US1800067A - Gravity chute - Google Patents

Description

April 7, 1931. M. GODlNEZ 1,300,067

GRAVITY CHUTE Filed Jan. 25, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS April 7, 1931.

M. GODNEZ GRAVITY CHUIE Filed Jan. 25, I929 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 VATTORNEYS April'7, 1931.

M. GODINEZ GRAVT'TY OHUTE Filed Jan. 25, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 mam INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I GODINEZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GIIFORZO-WOOD COMPANY, OF i i HUDSON, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK GRAVITY CIIUTE Application filed January 25, 1929. Serial in. 334,966.

This invention relates to gravity chutes and, among other objects, aims to provide an improved spiral-chute that can be manufactured very cheaply and that is designed to prevent spillage and consequent breakage of coal or other material during its descent; Also, it contemplates an improved feed hopper having provision to discharge material directly on the pile after the top of the pile has choked up the chute, to increase the volume of material that a chute can handle and obtain the maximum benefit of the available storage space.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a chute embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the chute;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3+3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan View, on an enlarged scale, showing the upper convolution of the chute;

Fig. 5 is a lower end elevation of the uppermost section of the chute;

Fig. 6 is an upper end elevation of the uppermost section;

ig. 7 is a lower end'elevation of one of the other chute sections;

Fig. 8 is an upper end elevation of the chute section shown in Fi 7 Fig. 9 is a top plan v1ew of the feed ho per;

ig. 10 is a side elevation. of the hopper;

Fig. 11 is a rear elevation of the hopper; and

Fig 12 is a sectional view taken on the line 12 -12 of Fig. 9.

Referring particularly to the drawings, theimproved spiral chute there shown in cludes a series of cast metal convolute sections 10 each having an outside flange 11 and radial end flanges 12 adapted to be secured one to the other. No inside flange is necessary because, as the material acquires speed, its centrifugal force will prevent it from falling into the core portion.

Herein, each section is shown as forming a quarter of a complete convolution and the abutting radial end flanges 12 are secured to four uprights 13 by means of the same bolts or rivets that secure the sections together. All of the sections except the top one are preferably duplicates so that they can be used interchangeably.

The uprights 13 are conveniently made of structural angles first secured together or braced by spiders 14 at the upper and lower ends of the chute, and at intervals they are also braced by suitable tie rods 14*. Brace rods 15 (Fig. 1) may also be used to brace the uprights to a bin wall or the like. The lower ends are adapted to be anchored in any convenient manner to the bottom of a bin or a pocket or on. the storage surface.

The upper section of the chute, designated 10, is shown as being U-shaped, hav

ing both inner and outer vertical flanges,

the idea being to prevent the escape of material as it starts down and before it acquires very great speed. The bottom of this section is substantially the same height at the inside of the chute as it is at the out side. However, at the lower end, the inside portion is sharply inclined, as shown at 16, so that its end edge is flush with and conforms to the upper edge of the next lower section 10, the bottoms of the chute sections below being inclined radially and inwardly, to distribute the falling material more or less evenly over the bottom. The idea of this sharply inclined portion is to give the material at the inner edge of the chute a sharply accelerated start so that it will not spill or run out inside the core portion. Otherwise, the material would not acquire sufficient centrifugal force to resist its tendency to roll inwardly oil the radially inclined bottoms of the upper sections. Moreover, the upper section transfers a uniform flow of material to the next lower chute section gradually changing or modifying the direction of flow.

i The material is adapted to be guided into.

' of the pile.

20. It is understood that the source of supply may be an ordinary conveyor or bucket well known in the art.

Now, the chute is effective to build up a pile of material until the peak chokes up the upper c hute'sections. To further increase the volume in the pile, the. inclined bottom wall of the hopper has a hinged trap door 21 adapted to swing downwardly from the top (Figs. 10 and 11). the chute bottom has an integral "angular flange 22 to which the hinges of thedoor and the bar are secured. This flange also acts as a door stop (Fig. 10) so that the door when swung open will guide the material to fall some. distance. from the top an eye 23 to which a flexible pu.l element at such as a rope or chain is attachechto hold in closed position. Herein, the pull element 1s guided overa pully 25 and is adapted to extend to any convenient place, so-

I that it may be released when desired. Thus,

additional material may be guided through the hopper to fall on the back side of the pile near the peak so that it will roll down the side thereof and build up a thick new layer extending from the bottom. This method utilizes. the material already de- 7 the over, the described construction and arrangementof the chute sections hasdemonstrated that it w ll reduce spillage and consequent breakage of coal to a minimum. Also, due

to the initial acceleration of'the material,

7 the capacity of the chute is greatly increased.

7 Obviously, the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein shown and described. Moreover, itis not indispensable that all the features of the invention be used conjointly, since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and sub-combinations.

What Iclaim is V I l. A lowering chute of the character clescribed comprising a plurality of uprights; a series of convolute flanged, chute sections, placed end to end and secured together and clinedinwardly and downwardly; the convolute chute sections together providing a helical chute whose outer edge is provided withan upstanding flange for guiding the material and to aid in attachment of the several chute sections within the uprights; and braces secured to the uprights and ex- Herein,

This door. is shown as having I edge of the chute a high initial falling speed to prevent spillage over the inside edge of the chute; the sharply inclined portion of the bottom wall being generally triangular in plan and widest at the inside, narrowing toward the outside.

3. A feeding chute section for spiral gravity chutes comprising a longitudinally curved member having longitudinal, marginal, substantially vertical flanges, and-a bottom inclined downwardly toward one end; said bottom having awarped-surface at its lower end, said surface extending laterally across the chute section and being more sharply inclined downwardly than the bottom and of greatest width at the inside edge of the chute section so as to give material at the inside of the chute an increased initial acceleration as it flows downwardly.

l. A gravity chute of the class described comprising, in combination, a supporting frame adapted to be anchored at the bottom; a-series ofconvolute chute sections supported by the frame; a feed hopper secured to the frame. and having an inclined bottom discharging into the chute; and a door in the bottom adapted to be opened to dis charge additional material on the pile after the peak of the pile has reached the top of the chute. I

5. A gravity chute of the class described comprising, in combination, a supporting frame adapted to be anchored at the bottom; a series of convolute chute sections supported by the frame; a feedhopper secured to the frame and having an inclined bottom discharging into the chute; a door in the bottom adapted to be opened to discharge additional material on the pile after the peak of the pile has reached the top of the chute; and remote control means connected to operate the door. I

6. In combination with a gravity chute of the class described, a hopper connected to discharge into the upper end of the, chute; and means to discharge material directly from the hopper after the pile chokes the upper end of the chute.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

MANUEL GODINEZ.

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