US1807902A - External counterweight device for gondola car dumpers - Google Patents

Description

June 2, 1931. w. E. ERICKSON 1,807,902

EXTERNAL COUNTERWEIGHT DEVICE FOR GONDOLA CAR DUIPERS Filed Dec. 19, 1927 5 sheets-Sheet 1 [in/elder June 2, 1931. v w c N EXTERNAL COUNTERWEIGHT DEVICE FOR GONDOLA CAR. DUIPERS Filed Dec. 19, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet? 25 2 71. J Inventor June 2, 1931. w, ERICKSQN 1,807,902

EXTERNAL COUNTERWEIGHT DEVICE FOR GONDOLA CAR DUIPERS Filed Dec. 19. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet a June 2, 1931. w. E. ERICKSON 1,807,902

EXTERNAL COUNTERWEIGHT DEVICE FOR GORDOLA CAR DUIPERS Filed Dec. 19. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 2, 1931. w. E. ERICKSON 1,807,902

EXTERNAL COUNTERWEIGHT DEVICE FOR GQNDOLA CAR DUIPERS Filed Dec. 19, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 2, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT creme.

VIILLARD ERICKSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 LINK-BELT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS EXTERNAL OOUNTERWEIGHT DEVICE FOR G'ONDOLA CAR LUMPERS Application filed December 19, 1927. Serial No. 240,894.

My invention relates to improvements in car dampers and has for one object to provide a new and improved type of car dumper wherein the car is held in place on the cradle by a car holding clamp, the clamp being held in place by a counterweight, which counterweight is supported at a point removed from the cradle. Another object is to provide means whereby greatly increased clamping effect may be obtained and whereby a relatively light clamp counterweight may be used. Another object is to provide a car dumper wherein the clamps are held in place through the differential action of a counterweight control drum. Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and claims.

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing's, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic end view with parts in section with the car in the upright position;

Figure? is a view the car tilted to the point where the clamps engage the car;

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the car in a still further tilted position;

Figure at shows the car in the final extreme dumping position;

. Figure 5 is an elevation in part section of the holding drum;

Figure 6 is a section along the'line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the cradle with parts in section. 1

Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specification and claims.

The cradle comprises two or more roller rings A, traveling and supported by fixed rollers A A on brackets A A on the foundation A The hopper A which is carried gether and'the entire assembly is rotated by means of a cable A dead ended at both ends similar to Figure 1 with on the roller ring, wrapped around the ring and around asheave A power being applied to the sheave through a driving shaft A from any suitable source of power to rotate the assembly. 1

Mounted on one side on the framework A is a buffer plate B adaptedto engage the side of the car as the cradle rotates. The car itself rides on rails B on the laterally movable transfer table 13 which table is supported on rollers B on track plates E the idea being that as the cradle rotates from the upright position shown in Figure 1 toward the dumping position, the transfer table and car will move to the left until the side of the car engages the plate B, the movement being greater or less as the case may be depending upon the clearance between the car and the sides of the cradle. At some time after the transfer table has moved and come to rest and the car engages the'plate B, the clamp carriage B will descend along the guide column B which is a part of the frame A until the car clamping shoe B on the clamp carriage engages the top of the car. Shortly before this the car engaging shoe B on the clamp beam B will also engage the'top of the car, the beam B being pivoted on the carriage B to permit relative movement thereby compensating for any inaccuracy or irregularity in the height of the car. My invention relates to the means for raisi and lowering the clamps and to the mean for holding them in position to take the load of the car as the cradle is rotated to the dumping position.

Referring first to the means for raising and lowering or resetting the clamps, the cable C is dead ended at the upper end of the guide 13, extends overa sheave C on the clamp carriage-B thence up over a sheave C on the guide member B and thence down to the small diameter clamp drum C about which it is wound, thence extends about a sheave C on the roller ring A across over a sheave G on the lifting carriage C and thence back to the point C where it is dead ended adjacentthe sheave C The lifting carriage C is provided with rollers C C adapted to travel along the curved guides C in the roller ring A so that the sheaves C and C may be permitted to move toward each other and may be drawn up by the cooperation of the stop (3 on the foundation with the stop engaging lug C on the lifting carriage. In the position shown in Figure 1 the sheaves C and C are drawn apart, thereby the drum C is rotated, raising the clamps away from the car. D is the holding rope dead ended below the buffer plate B on the far side of the cradle. It extends up about the sheave D on the clamp beam B thence across about a sheave D on the clamp carriage B thence down to where it is wound about a drum D rigidly connected to and rotating with the clamp drum C upon which drum it is dead ended. Vhen in the position shown in Figure 1, this rope is paid out. When in the position shown in Figure 2, this rope has been Wound about the drum into the shortened position and the car is held in place on the cradle.

E is a counterweight drum concentric with the drum D Mounted on the clamp drum C is a ratchet E A dog E on the drum E is adapted to be yieldingly forced by the spring E into engagement with the ratchet to lock the two drums together. The tail of the dog has a roller E When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1 this roller is engaged by a cam E to hold the dog out of engagement with the ratchet and leave the two drums, namely the clamp drum and the counterweight drum free to rotate with respect to each other independently. Wound about the counterweight drum and dead ended thereon is a cable E extending down over a sheave E thence over a sheave E on the take-up or clamp lifting counterweight E and thence up to the point E where it is dead ended. This cable tends to rotate the counterweight drum in a clockwise direction. It will be noted that as the cradle rotates from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 2, the distance between the drum and the sheave E decre'as'essomewhat and the counterweight drum is rotated, allowing the dog to travel along the cam but it does not travel far enough to bring the roller out of engagement with the cam and to permit the clamp and the counterweight drums to be locked together.

F is the clamp holding counterweight cable. It extends from the counterweight F up over the sheave F and is wound about and dead ended on the counterweight drum, being wound about it in a direction opposite to the take-up cable. The take-up sheave tends to rotate the counterweight drum against the tension of the counterweight cable and while the parts are in the position shown in Figure 2, the counterweight cable and the counterweight drum exert no influence whatever on the clamps. Further rotation ofthe cradle however into the positionshown in Figure 3 lengthens the counterweight cable between the sheave F and the drum. Since this calble is balanced between the holding counterweight and the take-up counterweight, this causes rotation of the counterweight drum into the position shown in Figure 3. When the roller on the tail of the dog leaves the cam, the spring engages the ratchet and the clamp and counterweight drums are locked together. Further rotation of the cradle causes the counterweight cable to be drawn out over the sheave F and moves the counterweight from the position shown in Figure3to the position shown in Figure 4. At this time the counterweight carries a turning movement on the counterweight drum and the clamp drum and thereby the weight of the counterweight is effective to hold the clamp in place to maintain the car in position on the cradle. It will be understood that the sheaves F are in place merely to guide the two counterweight, cables around the corner of the cradle, the take-up counterweight tra'vels' up with the main holding counterweight but has no influence owing to its light weight in proportion to the holding counterweight. It merely is always present to maintain a tension on the cable system.

It will be noted that the differential action between the large counterweight drum and the small clamp drum gives thecounterweight an advantage whereby a relatively light counterweight is suflicient to hold the clamps against the load of the car.

I claim;

1. In-a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car, a support for the cradle, clamp holding counterweights mounted in the support, and means for lowerin the clamps onto the car through the action of gravity at the beginning of the turning movement of the cradle and means operative only after a predetermined movement of the cradle for connecting the holding counterweights to the clamps.

2. In a car damper, a cradle adapted to receive a car, a support for the cradle, means for turning the cradle, a movable car clamp, a revoluble drum carried by the cradle having arope connected to the clamp, and a counterweight mounted in the support for exerting a turning effort on the drum.

3. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turned to dump the car, a support for the cradle, a car clamp carried by the cradle, a drum also carried by the cradle and having holding and lifting ropesconnected to the clamp, and a counterweight mounted in the support for exerting a turning effort on the drum.

4. In a car damper, a cradle adapted toreceive a car and to be turned to dump the car,- a support for the cradle, a car clamp carried by the cradle, a drum also carried by the era dle and having a rope connectionwith-the clamp, a counterweight mounted in the support for exerting a turning effort on the drum, and means for connecting and. disconnecting the counterweight and drum.

5. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turned to dump the car, a support for thecradle, a car clamp carried by the cradle, a drum also carried by the cradle and having holding and lifting ropes connected to the clamp, a counterweight mounted in the support, and mechanism for causing the counterweight to exert a turning effort on the drum when the cradle has been.

turned a predetermined amount.

6. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turned to dump the car,

a support for the cradle, a car clamp carried by the cradle, a drum also carried by the eradle and having holding and lifting ropes connected to the clamp, a counterweight for exerting a turning effort on the drum, and

mechanism by which during a portion of the turning movement of the cradle from and to normal posltion the counterweight 1s caused ,to exert a turning effort on the drum, the

' ceive a car and to be turned to dump the same,

' a support for the cradle, car clamps carried by the cradle, drums carried by the cradle and provided with holding and lifting ropes connected to the clamps and adapted when turned in one direction to wind in the holding ropes and when turned in the opposite direction to wind in the lifting ropes, and a counterweight mounted in the support for rotating the drum.

9. In a car dump-er, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to'be turned to dump the same, a support for the cradle, car clamps carried by the cradle, drums carried by the cradle and provided with holding and lifting 1 ropes connected to the clamps and adapted when turned in one direction to wind in the holding ropes and when turned in the opposite direction to wind in the liftig ropes, and a counterweight mounted in the support for rotating the drum, and means for automatically connecting and disconnecting the counterweight and the drums responsive to the rotation of the cradle.

10. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turned to dump the same, a support for the cradle, car clamps carried by the cradle, drums carried by the cradle and provided with holding and lifting ropes connected to the clamps and adapted when turned in one direction to wind in the holding ropes and when turned in the op-' 11. A car dumper comprising a rotatable.

cradle, a car holding clamp thereon, a clamp drum rotatably mounted on the cradle, clamp raising and lowering cables wound there about, a counterweight drum mounted for rotation independent of the clamp drum,a holding counterweight removed from the cradle, a cable leading therefrom and wound about the counterweight drum and automatic means for locking the drums together toward the end of the cradleexcursion adj acent the dumping position.

12. A car dumper comprising a rotatable cradle, a car holding clamp thereon, a clamp drum rotatably mounted on the cradle, clamp raising and lowering cables wound thereabout, a counterweight drum mounted for rotation independent of the clamp drum, a holding counterweight removed from the cradle, a cable leading therefrom and wound about the counterweight drum and automatic means for locking the drums together toward the end of the cradle excursion adjacent the dumping position, .the automatic means in-' eluding a clutch mechanism interposed between the drums and a cam adapted to hold the clutch mechanism in inoperative position during the movement of the clamp toward and from a car.

13. A car dumper comprising a rotatable cradle, a car holding clamp thereon, a clamp drum rotatably mounted on the cradle, clamp raising and lowering cables wound thereabout, a counterweight drum mounted for rotation independent of the clamp drum, a holding counterweight removed from the cradle, a cable leading therefrom and wound about the counterweight drum and auto matic means for locking the drums together toward the end of the cradle excursion adjacent the dumping position, and means for rotating the counterweight drum during rotation of the cradle to take up the slack in the cradle to take upthe slack in the counter weight cable, said means comprising a recessed counterweight and a' cable leading therefrom and wound about the counterweight drum in a direction opposite to the counterweight cable.

15. A car dumper comprising a rotatable cradle, a car holding clamp thereon, a clamp drum rotatably mounted on the cradle, clamp raising and lowering cables wound thereabout, a counterweight drum associated with the clamp drum of greater diameter, a counterweight removed from the cradle and a cable leading therefrom and wound about the counterweight drum.

16. A car dumper comprising a rotatable cradle, a car holding clamp thereon, a clamp drum rotatably mounted on the cradle, clamp raising and lowering cables wound thereabout, a counterweight drum associated with the clamp drum of greater diameter, a counterweight removed from the cradle and a cable leading therefrom and wound about the counterweight drum, and means associated with both. drums for rotating them to take up the slack in the counterweight cable and to raise and lower the clamps.

17. A car dumper comprising a rotatable cradle, a car holding clamp thereon, a clamp drum rotatably mounted on the cradle, clamp raising and lowering cables wound ther about, a counterweight drum associated with the clamp drum of greater diameter, a cormterweight removed from the cradle and a cable leading therefrom and wound about the counterweight drum, and means associated with both drums for rotating them to take up the slack in the counterweight cableand to raise and lower the clamps, said means ineluding a reset 0 rriage mounted for arcuate movement about the periphery of the cradle,

a stop limiting the movement of the carriage. and cables and sheaves interposed between the carriage and cradle and associated with the drums.

18. A car dumper comprising a rotatable cradle, a car holding clamp thereon, a clamp J drum rotatably mounted on the cradle, clamp raising and lowering cables wound thereabout, a counterweight drum mounted for retation independent of the clamp drum, a holding counterweight removed from the'cradle, a cable leading therefrom and wound about the counterweight drum and automatic means for locking the drums together toward the end of the cradle excursion adjacent the dumping position, a ratchet onone of the drums, a pawl on theother, yielding means tending to force them into engagement, a cam tending to hold them out of engagement and means for rotating the drums to disengage the pawl and cam and lock the drums together after the clamps are seated on a car.

19. A car dumper comprising a rotatable cradle, a car holding clamp thereon, a clamp drum rotatably mounted on the cradle, clamp raising and lowering cables wound thereabout. a counterweight drum mounted for rotation independent of the clamp drum, a holdiing counterweight removed from the cradle,.

drums, a pawl on the other, yielding means tending toforce them into engagement, a cam tending to hold them out of engagement and means for rotating the drums to disengage the pawl and cam and lock the drums together after the clamps are seated on a car, and a single cable, a counterweight and stop associated therewith, sheaves over which the cable travels and means for changing the effective length of the cable to rotate the drums, the ends of the cable being dead endedone on each of the drums.

20. In a car dumper, a rotatable car holding cradle, a clamp thereon movable toward and from the car, a clamp holding ropeand a clamp lifting rope, means interposed between the cradle and its support for operating the lifting rope, to raise the clamp away from the car as the cradle'rotates into the upright position, a counterweight removed from the cradle adapted to exert a holding tension on the cable and to hold the clamps when the car is in the dumping position only, and a take-up counterweight adapted to exert a tension on the cables to maintain them taut during rotation of the cradle.

21. In a car dumper, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be turned to dump the same, a support for the cradle, car clamps carried by the cradle, drums carried by the cradle and provided with holding and lifting ropes connected to the clamps and adapted when turned in the opposite direction to wind in the lifting ropes, and a clamp lifting counterweight and a clamp holding counterweight adapted to exert turning force on the IVILLARD E. ERICKSON.

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