereof, I Figure 3 isaside elevation showing frag- -85, .Figure 1 is asideelevation of the improved I q loading machine comprising jthepreferred:

mentarily the-rearj'p'o-rtion of 'the" gathering mechanism, the 'base unit, and th forward part of the loading mechanism, parts being broken away and shown in section to "disclose more clearly underlying and interior; structure, I I Figure 4 is a top plan view ofthe hase' iin'it and showing more particularly the position of the main drivin motor and associated power imparting connections,

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional"; i view taken through the gathering mechanism sand disclosing 1n side elevation the means forv Figure 7 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on; the plane disclosed by the line 7 7 e ;of Figure 5, i I

v Figure 8 1s a vertical transverse sectional View disclosing the compound pivotal mounting'for the rear end of the gathering meeha nism, r V Figure 9 isa detail sectional View disclosing the clutches and driving mechanism for effect ing the operationof the lateral shifting mech- Figure 10 .isa detail planview setting forth I the base unit and the movable platform carried thereby, e

Figure 11 isahorizontal sectional view showing the automatic clutch construction forv causing the loading conveyor to travel in but one direction,

Figure 12 is a s de" elevation of said auto -matic clutch,

Figure 13 is a sectional view disclosing the slipor overload clutch, v V

liigurejl lis a detail View disclosing the meel ianism for vertically'adj usting the load- 7 Figure15 is a detail vertical section taken through the hopper and disclosing the noise 7 reducing construct on thereof, and

- Figurev 16 is a. detailsection takenon the. line 16],

16 of Figure 9.

Referring more particularly to the details of the invention, -use. is made ofa loading machine 1 which,-in this instance, is formed tofinclude a wheeled truck or base unit 2,. which jisadapted to operate overa suitable track-way. 3 so thatthe loading machine as a whole may be rapidly and easily transported and quickly brought from one position, of operation to another within the shortest time possible. Thistruck is esentially of rectangularform and includes side and end membersel and 5 respectively, the former being provided with journal boxes 6 on which arerotatably mounted the ends of axles-7 which carry, the usual track engaging wheels, S, adapted for operation over the track-way 3. The truck 2 is'provided adjacent to the forward end member 5t'hereof with afixed clevis. 9Iwhich is'adap'ted toreceive the apertured forwardiend of a horizontally shiftable platform which in this instance' is in the v form of a base or bed plate 10, a pin 11 beingarranged so as to pass through openings 1 provided in the olevis and through a'regis with respect to the' frame of thetruck 2. To further effect the support of' the platform 60 provided with a plurality of brackets 12,

tering openingprovided in said plate,in order that'the latter may be p votally mounted or s'wiveled :for lateral sw ngmg movement or plate 10, the rear portion of the truck 2 is which carry anti-friction rollers 13. These rollers are so positioned as to receive and. 7 support the rear portion of the plate Also, the brackets 12 are provided with overried thereby. To shift the plate laterally,

the shaft 17 being provided with hand wheels firmly bolted or otherwise secured to base spur pinion 21, which meshes with an en- 29, the latter shaft is mounted in hearings.

hanging lips 14:, which are arranged so as to extend over the upper surface of the plate 10, so as to prevent u'ndueupward movement on the part of the latter and" the mechanism carthe under surface thereof is provided with an 'arcuate rack 15, which engages with" a worm 16 carried by a transversely journaled shaft 17positi0ned in the truck 2, the outer ends of '18, whereby said shaft may be rotated readily to effectithe shifting of the bed plate. It will be apparent that .by the provision of the rollers 13 and by the worm shaft construction, the shifting of the bed plate and its associated mechanism may be conveniently of.- fected by manual means and without difficulty, and also by theprovision of the worm 16 said bed plate willbe looked against move;

mentin any of its adjusted positions. $5 I Mounted upon the bed-plate 10 is a prime mover which in this instance is inthe form of an electrical motor 19, said motor being enlargements or pads 20'integrally formed with the bed plate 10. The armature shaft of the motor is preferablyiequipped with a largedgear 22 forming apart ofv a slip orv overload clutchconstruction 23 which will be hereinafter more, fully described; The

gear 22 is adapte'd'todrive a, transversely extending shaft 24, which is mounted in bear ings 25 carrie'dby the bed plate, said bearings being firmly bolted to. pads 26 formed.

motor 19, and has its end, oppositeto the end associated 'withthe gear 22, provided with a beveled'pinionor anequiv'alent 27. This pinion 27 is adapted to mesh with a mitre gear 28, which is fixed to one end of a forwardly and longitudinally extending shaft 30 ca'rriedby the, base or bed platelO. The forward end of the shaftj29 is equipped with V a fixed bevel pinion .51, which'meshes with" a a bevel gear 32,f'rigidly'provided upon the for sake of'clearness and to prevent thegear 1 32ffl0111 striking adjacent stationary.parts.j1 Also, theshaft 83 is preferably mounted for rotation within roller bearings 35. A pinion-1 36 is fixed tothe inner'end of a shaft 33 and is adaptedftomesh with'abevel gear-37 providedupon-the lower end of a vertical shaft 130 with the upper surface .of the shi-ftable base plate. Preferably, the shaft 2 1 extends in parallelism with the armature shaft of the 38. This shaft extends upwardly through a hollowsaddle member or pedestal 39 and has its upper end provided with a fixed sprocket with which the flight carrying endless gathering belt orv chain 41 is adapted to co operate. The pedestal 39 is provided atits lower end with transversely extending enlargements 42, which are adapted to be suit- 3 ably clamped around the bearingbrackets 34,

in order that said pedestal will be permitted to swing vertically about the horizontal pivot provided by the aligned bearings 34. It will be observed that the shaft 33 is concentric or in other words axially positioned with respect to the bearings 34, hence is in'a position so that the pinion 36 thereof will constantly mesh and remain in engagement'wi-tl the gear 37 irrespective of vertical oscillations on the part of the pedestal 39 and associated mechanism. By this construction it will be apparent that power may be directly applied to the sprocket 40 without interfer-.

ornoseportion 44 an upwardly inclined and rearwardly extending intermediate portion 45, and a'substantially hor1zo-ntal'ele vated discharge end 461 This end 1S apertured so as to receive the shaft 38 and the upper end of the pedestal 39, and also carries a fixed depending sleeve 47, Which is so positioned as to receive the upper end of the pedestal 39'and torest-upon aroller bearing 48*provided upon anannula-r flange enlargement 49 formed with the pedestal. Bythis construction it will be manifestthat the pedestal 39 serves as a'vertical pivot for,

the rear end of the gathering mechanism, and about'which pivot the gathering meche .anism as a whole is permitted to bodily oscillate inlateral directions so as to be capable of effectlng back and forth sweep movements It Wlll bemanracross the floor of a. mine. fest, therefore, that the gathering mechanism is mounted upon a compound pivot construction, wherein the upper end of the pedestal serves as a vertical pivot and the bearings 34 serve as a horizontal plvot.

By this construe tion of pivotal mounting, the gathering mechanism 1s capable of being fed by arcuate movements in horizontal directions into engagement and co-operation with the material to be loaded and by the provision of the horizontal pivot, the gathermg mechanism may oscillate vertically so that the nose portion' thereof may be accommodatedto irregularities or roughness 1n the surface upon which it is traveling. Moreover, not only is astrong durable pivotal construction provided for the gathering mechanism but 1n addltion the driving shafts thereofare so. correlated and positioned thatt-he same are capable of pass- Iing directlythrough the pivotal-connection without in" any way effecting the articulated movementsthereof.

V The nose portion of the gathering mecha nism is of flat construction, in order that the same may be forced over a mine. floorin such manner as to bury itself beneath the material to be'1oaded,'and to permit such material to drop, gravitate or to be readily forced upon the uppersurface of the nose portion,whereby the material-will be engaged by-traveling flight armshO, which are carried by the endless belt of the 'athering mechanism and are adapted to run'horizontally and longitud-i-' 'nally within spaced run-Ways 51 formed in the frame 43, said run-ways being-primarily defined by means of the bottom of'the frame,

the central and longitudinallyfextending hous1ng.52,'and the s1des'53. 5 ,As' shown in Figure-7 said flights are connected with or form a. part of the chain 41 and hence are adapted to be driven by the'sprocket 40, around which the chain 41 is'trained; Also, the forward run'of t-hechain passes around a forward sprocket 54, carried by the nose portion of the frame, the latter sprocket serves as a guide, and directs the fiightarms into the material to be loaded. "It will be apparent that the motor 19 is of the reversible type, and accordingly the gathering chainmay be caused totravel in either direction,{afeature which enables the coal or otherniaterial to be loaded into the machine by Way of either of the run-ways 51 and advanced alternately, I

at the will of the operator, through said runways in the line of'draft of the machine. The

chain 41 is'guided in'its movementsby means of longitudinal guides 55- formed with the. housing 52, and preferably the inner ends of. theflight arms are provided with rollers 56, whichoperate within the guides 55 and serve to eliminate undue friction between thefiight a'rms,'the chain and-the guideszhfi when the gathering chain is operating underload condit1ons.-

To feed the gathering'mechanism laterally so that the same may be gradually fed in an.

oscillatory manner into engagementwith the material to be loaded, the frame 43 is adapted to carry a secondelectrical motor 157 which,

in combination with the motor 19, are theonly.

motors utilized by the machine. This motor 57' hasits armature shaft e uio vied with a worm 58, which meshes with. aworm .gea'rfit) fixed 'upon a transversely extending shaftGO,

said shaft and worm gear being mountedfor.

rotation within a suitable casefilformed with. the motor 57. ,Theends of the shaft 60 project beyond the jcase 61-, and are equipped with loose sprockets 62 and 63 located on op-vv posite sides of the case 61. The sprocket 62 has trained thereabout an endless chain64,

whichechain is arranged to extend so as to be trained over a second sprocket'65, the lat- .ter being-mounted for rotation upon a fixed shaft 66 carried by the housing 52. This sh aft66carries a drum 67 with which is connected a side feed. chain 68. The sprocket 63, in turn, is provided with an endless chain 69,-which is trained over a se cond sprocket 70, loosely'inounted upon a forward station ary shaft '71, the latter shaft being positioned so as to rotatably receive a forward chain drum 72.- This latter drum is alsoadapted. to have secured thereto one endof a second sidefeed chain o, which extendsin'an opposite direction to the chain 68 and .is'adapted .to be employed to shift the feeding 1nechanism inan opposite direction As shown in Y the drawings the chains 68 and 73 pass from their respective drums and are trained around superimposed.:spooling drums v74,

which latter are loosely mounted upon a sta tionary shaft 75 carried by the housing 52' at a point above the shaft 71. -Fro1n these superimposed drums, the side'fecd chains extend downwardly and pass around guide pulleys 76, from which thechains extend in opposite directions, as is shown in Figure 2,

in order that the outerportions of the chains may pass around fixed guides' or jacks 77, and after passing around these jacks the free or outer ends of the side feed. chains are secured as at 7 8 to the frame ofthe gathering mechanism. C v

- 4 By this construction it will apparent that when'one ofthe side feed chains is wound about its respective drum thengathering mechanism as a' whole will be shifted in the direction wherein the chain length has been shortened, or mother words by winding the chain around itsdrum the gathering mechanism is pulled laterally so that its nose portion will be maintained constantly in engagement with the material to be loaded. It will be observed that wormgearing has been provided for effecting the operation of the winding drums. ,This fo an of power transmission has been employed for thepurpose of imparting a relatively slow and powerful side feeding. movement to the gathering mechanism. After the machine has been fed its maximum distance in any glven direction,

themotor'57'is reversed, thereby causingthe other chain to be wound about its respective ddrum, to oscillatethe gathering mechanism in the opposite direction. -Any suitable means may be provided for advancing-the,

machinelongitudinally so that its nose portion will be kept beneath the material to be loaded. This is preferably accomplished by means of mine locomotives, which'are positioned to the rear of the truck 2, and are capable or forcing the truck'and the gather ing mechanism beneath the coal to be loaded either by continued effort or by a series of jolts or; blows. In order to automatically feed the gathering mechanism laterally, the

shaft 60 has its endsvreversely threaded at 79. to"receiv e shiftable clutch members which are provided with internally threaded bores to receive the threaded ends of the shaft 60. The said members 80 are provided with clutch faces 81 which are adapted to be moved into and out of mterlockmg engagement with similar clutch faces 82 provided 7 upon the outer sides of the sprockets 62 and 63. The ends of the shaft are provided with fixed collars 82 which are positionedto limit the outward movement of the clutch members and-also to -maintain the sprockets-62 and 63 secure against longitudinal iovement; lVeights or their equivalents 82? are provided in connection with rings 82 loosely situated infannular grooves'providedin the clutch.

members, and these weights serve in opera tion to prevent rotation of the clutch inemberswhen the shaft is being rotated to slide the members. By this arrangement the di rection of rotation of the chain drums is automatically taken care of'w thout resorting to the useof manually operated clutches, since the rotationof anydesired drum may be, effected by merely governing the rotation of the motor 57. Thus when the motoris operating in one direction, we will say,the drum 67 will be rotated to wind its chain 68 thereabout, when this occurs the drum 72 will I be automatically released by virtue of the shaft construction 60, thereby permitting the ohain'wound thereabout to be loosely drawn I off of said drum 72 when thechain 68 is tightened or wrapped. around its drum 67 .i

The reverse of course is true when'the power of the motor 57 1s directly applied to the chain drum 72, that 1s, the'drum 72 1s posltively rotated, while the drum 67 is auto-,

matically released. "By this construction it willbe observed that, convenient, simple and material at the face of a working." The control 83 for the motor 57 is directly,carried by the truck 2, andis situated in adjacent relationship with respect to the control 84.

for governing the operation of themotor 19,"

andalso, the-controls are situated so as to be in'imediately adjacent-the controlling lever 85 for the clutch construction 23.- By virtue of these three controls the operation of the entire machine can be readilyv governed, and in fact, the operation of'themachine for the greater portion'of time can be governed simply'by means of the controls 83 and 84, since it is onlyon infrequent occasions that the clutch construction 23 need be operated by the lever 85. This results in centralizing the controls .ofthe machine and by the provision of the automatic features, isolated handcontrols have been eliminated. i

The loading machine as a whole is adapted to be'transportably mounted upon the trackway 3, hoWeVen-when' in operation the forward nose portion of'the. mach1ne'pro ects inadvance of the track-way 3, which latter is terminated to the rear of the-working or' the materiahto be loaded. This results in permitting the nose portion to directly ride .inechani'sm should be mounted upon wheels 'eapableof ridlngover the track-way 8, as

such a construction admirablys erves to eliminate sway or vibration in the machine, to enable the same to negotiate short 'or sharp curves, and greatly aids to its "general 1-stability and freeness from undue swaying movement. To this end, thefiunder portion of. the gathering frame is equipped with a. pony truck 86, which when the machine i'sengaged in actual loading; is carried by the under part of the frame 43. Any suitable means may beem ployed for positioning the'tr'uck 86 in the manner disclosed 'in Figure 1-, such for example,as a-chain and drum construction 87. 'However, when the machine is being transported from position to position about amine, the ponytruck IS POSlhlOIlGCl' so as to pride over the rails of thetrack-way 3 and is swivelly connected with the forward'j end of the 'gathering' frame by means of an adjust- "able king bolt 88, Which'is adapted to have its lower end suitablysocketed Within a bearing'provided in the pony truck. }While not employed forestablishing'a swivel connection -V between the gathering fraineand po'ny'tru'cktheking'boltvis elevated so as; to be foutofthe way ofthe gathering mechanism proper.'-' (In view of the foregoing 11318 believed that the operation'of thegathering mechanism will be clearly understood, and that its construction and principles'of operatio'nwiil be apparent to those skilledjnf the are The rear end ofthe gathering frame is positioned "independent of the relief or slippagealforded by said "clutch c'onstruction- Trained over this sprocket 101 is an endless c'hain 102,which I so that material discharged fro nj engagement with the gathering frame by the flight arms willbe deposit-edw'ithin the forward end of a loading hopper 89, which latter forms oneof the essential parts of the loading mechanism B. This hopper 1s preferably-formed from. structural "steel and is provided with a v i i b I a 'They hub104 {carries a second sprocket=1'0 6,; I

V widened forward portion which is capable of other; From 7 I hopper ext receiving the discharge end 46 of the gathering frame in all working positions of angry larity which the "gathering and loading I mechanisms may assume'with respect to each I i widened forward" portion s rearwardlj-to'provide an formed to project some distancetothe rear low the hopper to'be' adjusted vertically. Also; thelshaft 95 is equippedyinside ofthe propriate discharge;

angularly and upwardly extending-portion 'zontah, longitudinally extending and overf; hanging discharge; end 91,' the latter being of the truck 2, inorder that its'discharge end may overlie a mine car-or an equivalent 92,

f-9Q, which terminates i-n asubstan-tiallyhoric which is adapted tobe positioned beneath the discharge end of said hopper so-as to be" capable of receiving the material discharged per, thedepressed forward end 93 of thebed plate 10 is provided with suitable bearings 94,

therefrom; Toelfect the support of the hop in which is iournaled a transversely extending shaft 95: This shaft isadaptedto here-- ceived Within openings provided-in the sides of the hopper and by thisconstruction the said shaft 95 wil1"serve'as a ho-rizontal'supa':

porting pivotforthe hopper, which Will al hopper, I with sprockets 96', over which 'are trainedspa'ced conveyor chains 97, said chains.

being connected by-ineans of transversely eX- tending. cross fiigh'ts98 which are adapted to 907 travel over the "floor {99 of the hopper when d the upper run of-the flights moving in a rearward directioii; byl t'hisconstruction the v h chain will be so positioned that the forward *run'. thereof will advanceyin the lineof'draft of the machine over the bottom of thelhopper.

Also; the rear overhanging end-of thefhopper provided with a transversely extending shaft '100, Wlnch'carries fixed sprockets over which the chains 97 are'trained, and power is imparted to the-shaft 100' from the motor' 19,

in a'manner to be hereinafter more fully ex plaine'd so as to reflect the-operation of the.

material discharged into the 'ho'pper willjbe o loading conveyor as a whole. '1 "'Manifestly, I; 1 V

engaged byit-he rearwa'rdlymovingportions Q ofth'e loadingconveyoigandjwill bejconducted-j out ofisaid hopper by {said conveyor andftlis charged into the underlying mine car 92, by means of whichthe loaded coalinay be'suit ably transferred :to ya u To impart power to provided with a-sprocket 101-,'which sprocket no a, f rio'uspositi-ons'of ap- I v V M the"loading conveyor a the gear22 of theclutch;construction'23: is J J y is directly driven from the 1notor19,j and is 5:. e

is directedso as to passarounda sprocket; 103, thelat-ter carryinga hub'lOhwhich is jecting from "the side of the, loadingfra-nie.

and also gear 10,7,Ethe, Generate-0n being loosely mounted upon a stud shaft 105, pro-"' such thatthe'two sprockets 103 and 106 "and '1 in paral-le arrangedso as to pass over thesprockets 106 jand'109 so that saidsprockets will rotate togetheran'd in the same directionlf Similarly,

i)v the gear 107, but it is obviousthat the gear V 3111; rotates in a; direction opposite to that of :thestud shaft 108 is equipped with a gear 111 which is adapted to mesh with the teeth of the gear 107.- The sprocket 109 and the gear 1'11 carried by the stud shaft 108 are provided confinedbetween the h'ubs 112 and 113. is an automatically shiftable sprocket 114, whose hub. 115 :is provided with oppositely disposed teethdesigned for selective 'cooperation with the (teethof the gear 111 and thesprocket 109; It will be apparent that by reversing the e direction' of rotation of the motor 1 9, the direc tion ofinovement on-the part or the chain 102 s will also be reversed, and'accordin'gly this automatic clutch constructionis provided so I that the direction of movement oi": the forward run of the loading conveyor will bein one way only, thatlis, ina' rearward draft or discharging directionl; lvith this object in view it .will be apparent that. when'the chain 102is driven so that the hub 104 rotates in the di- .rection of the arrow C the-- gear 111 will be 'rotatedso' that itsteeth will positively mesh with the teeth of the hub of the automatically shift'able sprocket 114, therebycausing the drive, chain i 115 which passes-around the Y sprocket 114 and around a similar sprocket providedupon the shaft at the extreme rear end of the loading frame. to rotate in aidirectio'n calculated to move the materialcarriedby the loading conveyor 'rearwardly. Itthe eliai1 1 102 should move-in the oppositedirees -tion*,"eaused by the reversal of the motor 19, I

thegearlll will be rotated in the opposite direction,- which will cause the, ratchet teeth provide-d upon the vhub of sai'dgearto shift 'the sprocket 114.].aterally, since. it is mani-g of the'rear end ofthe loading i'rame. Prefer- I ably, the hubs are equipped with sprockets fest that the angle of said teeth and the di 0 V rection of rotation of the "gear 1 11 will not permit. the sprocket-114 to rotate unison with said gear. llence', by-soshifting' the sprocket 7114, the teeth provided upon the opposite face ot the hub thereof will brought into positive locking engagement with the ratchet teethzprovided ,uponthe hub I of the sprocket 109, andhence the said sprocket 114 will. be rotatedpositively inthe required direction bypower derived directly 'IflOlll' the sprocket109, If the teeth of the I ,,hub.of-"thersprocket 114 should'be so positioned, during the shifting'of said sprocket,

" wwith. the tipsor Iouter portion' of the teeth that the {same} will contact simultaneously.

l ip rovi'ded' in zc on nection with the sprocket t 109 I and vthe gear 111, breakage is :avoidedfby the .-.provisijon'o:t a sprin'g'116, whichais positioned I sofas to surround theshaft 108and to-be pe-1 simultaneouslyithese extreme positions of "tooth engagement, the spring 116 will permit the gear lll to yield in an outward direction so that damage to parts will be avoided, how;'

ever, when the sprocket teeth slip intoproper. position, the tension upon the spring116. will be released, thereby permitting theparts to Y return to normal positions. By this construction it will be apparent that the motor 19 may be. reversed so as to govern thedirec tion which feature is necessary when the gathering frame is being swungirom'one side to another,

struct iondescribed the loading conveyor will of operation of .the gathering conveyor,

but by reason of the automatic clutch concontinue; to force material outwardlyfof the hopperirrespective or thedirection of move:

ment on the part of the'gathering' conveyor, and noreover, a common motor may be employ'edtoroperating bothlmechanlsms.

It is frequently desirable to adjust the rear l or discharge end of the loading frame with respect to the mine'car 92. Since the hopper Lot-the loading. framefis-Imountedto swing 2 about the horizontalpivot offered by the shaft 95, use is made of a frame, rai'si'ngnnd" V loweringconstruction119. This construction Q 1 consists in the provisionof a, pair :otspaeed v brackets 119, which are mounted'upon the .vbedvplate"10,and to which are fpivot ally connected the lower ends] ofa pair of tubes 1 20.

Thesetubes are normally vertieallydisposed 1 and are adapted to telescopically receive a; pair of Vertically disposed screws 121, the

latter havingtheir vupper endspivotallycom nected as at 122 with: the loadingtrame. Ar-'- rangedto"threadedlyreeeive the screws 121 andto rest upontheupper portions or. the

tubes-120is a pairot threaded hubs 123, which ;.are formed to include han' d wheelsi124,where-1 3 bywhen saidwheels are rotated,='the screws 121 willbe caused to move vertically, thus e1"? 7 fecting adjustments in theloperative height 125, around-whichis trained an endless chain 126, thisconstruction beingemployed in order that when one'of the wheels ,124 is rotated,

both screws will be ,moved a corresponding distance, 11 suitable cross bracing 127, is

iso 0 By pivotally mountingthelower ends ot, the l tubes, it will be apparentthat:theframe raising and loweringfcon'stru'ction can be adapted-to the'arc of travel ofgtheloading frame. V

By this construction the loading frame may be raised and lowered to assume any desired working height, and alsol bythe shafti lZ and 1 1 associated parts,- thebed plate andfthe le ding, V framemay be bodily amara a lateral direc Ti 'tio'n so that the dischargeiend lot the leading frame will be capable of delivering material strain is placed upon the gathering chainand into mine cars situated side bysi-de'on paral its driving mechanism, which if not relieved, lel tracks. 1 I 1 V p would have a" detrimental effect upon, the

' Attention is particularly invited to the de-v various driving parts thereof causing chain 7 '5 pressed forward end construction of the bed breakage, motor tro'ublesand other disorders. 7'0 "plate. By this construction it' will be ob- 'Accordingly, the relief clutch construction served thatthe hopper may bepositioned close 23 is provided which operates to receive the to the tracks, a'construction which renders it power ofthe motor 19 and, yet to prevent such 7 j possible to reduce the effective height of the power from being fully. transmitted tothe 10 machine. Accordingly, by compacting or in gathering mechanism whenthe. latteris'over 7'; stalling the parts of the machine in this manloaded, or when a predetermined load; has I ncrthemachine will require but low overhead been reachedr To this end'the gear '22 is clearance, and therefore the same may be emloosely mounted' around the shaft 24 and is 'ployed for low vein mining work. The side disposed: within a." suitable'case -128. This of the hopper 89 is preferably cut away soias :gear 22 is'of peculiar construction and con S0. to receive'the rear end of the gathering mechprises a substantially hollow body wherein anisin, and these cut-away portions are adapt af'disk compartment 129 ;-is provided? This 3 ed to be filled by'mcans of removable orslidcompartment isarrange'd to receive a plu ing plates 128,- which may be so positioned ralityflof'fiat multiple disks 130, which are 7 2 as to'prevent material thrown centrifugalsituatedconcentrically with respect to the 8.

'ly'from' the gathering chainfrom falling out shaft 24, certainof the" disks are keyed asat j of theconfinesof the hopper. i Also, another 131 to the gear 22, while the remaining disks important feature of the present invention reare keyed as at 182 to a sleeve member 133 'sidesin forming the loading frame sothat unrigidly carried by the shaft 24:. To control necessary noise, caused by the contacting'of the frictional-grip between-the disks 13,0,the

the, loading chain with the floor 99 of the gear 22 is internally threaded as at 134,to:re-

frame, will be reduced to a minimum; In ceivea-plate 135; Thisplate' 'ca rries a, plug ,'machines of this natureitlie operation thereof 'rality of bracketg136 whicl1 are ddj d V has been attended by considerable noise,-with as to receivepivotally afpluralityof bell the result that-it has been. a difficult matter crankilevers 137. These levers have their I95 to use the same for pillar robbing purposes, short arins .equipped with rollers 138, and owing to the fact that when engaged in such their longerarn'is are arranged to'project into work the noise ofthe'machinehas drowned an' annular 'groov'eprovided in a" shifting the noises incident'to ceiling cracksnwhich sleeve 139,,tl e latter being connected with the. noises are utilized for the purpose/of warnlever 85,1whichis suitablyfulcruined squea -0 ings to the workmen to notify th'cmcf the by oscillatingthefsame back and forth, ,the e falling condition of the mine roof. It is for sleeve 139 may be reciproca'tedupon'theend this and other reasonsthatthe variousshafts of the shaft. 24.7 'Manifestly, by forcing the 0f 'B mflchinehavebeen eq pp ithantisleeve 139 inwardly, thebell cranks ,wil=l.,be 40 friction devices and conflicting on rubbing swungahouttheir pivots sotha-t fthe'rollersj V parts have been in I many instances formed, --thereof will be tightly forced by an aromfove-' 1 from difi'erent'materials to diminish noisy opmerit into engagement with-a pressure plate i erations. Ilow'ever, considerable difficulty. 140, which isdispQsecl'in, engagement with i has been encountered-in rendering the opcrathe outer of the disl s130f lVhenithe'rollers -,tion ofthe loading mecha'nis'niv noiseless since 138 are thus p'ressed'into' engagement" with .0 theloading frameis ineflect a drumdike the plate 1-10, pressure willbe:impartedto I structure wherein sound j vibrations are the disk 1%, thus connecting for rotation the ampl-ified or augmented; To reduce. arrest gear 22 and the shaft-24hr However, .it is such vibration, andiconsequently to diminish 1manifestthatshould-the load on the gather-..

' unnecessary sounds,the floor-9901ftheloading ing chain become excessive, the resistance ofi tions, and eliminates the deafening clatter an vabsence of relativemovement'in a tur 1 16 resisting- 'inaterial; 1 'Whenthisoccurs "a huge frame is provided with a plurality of Wooden fered by'the shaft 24: to turning movement i bars 129, which are so correlated with respect will belofsuch character that thedisks will I to the floor 99 that the vibration thereof, slip relatively, thus preventing the c'lriving caused by the passage'of the flights 98 and the connections from being overloaded, and also coal. thereover, will bereduced to a minimum. preventing undue breakage of parts? Bythe 1 The advantages of this noiseless construction construction recited it will be .apparent'that 5 are many, and in addition to that stated, the ;wear can betakenup-in the clutch 23 by *sinr' construction operates to enable theoperators ply adjusting-thepositions'iof the plate1,-1'35' of themachine to readilyhear spoken i nstrucand, also it will be'apparen'tthat there wi-ll' b'e hitherto involved in machines of this nature. ing directionbetween'the'plate l40 and the a r In the operat on ot the gather ng ,mecha l follei tsil idlsince the:plate lttlisi'keyed for" v n1sm,;1t frequently occurs that the. gathering rotation ,Wltll the ear 22' r Clltlll will beoverloa'cleilor willjstrike un-f 1 reviewerene'reregoin a statesm n .th at: the presentmvention. provides; a loading d the depressed'forwardend ofthe bed plate the "heiglitof the machine is reduced -to such machine capable of being efficiently used-for I thepurposeof loading coal or other similar material from-positions where the coal has been blasted-or shot-down into portable cars or to positions of storage. The machine has been. designed with the view of rendering the same" exceptionally portable and flexible, in order that the same may lead material efliicieiitly upon-curved trackways, or in the.

tortuous rooms or passageways of a coal mine. Again, the'machine is rendered convenient to 'manipulatebyjreason of the centralized. controls-and by virtue of other features, noise incident to its operation is believed to be reduced to aininimuni. Again, byreason of point that the machine maybe usefully em' -ployed inthe mining of low vein coalor ore.

Attention is alson'directed to the automatic mechanism which is provided for controlling. operation of the drums governing the feeding movement of the gathering mechanism, a

' construction which eliminates .in. accessible inanualcoiitrols, and, also, to the automatic clutch' structure which allows the loading '1' ,e'onveyor to operate rearwardly irrespective "of the 'd rectionof rotation or operation of its controlling motor and ering mechanism.

the associated gath- :YVhile there hasbeen'illustrated"and described the preferred form. of construction g for carrying this invention into effect, this is f capable of'variation" and modification with- 35.,

out departing from the spirit of the invention,

therefore, it is not intended that the inveny I 'tion should be liinited to the precise details ofconstructionset forth but should be construed to cover an'd'include such m0difica tions as fall within the scope of the appended claims. r Q i I V lVhat is claimed is 1.111 a loadingjmaohine, a portable base unit, a gathering mechanism including a ,frame,-a pivotal mountingjbetween the rear end of said'frame and said base unitwhereby the frame may oscillate bodily about a ver- Itical axis defined by said mounting, means for oscillating said frame, comprising a; 7 frame carriedi'evcrsible motor, ash aft driven .by isaidmoto ga plurality of independently mounted cable-drums, side feed cables coni nected with said drums, sprockets fixed to 1'0- tate with said shaft, other-sprockets loosely rotatable in connection with said drums, independent Clia'iIlSbetWeGl-i the drum sprockets and shaft sprockets, and reverscly operate ingscrew and'clutch mechanisni between said Edi-unis and thesprockets thereof, whereby 7 said druinmay be selectively rotated to Wind and unwind said cables thereaboutin accordance. with 'the direction of rotation. of said motorf- H QQInJaLloading machine,- aflibase "unit, ;gatheringlmechanism including a frame; 4

i-trained, and guidepulleys mounted in the pivotal mounting between the rear end of said frame and base unit whereby said frame may oscillate bodily about said mounting, means for oscillating said frame comprising a frame carried reversible" motor, a

shaft driven by said motor, afplurality of independently A mounted {longitudinally aligned cable drums, feed, cables connected with said drums, power transmitting devices between said shaft and said drums,

superposed spooling drums mounted above the forward of 'saiddruins and overwhicli the cables connected with said drums are.

lower portion ofsaid frame-and around which wardly andlaterally from said frame.

3. In a'loading machine, a gathering'niech anism including a reversible endless belt conveyer, a loadingniechanism arranged'to receive materials discharged froni-said conveyer, said loading mechanism includingian endless belt,a reversible drive motor common toboth of said belts, drive connections between said motor and belts, and automati cally operating means co-operative with said connections for driving the forward runbf said loading mechanism belt in an advancing direction irrespective of llllQ 'CllIGClllOIl of rotation of said'motor-oixthe direction of movement of said gathering belt.

s0 said cables are trained so as to project outw 4. In a loading machine,"a portable base unit, gathering and loading mechanisms'sup- 'ported in conjunction with said base unit, a-

gagementwith-the iiaterialtoibe loaded, a a reversible gathering conveyor carried by the;

"franieand capable of having its direction of movement regulated in accordance with ried by said base unit and capable of receiving mate-rial discharged from said gathering conveyor, a single reversible motor capable of driving both of said conveyors, and anautomatically operating olutch structure be tween said motor; and elevator conveyor, said structure being operable v autoniaticallyfto rec tion irrespectively; of the direction of ro- "drive said elevator conveyor, in but one ditation of the motor and thedirection of moveinfentof' the gathfi l lglconveyor 1,, l 5

6; In "a loading machine, aiportable base 115; the direction of feeding movement-bf frame toward saidniater 'al, a loa'ding mech-g fiIllSlIl including an elevating conveyor cara V a V c 1 1 6. Ina loading machine,- a wheeled truck,

having a lowered'depressed forward end arranged'to be pivotally mounted in the recessed'portion'of said truck, agatherlng mechanism includinga frame, a pivotal sup .portibetween said frame and base'plate, said support being.located"substantially in vertical coincidence W1th the pivotal connection between said plate and truck, a loading mechanism carried by saidbase'plate, and a motor mounted upon said baseplate for effect ng I the operation of said loading mechanism.

In a loading machine, a wheeled truck, a bedplate-pivo'tally supported for horizontal of said bed plate, a support for regul'ating the 7 height "of the rearend of said'hopper,-said support comprising a pair of tubularstand ardspivotallycarriedby the rearend of said I bed plate,- screw members havingtheir upper nuts carried by said screw members and coendsjconne'cted with 'saidhopper, adjusting operative with said standards to regulate the height -0f the rear end ofsaid hopper, and "means, connecting'said nuts-to cause the latter 7 to movel'in" unison.

a shiftable-bed plate mounted upon the upper surface'of said truck, said plate having its forward end'pivotallyconnected with said trucln; gathering andloading -mechanisms supported from said plate, anti-friction'bearings between therear' end of'saidfplateand I sai'd'truck, a wormand rack mechanism operative to permit of the horlzontal swinging movements of said plate.

"171111 a loading machine, a wheeled truck,

-;a loading mechanism carried said truck including ahopper provided with a bot-tom] (and flaring side walls,-an endless conveyor arranged to ride over 'said bottom between f said walls, amotor for driving said conveyor,

-a nd;1neans for'f deadening vibration on the part fo'fthe bottom of said hopperset up by theTen f agementfiof the conveyor therewith. 8 uni t,; a;' gathering mechanism including a na loading machine,- a portable-base frame having' one' end thereof mounted. for

v 1 a"xisfprovided said pivotal connection,

' eans for moving-said frame 'latera'llytof ""gn'iaint'ainjthe'free end ofthe same in engage r "ment-flwith the material to be loaded, said means comprising amotorf carried by the name-,- independent mechanisms carried by i} "saidffrafne. and ic'apable'of oscillating the lat -ter above its. vertical pivot, and means 1 aiito-' I matically operable-in accordance with the I 5. direction ofjrotati onj'of'said-motor to selec-j' mechanisms.

tively impart the power ofthe-inotor to said 19. In a loading machine, a gathering con veyer including a pair of spaced; stationary run-ways extending in the line of draft of the H121Cll1118,1 a reversible endless 'conveyer' belt arranged to advancematerial in a draft direction along either ofsaidwrun-ways, a hopper arranged beneath the discharge ends of said run-Ways, an 'endlesselevator "belt having the forward ru'n thereof movable along the bottom of said hoppento lead ma terial in the line of draft of themachine out;

of said hopper, andto arelative'ly elevated point of discharge, a reversible:operating motor common to both of saidtbelts, dllVlIl'g connections between said motor and belts,

and an automatically,operating mechanism serving in conjunction with'said connections to drive the forward runof' said;elevator belt in the line of draft of said machine iirespec tive of the direction OflOta'tlOII of saijd'mo-i .tor and the direction oftravel of said gathering belt in conveyinggmaterialover'the'alten nately available run-ways of thegath'ering conveyer. V f p loading'mach-ine, an elongated in- 20. Ina clined'gathering conveyer, a pivotal mount ing for the relatively elevateddischarge end of said conveyer, said mounting serving to admit of lateralswinging movement'o'n'the swinging movement of said conveyer conpart of the forward floor 'engaging endof" Z the conveyer, means for eifecting 'lateral tion with relatively station'a'ryanchors dis posed laterally of saidconvey'er, and-power. imparting means between said motor and winding elements automatically: operative in accordance with the direction" of *rotationfof the armature shaft ofsaid'motorftoj'selectively control the operation of said elements;

21. In a loadingmachine', a: portable base f innit, a platform pivotally mounted'upon said base unit and movable horizontally 'with-ire I 'spect thereto, axpjair of transverselyspaeed supports formed with saidplatforin, a: hol-' low pedestal pivotally-fconnected with said supportsto swing about ahori'zontal axis, a pivotal 11nove'ment inconnection withsaid it i base unit, the otheror free end'of sa'idframe ,fbeing"p ermitted'tojirotate about a' vertical nection with said supports,the axis ofgsaid shaft being vcoin'cidentwith said'horizontal axis, a gathering conveyer frame'pivotally mounted-uponthe upper-end of said pedestal,

fo turni g movement about an xis dis?" posed: perpendicularly to" said "horizontal axis, and" endless; conveyer carried by: said frame, a""drive"'shaft "for ;.,said; 'conveyer i mountedto oscillate boclily said pedea 'tal,"anddrivegearingbetwenithe a-ngularly disposedishafts of said supports-and. pedes-- no tals:

7 22. In a loading machine, a portable base unit, a platform pivotally provided uponsaid base unit and shiftable in a substantially horizontal plane with respect thereto, a

5 pedestal pivotally connected with said platform to swing in a substantially vertical plane, a gathering mechanism pivotally mounted upon the upper part of said pedesby said pedestal, the said vertical axisand with said gathering mechanism, and motor, drlven drive connectlons extending through tal to oscillate in a vertical plane in unison with said pedestal and to swing in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis provided said pedestal from said gathering mechanism. 7 I p p 23. In a machine of the nature described,v

platform to; the

an elongated inclined gathering conveyor v pivotally mounted at its upper rear end. to permitthe lower floor engaging end thereof to sweep horizontally across'the'fioor of a mine, cable reeling drums positively rotative in a cable reeling direction for respectively swinging'said gathering conveyor in alternate d1rect1ons,'revers1ble power transmission means, and non-reversible clutch devices; for sald drums, whereby when said transmission means is rotative in one direction one of said drums is active'and in a reverse direction the other of said drums is active.

NORTON A. 'N WDI'o Q 3 5 In testimonywhereof I aflix my signature. 7

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