US1911528A - Agitatob and conveyeb - Google Patents

Description

May 30, 1933. PEARCE 1,911,528

I AGITATOR AND CQNVEYER Filed June--7, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR y 1933- E. s. PEARCE AGITATOR AND CONVEYER Filed June 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w lt lNvENTo 4 WW am .W.%

ATTORN EX Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT orricn EDWIN S. PEARCE, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE RAILWAY SEE-VICE & SUPPLY CORPORATION, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA AGITATOR AND CONVEYER Application filed June 7,

My invention relates to conveying apparatus and, particularly, to a combined agitator and conveyer adapted for use in a number of different steps in journal box packing reclamation processes, for instance, in the steps of initial soaking of used packing, in the drying step, cleaning step, andin the final washing step, whereby such process is rendered continuous in operation and more effective as a used journal box packing renovating means.

The process above referred to relates to reclamation of used journal box packing that is made up of a plurality of fibers and is used principally as a means for maintaining lubricant adjacent a bearing and from which the lubricant seeps by capillary attraction onto or into the bearing. The reclamation process particularly referred to embodies a number of separate and distinct steps, namely, the step of initially soaking the used packing with the dirty oil which is at a temperature of substantially 200 C, then subjecting the dirty oil soaked and heated packing to an extracting operation wherein substantially all of the dirty oil is removed therefrom uniformly leaving such packing in a stage of fiber saturation only with all of the oil removed from the interstices among the fibers, then subjecting the packing to a cleaning and drying operation wherein it is conveyed through a heated current of air; then subjecting it to a washing operation wherein the packing is conveyed through and subjected to a bath of clean oil in a heated condition whereby any dirty oil lint, or loose ends remaining therein are removed; then subjecting it to another extracting action; and then impregnating the renovated packing with clean, renovated oil to the desired degree by a suitable apparatus whereby it is again ready for use in its desired capacity.

Throughout these various steps there are a number of instances wherein simultaneous conveying and agitation of the packing is desirable and it is the object of my invention to provide'a conveying and agitating apparatus of such naturethat the packingwill be agitated, while being conveyed, to suchan extent that the fibers will be shredded,

1930. Serial No. 459,771.

picked, pulled, loosened, and flufled, whereby the specific reclamation operation taking place at that time, as well as subsequent operations, may be thoroughly accomplished; and to provide an more readily and apparatus of the above type wherein the packing while being conveyed through a bath of oil or other liquid will be simultaneously subjected to agitation and to a bath of the oilor other liquid imposed thereon with considerable force. 7

Various other objects and advantageous features of my invention may be seen in the following description and one embodiment thereof may be seen in the accompanying drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts, and

wherein Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing one emrod constructed in accordance with my in V vention and as used in this apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a side view showing the structural relationship between the connecting rods and the supporting elements. 7 Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have shown a combined agitator and conveyer constructed in accordance with my m vention in combination with and disposed within a tank 1 which, in a journal box packing reclamation process, is termed a soaking tank and through which the packing is conveyed and at the same time subjected to a bath of dirty'oil at a temperature of about 200, this temperature being attained and maintained by heating means 4: in the bot-tom of the tank. As shown, the greater portion 2 of the bottom of the tank 1 slopes toward the receiving end of the tank and a shorter portion 3 slopes toward the delivery end of the tank and intermediate the ends-of these sloped bottom portions a drain 4: is provided for the tank. It is preferable that other sloping bottom portions extend laterally downwardly from the side walls of the tank 1 to the low point in the bottom wherein the drain 4 is disposed.

To have the bottom of the tank 1 sloping in the manner just described provides a tank wherein the dirt or heavy foreign material washed out of the packing being subjected to the dirty oil will tend to flow down these inclined surfaces and into a relatively small area from which it may be more easily removed than if it were spread over the entire bottom of the tank. Such inclined bottoms also serve to decrease the volume of oil required to maintain the oil to the proper level in the tank which is conducive to a greater circulation of the oil, easier heating and easier maintenance of the temperature of the oil, and acceleration of the removal of dirt and other matter from the waste being treated.

The conveying and agitating mechanism is suspended so as to be inclined within the tank 1 by means of suitable straps 5 at one end thereof and straps 6 extending downwardly along the interior side surfaces of the tank and connected to a rod 7 that extends through ears 8 on one end of the conveying and agitatingframe. At the receiving end of the tank, no straps such as 5 are provided but the conveying and agitating device is supported in the tank by means of straps 9, a rod or bolt 10, and ears 11, as shown.

Such combined agitator and conveyer comprises suitable side rails 12 and 13 and cross members 14 and 15 to which such side rails are connected and which form bearing supports for crank shafts 16 and 17 rotatably disposed at each end of the frame consisting of the side rails 12 and 13 and the cross members 14: and 15. Each crank shaft 16 and 17 embodies a plurality of crank arms 38 that are preferably set on quarters opposite the crank shaft throw but each crank arm is set on the same quarter as the coinciding crank arm on the other crank shaft. These two crank shafts are operatively interconnected by means of cranks l8 and 19 disposed on the ends of the respective crank shafts 16 and 17, the cranks on each side of the frame being connected together by connecting rods 20.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the crank shaft 16 is driven by any suitable means through the medium of the shaft 21 and gear 22 disposed on the end of such shaft and meshing with a gear 23 rigidly mounted on the end of the crank shaft 16. Thus, since the crank shaft 16 is operatively connected with the crank shaft 17 in the manner just described, rotation of the crank shaft 16 will cause simultaneous rotation of the crank shaft 17 at the same rate of speed. Both of the shafts 16 and 17 have the same number of cranks and all cranks are, preferably, indexed in the same relative position and have the same throw. The crank shafts 16 and 17 are journalled in bearings 24 and 25 in the members 1 1 and 15 of the frame.

A connecting rod as shown in Fig. 4 is mounted on each of the crank shafts 16 and 17 and consists of a body portion 26, a crank bearing 27 and a crank bearing cap 28. Side plates or sheets 29 are secured to the uppermost ends of the connecting rods and on opposing sides thereof by means of screws 30 and a cover plate 81 is secured at each end thereof on the uppermost ends of the connecting rods mounted on the cranks of the crank shafts 16 and 17, re spectively, the side plates and cover plates forming rails that act as connecting rods between the crank shafts. As shown in the drawings, each cover plate 31 is provided with a series of louvers 32, each of which has an opening 32a and the purpose of said louvers will be hereinafter described.

In order to reduce the friction between the assemblies of side plates and connecting rods on each crank of the crank shafts 16 and 17 each connecting rod is provided with annular wear plates 33 that are rigidly mounted on a threaded spindle 34 and locked in position by means of jam nuts 35. Such spindle is adapted to rotate freely in either direction by being mounted in a ball bearing structure 36 on the connecting rod and the wear plates are disposed in annular openings in the side sheets 29 whereby they may abut against each other when a plurality of assemblies are mounted on the plurality of cranks which make up the crank shafts 16 and 17.

With this construction I have provided a combined agitator and conveyer embodying a plurality of elements so constructed and operated that the elements will have an out-of-step and oscillatory movement when the device is operated and such movement will cause the material disposed on the device to be simultaneously conveyed from one end thereof to the other and agitated during such conveyance.

In the operation of this apparatus, the tank 1 is filled with the oil through which the used packing is to be conveyed and such oil is heated by means of the heating element 4 to the desired temperature. Then, the device is operated whereupon the used waste disposed thereon will be both agitated and conveyed by the out-of-step oscillatory movement of the elements just described louvers 32 to subject the packing to a forceful oil bath.

Likewise, the device is equally applicable to use where the packing being conveyed and agitated is not to be subjected to a bath of liquid. For instance, where it is desired to remove solid matter from the packing, such waste is placed upon the device where upon the out-of-step oscillatory movement of the elements will convey the packing from one end thereof to the other and simultaneously agitate the packing to cause the solid matter to be shaken therefrom. It will be apparent that the device is also applicable to use in drying.

hat I claim is:

1. In journal box packing reclamation apparatus of the character described, an oilcont-aining receptacle; a plurality of louvered, packing-supporting elements arranged within said receptacle each of said elements having at least a portion thereof lying within said oil; and means for causing an out of step vertical oscillatory movement of said elements in said receptacle, whereby the packing on said elements is subjected to a cleaning effect by said oil.

2. In journal box packing reclamation apiaratns of the character described, an oilcontaining receptacle; a plurality of packing-supporting elements arranged within said receptacle, each of said elements having at least a portion thereof lying within said oil; and means for causing an out of step vertical oscillatory movement of said ele ments in said receptacle, said elements being provided with vertically disposed openings therethrough to enable the oil in said receptacle to flow, during oscillatory move ment of said elements, through the openings in said elements-onto the packing carried thereby, whereby the packing on said ele ments is subjected to a cleaning efiiect by said oil.

8. In ournal box packing reclamation apparatus of the character described, an oilcontaining receptacle; spaced crank shafts arranged within said receptacle and each carrying a plurality of cranks indexed in different directions; means for operating said cranks in unison; and a plurality-of packing-supporting elements mounted on said cranks and vertically oscillatable by rotation thereof, said elements being provided with vertically disposed openings therethrough to enable the oil in said receptacle to flow, during vertical oscillation of said elements, through said openings in said elements onto the packing carried thereby, whereby said packing is subjected to a cleaning effect by said oil.

4.' In journal box packing reclamation apparatus of the character described, an oilcontaining receptacle; a plurality of packing-supporting elements mounted within said receptacle, each of said elements hav ing at least a portion thereof lying within said oil; and means for causing an out of step vertical oscillatory movement of said elements in said receptacle, said elements being provided with vertically disposed openings therethrough to enable the oil in said receptacle to be forced, during vertical oscillatory movement of said elements, through the openings therein onto the packing carried thereby, whereby said packing is subjected to a cleaning effect by said oil.

5. In journal box packing reclamation apparatus of the character described, an oilcontaining receptacle; spaced parallel crank shafts in said receptacle, the adjacent cranks of each of said shafts being indexed in different directions and the coinciding cranks of said shafts being indexed in the same direction; means for operating said crank shafts in unison; and a plurality of 1011- vered, packing-supporting elements mounted on said cranks and vertically oscillatable by rotation thereof, each of said elements having at least a portion thereof lying within the oil in said receptacle, whereby said packing is subjected to a cleaning effect by said oil.

In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my signature.

EDWIN S. PEARCE.

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