US2277321A - Electric mechanical packer - Google Patents

Description

March 24, 1942. M. A. HARRIS 2,277,321

` ELECTRIC-MECHANICAL PAGKER Filed June 9, 1958 4' Sheets-Sheet 1 Moses Farris March 24, 1942. M. A. HARRIS ELECTRIC-MECHANICAL PACKER Filed Jun 9, 193s 4 sheets-sheet 2 Mose.: carrs' March 24, 1942. M. A. HARRIS ELECTRIC-MECHANICAL PACKER Filed June 9, `1938 4 Sheets-She''b 3 Snventor M566 u@ Ea/rji Gttomegs.

March 24, 1942.

M. A. HARRIS ELECTRIC-MECHANICAL PACKER Filed June .9, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet` 4 Juventor @ses uz. arrs' Patented Mar. 24, 1942 S .li-melilla? @ififi 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in electric-mechanical packers and generally v speaking consists in certain improvements over my prior U. S. Patent No. 1,753,412 granted April 8, i930 for Electric packer.

In common with the objects of my prior patent aforesaid, the present invention purposes to pack properly into cans or other containers such dry materials as our, litharge, cement and similar substances, although the invention will be applicable to any material packed into containers.

In accordance with my prior patent the container and its contents were subjected to a vibratory action only for the purpose of settling and packing down the material and liberating the air from in and about the particles of the material. It is an object of the present invention to retain that electrical vibratory action and at the same time to subject the container and its contents to a mechanical jarring or tamping action.

It is another object of the invention to combine into a single unit or machine the two agencies of electrical vibratory action and mechanical jarring in such a conjoint manner that a container placed in the machine may be simultaneously subjected to both actions in order to pack the material to the required density in the minimum space of time.

While all materials should be well packed as to density and compactness, they must not be packed in a way that will cause them to become solid masses, necessitating the mutilating of the container and loss of material in trying to remove the product. With litharge and other lightcolored substances discoloration is often caused where an auger-type packer is used, such discoloration being caused by the excessive pressure and heat engendered by the auger action in forcing the material into the container. Consequently it is a further purpose of the present invention to pack a container with no heavy pressure exerted directly on the material and yet to pack such material densely although in a condition which will allow easy emptying.

A further object of the invention is to reduce the total electric power required to operate the packer.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a completely self-contained machine which can be placed in any type of building and in any position without relation to a main or countershaft.

It is another object of the invention to provide a unitary machine in which the container may be subjected to electrical vibration alone if desired, or to mechanical jarring alone, or to both actions combined.

A still further object of the invention is to provide, an improvement over the old auger-type of packer, a mechanical packing device not however touching the material by anything that would discolor it. f

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinaiter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure l is a front elevation of an electricmechanical packer constructed in accordance with the present invention with parts broken away.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a similar view taken on the line 4-4 in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 5--5 in Figure l.

Figure 6 is a top plan View of the supporting column and pulley, and

Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 'I- in Figure l.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I D designates the base or bed of the machine from which the supporting column I I rises and on which is received the container shown inl '3 broken lines at C in Figure 2 and in full lines in Figures 3 and 4. In these Figures 3 and 4 the column II is shown to be preferably square and advantageously constituted of two mutually opposed channel beams. The beams constituting the supporting column II are received into an appropriate step I2 on the base II). The upper end of the supporting column II is held together by a cap-piece I 3 which also forms a convenient means for supporting the brackets I4 which carry the counter-balance pulley I5. It will be noted from Figures l and 6 that this counterbalance pulley is set angularly or off centered with respect to the vertical center of supporting column II in order to direct the counterbalance cable i6 to one side of the center of the supporting column II, it being desired to support the counterweight II in a vertical position at one side of the center of the column II in order that this counterweight may move up and down without interference with the drive shaft I8, which, as shown in Figure 3, extends horizontally through the supporting column II. The channel beams composing supporting column II are advantageous for the reason that they can be spaced apart to permit this vertical space in the column for the passage of drive shaft I8. This drive shaft I8 moves up and down vertically with respect to the column, the same being journalled in appropriate bearings upon the vertically movable platform I9 to which the other end of counterbalance cable I6 is affixed as by the bridle 26. As platform I9 moves up upon the column II, counterweight I1 will move down Within the column, the counterweight I1 passing and re-passing the shaft I8. The platform I9 may be guided in its vertical movement up and down upon the supporting column I I as by an external sleeve 2I surrounding the column and carrying anti-friction rollers 22 rolling in contact with the outer surface walls of column II. Platform I9 carries at one side an electric or other motor 23 coupled to drive the shaft I8. At its other end, adjacent shaft bearing 24, most clearly appearing in Figure 5, the drive shaft I8 iixedly carries a worm 25 meshing with a worm wheel 26 on a shaft 21. As best seen in Figures 1 and 3 the shaft 21 is journalled in brackets 28 erected upon the platform I 9 and having mounted on the outboard ends thereof crank discs 29 to which are eccentrically pivoted crank rods 30. These crank rods 30 are pivoted at their lower ends to the adjacent end of rockers, the rockers being pivoted, as indicated at 32 to the brackets 28 or to the supporting parts upon the platform I9. The other ends of the rockers pvotally receive the rods or links 33, the latter being pivoted as indicated at 34 in the downwardly projecting ears or lugs 35 of a yoke 36. By this means the yoke 36 and its entrained parts may be given a vertically reciprocating motion.

The yoke 36 is made fast to the upper end portion of a carrier tube 31. The carrier tube 31 slides up and down in a guide tube 38. The guide tube is affixed to platform I9 in any suitable manner as by flange 39. The guide tube 38 can neither rotate nor reciprocate vertically. It is a fixed tube. The carrier tube 31 is longer than the guide tube 38 and projects above and below the same. At its upper projecting portion the carrier tube 31 is supported and vertically reciprocated by the yoke 36 which lies wholly above the upper end of guide tube 36. The carrier tube 31 can vertically reciprocate but is prevented from rotating because of its fixed connection with non-rotative yoke 36. At its lower end which projects below the lower end of the guide tube 38, the carrier tube 31 is held in position by thrust bearing 40 affixed to the tamper tube 4I. This tamper tube 4I extends completely through the carrier tube 31 and is required to reciprocate vertically with the carrier tube 31 by reason of the fact that the tamper tube 4l receives its support from the carrier tube 31 and its yoke 36. A gear wheel 42 is aiiixed to the upper end of the tamper tube 4I which projects above the carrier tube 31. The lower edge of this gear wheel 42 is supported by the upper edge of carrier tube 31 and yoke 36 or either of the same, through an interposed washer or gasket 43. Thus the gear wheel 42 serves the double function of rotating the tamper tube 4I and supporting it for reciprocating movement with the carrier tube 31 and its yoke 36. In this way the tamper tube 4I is subjected to a simultaneous rotating and vertically-reciprocating motion.

A long pinion 44 with its teeth disposed vertically meshes with the teeth of the gear wheel 42 and drives said gear Wheel 42. The long pinion 44 is xed to the vertical shaft 45. The shaft may be journalled in bearings 45 and 41 conveniently carried by the guide tube 38. The shaft 45 may be driven in any appropriate manner preferably by a worm wheel 48 fixed thereon meshing with the worm 49 on the horizontal shaft 21 which is the same shaft which carries and drives the eccentric discs 29.

As shown to best advantage in Figure l, springs 50 support yoke 36 at opposite sides of guide tube 38, the springs being received at their lower ends over the pintle supporting brackets 5I which are shown to be of an angle form having their vertical webs aflixed to the sides of guide tube 33 and with their horizontal webs carrying pintles upstanding within the convolutions of springs 50 for the purpose of anchoring the springs and guiding the springs in their expanding and contracting movements. The springs 50 virtually support the yoke 36 and consequently the carrier tube 31 and the tamper tube 4I. The links or rods 33 draw down the yoke 36, and with it the carrier tube 31 and tamper tube 4I, compressing springs 50 and energizing said springs into a potential position whereby it is the action of the springs 5D that raises the yoke and its entrained parts rather than any particular upwardly thrusting action of the rods or links 33 although the latter may contribute to the lifting motion.

The tamper tube 4I is open at its upper end to receive the material to be packed, and at its lower end it carries the tamper head 52.

The tamper head may be of any suitable character but it preferably has two sets of blades.

4One set is composed of vertical blades 53 and 54 crossing one another centrally and having their outer ends affixed in the lower vertical ends of supporting arms 55 carried by the head 52. These crossed blades 53 and 54 form quadrants in which are placed four angular blades 56. These blades 56 are preferably short blades and carried by diagonal arms 51 supported from the tamper head 52. The angle to the vertical at which the diagonal arms 51 are set may be about twelve degrees. The angular blades 56 act as the main tamper and the crossed blades 53 and 54 as the dense tampers and also act to level oif the material as it is packed into the container, it being understood that the tamper head 52 is given a rotary motion by virtue of the rotation of the tamper tube 4I, and such tamper head 52 is also given a vertically reciprocating motion by reason of that imparted by the yoke to the tamper tube.

The tamper head 52 is received into the container C. A dust cover 58 is slidably mounted on the tamper tube 4I and is of a size to fit down over and cover the largest diameter of container C that may be accommodated in the machine. The dust cover 58 is held down in place by a light spring 59. The spring reacts against the case 60 which slidably receives the cover 58. The case may be aflixed to arm 6I, which arm is carried xedly by the column II, set screws 62 being shown in Figure 2 as affixing the arm 6I in place. The arm 6I of course extends below the movable platform I 9. The dust cover 58 slides up and down in the case 60. When the tamper head 52 comes up above the top of the container C, such tamperhead 52 automatically engages and raises the dust cover 58 up into the case til and oi the top of containerC.

The arm El also carries the electric Vibrators 53, 65 and 55. These vibrators may be of the form shown and described in my prior patent aforesaid and they are mounted in guideways 66 radially arranged as indicated in Figure 4 to enable the various vibrators to be adjusted toward and from the center of the can whereby to accommodate cans of various sizes. The vibrators include a solenoid hammer 67, tension spring 68, adjusting nut 69 and hammer plate 1li which rests directly against the container C, preventing any damage to the container from the solenoid hammer Sl. The plate il) is positioned to take the blow from the hammer Si. The hammer blow is therefore not received directly against the outer wall of container C but only through the plate lll.

One of the vibrators, for instance the vibrator 53, is carried by a swing head 'll pivoted to swing about the center 12 and lifted by handle 13. Spring 14 connected to bell crank l5 holds the vibrator 63 in the lower position against the can wall and in the upper position thrown back so as not to casually or accidentally descend. Between these two positions, the bell-crank I5 swings to opposite sides of its center l2.

The distributor switch, motor operated, and other control switches may be housed in the control box l5 carried beneath the platform i9.

In the operation of the device, the swinging vibrator 53 is first swung up out of the way so as to admit the container or can C to be placed upon the base l and to be tted up against the plates l@ of the two companion vibrators Sil and The swinging Vibrator 53 is then swung down into place with its plate 'Ni against the wall of container C. The vibrators will be spaced circumferentially around the container at equal intervals or at any other arcuate distances apart, and the electrical vibrators may be in any suitable numbers. rihey may be actuated in any suitable order, preferably in a sequence of 63, 613, f

S3 etc., the order of which energizing will be taken care of by the distributor in the control box l5.

When the container C has been put in place and the Vibrator lowered by hand by simply pulling the same down and thereby causing the tamper head 52 and its tube di to descend into the can and take up the position initially substantially as shown in Figure 2 where the tamper head 52 is in proximity to the bottom of the container C.

The material to be packed may be stored on the floor above and led through a conveying pipe (not shown) into the upper open end of the tamper tube li at the point marked A. The material will flow down through this tube il and will. issue at B through the head 52 and into the space in and about the tamping' blades. As the material is fed in through the tamper tube, the switch, which may be kept in the control box l5, is closed causing the motor 23 to turn shaft i3 and through the mechanical connections above recited to subject the tamper tube 4l and the tamper F32 to a combined vertically vibrating and rotary motion.

At the same time, as the material begins to cw into the container, the electric vibrators 63, it and 65 will be put into operation, thus setting up a circular vibratory action which causes the material to settle in the container. If it is deadjusted, the platform i9 is i sired to use the electric vibrators alone, this may be accomplished without employing the tamper. To supplement the operation, and to force down very light substances, the tamper unit is brought into action. If desired the action of the electric vibrators may be suspended and the tamper put into operation.

As the tamper reciprocates vertically the springs will be alternately compressed and expanded. These springs balance the thrust on the shaft 21 and also on the pivots 32 of rockers 3l. Such springs also cushion the stroke of the tamper tube and its head. The teeth of gear wheel t2 ride up and down between the long teeth of the pinion 40 which permits of the vertical reciprocating or vibrating movement of the tamper tube 4I and allows of rotary motion being imparted to the same through this gear arrangement. The rotary and reciprocating action of the tamper head 52 forces the material down in the container C and levels it ofi. The tamper blades 53 and. 54 will particularly level off the material in the container as the tamper head 52 rotates. These blades 53 and 5d will also exert a tamping action on the material in the container and in this they are very materially assisted by the angular short blades 55. The tamper including the entire platform I9 is sensitively counterbalanced so as material piles up and is tamped in the container C such material will automatically lift or raise the tamper head 52. Thus the tamper head 52 is supported and sensitively hung in such a way that it will automatically retire upwardly as the material in the container C built up. or in other words as the container C is filled with the material. During this slow raising action of the tamper, it will be at the same rapidly vibrated in a vertical direction and given a rotating motion. The tamper unit may be counterbalanced to within approximately four pounds of its total weight, and the density of the packing is determined by placing a weight on the carrier platform i9.

During all of the operation the container C is enclosed by theA cover E8 so that the immediately surrounding atmosphere will not be subjected to the dangers of dust and loss of material.

The total weight of the packer is considerably lighter than the other type of machines, for instance the auger. type; and together with its small power consumption and iiexibility of location in a plant, the improved packer .has great advantages over other types of packers.

All of the vibrators (it, @il and 55 may be ad- -i justed vertically by loosening the set screws 62 and raising or lowering the xed arm 5l, whereupon the set screws 62 may be retightened.

The electrical circular vibratory action causes the material to settle into a dense mass. With very light substances it takes longer to settle whereby the mechanical tamper unit is preferably used in addition on such substances, and the combined units quickly produce a dense mass. For cement only the electric vibrators need be ordinarily used; for mineral wool only the tampers need be used; for our, litharge and similar lighter materials, it is preferable to use both the electric vibrators and the tampers. The

material to be packed is loose when delivered. It

is also aerated, light and fluiTy. If vibrated only the material does not fall in rapidly enough; The Vibration settles the material into a dense mass. The tamping breaks down the aerated mass and the vibrators settle that mass and compact it so as to increase its density. The tamping action is a two-stage action. The angle tampers act on the loose deep material and press it down angularly and the other tampers compact the material and level the same. The rotary action of the tampers not only levels off the material but also carries the tamping action to all parts of the material giving uniformity of density. Due to the general design and arrangement and due to small, light parts and due to the small horse power needed for the present machine, such machine may be constructed and operated economically and emciently and may be built and sold at relatively small cost.

With this system bags can also be packed by the use of an outside sleeve.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. An improved packer comprising a support for a container to be packed, a platform mounted for vertical movement above the support, means for counterbalancing said platform, a guide tube fixed to said platform, a non-rotative carrier tube fitted to reciprocate vertically in said guide tube, a tamper tube carried by and within said carrier tube and having its upper end disposed to receive a. supply of material to be packed in said container, tamper means carried by the lower end of said tamper tube and disposed within said container, means for imposing on said carrier tube a vertically reciprocating motion, and means for imposing on said tamper tube a rotating motion Within said carrier tube.

2. An improved packer comprising a support for a container to be packed, a vertically movable platform above said support, guide means on said platform, a non-rotative vertically reciprocating carrier tube guided by said guide means, a rotating tamper tube supported by and vertically reciprocating with said carrier tube and having its upper end disposed to receive a supply of material to be packed in the container and having its lower end disposed in said container, means for rotating said tamper tube, and tamper means carried by the lower end portion of said tamper tube.

3. An improved packer comprising a base to receive a container, a supporting column on the base at one side of the container, a platform movable vertically on said column toward and from the container, a counterbalance in said column connected to said platform, guide means carried by said platform having upper and lower ends, an open-ended carrier tube vertically reciprocating in said guide means, means on said platform connected to reciprocate said carrier tube, an open-ended tamper tube extending through and above and below said carrier tube and supported thereby to reciprocate vertically therewith, said tamper tube being mounted to rotate within and independently of said carrier tube, means on said platform for imparting a rotary motion to said tamper tube, and tamper means carried by the lower end portion of said tamper tube and normally within said container.

4. A device as described comprising a support for a container, a tamper movable within and without the container, a cover for the container lifted by said tamper, a case slidably holding the cover, and means between cover and case for yieldably holding the cover on the container.

5. An improved packer comprising a support for a container, a tube movably mounted in said container and in communication with a source of supply of material to be packed, the lower end of said tube adapted to be lowered into the lower part of the receptacle, tamping means carried by the lower end of said tube, means for subjecting said tube and tamping means to a combined reciprocatory and rotary motion, means for delicately supporting and counterbalancing said tube and tamping means to enable said tamping means to ride upwardly with the tube in advance of the advancing level of the material in said container, said tamping means including horizontally crossed blades having their edges disposed downward for contacting with the surface portions of the material mass, and inclined blades between the rst mentioned blades acting on downward movement to level off mounds of material on the surface of such material.

6. An improved packer comprising a support for a container, a hollow tube in communication at its upper end with a source of material supply and having its lower end projecting down into said container and opening into said container, a tamper head carried by the lower end of said tube, a platform mounted to move vertically above said container, a guide tube surrounding the upper portion of said tamper tube and carried xedly by said platform, a carrier tube rotatably supporting the upper part of said tamper tube and mounted for reciprocation in said guide tube, eccentric means for vertically vibrating said carrier tube and entrained tamper tube, spring means for cushioning the vibratory motion of said carrier tube, and counterbalance means for said platform and the parts carried thereby.

'7. In a packer, a support for a container, a movable platform having vertical motion above said container, guide'means on said platform, carrier means positioned to vibrate vertically in said guide means, an eccentric device carried by said platform and connected to reciprocate said carrier means, spring means for cushioning the reciprocatory motion of said carrier means and interposed between said carrier means and said eccentric device, a tamper supporting member rotatable with respect to said carrier means but fixed to partake of the reciprocatory motion of said carrier means, a tamper carried by said supporting member, and means for delicately counterbalancing said platform and the parts carried thereby.

MOSES A. HARRIS.

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