US2569609A - Apparatus for elevating and dumping the contents of containers - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 2, 1951 Filed Sept. 30, 1948 H. C. HOUSE ET AL APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING AND DUMPING THE CONTENTS OF CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet l H. c. HOUSE ETAL 2,569,609 APPARATUSVFOR ELEVATING AND DUMPING THE CONTENTS OF CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 50, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iii I J g a NVEZZRS:

- B M @F Patented Oct. 2, 1951 .KPPARATUSTORELEVATINGANDDUMPING THE CONTENTS OF CONTAINERS Howard 0.,EHOuse and Frederick House, Bufi'alo', N. Y assignors to-Jacob House-6k Sons,:Bufialo,

.N. Y., apartnership ApplitzationSepteiribr 30, 1948',"SCiiaPNOFSBQUZ' Claims. (Cl. 214-41) :Thiszinvention relates to apparatus :for elevat ing and dumping the contents of containers and more particularly :to :lsuch apparatus, :for liftin bags made of 'paper or .:c1'oth,1the mouths :of which have beeniopened and:goartlyinverting the. bags at an elevatedastation so .as;;to discharge: the contents, such as sugar, over the elevated rim:of a'storage bin orthopper.

Another object .of. rthexinvention is. .to :provide such apparatus which. will handle bags-of any weight and eliminate ;the heavy; manual :work 10f filling lhigh bins With;the contents "of such bags. 1 Another object ,-is toiiprovide such' app which is movable .or portable and can readily be movedfrom place to placeto operate in conjunction with differenttstprage bins or hoppers.

Another object is. to provide such apparatus which occupies littlefioor space and can be .arranged close to-the side .of the bin .or hopper to befilled.

Another aim is to provide-such apparatus which lifts the bags to a high .elevation and .at'this elevation inverts .them .s'ufiiciently .to. .dump the contents of the bag and substantially empty the same.

Another object is to provide such apparatus which discharges the contents of the bags fully without dropping -the bag, which bagis returned in'its' normal upright position *tofioor level.

Another purpose is to provide such apparatus which is easily .:loaded, the bagsbeing -requ'ired to be lifted only afewinches-"fromthefioor and swung, inanupright position,"directly into the carrier which elevatesthe filledbags.

Another object is to provide such apparatus which is balanced'so thatthere is nodanger 'of the structure overturning even when irregularities in floor slopes are encountered and-in which the bag is also inverted by rotation about its-center of gravity so as to require little power for this operation.

Another aim isto provide av carrier with counter-weightingso as to swing to a normally upright loading position during itsrising andzreturn movements along the elevator structure.

.Another aimis to: provide such apparatus which islight in weightand lowin cost and composed of few parts which are "of sturdy construction-so that the apparatus will operateunder conditions of severe and constant use without getting out of order or requiring repairs.

Other objects and'advantages will appear-from the following description-and drawings in which:

.Fig. 1 is a vertical front elevational view of apparatus for elevating. and discharging bags of paper or cloth and constructed in accordance withathepresent invention.

:.Eig. -2 isiaitopl planwiew thereof.

.Fig. 3 is zan'ienlarged .ihorizontal section taken on;1ine:3-'-:3 Fig. 1.

.Fig. ie isa-side elevational viewzthereof.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical seo tiontakenon-linefi figiFigirl.

.Eig. 16 .:is a verticalssection ataken on line 16-5-16, Eig.;-1.

.L'Ihe apparatus lforming 'theisubject .of: the :prlesent cinvention :ccmprises sa movable pr aportable frameworksupporting .a ivertical movable :carrier which normally swings to. .a glgenerallyaupright position :in which-itrcan be honvenie'n'tly loaded at ithe'rfioor with a 'cloth :or :papersbag .of sugar or the like, "the mouth of ithe'bag being opened. As the carrier :reaches :aipredetermined elevation itis swung around the :center of gravity of the filled bag to a partly -inverted position ao as-to dump thesugarfrom the bag -over theelevated of a storage :binor feed hopper, the carrier being designed to retain lthe =bag-'and to permit the emptying i of substanti-ally all of' the contents thereof. 0n dow-nvvard. movement of the 'carrier itassumes its original "upright position so-that at the loading station the-empty bag can bereadily removedand replacedWith-a filled bag.

'Ihe framework' of the apparatus comprises -'a base" part i i} constructed of side-beams l-lare -'of inverted- L-shaped form "in cross section and; have their horizontal flanges projecting -outwardly and having a rear ;-top plate l2 whichjis also =L-shaped' in cross section; this plate being welded-ion otherwise secured to the horizontal fiangespf thes'ide beams H and having aivertical flange welded or otherwise securedtotthe rear ends'thereof. Thelbase l'llj is Shown a supported by .four casters 13 suitably secured to ,the under sides .of the horizontalflan'ges of "the -side beams [1, .these casters v,pie'rniitting1the, structure to. he rolled fromplace "to. place to I load difierentflbins orhoppers or toibe stored out of the Way when not'in use.

. '.'Io..the inner faceiofeach .of the .sideibeams Ll] is-secured, as Eby welding, a .vei ticalrrail l .5,,,th'se' rails being io'f channel, shape in cross. section with their channels opposing. ,each other. The ".connection between eachraill-lfi andits .side railLlQl suitably.-.bolt ed toithese parts. and theuppenends of these walls -.are shown gasiconnected by a press A bar 48. The structure iis shown as strengthened erally at 26 and which is normally arranged in the full line position shown in the drawings. In this position the pan has a rear wall 2| provided with a forwardly projecting rim including a bottom wall 22, side walls 23 and converging upper walls 24 which define an opening 25 at the upper end of the carrier which is less than the width of the bag but is of suflicient size to permit discharge of the contents from the bag when the pan or carrier is partly inverted. In the loading position the pan 20 is arranged, in the full line position shown, at the bottom of the structure and to retain the bag in the carrier when it is inverted, a plurality of cleats 26 preferably of rubber are fastened to its rear wall 2|. The carrier '20 is also provided on its bottom wall 22 with a counterweight 21 to bring the pan to the normal full line position shown when the same is released. In this position a pair of guide rollers 28 on the side walls 23 of the carrier engage and ride along the outer faces of the front flanges of the channel shaped guide rails l5.

The carrier is guided for vertical movement along the side rails l and for this purpose is provided on its opposite sides with a pair of stub shafts 29 which project outwardly from the side walls 23 of the carrier in axial alinement with each other and are journalled in travelers or sliders 30 arranged in and guided by the opposing channels of the side rails l5. The stub shafts 29 are fixed to the carrier through a U-shaped holder 3| which embraces the front and side walls 2|, 23 of the carrier and is suitably secured thereto and to the legs of which the stub shafts 29 are secured to project outwardly from the side walls 23 of the carrier. The end of each of the stub shafts 29 is journalled in a bearing 32 secured to the corresponding traveler 30, each traveler being provided with a pair of parallel flanges 33 which fit within the side flanges of the corresponding channel shaped rail l5 and with a pair of end flanges 34 which ride against the edges of the flanges of the corresponding channel rail l5. Between the carrier 20 and the corresponding side rail 5 each of the stub shafts 23 carries a pulley 35 which is freely rotatable thereon and which can be held in place by suitable collars 36, 38 and 39 as shown.

The carrier 20 is raised and lowered along the side rails l5 by a reversible electric motor 40 mounted on the top cross plate |2 of the base of the framework anad driving a pair of drums 4| and 42. One end of an elevating line or cable 43 is fixed to the drum 4| and extends upwardly over a pulley 44 loose on a stub shaft 45 carried by the triangular reinforcing plates I9 at the corresponding side of the framework. From this pulley 44 the elevating line 43 extends downwardly under the pulley 35 on the corresponding side of the carrier 20 and thence this or cable extends upwardly over a pulley 46 at the forward end of the stub shaft 45. From the pulley 46 the line or cable 43 extends horizontally along the front face of the cross bar [8 to a pulley 48 loosely mounted on the forward end of a stub shaft 49 carried by the corresponding triangular reinforcing plates I9. From the pulley 48 the line or cable extends downwardly under the pulley 35 at the corresponding side of the carrier 20 and from this pulley the cable extends upwardly over a pulley 56 mounted on the rear end of the stub shaft 49. From this pulley 50 the cable extends horizontally across the rear side of the cross bar l8 to a pulley 5| mounted on the rear end of the stub shaft 45 and thence this cable extends downwardly and is attached to the drum 42. In order to tighten the cable 43 a turnbuckle 52 can be provided in its horzontal stretch between the pulleys 46 and 48.

Suitable limit switches (not shown) can be provided for limiting the upward and downward movements of the pan or carrier, the electrical circuit also preferably including the usual stop and start switch so that the movement of the carrier can be halted and restarted at any point of its travel.

In order to tip the carrier 20 to a partly inverted position when it reaches the stop of the elevator structure, a line or chain 56 is secured by an eye bolt 58 to the front wall 2| of the pan near the upper or discharge end thereof and is secured by an eye 59 to the rear end of the base ll] of the framework. This line 56 is shorter than the length of travel of the carrier along the rails l5 and hence when the carrier approaches its elevated dumping station, the upper end of this pan or carrier is restrained so as to cause it to swing to the dumping position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4.

In the operation of the apparatus a heavy paper or cloth bag (not shown), of, say, sugar, is opened at its upper end and is lifted and swung into the generally upright carrier 20 which is positioned near the floor as shown in full lines in the drawings. The weight of the bag rests principally upon the bottom 22 of this carrier and the bag leans against the cleats 26 on the rear wall 2| of this carrier. The operator then presses the start button (not shown) to energize the motor 40. This motor rotates the drums 4| and 42 so as to wind up the opposite ends of the cable 43. Since this cable passes over the overhead pulleys 44, 46, 48, 5.0 and 5| on the framework and under the pulleys 35 on the carrier, the shortening of the effective length of this cable 43 draws upwardly the carrier pulleys 35 and moves the carrier 20 upwardly, this movement being permitted by the travelers 30 which are guided for upward movement in the channels of the vertical guide rails l5. While moving upwardly the carrier 20 maintains the position shown by full lines, its rollers 28 riding along the forward faces of the guide rails l5.

As the carrier approaches the upward limit of its travel the chain 56 is drawn taut and since this restrains the upper part of the carrier 20 against further upward movement while the upward movement of its bottom part continues, the carrier is caused to tip rearwardly. As the carrier continues its upward movement this tipping is increased until the carrier assumes the partly inverted position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4; When the carrier reaches this position the motor 40 is tie-energized, either manually or by a limit switch (not shown).

In this partly inverted position of the carrier 20 -as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4, the contents of the bag spill out of its open mouth into the elevated bin or hopper (not shown) into which the'contents' of the bag are to be dis charged. However, the bag itself, if of paper, is prevented from sliding out of the carrier/both because of the restraining effect provided by the cleats 26 and also because the shoulders of the bag at the opposite sides of its open mouth are engaged by the converging parts 24 of the side walls 23 of the carrier. If the bag is of cloth and hence less stifi than a paper bag, the bag is retained aga-inst sliding into-the bin or I hopper. largely by .the cleats;

After the bag has be'en emptied the operator reverses the'motor 40 :so as to unwind the opposite ends of thecabl 13 from the drum il .and 42. This increases the effective length of this cable and permits the carrier to descend by gravity with its travelers 3!] moving along and guided by the opposed channels of-the side rails I15. During this downward movement th counterweight 21 causes the carrier to swing counterclockwise as viewed inFig. 4,-thisswinging being permitted by the lowering of the axis of rotation of the carrier with reference -to the point-of'attachment-SB of-the cable b6. After this axis passes below this point of attachment-58 the counterweight Zl causes the rollers 28 teengage the forward faces of the guide rails IS, the carrier thereby being brought to the angular position shown by full lines in the drawing and the carrier continuing it descent while so positioned. When the carrier reaches the bottom of the rails the motor 40 is de-energized, either manually or by a limit switch (not shown) and the empty bag is removed therefrom and replaced with a filled bag to repeat the operation. It will be noted, however, that if the motor is not de-energized exactly at the lower limit of movement of the carrier, the only effect is to start to rewind the opposite end of the cable 43 on the drums 4| and 42 to start an upward movement of the carrier.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a very simple apparatus for elevating and dumping the contents of containers, such as heavy bags, which can, be readily moved from place to place, which is free from the danger of toppling even when uneven floors are encountered, and which is safe and positive in its action and serves substantially to completely empty the contents of the containers at a high elevation and without dropping the containers into the elevated bin or hopper into which the contents are dumped.

We claim.

1. Apparatus for elevating and dumping the contents of containers, which comprises a supporting structure having generally parallel and vertical spaced guide members, a traveler guided for vertical movement along each of said guide members, a carrier for said containers interposed between said guide members and having a rear wall and a rim projecting forwardly from the bottom and sides of said rear wall to provide bottom and side walls, means pivotally connecting the side Walls of said carrier with said travelers to swing about a generally horizontal axis, means for moving said travelers up and down said guide members, means restraining the movement of the upper part of said carrier on approaching the upper limit of movement of said travelers to swing said carrier about said axis and partly invert said container to dump the contents thereof, and means arranged to retain said container on said carrier while dumping said contents, comprising inwardly converging portions rovided at the upper ends of said side walls and arranged to engage said container and a series of transverse cleats secured to the forward fac of said rear wall and engageable with said container.

2. Apparatus for elevating and dumping the contents of containers, which comprises a supporting structure having generally parallel and vertical spaced guide members, a traveler guided 6 for-verticalmovement along :each ofsaid guide members, acarrier for said containers interposed between said guide members and having a rear wall and'a rim projectingforwardly from the bottornand sides of said rear wall to provide bottom and side walls, coaxial stub shafts fixed to said's'ide'walls and projecting horizontally outwardly-therefrom, a horizontal bearing in each traveler and receiving the corresponding stub shaft; a pulley loose on each of said stub shafts, overhead pulleys carried by said guide members adjacent to the upper ends thereof, an elevator line passinggenerally parallel with said guide members-under said pulleys-on said stub shafts andover said overhead pulleys, means arranged to decrease and increase the effective length of said elevator line to raise and lower said carrier, and" means restraining the upper part of said carrier 'on approaching the upper limit of movement of said travelers to swing said carrier about said axis and partly invert said container to dump the contents thereof.

3. Apparatus for elevating and dumping the,

contents of containers, which comprises a movable base, a supporting structure having generally parallel and vertical spaced guide channel bars arranged with their channels opposing each other and a cross bar connecting the upper ends of said channel bars, a traveler movable along each of said bars and having a pair of parallel flanges arranged inside of and guided along the opposing faces of the flanges thereof and a pair of coplanar flanges guided along the edges thereof, a carrier for said containers interposed between said guide bars, means pivotally supporting said carrier on said travelers to swing about a generally horizontal axis arranged adjacent the center of gravity of the carrier loaded with one of said containers, means arranged to move said travelers up and down said guide bars, means restraining the movement of one part of said carrier on approaching the upper limit of movement of said travelers to swing said carrier about said axis and partly invert said container to dump the contents therefrom, and means on said carrier and arranged to retain the container thereon while dumping said contents.

4. Apparatus for elevating and dumping the contents of containers, which comprises a movable base, a supporting structure having generally parallel and vertical spaced guide channel bars arranged with their channels opposing each other and a cross bar connecting the upper ends of said channel bars, a traveler movable along each of said bars and having a pair of parallel flanges arranged inside of and guided along the opposing faces of the flanges thereof and a pair of coplanar flanges guided along the edges thereof, a carrier for said containers interposed between said guide bars and having a rear wall and a rim projecting forwardly from the bottom and sides of said rear wall to provide bottom and side walls, coaxial stub shafts fixed to said side walls to project horizontally outwardly therefrom and journalled in said travelers, means connected with said stub shafts and cross bar and arranged to move said travelers up and down said guide bars, and means restraining the upper part of said carrier on approaching the upper limit of movement of said travelers to swing said carrier about said axis and partly invert said container to dump the contents thereof.

5. Apparatus for elevating and dumping the contents of containers, which comprises a movable base, a supporting structure having generally parallel and vertical spaced guide members and a cross bar connecting the upper ends of said guide members, a traveler guided for vertical movement along each of said guide members, a carrier for said containers interposed between said guide members and having a rear wall and a rim projecting forwardly from the bottom and sides of said rear wall to provide bottom and side walls, means pivotally connecting the side walls of said carrier with said travelers to swing about a generally horizontal axis, a loose pulley on each side of said carrier coaxial with said pivotally connecting means, overhead pulleys carried by said cross bar, an elevator line passing generally parallel with said guide members under said pulleys on said carrier and over said overhead pulleys, a pair of drums on said base, means connecting the opposite ends of said elevator line to said drums to be wound thereon in one direction of rotation of said drums, a motor on said base REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 7 985,751 Smith et a1 Feb. 28, 1911 1,007,483 Peirce Oct. 31, 1911 1,570,302 Hale Jan. 19, 1926 2,388,987 Morrison Nov. 13, 1945 2,470,340 Cook et a1 May 17, 1949

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