US1786085A - Control mechanism for conveyers - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 23, 1930. N, PREBLE' 1,786,085.

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CONVEYERS Filed Jan. 11, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet l l N V EN TOR. Woe/100W Hum A TTORNEYS Dec. 23, .1930.

Ns HfPREBLE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR GONVEYERS Filed Jan. 11, 1926 3 Sheets-Shegt I2 I NV EN TOR.

A TTORNEY I Dec. 23, 1930. N. H. PREBLE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CONVEYERS C; Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. /VOA?M/9/V/f P 551;

Filed Jan. 11, 1926 ATTORNEY-1' Patented Dec. 23, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NORMAN H. PREBLE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CECIL R. LAMBERT COMPANY, OF DEIROI'J MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CONVEYERS Application filed January 11, 1926. Serial No. 80,664. i

The invention relates to conveyers and refers more particularly to the mechanism for controlling the movement of one or more separate conveyers. One of the objects of the invention is to provide a mechanism for controlling the movement of a reciprocable member for advancing a conveyer. Another object is to provide cam actuated means for controlling the movement of the reciprocable conveyer actuating member. A further object is to provide variable means for driving the control cam. With these as well as other objects in view the invention resides in the novel features of construction and Figures 4 and 1 are respectively an end view and a vertical cross section through a.

valve forming part of the control mechanism.

The control mechanism embodying my invention may be used with one or more con veyers, which latter may be of the truck, platform or other type. In the present instance I have shown the truck type conveyers 1 and 2 which are spaced from and extend substantially parallel to each other. The specific construction of the conveyers 1 and 2 is clearly illustrated in my Patent Number 1,628,909 issued May 17 1927. Each of these conveyers is advanced by means of a pull bar 3 adapted to be connected to the conveyer by suitable means such as a pivoted dog. This pull bar is secured to a piston reciprocable within the cylinder 4, the arrangement of conveyer, pull bar, piston and 4 cylinderbeing clearly illustrated in my Patent Number 1,628,909 issued May 17, 1927. 5 is a suitable valvefor controlling the inlet and exhaust of the pressure fluid such as V compressed air into and from each cylinder for reciprocating the piston. This valve has the housing 6 provided with the inlet and exhaust ports 7 and 8, respectively, and within which is located the vertically reciprocable valve member 9for controlling the passage of the pressure fluid through the ports and to or from the opposite ends A and B of the cylinder. 10 is a connecting rod secured to the valve member 9 and pivotally connected to the armll' which is secured to the shaft 12 ournaled in the housing. This shaft has secured thereto beyond the valve housing the arm 13, which can be swung to swing the arm 11 upwardly or downwardly, thereby correspondingly moving the valve member. 1 V

F or actuating each valve member and thereby controlling the reciprocation of the piston and its pull bar 3, I have provided the prime mover 14 preferably in the nature of a constant speed electric motor. This electric motor drives the variable speed transmission 15, which in turn drives the speed reducer 16 which then drives the cam shaft 17, the drive connections between the various elements being preferably'sprocket chains. The cam shaft extends transversely and preferably at one end of the cylinder or cylinders 41. This cam shaft has secured thereto a cam 18 for each cylinder adapted to actuate the valve member 9 of that cylinders valve. 19 is a support adjacent to each cam 18 and 20 is an arm pivotally mounted at its upper end upon the support 19 and pivotally connected at its lower end to the rod 21. This arm is preferably provided intermediate its ends with the roller 22 journaled thereon and engaging the cam 18, the relative positions ofthe pivot at the upper end of the arm and of the axis of the cam being such that gravity will normally hold the roller against the cam. The rod 21 extends through the yoke 23 which is pivotally connected to the upper end of the valve arm 13 and this rod is provided with the nut 24 which is adapted to abut against the inner face of the yoke base. 25 is a coil spring surrounding the portion of the rod 21 adjacent to the yoke 23 and having one end abutting the outer face of the yoke base and the other endabutting the washer 26 which is adjustably held in place upon therod 21 by'means of the nut 27 and lock nut 28 threaded upon the rod.

In operation, the rate of rotation of the cam shaft may be readily controlled by the variable speed transmission 15 to thereby control the rate at which each piston and its pull bar reciprocates. During the rotation of the cam shaft, each cam the con swings the control arm 20 outwardly, which throu h the rod 21, coil spring 25 and intermediate connections actuates the yoke 23, arm 13, shaft 12, arm 11 and connecting rod 10 to lower the valve member 9. This movement allows the pressure fluid to pass to the end A of the cylinder i and the pressure fluid to exhaust from the end B of the cylinder so that conveyer is advanced. When the piston reaches the end of its stroke, the valve member is raised by a suitable connection 29 between the cross head secured to the piston rod and the valve arm 13, thereby allowing the pressure fluid to enter the cylinder at the end B and to exhaust at the end A, at which time the piston returns to its original position without actuating the conveyor.

From the above description, it will be seen that a comparative low power prime mover may be used in my control mechanism by reason of the speed reducer 16 and that the rate of rotation of each cam 18 may be varied by reason of the variable speed transmission 15. It will also be seen that each cam is adapted to yieldably actuate the valve mem her 9 of the valve in one direction and consequently allow actuation by another means of the valve member in the opposite direction without damage to the parts. It will be further seen that the same control mechanism may be used for a series of conveyors inasmuch as the cam shaft may be provided with a cam for each conveyer and that these cams may be fixed upon the cam shaft to actuate their respective valves at diferent times and consequently provide for advancing the conveyers at different times, if desired.

hat I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination of a plunger reciprocably mounted within a cylinder and operated by a fluid under pressure for advancing a con veyer with a step by step movement, a valve controlling the passage of the fluid to and from said cylinder, a cam for actuating said valve and means for driving said cam at different rates of speed.

2. The combination of a reciprocable plunger operated by a fluid under pressure for advancing a conveyer with a step by step movement, a. cylinder within which said plunger operates, a valve controlling the passage of the fluid to and from said cylinder, a cam for actuating said valve and means for actuating said cam, including an electric motor, a variable speed transmission connected to said motor and a speed reducing mechanism between said transmission and cam.

3. The combination of, means operated by a fluid under pressure for advancing a con veyer and a valve controlling the passage of the fluid to and from said means, a rotatable cam, a rod moved in one direction by said earn, an abutment upon said rod and a spring engageable with said abutment "for actuating said valve in one direction.

4:. The combination of, individual means operated by a fluid under pressure for ad va-ncing a plurality of conveyers, a valve for controlling the passage of the fluid to and from each advancing means, a rotatable cam shaft, a cam upon said shaft for each valve and a yieldable connection for actuating each valve from its respective cam.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

NORMAN H. PREBLE.

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