US2125547A - Self-dumping elevator - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 2, 1938. G. P. coUGHLlN SELF DUMPING ELEVATOR Filed-March 2e, 1937 4 sheets-sheet 1 @R M H 4.. 4. N Q Q l u 4' A o o n M m. f .9 mm Q o 1 f m@ mm uw Qmm. Evan I QQ .b mi Q. P@ m .w I l: H I Q" NA II l l M l a# o o I IWI Il' .Il flulu /|\\m,wm. uw I'. n Il. lll H I N 1. .mg ./s I H I H C. mw I l f ,Q m wl |l /1 .l mn mb m om ,m 1\|mm. ,w :Mama m2. \o ma 3 BMAQGM. ma

INVENTO u Ahlh Georg @B52 Aug. 2, 1938. G. P. coUGHLlN SELF DUMPING ELEVATOR Filed March 26, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Cou killin I o ghi ATTORW ug.-2, 1938. G. P. COUGHLIN 2,125,547

SELFDUMFING ELEVATORl Filed March 26, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 2, 1938.

G. P. COUGHLIN SELF DUMPING ELEVATOR Filed March 26, 1957 @Sheets-Sheet 4 hn. Il U\TH.

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INVENTOR Caught 2 7 ATTORNEYS Zafdnm Patented Aug. 2, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT `OFFICE 6 Claims.

Y My present invention relates to the general art of handling and hoisting equipment for bulk materials and more particularly to a self-dumping elevator. -K

Myequipment is constructed to handle expeditiously relatively large quantities of bulk materials and, while it might be used in the handling of many different types of materials and commodities, has found particular adaptation and usefulness in the handling of sand and gravel, particularly in connection with mining operations. For clearness of explanation, therefore, I have elected to describe my equipment as it would be constructed and used in mining work.

In placer mining operations, particularly in low grade districts, it is necessary to handle large quantities of materials at a minimum cost. For this use my equipment is especially desirable in that it is easily and cheaply constructed; this of course lowers the overhead expense and, in turn, decreases the'cost per yard of material handled. It makes possible the handling of large quantities of material more cheaply than the bucket, Vclipper, or drag line installations most generally in use at present, andthe original cost of my equipment is but a fraction of these other methods.

For placer mining use I have provided in a single unit, mounted upon skids so that it may easily be moved over the necessary distances as the ground is worked, complete hoisting and recovery equipment.

The principal object of my present invention, therefore, is to provide a unitary structure which Will raise, to the desired elevation, the gold bearing sand and gravels; and, to further provide in the same unit, the means for recovery of the metal which meansare at a sufficient height so that the tailings can be easily disposed of.

An important object of my present invention is to provide means that are substantially automatic in their operation so that a single operator can tend the equipment and operate the same.

A further object of my invention is to provide a dumping arrangement that will assure all the materials being dumped in the desired place.

A still further object of my invention is to provide means so that, as the elevator cage is lowered tol its receiving position, it will automatically scoop up the materials that may have sloughed down into the ground position of the cage, to the end that this material will not cause the receiving edge of the bucket to be raised above the ground level.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of my complete unit with the elevator in its upper, or dumping 54 position.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of my equipment showing the elevator end thereof.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing, in perspective, my elevator cage and elevator bucket 10' in the position ready to receive material.

Figure 4 is a perspective View, showing the upper portion of my elevator tower.

Figure 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing my elevator cage and bucket in its load- 15 ing position.

Figure 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, with parts of the supporting and guiding tower removed, showing the elevator bucket in its dumping position.

Figure 'l is a side elevation, partly in section, of a modified form of loading ramp.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a modified form of my dumping arrangement.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary, front elevation, 25 showing the dumping mechanism of Figure 8 before the cage and bucket have reached the dumping position.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view showing the drive means connecting the source of power with 30 the various operating units.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view showing my loading ramp and apron in the position occupied when the bucket is lowered to the ground and showing how the same serves to scoop up mate- 35 rial that might otherwise hold the edge of the bucket up off its normal position flush with the ground.

Referring to the drawings, throughout which like reference characters indicate like parts, 8 40 designates the tower of my elevator. This should be constructed with adequate bracing to stand the racking strains of hoisting and of movement.

It should provide suflicient support for the base guideways I0 and II, for the head blocks I2, I4, 45 I6, and Il, over which the hoisting cables I9 and 20 pass, and it should also furnish support for the trip lines 22 and 23.

Adapted to vertical movement within tower 8 is the elevator cage 24. This consists of a floor 50 portion 26 and the upwardly extending frame work consisting of pairs of posts 2l and 28 which are joined together at their upper extent by tie members 30 and 3I. Posts 2l aro provided with two, or more, guide shoes as 32 and 33 which are 55 lapron extends the full width of the elevator bucket and is so constructed as to be lighterin weight than the wedge-shaped portion extending i outwardly from hinge 48 so that when it is not`` loaded with material, the wedge-shaped 'ramp portion will raise the apron off yfloor 38 afterthe showing of Figure 6; its upward travel is arrested by stop bar 52. are two sheaves 54 and 55 which, in turn, operatively support dump lines, or cables, 56 and 51.'k 5

Thesecables are securedY to end members 35 and 48, respectively, and pass through slots 59 and 6 8 cut in member 42 and terminate in rings 821 which encircle guide lines 22 and 23, respectively. Each cable 56 and 51 is further provided with cable clamps or stop members 64 which are of such a size that they will lnot pass through slotsf55 and 68. Adapted toarrest the upward movement of rings 82 upon guide lines r22 and 23, are clamps, orjstop members, 65. y v

In order to provide a complete, workable unit I provide skids 61 and 68 upon which are mounted, in addition to `tower 8, the inclined dumping platform 18, the riiiie flume 12, the water supply line 13, together with a prime mover as the motor 15 which is operatively connected to the hoisting drums -18'and.19, and to the drive sprocket 86 which drives the agitator chain 82 to which, in turn, are attached a plurality of agitator attachments 84. Supporting and idler sprockets as 85 are provided to accurately position the agitator members whose function is to remove the heavy rock and material from flume 12. Flume 12 may carry any desired type of gold recovery devices as the riffle 81.`

Attention is invited to the showing of Figure 1 in which sluice 12 is shown to extend well out beyond the end of skid 68. This is a desirable construction, in that it permits-the tailings to p-il'e up in their normal manner Without covering up, by sloughing back thereon, the ends of skids 88.

i AMethod of operation When my present equipment is used in the handling of gold bearing sand and gravel, it is desirable that the elevator bucket 36 be of suicient length so that the blade of a bull-dozer can enter into the bucket. In this way the bulldozer which has been developed as a very economical means of handling large quantities of broken or loose material, can deposit upon the floor 38of the elevator bucket, several yards of material in a single operation. When loaded the operator who normally stands convenient to operating levers 9| and 92, actuates clutch 94 which connects the power to the hoisting drums 18 and 19. This raises the two hoisting cables i9 and 28 so that the. entire elevator cage 24 is raised up to the elevator tower to the dumping position. Just before the dumping position is reached, rings 62 engage stops 85 attached to trip cables 22 and 23, and this stops the ends of cables 56 and 51 while the elevatorV cage continues upwardly. The elevator bucket is then caused to revolve partially aboutv pivots 35 until it assumes the position shown in Supported from tie member 3|y Figures 1 and 6. In this position it will be apparent that the material will slide olf floor 38 and onto the delivery floor 18. Any gap that might otherwise remain between the dumping edge of the elevator bucket and the edge of platform 18 adjacent the elevator, is bridged by the back Wall 42 of the elevator bucket which is no longer held in its raised position by the abutment of stop 64 against the under edge of member 42.

As the material is deposited upon the inclined table 18 it is washed downwardly by the stream of water delivered through pipe 13 and washed Yover the rillles 14, or such other gol-d collecting vdevice as might be used, and the tailings are disf. charged from the lower end of sluice boxes 12.

, It has been found desirable to provide agitating Ymeans for this sluice to the end that a fast, deep owof water may be avoided. To accomplish this I provide the driven chain, 82, which is provided at frequent intervals with agitator attachments 84. These serve to break any lumps of material that might occur, and particularly do they serve to carry down the sluice, any large rocks which the limited force of water might not be able to carry away. Y Y

As soon as thematerial has been dumped from bucket 38, cables I9 and 20 are Yslacked away and the elevato-r cage is lowered. As it is lowered away cables 56 and 51 are also slacked so that the elf-:vatory bucket can assume its normal position,

substantially as shown in Figures 3 and 5, with the apron member 42 held in the position shown in lFigure-3 by virtue of the fact that stop 64 again engages the underV side thereof. From this position the extreme point Aof wedge 46 strikes the ground first and, as the cage continues to be lowered, it straightens out to the position shown in Figure 5. In so doing it picks up any loose material that has sloughed off the pile and which would, unless removed, prevent the loading edge of the bucket from resting Ylirmly on the ground; this might cause serious difficulty in the subsequent repeating of the loading operation. As soon as the bucket is loadedrand the material is deposited on apron 56, the weight of that material keeps it in the position shown in Figures 3 and 5.

It has'been found that under certain conditions the construction of the automatic dump arrangements shown in Figures 1 to 7, inclusive, is not warranted. Therefore, in Figures 8 to 10, inclu-- sive, I have illustrated a modified form of my dumping arrangement.

In this structure itis possible to hoist the elevator cage up slightly above the level of the dumping platform and to then lock that drum as by a brake Vor vpawl such as is usually provided on winchesand then to use an auxiliary line for actually dumping the bucket. This has a further advantage in that it is possible to dump the bucket more gradually, as is often required in smaller operations. In my modified Yform I still use cables i9 and 2D to hoist the elevator cage, but I now arrange my hoist so that it will stop the cage just slightly above the dumping platform 16 at which point the drum is locked with cables I9 and 20 holding the entire weight of the cage, bucket, and the pay load. I use a single cable 98 to dump the ,bucket which is still resting in its normal position on the now stationary ele vator cage. In this manner the motive power can be considerably reduced in that its greatest load is the lifting of the cage and loadedbucket, and the actual dumping of the load, because of the pivotal arrangement at, 35, requires less than one-half the effort necessary to raise the entire cage and bucket to the dumping level. This is 4an appreciable saving in initial installation cost over that form shown in Figure 1, although it is at a sacrifice of operating speed.

Dumping is accomplished by providing that lines 56 and 51 terminate in a cross member as 98. This member travels up and down with the elevator cage and has, at its center, a slot as 99 through which cable 96 passes. Cable 96 as it leaves the hoisting drum or nigger head |00, is provided with a stop, or clamp arrangement, at |02. For this purpose I have found convenient to use a relatively large wood block which is secured against movement on the cable by suitable clamps as |04. The cable then passes up over a head block |05 and down to a compensating weight |06. This weight must be sufficiently large so as to return cable 96 to its normal position after it has been drawn down toward the drum |00 in the dumping operation. It must be suicient then to counterbalance the weight of clamp, or stop block |02, and the vertical length of cable or rope used between the head block and the lower guide block |08.

To dump my elevator bucket with the modified arrangement, the elevator cage is raised to a point just slightly above the elevator board and the hoisting cables locked. A strain is then taken on line 96 which at this stage of the operation, is virtually in contact with cross member 98. A continued movement of block |02 carries member 98 with it which in turn operates the dumping cables 56 and 51 so as to dump the bucket after the general showing of Figure 8. In this operation, however, while it is slower than the method previously described, it does permit of partial dumping, or at least a more gradual dumping of the load, in that the operator has full and complete control of the bucket. As soon as the dumping operation is completed, line 96 is slacked off and weight |06 will restore block |02 to its raised, or normal position. The. dead weight of the empty bucket will then be suflcient to return it to its horizontal position on the elevator cable where it may be again lowered away without in any Way disturbing the dumping arrangement.

To facilitate loading of the elevator bucket, I provide sheer boards |09 and l0 which greatly aid in controlling the gravel as it is pushed forward and onto the elevator.

The modied ramp illustrated in Figure 7 is desirable where the gravel is not bound together as by earth or clay. It consists of ramp ||2 which terminates in the apron portion I4 which is hingedly connected at H6 to the ramp. Secured to the underside of the apron is the cam member i8 which is disposed so as to engage the floor of the elevator bucket 38 and, to this, properly position the apron for use. When the elevator is raised the apron is also raised until it assumes the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 7. It is held in the position until the return of the bucket, by means of line |20 which runs over sheave |2| and is connected to the weighted lever |22 which in turn is pivoted at |24.

'I'he foregoing description and the accompanying drawings are believed to clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in the invention may be made as are fairly within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

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

1. An elevator adapted for vertical movement from loading to dumping positions and comprising a deck having forward and rear edges, a bucket pivotally mounted on the rear edge of said deck, means for tripping the bucket, and a gravity actuated scoop on the forward edge of the deck whereby material under the deck will be removed as the elevator approaches loading position.

2. An elevator adapted for vertical movement from loading to dumping positions and comprising a deck having forward and rear edges, a bucket pivotally mounted on the rear edge of the deck, means for tripping the bucket and a gravity actuated scoop mounted on and overhanging the forward edge of the deck whereby the material under the deck will be removed when the elevator approaches loading position.

3. An elevator adapted for .vertical movement from loading to dumping positions and comprising a deck having forward and rear edges, a bucket pivotally mounted on the rear edge of the deck, means for tripping the bucket, and a gravity actuated scoop pivotally mounted on the forward edge of the deck andhaving an inclined front face whereby material under the deck will be removed when the elevator approaches loading position.

4. An elevator comprising a deck having front and rear edges, a bucket having a pivotal support at the rear edge and a gravity-dropped dumping wall hinged on said support, means for tripping the bucket to dumping position, a gravity actuated scoop mounted on and overhanging the front edge of the bucket, and means co-acting with the tripping means when the bucket returns to loading position for lifting the dropped back wall to closed position.

5. In a dumping-hoist, the combination With an elevator shaft, a pair of stationary guides, and a stop on each guide, of an elevator having front and rear edges, a bucket having a pivotal support on the rear edges, a slotted gravity-dropped discharge wall hinged on said support, a gravityactuated scoop hinged at the front edge, a pair of dump-ropes anchored at one end to said scoop and guides for the ropes, said ropes passed through the slotted Wall, trip-rings attached at the free ends of the ropes and loosely mounted on the stationary guides, and lifting-heads on saig ropes adapted to engage the dropped slotted wa 6. In a dumping-hoist, the combination with an elevator shaft, a stationary upright-guide, and a stop on the guide, of an elevator, a gravityreturned bucket having a pivotal support on the elevator and a gravity-dropped, slotted, discharge wall hinged on said support, a dump-rope operatively connected to a part of the elevator and passed through the slotted wall, a trip-ring on the free end of the rope and loosely mounted a lifting head on said rope to engage the dropped `slotted wall.

GEORGE P. COUGHLIN.

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