US1832965A - Loading machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 24, 1931. F. E. CHRISTOPHER 1,832,965

LOADING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet, l

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ww wk Elm Patented Nov. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK E. CHRISTOPHER, OF MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOB TO CON- TINENTAL COAL COMPANY, OF FAIRMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, A. CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA LOADING MACHINE Application filed September 19, 1929. Seriallo. 393,745.

The invention relates to loading machines, and has as an object the provision ofamachine adapted to gather material from the ground or the floor of a mine gallery and to load the same upon a vehicle such as a mine car.

It is an object of the invention to provide a loading machine peculiarly adapted to the loading of mine cars in a mine gallery.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a machine of the class referred to having a loading boom and a gathering boom wherein the weight of the gathering boom is in a large measure supported by the frame of the truck upon which the same is mounted and in which the gathering boom is supported in a lesser degree by contact of its gathering end with the ground or the floor of the gallery.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the class referred to wherein the gathering boom has a lateral swinging movement about a vertical axis in the rear of its delivery end so as to more effectively deliver the material to the loading boom when swung the limit of its movement 1nv either lateral direction.

It is a further object to improve generally upon the structure of machine of this character.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing an illustrative embodi- 'ment of the invention, and wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the forward portion of the machine upon an enlarged scale with the rear portion of the gathering boom broken away to show the underlying mechanism;

Fig. 2a is an extension to the left of Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the forward portion of the machine;

Fig. 3a is an extension to the left of Fig. 3;

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section upon a still further enlarged scale taken on broken line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2a.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive the device comprises a gathering boom and the load ng boom 11 mounted upon a truck comprising side frame members 12 and 13 carrled by wheels 14, 15, 16, and 17, which wheels are rigidily secured to axles journaled in sliding blocks bearing the weight of the mach1ne through coiled springs 18 in a well known manner.

The frame of the truck also comprises cross members 19, 20, 21, rigidly secured to the side frame members 12, 13.

To support the booms for lateral swinging movement, the cross frame member 20 is shown as provided with a hollow trunnion 22 about which the bearing member 23 of the gathering boom swings and a supporting member 24 for the loading boom rests upon the upper end of the trunnion 22 swinging about a bolt 25 passing through the trunnion, a nut 26 being provided upon the bolt 25 to retain the supporting members 23, 24 thereon.

The supporting member 23 is provided with a machined surface at 27 which is slidable upon a machined surface 27 formed upon the upper portion of the cross member 19, which cross member is shown as overhanging the frame of the truck to extend the range of movement of the gathering boom.

To mount the gathering boom upon the member 23 for vertical oscillation, bearings are formed in upwardly projecting lugs 28, 29 and trunnions rigidly carried by the frame 30 of a motor are journalled in the hearings in the lugs 28, 29 the shaft 31 of the motor housed in the frame 30 being journalled in the said trunnions so that the vertical oscillation of the gathering boom is about the axis of the shaft of the motor.

To support the frame of the gathering boom 10, hearing brackets 32, 33, 34, 35 are cast integrally on the frame 30 of the motor and are provided with elongated slots 36 through which bolts 37 are passed, which bolts pass through T-shaped members 38 whose horizontal members overlie the lower flange of channels 39 comprising the frame of the gathering boom.

By the described arrangement, the sprocket chains 40, 41 of the gathering boom may be tightened by loosening the nuts upon the bolts 37 and by sliding the frame of the gathering boom upon the bearings 32-35. To slide the frame of the gathering boom upon the bearings 3235, there are shown bolts 42, 43 passing loosely through the member 44 rigid with the frame of the gathering boom and having screwthreaded engagement with the brackets 33, 34 whereby tightening the bolts 42, 43 will result in drawing the frame of the gathering boom forwardly to tighten the conveyor chains.

To drive the conveyor chains the motor shaft 31 is shown as provided at its opposite ends with the bevel gears 45, 46 in mesh with gears 47, 48 keyed upon shafts journaled in bearings 49, 5O rigidly carried by the brackets 33, 34, said shafts having upon their rear ends bevel gears 51, 52 in mesh with gears 53, 54 keyed upon vertical shafts 55, 56, which shafts carry at their upper ends the sprockets 57, 58 for drive of the conveyor chains 40, 41 respectively. The described drive for the sprockets 57, 58 being taken from opposite ends of the motor shaft will result in a motion of the conveyor chains in the direction shown by the arrows in Fig. 2, said chains being provided with cantilever gathering members 59, 60.

To cause lateral swinging movement of the gathering boom 10 there are shown flexible members as cables 61, 62 which may be secured at their ends to fixed members as screw jacks placed between the roof and the floor of the mine gallery, the flexible members passing about sheaves 63, 64 and winding upon drums 65, 66.

To cause movement of the drums, the drums are keyed upon sleeves 67, 68 journaled in hangers 69, 70 bolted to a member 71 extending transversely of the machine, which member 71 is rigidly secured by means of brackets 72, 73 shown as bolted to bearing brackets 74, 75 rigid with the brackets 3235. The sleeves 67, 68 carry upon their inner ends the outer drums 76, 77 of disc clutches, one set of plates of each clutch being arranged to revolve with the drums 76, 77 To drive the remainin set of discs of the clutches, the shafts 8, 79 are journaled in the sleeves 67, 68 andin the worm wheel housings 80, 81, said shafts having worms keyed thereon, the worm wheels housed in said housing, the worms in mesh therewith being keyed upon shafts 82, 83. The said worm wheel housings are shown as rigidly bolted to the transverse member 71.

To drive the shafts 82. 83 there are shown gears 84, 85 keyed to the shafts and in mesh with bevel gears 86, 87 keyed upon shafts journaled in the members 74, 75, which shafts bear upon their rear ends, the gears 88, 89 in mesh with the gears 45, 46 upon the motor shaft.

To opearte the clutches for control of the drums 65, 66, there is shown a shaft 90'having keyed thereon gears 91, 92 in mesh with gears 93, 94, having screwthreaded engagement with the sleeves 67, 68, as shown in the broken away portion of Fig. 4.

To rotate the shaft 90 there is shown a sprocket chain 95 operating a sprocket keyed upon the end of the shaft 90 and passing about a sprocket upon a shaft 96 controlled by hand wheel 97. The discs are so arranged that in a neutral position neither of the clutches will cause the drums 65, 66 to revolve. If the hand wheel 97 be revolved in one direction the gear 93 will be caused to deliver a thrust upon the hanger 69 and force the sleeve 67 to the right as shown in Fig. 4, thus actuating the clutch and causing the drum to wind the cable 61. Opposite rotation of the hand wheel 97 will actuate the clutch drum 77. When either of the drums 65 or 66 is in operation there will result a motion of revolution of the hand wheel 97 but due to the great reduction brought about by gears 93, 91 and gears 94, 92, the motion of the hand wheel will be so slow as to be unobjectionable.

To further connect the frame of the gathering boom with the support of the driving mechainsm there is shown a member 98 bolted to said frame and bolted to the member 7'1 through elongated slots 99, 100 by means of bolts 101, 102. lVhen the tension of the chains 40, 41 has to be adjusted, the bolts 101, 102 will be loosened at the same time as are the bolts 37 and the movement of the gathering frame will not interfere with the mesh of the gears hung upon member 71 by virtue of the connections 72, 73 of said member with the frame of the motor.

For support of the loading boom upon the member 24 for vertical swinging movement, bearing members 103, 104 are formed integral with the supporting member 24, said members carrying trunnions upon which the frame of the loading boom is journaled and shaft 105 is journaled in said trunnions, sprockets 106, 107 being keyed upon said shaft for drive of the chains 108, 109, which chains carry the flights 110 for conveyance of material upwardly in the loading boom. For drive of the shaft 105 bevel gear 111 is keyed thereon in mesh with gear 112 upon shaft 113 driven through a reducing gear 114 by motor 115. The motor 115 and reducing gear 114 are as shown carried by the side of the frame of the loading boom.

The rear end of the supporting member 24 is shown as bearing upon rollers 116, to provide for lateral swinging movement at the end of the loading boom. The weight of the loading boom is shown as supported by elliptical spring 117 being carried thereby through the medium of a saddle 118 having screwthreaded engagement with a screw 119,

ing boom swings laterally about a point which may be revolved through a worm gear 120 operated by hand wheel 121 to adjust the elevation of the loading boom.

To drive the truck, there is shown a motor 122 supported between the frame members of the truck, driving a sprocket 123, said sprocket being driven through chain 124 by a sprocket 125 keyed to the shaft 126 of the motor. The shaft 127 upon which sprocket 123 is mounted, extends transversely of the truck and drives the rear axle through sprocket 128, chain 129 and sprocket 130 upon the axle. The remaining end of the axle is shown as hearing a sprocket 131 driving a chain 132 which drives the front axle through sprocket 133.

In transportation of the machine through the galleries of a mine, when it is necessary to pass around a curve in the mine gallery, the loading boom may be manually swung laterally to enable the machine to follow the curve. By virtue of the fact that the loadin the rear of its delivery end and that the receiving end of the loading boom is near a vertical line below the delivery end of the gathering boom, the gathering boom when swung to the limit of its movement of lateral oscillation will at all times be delivering material toward the center of the gathering boom, an apron 134 being provided to guide material into the loading boom. 7

A pony truck 135 is shown slidably carried by the frame of the gathering boom which may be lowered into contact with the rails of the track upon which the machine moves to take the weight of the front end of the gathering boom when the machine is to be transported upon the track.

When the pony truck is elevated for operation of the machine, the shoe at the front end of the gathering boom will rest and slide upon the ground or the floor of the mine gallery and a considerable portion of the weight of the gathering boom and its mechanism will be borne upon the front end of support 23 slidable laterally on the surface 27 and cross member 19, with consequent yielding of front springs 18. The front end of the gathering boom is thus free to follow irregularities in the surface upon which the shoe slides followed by more or less yielding of said front springs 18.

This partial support of the boom on cross member 19 is important as it reduces the wear on the shoe and reduces the power necessary to cause the continuous lateral swing of the front end of the boom during operation.

The pony truck 135 is mounted for sliding movement upon the frame of the gathering boom by support of the frame member 137 upon rods 138 fastened to the frame of the gathering boom, the member 137 being provided with bearings 139, 140 engaging the rods 138.

To raise the pony truck out of contact with the rails upon which the machine rests, when the machine is'to be transported, the rods 13s are shown as formed with rack teeth 141 and a shaft 142 carried by the member 137 has keyed thereto pinions 143 engaging then'ack teeth, the shaft 142 having squared ends for engagement with a crank or cranks not shown.

To hold the pony truck in its raised or lowered position, there is shown a double acting pawl 145 coacting with the teeth of a ratchet wheel 146 keyed upon the shaft 142.

The operation of the device will be clear from the above description.

Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiment of the invention within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A loading machine comprising, in combination, a supporting frame, a motor mounted on said frame with its shaft transverse thereto, a gathering boom, material gathering mechanism carried by said boom, means for mounting said boom on said frame for vertical oscillation about the axis of the motor shaft, and means for driving said mechanism from said shaft.

2. A loading machine comprising, in combination, a supporting frame, a motor mounted on said frame with its shaft transverse thereto, a gathering boom, means for mounting said boom on said frame for oscillation about the axis of the motor shaft and for lateral oscillation about a vertical axis, a conveyor chain mounted for travel on said boom, driw'ng means partaking of the movements of oscillation of said boom for driving said chain from said motor shaft, driving means partaking of said movements for causing lateral oscillation of said boom and driven from said motor shaft, said respective driving means located on opposite sides of said motor shaft to be substantially balanced about said axis of vertical oscillation.

3. A'loading machine comprising, in combination, a vehicle chassis, a gathering boom, material gathering mechanism carried by said boom, a support for said boom mounted on said chassis for movement about a vertical axis, a motor mounted on said support with its shaft extending horizontally transversely thereof, means for pivotally mounting the boom on said support for vertical oscillation about the axis of said shaft and means for driving said mechanism by said motor shaft.

4. A loading machine comprising, in C0111- bination, a vehicle chassis, a gathering boom, material gathering mechanism carried by said boom, a support for said boom mounted on said chassis for movement about a vertical axis, a motor frame, a motor housed in said frame with its drive shaft transverse to said support, means for mounting said frame on said support for oscillation about the axis of said shaft, means to mount the frame of the boom on said motor frame for vertical oscillation therewith and meansrigid with said motor frame for driving said mechanism from said motor shaft.

5. A loading machine comprising, in combination, a wheeled chassis, resilient means to mount the chassis on its wheels, a gathering boom, a support for said boom mounted on said chassis for lateral oscillation about a vertical axis adjacent the rear end of the boom, a substantially horizontal bearing for said support on said chassis adjacent its front end intermediate the length of said boom, said bearing permitting lateral movement of oscillation of the boom relative to the chassis about said vertical axis and a ground engaging shoe upon the front end of the boom whereby said shoe may follow inequalities of the ground with yielding of said resilient means.

6. A loading machine comprising, in combination, a frame, a gathering boom, a conveyor chain traveling on said boom, a motor mounted for support by said frame with its drive shaft transverse thereof, a housing for said motor, said gathering boom adjustable longitudinally of said frame with respect to said housing and a shaft for driving said chain from said motor journaled in a support rigid with said housing whereby the tension of said chain may be varied by said longitudinal adjustment.

7. A loading machine comprising, in combination, a frame, a gathering boom, material gathering mechanism carried by said boom, a motor housing having a motor therein with its shaft transverse to said frame, a support for said housing and boom mounted on said frame for oscillation about a vertical axis, means to mount said housing on said frame for vertical oscillation about the axis of said shaft, means to mount said boom on said housing and means to drive said mechanism from said shaft.

8. A loading machine comprising, in combination, a vehicle chassis, a gathering boom, a pair of spaced conveyor chains mounted to travel on said boom their inner flights moving upwardly thereon, a su port for said boom mounted on said chassis or oscillation about a vertical axis, a motor frame, a motor housed in said frame with its drive shafts transverse to said chassis, means to mount said frame on said support for oscillation about the axis of said shaft, means to mount said boom on said frame, a pair of vertical shafts journaled in bearings rigid with said frame, means to drive one of said vertical shafts from each end of said motor shaft in a direction opposite to the rotation of the remaining vertical shaft and means to drive the chains from the respective shafts.

9. A loading machine comprising, in combination, a vehicle chassis, a gatherin boom, a conveyor chain mounted to travel t ereon, a support for said boom mounted on said chassis for oscillation about a vertical axis, a motor frame, a motor in said frame with its drive shaft transverse to said axis, means to mount said frame on said support for oscillation about the axis of said shaft, said boom mounted to move with said motor frame, means rigid with said frame to cause lateral movement of said boom about said axis in one direction and means rigid with said frame to'cause the opposite movement of said boom, means to drive said respective movement causing means from the respective ends of said drive shaft, means to place said drive means selectively into operation and means to drive said chain from said motor shaft.

10. A loading machine comprising, in combination, a vehicle chassis, a motor frame, a motor housed in said frame with its drive shaft transverse to said chassis, means to mount said frame on said chassis for lateral movement relative thereto, a gathering boom carried by said frame, a pair of spaced conveyor chains mounted to travel on said boom with their inner flights moving upwardly thereon, a pair of vertical. shafts for drive of the respective chains journaled in bearings rigid with said frame, a bevel gear keyed to each end of said motor shaft, a pair of shafts mounted in bearings rigid with said frame each of the last named shafts geared to drive one of said vertical shafts, means to cause lateral movement of said boom in one lateral direction driven from one of the first named bevel gears and means to the opposite lateral movement driven from the remaining first named bevel gear and means to selectivelv control said lateral movement.

FRANK E. CHRISTOPHER.

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