US1931037A

US1931037A - Conveyer

Info

Publication number: US1931037A
Application number: US400750A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur L Shaw
Original assignee: CHICAGO AUTOMATIC CONVEYOR CO
Current assignee: CHICAGO AUTOMATIC CONVEYOR Co
Priority date: 1929-10-19
Filing date: 1929-10-19
Publication date: 1933-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 1950-10-17

Description

A. L. SHAW' Oct. 17, 1933.

CONVEYER Filed Oct. 19, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 17, 1933 i l *e UNITEDSTATES,l Pmem'ry ori-ice CONVEYER Arthur L. Shaw,`Cicero, 111.', assigner to Chicago Automatic Conveyor Co., Cicero, Ill., a corporation of Illinois i Application October 19, 1929. Serial No. 400,750

7 Claims. (Cl. 198-233) 'I'he present invention relates generally @toA Other objects of the invention and the various portable conveyers which are adapted for use advantages and characteristics of the present in moving coal, coke, ashes, crushed stone, sand, construction will be apparent to those skilled in gravel, or other such material from a pile `on the art from a lconsideration of the following delthe ground to a wagon or another conveyer. tailed description. v60

More particularly the invention relates to that The invention consists'in the several novel featype of portable conveyer` which consists of an tures hereinafter set forth and more particularly elongated angle-iron supporting frame, an enddefined by the claims at the conclusion hereof. less conveyer element operating in and sup- In the drawings which accompany and form a 10 ported by the frame, a motor above the supportlpart of this specication or disclosure and in 65 ing frame having power transmitting mechanism which like numerals of `reference denote corj for driving the conveyer element, and a rectanresponding parts throughout the several views: guiar wheel-equipped frame through which the f Figure H1 is a side elevation of a conveyer angle-iron supporting frame extends and from embodying lthe invention;

which the supporting frame is supportedbyad- Figure 2 iS a plan View, the COVGI 0f the' 70 justable suspension means. v i Y power unit housing being omitted for purposes One object of the invention is to provide a of illustration; l portable conveyer of the type under considera- Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view tion in which the rectangular wheel-equipped taken on the line '.3-3 of Figure 1;

frame and the power unit consisting of the motor Figure 4 is a perspective view of the rectangu- 75 and ther power transmission mechanism are so lar wheel-equipped frame, parts being. omitted located or positioned with respect to the elonandshown in section; v gated angle-iron supporting frame that the con- Figure 5 is a vertical. sectional view of the veyer balances properly and. in such a manner' rectangular wheel-equipped frame, showing in g5' that the receiving end thereof. may be easily detail the construction of the driving mechanism 80 and readily picked up whenit is desired to move whereby the wheels may be driven eitherfconthe conveyer from one place to another. .Y jointly `Aor individually; and

Another object of the invention is to provide Figure 6 is a plan section of the rectangular i a portable conveyer in which the rectangular frame. f

,30 trame from which the supporting frame isA sus- The c onveyer which forms the subject matter 85 pended is equipped with a Apair vof `wheels at of the invention is adapted for use in movingy the sides thereof and embodies animproved concoal, sand, gravel and other such material from struction or arrangement whereby the wheels a pile on the ground to a truck or second conare mounted so that they may be swung at right veyer and comprises an elongated supportingY angles from a position in which they are parallel frame 8. y The latter isa'ssociated with ay rectan- 90 to a position in which they are aligned and gular wheel-equipped frame 9 sol that it may be operate to permit the conveyer to `be shifted properly positioned with respect to the matebodily in a lateral direction. ,rial to be conveyed and may be moved Yfrom Another object of the invention is the proone place to another. The supporting frame 8y 40 vision of mechanism which is associated with the consists of a pair of sides,`each of which ern- 95 rectangular frame and is operative to drive the bodies an upper longitudinally extendinga'ngle wheels either conjointly or individually in either iron bar 10, an intermediate angle-iron bar'11, direction so as to facilitate movement of the and a lowerV angle-iron 4bar 12. .Y These three conveyer into its operative position. bars are substantially parallel. They are spaced A further object of the invention is the proapart in vertical alignment and are secured to a 100 vision of an improved sliding connection between plurality of longitudinally spaced angle-iron up-` the rectangular angle-iron supporting frame and rights 13v to form a rigid. structure. The two the rectangular wheel-equipped frame which sides of the supporting frame areheld'in hori-` serves to guide the supporting frame duringv zontally spaced relation and cross connected by vertical adjustment thereof and prevents it from a` plurality` o'f angle iron cross bars `14 which 105 swaying laterally in the rectangular `frame. are secured to the intermediatebars .l1 and the A still further object of the invention is to uprights 13 4(see Figure l). The two sides of the provide a portable conveyer which is efiicient in supporting frame are also rigidly. cross connectedv operation and is generally lof an improvedcharby a substantially imperforate plate 15,` the side acter. margins of which are bolted orriveted to the 110 Y the side vmargins of the belt.

`the lower bars 12.

.tudinally throughout substantially the entire horizontal and inwardly extending legs 12a of This plate extends longilength of the supporting frame and overlies the lowerand return reach of an endless conveyer element which is in the nature of. a belt 16. The upper bars 10 are arranged so thattheir horizontal legs 10al are at the top and extend inwardly. The vertical legs 1Gb of said bars 10 are bolted Yor riveted to the longitudinally extending legs 13EL of the uprights 13. The intermediate bars 11 are positioned in close proximity to the upper bars and are arranged sothat their horizonte. legs 11a are at the bottom and project inwardly in the same manner as the legs 16l of said upper bars. The vertical legs 11b of the intermediate bars are bolted or riveted.l

to the legs 13a cf the uprights. The lower bars 12 are arranged similarly to the upper members in that the horizontal legs 122L thereof are at the top and the vertical legs l2b are xed to the legs 13. f .Y The endless belt 16 which is preferably formed of leatherl or treatedfabric is disposed between the sides of the supporting frame and is arranged so that `the. receiving end thereof extends around and-isv supported by a receiving end roller 17... .The discharge end of the belt extends around and is supported by a delivering end roller 18. The upper reach or the ccn- .veyer belt is locatedr between the'upper and intermediate bars 10 and 1l and is carried by a longitudinal series of pulley or roller units. Each o these units comprises .a centralsubstantially cylindrical supporting` roll 19 and a All three of these Y pair of. troughing rolls 20. rolls are ixed to a shaft 21 which -is journalled in a pair `of bearing brackets 22. The latter are secured to the horizontal legs 11a of .the intermediate bars 11. The troughing rolls of the units are truste-conical in .form and .operate to turn upwardly the marginal parts of the operative .upper reach ofthe belt 16 so that said marginal Vparts are adjacent and in close proximityjtov theinwardly extending horizontal legs 1.0?V or" the upper bars 10.- By utilizing troughing rolls in connection with thercller units, the belt is supportedA so that the material tendsto rest'in the central portionthereof. The legs 10a of; the upper. bars ldtogether with. angleiron bars 23which are secured to such legs prevent lateral displacement of the material over The lowerreach of the conveyer belt disposed beneathl the plate 15 and is supported upon' a longitudinal series vof roller-units, each of`v which consistsv of a of rolls'- 24. The latter are xed to a transversely extendingfshaft 24flwhichis journalled atthe ends thereof in a ,pair ci' bearings These bearings are. supporteL from the verticallegs 12D of. the lower bars 12 by means or relatively` short angle brackets 26. The ends of the plate 15 terminatetadjacentto the rollers 17 and 18 respectively.

VThe roller 17 is lxedly secured to the` central portionof a `shaft`27,.the'ends of which are journalled in a vpair of bearing brackets 2t.`

These brackets t againstv and-are secured to the transverse legs 13b -of` the .tWo. uprights which are disposed adjacent 'to the receiving end of the belt-supporting frame `8. Said re# ceivingr` end of the supporting fram'eembodies a pair of angle-iron'members 30,'which are cut and bent so that they areC-sha'ped in conguration. The ends of these members are secured to the extreme ends of the upper bars 10 and the lower bars 12` respectively, by means of rivets or bolts which extend through the vertical legs of said bars. A receiving end top boot plate 32 extends across and is secured to the upper parts of the'members 30 and a bottom boot plate 33 extends across and is secured tothe lower parts of said members. The bottom boot plate extends rearwardly to the second pair of uprights 13 so that the portion of the'return reach of the .belt which is disposed in close proximity to the receiving end roller 17 will not contact with the material upon which the receiving end of the conveyer rests. To house additionally the receiving end of the` supporting frame, pairs of plates 34 and 35 are provided. VThevplates 34 extend between the first and second rpairs of uprights and are removably held in place by means of bolts 34EL which extend. through the upper marginal portion of said plates 34 and the vertical legs 10br ofthe upper bars 19. The

driven by an electric motorM which is disposed in a housing structure 37. The I latter-is'positioned between the Yreceiving end of theconveyer and the rectangular Wheel-equipped frame' 9 and is disposed above the 1 conveyerbelt. vThe driving connection between the motor M and the belt comprises a pinion 38 which is xed t'ofone end of the motor-shaftm; a gear wheel 39 whichvmeshes with the pinion 38fand isdrivably connected 'to a shaft 40; asprocket wheel 41 which isxed to one end ofj the shaft 40 i and is positioned outwardly of one of the frame sides; a'sprocket'42`which is driven from the wheel v41 by an -endless chain 43 and is fixed to one end of a cross shaft 44.; asprocket wheel viilwhich is xed tothe other Vendof the shaft *'44 and is driven therebyV and operates to drive a-chain 46 at the other side of lthe supporting frame; and a sprocket wheel` 47 .whichisdriven by the chain 46V and is secured vto the-shaft 18a upon whichH the delivering end roller. `18 .is mounted. The'ends of the cross shaft'44 are lmountedfin bearing brackets 48 which are secured to apair of the uprights 13 adjacent to the central portion of the supporting vframe. An idler sprocket 49 is disposedbetween the sprocket wheels 45 and 47 and serves to'support the central portion of the drive chain 46. This idler sprocket is mounted on a crossshaft .50 which is journalled'in bearingv brackets 51.

VVVThe housing structure 37- for the motor is supported at the end adjacent to the' receiving end of ther conveyer by a pair of vertically exn tending angle-iron standards 53 andatthe other end bya pair of vertically extendingangle-iron standardsfi.' The lower ends of these standards aresecured to the; vertical legs of the angle-iron bars 10, -11l and 12 and the upper ends Ythereof are secured to the'ends of `v*and support a pair of longitudinally extending Aangle-iron 'bars "55..

The vstandards 53 aresomewhat longer thanthe standards 54,'so that the kbars 55-'are inclined downwardly toward the discharge end of "the l wheely frame.

conveyer. lThe standards 53 and 54 are preferably* spaced lapart so that the bars 554` extend at an angle of approximately this angle havlng been found in practice to best serve the various working requirements. Aplate 56 extends transversely across. thebars and forms a base for supporting the electric motor M. The sides Vof themotor are housed or enclosed by means of plates `57 which are secured to angle-iron uprights 58." The latter project upwardly from and are secured to the longitudinal bars 55.` A top or cover 59 is secured in place over the motor by bolts so that it maybe removed when access to the motor is desired for repair or replacement purposes. The shaft 40 upon which the sprocket Wheel 41 and the gear wheel 39 are mounted is journalled in bearing brackets 60 which are secured to two of the uprights 58.

The 'sides of the supporting frame are closed at the discharge or deliveryv end by a pair of V'plates 62 which are riveted or bolted to the vertical legs of the upper, intermediate and

bottom bars

10, 11 and 12 of said frame. Notches 63 are cut inthe outer ends of these plate62so as to form openings through which the ends of the delivering end roller shaft 18e project re- 'spectivelyy The parts of said shaft which project outwardly of the plates 62 are journalled in a pair of bearings 64 which are mounted on the" horizontal legs of a pair of longitudinally extending angle-iron bars 65. These last mentioned barsare secured at their inner ends kto the rearmost uprights 13. The outer ends of the bars are riveted to a pair of rectangular plates 66 which are fixed to the outer ends of the plates62. j

The rectangular wheel-equipped frame 9 through which the belt-supporting frame 8 extends and vfrom which said frame is suspended I so 'that it may be moved vertically to position properly the discharge end of thel belt 16, comprises a pair of ground 4wheels '70, the hubs of -whicliare'rotatably` mounted cn the outer ends 'of a. pair of stub axles 71 at the sides of the .These stub v-axles are pivotally connected to the ends of the horizontal leg 72a ofv atransversely extending angle-ironcrossbar V72'by means of.kingpins 73 so that the kwheels may be swung lfrom-their normal or parallel position into a position in which they lie in the sameplane. In this last mentioned position of the wheels which is shown by dotted lines in Figure 2, the conveyer maybe moved laterally so that the receiving end thereof may be prop- 1 erly arranged with respect to the'l pile yof material to be conveyed. A pair ofl angle-iron armsV 74 project from the vends of the crossbar 72 towards the receiving end of the belt-supporting frame 8. AThese arms 74` are connected to the crossbar by means'v of angle brackets 75. The latter are attached to the verticalleg 72b of the crossbar and are-secured by bolts 76 to the horizontal legs "74;8L of the arms. The latter are at .thebottom lof the arms and4 project inwardly.

I Associatedwith said arms 74 is a pair of diagonally extending angle-iron braces 77. These braces are rigidly connected to the distal or outer ends of the arms 74 and project upwardly towards the discharge end of the belt-supporting frame 8. The central portions of the braces 77 arev provided with a pair of lugs 78 to which are pivoted the front ends of a pair` of angle-iron reaches or links79. The rear ends of these links are pivotally connected by bolts 80 to a pair -of bracket 4plates 81 whichare .xedly secured to the lower bars 12. adjacent to the standards 54. The links 79 serve to connect pivotally the lower end oi? the wheel frame to the supporting frame and are of such length that the wheels 70 are positioned beneath the centralportion of said supporting frame. This arrangement operates to lbalance theV conveyerso that thereceiv# ing end thereof may be easily and readily picked up and the conveyer moved fromponei place Vto another as desired. `The plates 81 are each proi vided with a longitudinal series of bolt holes 81e for use in arranging the links 79y in the proper or desired position. A pairof horizontally positioned triangular plates 82 are secured tothe ends of the leg 72a of lthe crossbar 72 and operate, f to form a supportingsurface for the inner endsofV the stub axles 71. These'plates -82 are provided with holes `through which bolts or other suitable locking devices may be inserted for securing the stub axles in Vtheir various assigned positions. The upper part of the wheel frame comprises-a pair of vertically extending side members 83`and a topV member `84. Each of the side members comprises a channel iron beam 85 and an angle iron beam 86 which are riveted' or otherwise secured together and have theirlower ends secured to aplate' 87. `Angle iron bars 88 arev secured to the lower ends of the plates 87 andthe horizontal legs 88e thereof having Vopenings orY holes in which the upper ends ofthe king-pins 73 are mounted andv Vheld against lateral displacement. '..The outer marginal parts of the plates 82 are bent upwardly and then inwardly to form stops for preventing outward movement of the inner ends of the stub axles 71 when the latter are in parallel relation (see "dottedV lines in Figure 2) and the wheels are in thesame transverse plane. The inwardly extending portions of the bent marginalparts of said plates 82 are riveted or bolted tothe legs88a of the bars 88. The side members 83 are `secured to the crossbar 72 by means of plates 89which are riveted to thevertical leg `72,Et ofsaid crossbar and the vertical channel iron beams 85. lThe top member 84 consists of a pair of angle iron cross members 90 which are riveted `to the upper p ends of the beams 85` and 86 and to triangular brace plates 91. The ,beams 85` of the'members 83 are arrangedY so that the transverse `legs thereof project inwardly and, form guideways 83e. The upper ends of the 'diagonally extending braces ,77 are riveted tothetriangular plates 87 and are connected `to the beams 86 of the members 83.

The belt-'supporting frame Sextends between the side-members 83 of the wheel-equipped frame 9 and is suspended or supported from above by means of a flexible cable 92. This cable is anchored at one end thereof to a bolt93 which extends between and is secured ito the cross Amembers 90yof the top member 84. From the bolt 93, the cable extends downwardly and around a pulley 94 which iscarried bythe crossbar 95 of a bail 96. The ends of this bail are pivotallyconnected toa cross shaft 97 which` extends through thebelt-supporting frame and is mounted as hereinafter described. Fromthe pulley 94 the cable 92 extends upwardly and `around a pulley 98 which iscarried by the top Y ground Wheels.

tends` loutwardly over a sheave 101 and then downwardly, alongone of the side members 83 and around a winding drum 102. f This Y drum is mounted on VYa shaft 103, the endsof which arerotatablymounted in bearing lugs y104 which are secured'to aplate 105. The latter isriveted to the central portion of the adjacent side member 83. The drum is rotated so asto Wind or unwind thecable byga Wormgear 107. The latter is fixed lto a shaft 108 which is mounted in a bearing bracket 109-and is operated by a crank 110.1 By rotating the drum so as to wind the cable thereon the belt-supporting frame 8 will be raised or elevated with respect to the By rotating the drum in the opposite direction, the cable willbe lengthened so as to lower the supporting frame. i Y

Thecross shaft 97 is non-rotatably held in a pair of brackets or lugs 111 which are secured to a pair of longitudinally extending angle bars 112 respectively. These bars lunderlie and are secured to the central portions of the intermediate bars 11. Y'Ishe ends'of the shaft 97 are provided with loosely mounted shoes 113 which extend into andare slidable in the guidewaysk 83a.. Theseshoes form a sliding connection between .the belt-frame and the nwheel-frame which guides said belt-frame during' vertical movement thereof and prevents it froml swaying laterally. Y L Y Y' The structure 37'which houses the electric motor M is mounted approximately one-half way between the receivingend of the conveyer belt and thezwheel-frame. By so positioning the structure, the conveyer normally assumes the position shown in Figure A1 and is so balanced that the receivingend'thereof may be readily picked up when the conveyer is to be transported orv moved from one place to another.

vTo-facilitate transportation of the conveyer and to permit of readyfadjustnient thereof into the desired position, mechanism is provided whereby the ground wheels 70 may be driven conjointly or individually.',This mechanism lis associatedV with the yrectangular frame 9 and comprises a drive shaft 114 anda pair of pin' ions 115 and y116 which are mounted onkthe ends of the drive shaft'and are adapted to cooperate with internal 'gears 117 on the felloes or rims of the Wheels. The internal gears 117 are preferably made lin sections or segments which are provided at the ends thereof with lugs 118." The latter are securedrto the `felloes or rims Yof the ground Awheels by means of bolts 119. The pin ions 115 and'll `are splined or otherwise oonnected to the'drive shaft 114 so that they are rotatable with said shaft and are slidable longitudinally as hereinafter described intomeshing relationwith the internal gears 117.V The drive shaft 114 is journalled in a pair oi' bearings 120 which are secured to the distaly or'outer ends of the angle-iron arms 74. Longitudinal displacement of the shaft relatively `to the bearings is prevented by a collar 121 and a sprocket Wheel 122. tral portion of the drive shaftV and are arranged so as to abut against the bearings 120.- The drive shaft 114 is driven so as to cause rotation of the pinions 115 and 116 by means of a sprocl:i et 123 vand endless chain 124. rEhe sprocket 1 23 is rigidly secured to the inner end of a 'transe versely extending shaft 1.25. This shaft is rotatably mounted in a bracket plate 126 which is fixedly secured' to theangle-iron beam v86 `of one of the side members 83 and is positioned above The latter arev xedly secured to the een` the adjoining groundV Wheel. The outer'endof the shaft 125 is provided 4with a polygonal head 127 which is adaptedto have applied thereto al crank 128. The chain 124 extends-around the sprocket 123 and the sprocket wheel-122 and operates, during rotation of the -crank 128, to

impart rotary movement to the shaft 114. The

a bracket13`1 on one of the bars 88. The lowerl end of the lever 129 is bentoutwardly and embodies a finger 132 Whichicooperates with the which is rotatably connected to the pinion 115. The Vupper endV of kthe lever 129 is-shaped to form a handle 136. ink one direction, .the fork 133 operates .to shift the Vpinion 115 into mesh With the internal gear 117 on the adjoining ground wheel` and therebyV effectsl a driving connection between the drive shaft and said wheel. inthe opposite direction," the pinion is caused yto be shifted inwardly on the shaft 114 andout of mesh with Vthe result that the adjoining ground wheel is free with respect Vto the driving mechanism. The pinion llis'shifted longitudinally on the shaft 114 into and outof meshing relation with the internal gear 117 on the adjoining ground wheel that is opposite thereto by means of a lever 137 which is positioned in close proximity to the leverv 129.

When the leveris shifted The lower' end of said lever 137 is pivotally` mounted on the Vpintle 'Y ,bent portion of the lever to form a fork Y133. The latter is connected by pins 134 to a collar 135r When the lever isshifted n gether with the arm 140 and the fork 141 Vop,-l

er'ates to shift the pinion 116 into meshwith the internal gear 117 of the adjoining ground wheel and.' effects a rdriving connection between said` wheel and the drive shaft 114. VvWhen the lever 137 is shifted in the opposite direction, the pinion`116 is caused to beV shifted inwardly on the shaft `and out of mesh.' The pinions `11'5 and 116 together with the v, various operating. parts that are associated therewith-exemplify.means wherebythe ground wheels may be driven either conjointly or individually. Ihe inner portions of the pinions 115and 116 areY provided with annular flanges 144 which operate to prevent themV from being shifted outwardly past-the internal gears 117. These flanges are preferablyformed integrally with the pinions rand are adapted to engage the inner side faces of the internal gears.

The operation of the conveyer mechanism will be as follows; The ground wheels 70 which are normally in parallel relation, as shown byV full linesV in Figure r2,y permit the conveyer to be moved so that the receiving'end thereof rests upon or adjacent to the material that is to be elevated or conveyed. If desired, the ground Wheels may be driven for conveyer moving purposes,l first by manipulating the

levers

129 and 137 so as to effect engagement of the pinions 150- 115 .and 1161with the.l internalgears .117. and then turningthecrank v128 in ,the proper direction to cause drive of the shaft 114 through the medium ofthe chain and sprocket connection. Inthe event. that .it-is necessary to shift `the conveyer angularly in, yorder ,to position the receiving Yend properly. with vrespect to the material, yone `of the pinions is shifted into meshing relation and the other pinion is shifted out of` '10 mesh and then the crank 128 is turned `to effect rotation of the power driven wheel. By applying4 power to one lof the. wheels and not the other, itis manifest that the conveyer will be turnedtabout the loose wheel and caused to be rotated or' shifted angularly.V To start the conveyingv operation. theelectric motor M which Visusually supplied with current from -an overhead trolley system. or connector, is started so asalto drive the conveyer belt 16 through the 20 medium of the chains 43 and 46 and the .Various sprocket Wheels that are associatedtherewith. During'drive of the belt, the material is shoved onto the' receiving .end offthe supporting frame rwhere itis engaged by the drag bar 16 and propelled to the discharge end of the conveyer. Inthe event thatit should be desired to move the conveyer transversely or laterally, the ground wheels 70 are swung 90 so that `they are positioned in longitudinal alignment. In this position of the wheels the conveyer may be shifted bodily in a lateral direction. To adjust the heightof the ldischarge end of the conveyer,V it is only necessary to turn the cable drum 102 to effect the necessary adjustment. During such i adjustment, the shoes 113 travel in the guideways 83a of the side members 83. At the conclusion of the conveying operation, the conveyer may be shifted i-nto a horizontal position by raising the discharge end and while in such .position moved away.

The conveyer `disclosed herein is exceedingly efficient in operation by virtue of the fact that provision is made for driving the ground wheels conjointly or individually and the various op- 15A Aerating parts thereof are so housed and positioned that the material to be conveyed can not injure the working thereof.

The invention is not to beuunderstood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

This application constitutes in part a divivsion of an application filed September 20, 1928,

seriai No, 307,109.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:l

1. In a portable conveyer, the combination of 50 an elongated supporting frame comprising sides, an endless conveyer means extending between the sides and from one end of the frame to the other, mechanism for operating the conveyer means, carried by the supporting frame, a substantially vertical, rectangular frame through which the supporting frame extends, a pair of ground wheels, a pair of stub axles on the extreme outer ends of which the wheels are Vmounted, king pins extending through the cen- -tral portion of the stub axles and mounted adjacent to the lower ends of the side members of the rectangular frame so as to permit the wheels to be swung from a normal parallel position into a position wherein they are in longi- 5 V,tudinal alignment and permit the conveyer tov be moved laterally, and a pair of substantially horizontal plates connected to the/endsfof the lower cross-barv of the rectangular. framefand adapted to support and form bearingisurfaces for the inner endsof the stub axles, the outer parts of the plates being `bentupwardlyto form f stops for engaging the inner ends of the. stub axles when said axles are inthe position wherein the wheels are aligned one .with theother.' v. v2. In.V a portable conveyer, the combination of an elongated supporting frame comprising sides, an1endless conveyer means extending between the sides and from-one end ofthe frame to thek other, mechanismyfor operating theY conveyer means, carriedA bythe supporting frame, a substantially vertical, `rectangular fframe through which the supporting frame extends, a pairk of ground rwheels, a `pair of stub axles onthe extreme outer .ends 4of which the wheels are mounted, king pins extending fthrough the central portion of the stub axles and mounted adjacent to-the lower ends of the side members of the rectangular frame yso as to permit the Awheels to" be swung frcm anormal parallel position into av position wherein they are in longitudinal align-V. 10() ment and permit .the conveyer to be movedlaterally,a pair of substantially horizontal plates conf: nected to the ends ofthe lower crossbar` of the rectangular frame and-adapted to supportand form bearing surfaces for the inner `ends of th stub axles, the outer parts of. the., plates being bent upwardlyand theninwardly-to for-mstops `for engaging the'inner 'ends' of .thej stub axles when said axles are in the position wherein the' wheels Vare. aligned with one another, and bars 119` connected to the inwardly bent parts of the plates and arranged so as to overlie the central portions of the axles and support the lupper ends of the king pins. l

3. In a portable conveyer, the combinationof 1115 an elongated supporting frame, an endless conveyer means supported by the frame and extending between the sides thereof, a substantially vertical, lrectangular frame adjacent to thecentral portion of the supporting frame and through 120 whichvthe latter extends, said rectangular frame having ground wheelsfand embodyingside members provided with'vertical guideways, a pair of y shoes pivotally supported at opposite sides of saidV Vcentral portion of the supporting frame and mounted slidably in said guideways in order to form sliding connections between the two frames,

vand mechanism for raising and lowering'` the supporting frame, mounted onsaid yrectangular frame.

4. In a portable conveyor, the combination of an elongated supporting frame, an endless conveyer means supported by said frame and extending between the sides thereof, a substantially vertical, rectangular frame adjacent to the 1-35 central 'portion of the supporting frame and through which the latter extends, said rectangular frame being provided with ground wheels and comprising a top member and side members having vertical guideways, a transverse shaft extending through the supporting frame and having shoes connected pivotally to the ends thereof and mounted slidably in the guideways to form .sliding connections between the two frames, av y bail connected to the supporting frame, and ad- 1(45 justable supporting means betweensaid bail'and the top member of the rectangular frame.

5. In a portable conveyer, the combination of an elongated supporting frame, an endless conveyer means supported by said frame and' extend- 1.5.0

ing between the sides thereof, a substantially vertical, rectangular frame adjacent to the central portion of the supporting frame andrthrough which the latter extends, said rectangular frame being provided with ground wheels and comprispivotally connected to said shaft, and adjustable suspension members between the-bail and the top member of the rectangular frame.

6. In a portable conveyer, the combination of an elongated frame, an endless conveyer means carried by the frame and extending from one end thereof to the other, a substantially vertical, rectangular frame positioned adjacent to the central portion of the elongated frame and through which the latter extends, a pair of laterallyy spaced ground wheels for support-ing conveyer, said wheels being associated with the lower ends of the side members of the rectangular frame and embodying internal gears around the rims thereof, and mechanism for manually driving the wheels lmounted on and supported by the rectangular supporting frame, and comprising a rotatable horizontally extending shaft supported adjacent to the lower crossbarvof the rectangular frame, a pair of pinions mounted onV the ends of the shaft and arranged to mesh with the internal gears on the wheels, and a handcrank associated one of thev side members of the rectangular frame and connected to drive the shaft.-Y '1 Y 7. In a portable-conveyer, the combination of an elongated frame, an endlessrconveyer meansY of the side members of the rectangular frame and embodying internal gears around the rims thereof, and mechanism for manually driving the Wheels in either direction and conjointly or individually, comprising a rotatable, horizontally extending shaft mounted on the rectangular .frame so that it is arranged in close proximity to the lower crossbar, a pair of pinions mounted on and connected tobe driven by the ends of the shaft and shiftable :into and Yout of mesh with said internal gears, a hand crank k.supported on'the central portion of one of the side members of the rectangular frame and connected to drive the shaft, and levers for ,individually shifting the pinions into and out of mesh with 'their respective internal Y gears extending alongside ofthe said one" side member. of the rectangular frame and Yoperable Vfrom a point adjacent to the hand crank. t

Y ARTHUR L. SHAW.