US2604990A - Coal cleaning machine - Google Patents

Description

July 29, 1952 J, AMQUR 2,604,990

COAL. CLEANING MACHINE Filed spt. 11, 195o A 2 sums-SHEET 1 `\{\p Figa *y V 4 I v l152 .,50 50 ,d

56 28 ,:.1 L@ 'g "j "l a4 l 0 IZ// 32 G o' I' o aa ' i o 4f f4 22x 24 26 20 92 o E o@ /46 A 6 76- l.; g ,44 35 40 /4/0 58 48 54 44 .t E #s o @o N James Amour Fig. 2

l INVENToR.

July 29, 1952 AMOUR 2,604,990

- COAL CLEANING MACHINE Filed Sept. 11, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Fig] 3 Mln H /lo James Amour INVENToR.

Patented July 29, y1952 vi- :"-This invention relates to' nevvand` useful infl- -"provemets in coalcleaning 'rinaehisgenerilly Sand in particular toV improvdlair' pifatdfrhans "for operating1theslatedisclia1fge gate iny 'r'espnse ybreaker y unit equipped' with `lytrator' leones,

landlosing. of. theeiseharfg'e gate, and mwnich the Jreoipreoatin'gl`l `piston Vthereon will reverse its Lstrokeih: response 1to1 Hthe Waterr` level vi'n the' hy- Yclratorlhaving" reached eitlie'r-ni it'sl-prdeter- Imine'dLleve'ls; f Stili` another: .importanti object eetl-iis invntion is to provide a machine' o-ffth `l-charaicter finwhieh the discharlg'egate will only-bei oper- =.atedin'one direction vat either-of the Water'l'evel --limitsiiny theihydrator Vthat Lis 4the gate-willi only :be closed` WhenA the' water level in ther hydra-tor Visfzat itslower' limit. i Y meritorious feature ofthe' pi-esent;` inven- -tionresides in the' xrieansprovided-` for "controlling -thezreciprooation of the piston` rod 'inl the'. double acting cylinder,y such means being o'f a character thatk an inter've'ning4V indp dent voc- Veu'rre'nce is required' beif'v'veenY the completion of on'estroke and' beforetlie following strokes-an ibe'in'itiaitedt y Y f Another Limpo'rt'az'it feature ofV the` present in- Vention, .closely allied t'd lthe" features" setiorth in the' preCedingpragrDlfresides; -i ythen'fleaI-is :responsivei' tothe water`l level in'thehydrator -dsignate similar. vparts throughoutzthe'; various vievvs, and.in which the ,invention-.isf designated geherallyfatA I0.: i if;

a succeeding stroke, sol asl-t 'cf'Jnstiti-ite1` the 'feh rige -of L'W'ate'rlevel fromi onew Iiritt'tle*otlfie' astlie lintervening occurrenc'efl f A' .nal Iiirip'ortant :feature to be speoic'allyset forthl `herein resides the linkage l s'ys'temll `be- @tween the piston 'rodianql teef-valve centrer :and "theslidingbloeks that a'r'e disposedinthe travel :.pathof a portion'offalinkageasof as to acti on and .tothev actedV upon bythe' linkage'.l

These', together with various ancillary Vobjects and` features. ofth'e irwention which will `bec'cnre apparenti as' the" followingi description proceeds,

Y erally! kYeslfrape'cl passageAZfintermediate its ends.

s Claims 7 (eigene-e496) ieri-ed embodiment ofvvl'lichhasbeen illustrated ly` Way oi: .exemple only the. aocompanying drawings; Wliereirif` y g;

'fgir'efl is. side Lelevationalview off the' invntio'ir -Withi :portionsl of the same 1 being' broken faWay and 'shovvn'ui'nl sectioniryn.

' Figureif2i`s a' fragmentary. topxplanv view offfthe invention, :withlnortidns o'f thefsame being breken.

awytand 'shown inr'sectionzfupon Y. the planeof' n the section linelzz in' Figure .1;1... I Y, Figure 3 is a. verticallseotional Viewv of `the; invnt'i taken upon-the `plane of the section lline Figure 4T! l is-f a. fragmentary?. 'vertical seetional `teilten upon.the.;rplaneof ;the ,section line; G-i-G offFiuree; i. 4:4 4 Referentie is' now Emade'. more speoically tofthe ac'c'on'ipanyingl drawings; wherein like Anumerals vMounted. upona .pltiorn Iiithatrsts upon horizontal frameniefnbers el 4 :is adouble--aeting oylinde'ri6" having la .pistoni H18' slidable i therein. yMearis is provided to .selectively exhaust-andini';r'oduc"e4 lldl underipressure". adjacent; the opposite yends of the.' cylinder.' l-6fto cause .reciprocati'n! of the pistoni 18; Vsuch means consisting'f of a- `valveZfor'med. of a tubular valvembodyf having spaced-*lateral :ports -2`4=and26l The cylsite e'ridf; f andconduits vr3 Zand' 341 are provided l.to

" respectively: aord vveornmunieati'onabetween the Vportslztlaridi 28, and ports .2 @and 30. vAevalve .corfmember'i is .sli'd'ableV in' the tubular-valve ..bd5'f.fr22;:jand';as clearly shovsinginy Figure 2; l'the valve; core' .3 62 has provideditherein L-shaped.` passages/Maud .4011 at its iop'posite: ends; and' a geri- Inaddition", an air pressure'line. 44- :communicates With.fthe'finterior of :the-"body 22-in`termediate its ends: and exhaust line's 461and1148 communicate i with" the. interior: of'Y the? seinemdjaoent` itszopposite lends;r the.` arrangement being suohthat. the y:pressure line- Mha's vcor'nmuni'cation ywith the passage-112 irrespective ofthe position ofthe core Amember,V and;y s will :bereadily understood the ydor memb'erfmay be vmovedfbetwee'n positions 3 in which the passage 42 has selective communication with one of the conduits 32 and 34 to selectively apply pressure to the opposite end of the piston I8. It will of course be appreciated that when the air pressure line 44 has communication with one of the conduits 32 and 34, the other conduit has communication with one of the exhaust lines through one of the L-shaped passages y 3,8 and 40. As thus far described, the piston |8 maybe selectively driven to either one of the en'ds of the cylinder i6 by controlling the position of the valve core member 36. y The piston I8 carries a piston rod 50 that slidably extends through one of the end walls of the .y

cylinder I6. As best shown in Figures 2 and 3,

posts 52 and 54 extend upwardly fromthe' platf form |2, the post 52 having pivotally-mounted upon its upper end a link 56, the link 56 being pivoted to the post 52 intermediate its ends andY having one end pivotedto the piston rod 50 as at 58. Another link 60 has one end pivoted tothe upper end of the post 54, and the adjacentends ofthe links 56 and 60 arev formed with eyesthat are rotatably received on a sleeve-62 bestvshown in Figure 4. The .ends of the links-56and 60 received on the sleeve 62 aredisposedbetween a pair of roller bearings 64 also receivedon the sleeve 62, and the roller bearings 64 :as well as the adjacent endsn of the links 5,6 'and .60are retained in assembled relation on the sleeve 62 by means of a bolt 66 and washers 68. r

Guide blocks and 12 are secured tothe platform |2 by means of suitable fasteners 14 below the pivotal connection of the links 56and 60, and have disposed slidably'thereon the slide blocks 16 and 18. As best shown in Figure 5, the lowerl portion of the slide blocks 16 and 18 areyof an inverted T configuration 80 that slide in comple- Amentary channels 82` in the .blocks V1i) and-12.

The slide blocks 16 and 18 are disposed onoppo.

site sides of the pivotal connectionbetweengthe links 56 and 60, and are each .urged or ,biased toward the pivotal connection by means :of backing members 84 suitably secured to the vblocks 10 and 12 and extending upwardly therefrom, with compression springs 86 ,andl 88 being seated between the backing members 84 and theslideblocks 16 and 18 respectively. Guide rods 90 are secured to the slide blocks 16 and18 which extend through the springs 88 and 86 and slidably extend lthrough suitable apertures provided in the backing members 84. The outer ends of Vthe rods 190 are threaded and adjustment vnuts 92 provided thereon to limit the movement oftheslidingblocks toward the pivotal connection. `It Willbe-noted that annular bosses 94 are provided onpthe adjacent faces of the backing members 84 to slidably embrace the rods 00 and to space-the .outer ends of the compression spring from the rods S0. Latch means is provided toipreventsliding movement of the blocks 16 and 1 8 Atoward the pivotal connection, such means includingtubular housings 96 and 08 suitably securedinLLsuitable openings .provided in Athe platform] 2 and depending therefrom, in which housingA are sliclably` disposed latch members |00 and,r|02, each of these members being urged upwardly'by means lof compression springs |04 disposed in the lower portions of the tubular housings 96 and 98and seatedbetween the lower `ends of thelatch members andvr yplugs |06 threaded into the lower end of the fhou'sings. The upper portion of the latch members 00 and 02 are reduced in .diameteriand'slidably proj ect upwardly through :suitable apertures Ain the, web lconnectingthe blocks 1,0 and 12 in I,ably-extends.

whichslidablyproject through elongated slots I I6 providedji-n the adjacent faces of the tubular "housings 96 and98. In addition, the latch members |00 and |02 are provided with transverse openings ||8 intermediate their ends which received the opposite ends of the rocker lever |14,

the arrangement being such that by rocking the shaft'llo, one of the latching members may be moved downwardly `while the other latching member is permitted to move upwardly through the action of` its associated spring |04. It will be appreciated that the shaft ||0 and the rocker lever A||4 are for the purpose of releasing the latching-members from the sliding block and that the openings |8may be made suciently large tov allow as much independent motion to the latching members as may be desired and which will yet permit the shaft ||0 to be rotated to a -position to disengage the latching members from the sliding blocks. Y V- y Means is provided for rocking the shaft' |10.v At |20 is designated generally a portion of the hydrator in which is disposed a float |22. The oat .|22carries an upright |24 that at |26 has pivotal connection to1 a lever `4arm pivoted intermediate its endsat |30 to the body of the hydrator. The

end of theA lever arm |28 remote from the upright |24 issecured to a cable |32, such cable |32 'being entrained over a pulley |34 carried by a suitable support |30, and the lower endsyof the cable |32 that the pivotal connection between the links 56 .and 60u willvmove inthe opposite direction or to the left,.and vice versa. i u This `motion in the linkage is transmitted to the' valvecore member 36 by an actuator rod |40 having one end connectedto the valveV core memberl 36 and its other end pivotally coupled to the link 60 intermediate its endas'at |42, it being noted that the valve body 22 is closed at one end byY a plate |44I and at the other `end by anapertured plate |46 throughwhich the yrod |40 slid.-

. It is believed that kthe operation of the invention will bereadily understood. .As an initial 'condition of-,the machine, it will be assumed that the same is in the position shownin'Figures 2 gand 3 withnthe slide block 16 in itslimiting poslide'blocklt retained-by the latch member,|02. A It/wilLbe understood thatuponfthe level ofgthe 'water= in thephydrator being loweredl to apredetermined level, theshaft |10 will be rotated clockwise,as` shown in-Figure 4 to anpextent .suf-

sitin towards the pivotal connection, ,and the cient to free the latch member |02 lfrom the slide block 18, whereuponfthe slide block 18 through `the actionfof the spring A08 urges the tpivotal,connection between the links 56v and 60 totheleft-asshown-in Figure 2.; Suchimoveement, of the pivotal-connection-:to the left is accompanied Aby La corresponding movement 'to theleft of the rod `which serves to 4push the @valvecore member n36 to a position in whichair pressure through the line 44 Aisadmitted tothe provided 'in the other' left of the Vpiston I8 to force the vsame into a position to the right. It will be noted that-when the lpiston I8 moves to the right, the pivotal connection is moved tothe left so thatithe same will engage the slide block 16 and urgethe same from the slide block 16, whereupon the slideblock I6 urges the ypivotal vconnection to the right as shown in Figure 2,such motion being accompanied by'a shift of the valvev core-member to the right soy thatpressure -is now admitted to the right hand sideof Ithe'piston I8 to force the same to theV left. Such lmotion of the piston I8 to the left will act throughA the link 56 to force the pivotal connection to the right so as to force theslide block "I8 backr to itsinitial position with the latch member Y|02 retaining the same in the initial position. It

V-willnow be appreciated that the machine'has proceeded through an entire cycle and is in condition for a repeat operation.

At |48 is designated generallyA the slate discharge chute in which is disposed a gate |50 pivoted intermediate its ends atY |52. As clearly` showni in the. drawings; the gate |50. is provided with a depending arm |54, such arm |54 `having pivotal connection at |58` to one end of the piston' rod 50 that projects'into the chute |48. Of course, Vin the pivotal connection between the arm |54'and the piston rod 50, means is provided'for lost motion suchvas the slots' |58 pivotal connections throughoutthe machine.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bek readily understood and further ex-plana'tionfis-A believed to be unnecessary. However, sincei numerous, modications and changes will readily occur tothose skilled in the art after .a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, itis not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction' shown and described, but all suitable modifications and vequivalentsv may be resorted to, falling withinthe scope of the appended claims. L,

While it is believed that the general nature of the coal cleaning machine with which the-above invention is to be associated will be obvious to those skilled in the art when the drawings are considered in conjunction with the description thereof; however, it is believed a brief statement explaining the same will not render this specication unduly lengthy. In this type of machine, the coal is cleaned and separated from slate and the like hydraulically by periodic upward surges of Water in the mixture of coal and slate, such surges washing the coal and causing the slate to settle below the coal. In the drawings, such washing and separation takes place above the valve |50 in the chute |48, conventional means being provided, not shown, tocause the water to surge upward and the surface level thereof to fluctuate in the chute |48. The portion of the hydrator designated at has water communication with the chute |48 by conventional means, not shown, so that the water level therein also fluctuates to actuate the float I 22.

'6 v.Obviously means. noti shown, are provided `as customary in machines. of this Vtype for removingslate from below they valve |50, and alsex-for 'introducing uncleaned coal Yand removing cleaned coal from' positions above the valve |50. With-this brief explanation it is believed Vthat the general nature of the machine to which the present invention Ais appliedwill be evident to /those unfamiliar in vthe art, and thatA further description -thereof will not be needed inasmuchV as such machines are common place and form no part of this invention. u f f l Havingfdescribed the invention, what is claimed t as newis': 15

1. vIn afcoal cleaning machine ofthe type'including a hydrator float and a slate discharge gatepa cyl-inderrhaving a piston and a piston rod slidable A`therein, means operatively connecting the piston rod `to the discharge gate,'valvular meansV forselectively vexhausting and admitting uidunderpressure at the opposite ends of the cylinder,- means for actuating said valvular means comprising first and second links havingapivotal connection vat Vtheir adjacent ends, the rst link having a `fixed pivot intermediate its ends and its remote end pivoted tothe piston rod, Ythesecond link having a fixedpivot at its remote end, movable elements disposed on opposite sides of and-in the travel pathof said pivotal connection, means yieldingly urging-said elements towards the pivotal connection, means for latching each of vsaid elements against movement towards the pivotal connection, an actuator` rod connecting the second llink to the valvular means, and means operatively connecting the lhydrator float to the latch means for selectively releasing each of said movable elements whereby when one of themov- 'able elements is released'in resp'onseto movement Aof"thefloaig it will move thef'pivotal'connection 'towads'the other movable memberand' through the second linli and' 'actuatorrod actuate'the valvular means-"" "jf2 I n' a coalj cleaning'm'achinje of ithetype including 'ahydratorffloat anda slate'jdischarge vg'at'e,fa, cylinder having ai piston and apiston rod l cylinder, means for actuating said valvular means vcomprising rstand second links, having a 4pivotal connection at their 'adjacent ends; the first link`having. a HXed pivot intermediate' its' ends and itsreinote end pivoted to the piston rod', the second link having a fixed pivot'at its remoteend, movable elements' disposed on lopposite vsides of andlin the'travel pathfof said pivotalconnection, meansyieldingly urging said elementsy towards the pivotal connection, means for latching each of said elements against movement towards the pivotal connection,` an actuator rod connecting the second link to the valvular means, and means operatively connecting the hydrator float to the latch means for selectively releasing each of said movable elements, said latch means including a pair of latch members, each of which is slidable into and biased towards the travel path of one of said movable elements, said means connecting the float to the latch means including a rock shaft yhaving a rocker lever thereon connected to the latch members.

3. In a coal cleaning machine of the type including a hydrator float and a slate discharge gate, a cylinder having a piston and a piston rod slidable therein, means operatively connecting 7 the` piston, rod to. the diSCha-rgegate, valvular means -for selectively exhausting, and admitting .uid under pressure at the :opposite endsgof'the cylinder, means for actuating said valvular means comprising first'and ,fseco'ndjlinks having a pivotal 'connection at their-adjacent' ends, Vthe iirst link having a xed pivotintermediate,its ends and its remote end pivotedto th'evpiston rod, the second link having a fixed pivot :at'its remote end,

movable elements dispcsedon opposite sidesof and in the travel path of said pivotal connection, means yieldingly urging .said elements towards the pivotal connection, means forllatching each of said elements against movement towards the pivotal connection, Van actuatorr rod connecting Vthe secondvlink to the valvularl means, means ley mounted on a support, an elongated flexiblev .element entrained overthe pulley and having` its opposite endsv secured tothe opposite ends of the lever arm, a -further, lever-having a fixed pivot intermediate its endswith one of its -ends secured to the hydrator float and its other end secured to the fleiible'element.

4. In a coal cleaning machine, a cylinder having a piston and a piston rod slidable therein, valvular means for selectively exhausting and admitting fluid under pressure atopposite ends of the cylinder, means for actuating said valvular means comprising first and second links having a pivoted connection at their adjacent ends, the rst link having a xed pivot intermediate its ends andA its remote end pivotedto the piston rod, the second link having a xed pivot 'ati its remote end, movable elements disposed on opposite 'sides of Aand in the travel path of said pivotal connection,

means yieldingly urging said elements towards the pivotal iconnection, means for latching eachrv of said elements against movement towards the pivotal connection, and an` actuator rod connecting the second link to the valvular means. s

5. In a coal cleaning machine of a cylinder having a piston and a piston rod slidable therein, valvular means for selectively exhausting and admitting fluid under `pressure at opposite ends of the cylinder to cause reciprocation of the piston rod, means for controlling said valvular means comprising rst and second links havinga pivotal 55 connection at their adjacent ends, the rst link having a fixed pivot intermediate its ends and' its remote end pivoted to the piston rod, thev second link having a 'ixed pivot at itsremote ends, a

; basel disposed adjacent the pivotal com iection,

blocks slidably mounted Von. the Abase `n n-opposite sides "of vthe pivotalconnection, spaced backing 1 members onj the base, compre ssio n springs interposed between the j backing members andjthe blocks'urging Athe' blocks `towards the pivotal connection,` latchng members slilably` mounted in the base and movable into and out of the travel path of `the'blocks,A means lfor selectively moving said latching memberaand an Aactuator rod connecting thezseconl link to thevalvular means.l

16. `In a coal eleaningmachine of a Y cylinder having a piston and a piston rod slidable therein, valvular means `for selectivelyexhaustingand ad- `mitting efluid. u nder pressurewat opposite ends of the cylinder to vcause reciprocation of the piston rod, meansfor.,-controllingjsaid valvular means comprisingrst and second links having a pivotal connection at theiradjacentends, the nrst linkA having'a;niged-pivotintermediate its ends and its remoteendpivoted to the piston rod, the second link having .a xed pivot at its remote ends, a base disposed adjacent the pivotal connection, blocks slidably mounted on the base on oppositeA sides ofthe .pivotal connection, spaced backing members :on the base, helical compression springs' interposed between the backing `members andthe blocks urging the `blocks towards the pivotal connection, a' guide rodse- Ycured to each of thebloc'ks', said guiderod extendingv through one of thel compression springs and'slidably extending through one of the backing members, a stop vcarried by Athe guide rod engageable .with the vbacking member to li'mit movement ofthe blockassociated therewithtowards the pivotal. connection, ,latchingv members slidably mounted in the base .and movable into and out Vof the travel path lofthe blocks, means for selectively v, moving" said, flatclfling members, and an actuator rodconnecting'the second link tolthe valvular means.V j vJAMES AMOUR l f .The following referenceslare-'tifl record inthe fileof this patent: i l' u V ,.IJN'ITED'STATES PATENTS ."fNeme r Date, 1,306,493 v Norton May 19, 1931 I2,`{12l,5'6 Norton June 3, 1947 212133,32@ Norton Dec.- '22.;.194'1 FOREIGNPATENTS l l Number o AvCourir/fry o i "i Date Y 292,863 `Grez't'tf'Britain`' June 28, 1928 '627,166 `Germany Mar. 10, 1936 Germany May 1s, 1936

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