US2101018A - Conveyer driving mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 7, 1937.

'Filed March 5 1957 2 sheets-sheet 1 e M, M@ mM@ .Wd V+ 4 w 1 1m Y a R R. QN W, IIN@ o NN NN M & ww. m Nw. mw NN Nm m .NN il I! w\ .MLV Q QN m., s xr .\V 2:2, A l ,i mw, /QIIIM .WW ,Sw r www 1| Q J. .M M- E In E Qmm ...fk tl N Dec 7, 1937. c. N. BEBINGER CONVEYER DRIVING MECHANISM Filed March 5, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 7, 1937 L PATENT OFFICE ooNvEYER DRIVING MECHANISM Charles N. Bebinger, New Philadelphia, Ohio, as-

signor to La-Del Conveyor & Mfg. Co., New Philadelphia, Ohio, a corporation ofv Ohio Application March 3,

12 Claims.

The invention relates generally to driving mechanism for shaking conveyers, and more particularly to. a spring driving mechanism which is quickly and easily reversible.

Prior- .constructions -have provided a spring drive for imparting a reciprocating motion to a conveyer for conveying material in one direction, and such a construction is disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,049,346, issued July 28, 1936, and entitled Spring drive for shaking conveyers.

It is desirable, particularly where the conveyer is used in underground work, to be able to reverse the stroke of the driving mechanism to reciprocate the conveyer for conveying material in the opposite direction, and none of the prior constructions, of which I am aware, provides a spring drive which is intended to be or can easily be reversed..

Where a shaking conveyer is utilized for conveying coal out of a mine, for example, by reversing the drive the conveyer can be utilized to transport supplies used in mining into the mine.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is to provide a reversible spring driving mechanism for a shaking conveyer.

Another object is to provide a spring driving mechanism which can be easily reversed in a minimum amount of time.

A further object is to provide a reversible spring drive constructed as a unit, and adapted at either end for detachable connection with the driving crank and connected with a reciprocable support secured to the conveyer.

A still further object is to provide an improved reversible spring driving mechanism which is of simple and rugged construction, and which is adapted to produce an eflicient conveying action in either direction.

These and other objects are attained by the parts, improvements, combinations and arrangements comprising the present invention which is hereinafter disclosed, described and claimed.

In general terms the invention may be stated as including a spring drive for imparting reciprocating conveying motion swiveled on a motiontransmitting member connected to a conveyer, and one end of the spring drive being detachably connected to a driving crank, whereby the drive can be rotated on the motion-transmitting member for connecting the opposite end of the drive to the crank to reverse the conveying motion.

Referring to the drawings forming part hereof- Figure 1 is aside elevation of the improved reversible drive operatively connected to a shaking 1937, Serial No. 128,822

conveyer for imparting reciprocating conveying motion thereto;

Fig. 2fis an enlarged fragmentary section as on line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section as on line 3 3, 5 Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section of the improved spring drive unit;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on line 5 5, Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a transverse section as Fig. 4.

Similar numerals refer to throughout the drawings.

The shaking conveyer includesv troughs connected end to end for carrying material, two of said troughs being represented at I0 and Il in the drawings. The motive means for driving the conveyer is preferably an electric motor (not shown) which is connected in a usual manner through a gear box indicated at I2 to a flanged member I3 on which is eccentrically mounted a driving crank member I4. The driving crank I4 imparts reciprocating motion to the spring driving mechanism of the conveyer, and may be termed a reciprocating driving member.

The gear box I2 may be mounted on a suitable base plate I5 extending under the conveyer, and a roller I6 for supporting the conveyer trough I0 may be' mounted in a supporting bracket I'I secured on the base plate I5.

A reciprocable support indicated generally at I8 is provided for the conveyer preferably at the joint between troughs I0 and I I. The support I8 preferably includes a joint member I9 having an upright flange 20 for tting between the adjoining ends of troughs I0 and II and secured thereto by bolts 2| passing through the flange 20 and eye bars 22 secured on the ends of the troughs. The joint member I9 is also provided with arms 23 extending longitudinally under the troughs for abutting the under sides thereof.

A transverse roller shaft 24 is mounted in depending portions of the joint member I9 and has flanged rollers 25 'rotatably mounted on its ends by means of suitable anti-friction bearings, for rolling on track rods 28 located at each side of the conveyer. 'I'he track rods 26 may be secured as is shown to angles 21 supported on a suitable base 28.

The reciprocable support I8 accordingly provides anti-friction means for movably supporting the conveyer as it is reciprocated by the driving mechanism.

The improved reversible spring driving mechon line 6,-6,

similar parts anism preferably includes a guide rod 30, one end of which is preferably screwed into the driving crank member I4, and the other end is slidably mounted in a connecting member 3| which is pivotally mounted on the transverse roller shaft 24. The connecting member 3| is preferably provided with an upright ange 32 positioned in a slot 33 in the joint member I9, and the flange 32 is pivotally mounted on the roller shaft 24 by means of a self-aligning bearing indicated at 35.

Thus the connecting member 3| is pivotallyA connected to the reciprocable support I8 for relative movement about a horizontal axis.

A driving sleeve or motion-transmitting member 36 is slidably mounted on the guide rod 30 and is secured at one end to the connecting member 3|, as best shown in Fig. 3. Preferably the end of sleeve 36 is received in an enlarged bore 31 in the connecting member 3| and is secured to the connecting member as by welding indicated at 38.

The reversible spring drive unit indicated generally at 46 is swiveled intermediate its ends on the driving sleeve 36, and as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the cross head 4I of the unit has an annular journal member 42 mounted therein, and a collar member 43 surrounds and is secured as by welding to the sleeve 36 and has a journal portion 44 fitting within the annular journal member 42, for swiveling the unit on the driving sleeve member 36. Bolts 45 are provided for securing the `member 43 to the journal member 42, there being suitable passages indicated at 46 through the collar member 43 and the sleeve member Y36 providing for lubrication, and access to said passages is'provided by Va plug 41 screwed into the collar member 43. l

As shown, the annular journal member 42 is provided at its lower end with an annular flange 48 which is held in abutment with a shoulder formed in the upper portion of the cross head member 4| by the bolts 45.

A lubricant compartment 49 is formed in the lower portion of the cross head, and communicates with longitudinally extending bores formed in tubular projections 50 at opposite ends of the cross head. Cover plates 5| are detachably secured to opposite sides of the cross head by screws 52 for giving access to the compartment 49.

A rod 54 is slidably mounted in the bores of the tubular projections 50 and extends through the lubricant compartment 49. A thrust member 55 is screwed on one projecting end of the rod 54 and has a tubular portion 56 extending toward the cross head, and a thrust member 51 is screwed on the other projecting end of the rod and has a tubular portion 58 extending toward the cross head.

A relatively strong compression vspring 59 is interposed between the cross head member 4| and the thrust member 55, and the tubular projection 56 of the cross head and the tubular portion A56 of thrust member 55 form centering means for said spring 59.

Similarly, a relatively weak compression spring 69 is interposed between the cross head 4I and the thrust member 51, and the tubular projection 56 of the cross head and tubular portion 58 of thrust member 51 form centering means for said spring 69.

Each of the thrust members 55 and 51 are preferably provided with split lower portions 6I, as best shown in Fig. 6, and clamping screws 62 are provided for drawing the portions 6I together and clamping them around the threadedl ends of the rod 54. Each of the thrust members 55 and 51 are also provided with latch pin apertures 63 to adapt them for selective detachable connection with crank I4 as will be described.

A latch 64 is pivotally mounted on the crank member I4 as at 65, and the latch 64 preferably has an inverted U-shaped portion 66 which straddles the guide rod 30. The U-shaped portion 66 of the latch preferably has aligned latch pin apertures 61 (Fig. 6) for registering with the latch pin aperture 63 of either of the thrust members 55 or 51, so that a latch pin 68 may be inserted through the apertures 61 and 63 to selectively and detachably connect the driving crank with a thrust member at either end of the spring drive unit 40.

As shown in the drawings the driving crank is connected to the thrust member 55 by means of the latch 64 and latch pin 68 and the conveyer is accordingly adapted to convey material to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1 and represented by the arrow.` In operating the conveyerpit is vcustomary to initially adjust thethrust membery 51V by loosening the bolt 62 and taking Vupthe thrust member on the rod 54 approximately 2" to place' the springs B0 and 59 under compressiomfalthough the amount of adjustment may be varied to obtain the most eiective conveying stroke for a given conveyer'load. f

In Fig. l both springs are shown extended to their normal freeY length, but in operating the conveyer the thrust member 51 is ilrst adjusted to place the springs under compression, in the manner above described. vSince the spring 60 is much weaker than spring 59, spring 60 will be compressedby a greater amount than spring 59, so that after adjustment the distance from the cross head to thrust member 51 exceeds the distance from the cross head to member 55'by an amount substantially equal to the throw or stroke of crank member I4. j

As the crank I4 moves to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 the stroke is transmitted through latch 64, thrust member 55, strong compression spring 59, cross head 4|, sleeve member 36, andsupport I 9 to the conveyer. On the return stroke of the crank the motion is 'transmitted through thrust member 51 and weak compression spring 60 to the cross head 4I, sleeve 36 and thence to the conveyer.

Due to the unequal strength of springs 59 and 60 movement of the conveyer to the left will be relatively sudden and rapid so as to slide under material on the conveyer, and movement on the return stroke in the opposite direction will be relatively slow and gradual Vbecause of the weaker spring 60 so as to carry material forward in the direction of the arrow. Thus the springs 59 a'nd 60 impart a differential stroke to the conveyer to give it a conveying action. Y

If it is desired to conveyv material in the opposite direction, that is, to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, it is only necessary to remove pin 68 from engagement with thrust member 55, lift latch 64 and swing or swivel'the spring drive unit 40 horizontally about the substantially vertical axis of the journal 42, and then insert the latch ypin 68 in the aperture 63 of thrust memberk 51 for connecting the opposite end of the spring drive unit to the vcrank I4.

This operation is easily accomplished by positioning the crank I4 at its extreme leftposition, and then pulling out the latch pin 68 and reversing the spring drive 46 to bringV the thrust member 51 in position for connection with the latch. The crank is then moved to the right approaching its extreme position in that direction until the latch pin hole 63 of thrust member 51 registers with the latch pin hole 61 of the latch, whereupon the latch pin is again inserted to connect the thrust member 51 with the crank, and the conveying action will be in the opposite direction.

If for example, a shaking conveyer embodying the improved driving mechanism is being utilized for conveying coal out of a mine, the driving mechanism can be quickly and easily reversed to utilize the conveyer for transporting supplies into the mine.

The improved driving mechanism includes a reversible spring drive unit which is connected to a reciprocable support secured to the conveyer, and adapted at either end for detachable connection with the driving crank.

The improved reversible driving mechanism is simple and rugged in construction, and is easily adjustable for producing the most efcient conveying action in either direction for a given load on the Conveyer.

I claim:

1. Driving mechanism for a shaking conveyer, including a driving crank, driving means connected to the conveyer, a reversible spring drive unit swiveled on said driving means, and means for selectively detachably connecting either end of said spring drive unit to said driving crank.

2. Driving mechanism for a shaking conveyer, including a reciprocable support secured to the conveyer, driving means connected to said support, a reversible spring drive unit swiveled on said driving means, a driving crank, and means for selectively detachably connecting either end of said spring drive unit to said driving crank.

3. Conveyer driving construction including a driving crank, motion-transmitting means, a reciprocable support secured to the Conveyer and connected to said motion-transmitting means, a spring drive unit reversibly mounted on said motion transmitting means, and latch means selectively detachably connecting either end of said spring drive unit to said driving crank.

4. Driving mechanism for a shaking conveyer, including driving means, a reciprocable support secured to the conveyer, means pivotally connecting said driving means to said support, a reversible spring drive unit swiveled intermediate its ends on said driving means, a driving crank, and latch means selectively connecting either end of said unit to said driving crank.

5. A reversible spring drive for a shaking conveyer, including driving means adapted for connection to the conveyer, a spring drive unit swiveled intermediate its ends on the driving means for substantially horizontal swinging movement, and each end of said unit being adapted for detachable connection to a reciprocating driving member.

6. A reversible spring drive for a shaking conveyer, including driving means adapted for connection to the conveyer, a spring drive unit swiveled intermediate its ends on the driving means for substantially horizontal swinging movement, and latch means for selectively connecting either end of said unit to a reciprocating driving member.

7. A reversible spring' drive for a shaking conveyer, including driving means adapted for connection to the conveyer, a spring drive unit having a cross head swiveled on said driving means, a thrust member at each end of said unit,and springs interposed between the thrust members and said cross head, each thrust member being `adapted for detachable connection to a reciprocating driving member.

8. Driving mechanism for a shaking conveyer, including a driving crank, a guide rod, driving means slidably mounted on said guide rod, means pivotally connecting saiddriving means to the conveyer, a spring drive unit swiveled intermediate its ends on said driving means, and means 4detachably and selectively connecting either end of said unit to said driving crank.

9. Driving mechanism for a shaking conveyer, including a reciprocable support secured to the conveyer, a driving crank, a guide rod secured at one end to said crank and slidably mounted at its other end on said reciprocable support, a driving sleeve slidably mounted on said guide rod and pivotally connected to said reciprocable support, a spring drive unit swiveled intermediate its ends on said sleeve, and latch means for selectively ydetachably connecting each end of said unit to said driving crank.

10. Conveyer driving construction including a driving member pivotally connected at one end to the Conveyer for relative movement about a horizontal axis, guide means for said driving" member, a reversible spring drive unit swiveled intermediate its ends on said driving member for swinging movement about a vertical axis, a driving crank, and a latch pivoted on said crank and adapted for detachable connection selectively with each end of said unit.

11. Driving mechanism for a shaking conveyer,

including a driving member pivotally connected conveyer, a driving crank, a guide rod secured atone end to said crank and slidably mounted at its other end on said reciprocable support, a driving sleeve slidably mounted on said guide rod and pivotally connected to said reciprocable support, a spring drive unit having a cross head swiveled on sai-d driving sleeve, a thrust member at each end of said unit, springs of unequal strength interposed between said thrust members and said cross head, and a latch pivotally mounted on said driving crank for selective detachable connection with either thrust member.

CHARLES N. BEBINGER.

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