US2643160A - Universal traveling unloader sucker for cotton gins - Google Patents

Description

June 23, 1953 L. J. ZEIG 2,643,160

UNIVERSAL TRAVELING UNLOADER SUCKER FOR COTTON GINS Filed Sept. 20, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet l Fig.

Leo J. Zeig INVENTOR.

June 23, 1953 L. J. ZEIG 2,643,160

UNIVERSAL TRAVELING UNLOADER SUCKER FOR COTTON GINS Filed Sept. 20, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. J. ZEIG UNIVERSAL TRAVELING UNLOADER SUCKER FOR COTTON GINS Filed Sept. 20, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Leo J. Zeig INVENTOR.

BY Q1.

Patented June 23; 1953 UNIVERSAL TRAVELING UNLOADER SUCKER FOR COTTON GINS Leo J. Zeig, Hearne, Tex.

Application September 20, 1949, Serial No. 116,800

2 Claims.

This invention relates to novel and useful improvements in a universal travelling unloader sucker for cotton gins and more specifically pertains to a pneumatic conveyor having both horizontal and vertical traversing movements for removing cotton and similar contents from vehicles.

lhe primary object of this invention is to provide an improved construction of pneumatic conveyors particularly applicable for use with cotton gins and having an improved adjustability for increasing the efficiency of the unloading clevice.

A. further important object of the invention is to provide a travelling suction unloader for cotton gins having improved suction tube assembly with a horizontal portion partaking of a horizontal traversing movement and with a vertical portion capable of a vertical traversing movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved suction unloader in accordance with the foregoing objects wherein improved and easily operated means are provided for effectively lengthening the vertical adjustment of the unloader, and for positioning the vertical portion of the unloader throughout various portions of a vehicle without movement 01" the latter.

And a final important object of the invention to be specifically enumerated herein resides in the provision or" a suction unloader as set forth in. the foregoing objects in which there is provided an improved supporting means for effectively journ-aling in a simplified and improved manner the suction unloader throughout the horizontal traversing movement of the same.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary top plan view showing a preferred embodiment of the suction unloader adapted to be connected with the operating mechanism of a cotton gin, a portion of the wall of the gin through which the unloader ex tends being shown in section, the middle position of the unloader being indicated in full lines while the extremes of the horizontal traversing l iovement oi the unloader are indicated in dotted lines therein;

Figure 2 is a side elev-ational view of the unloader shown in Figure l, a portion of the wall of the gin being indicated in section, the depending or suction inlet tube of the unloader being indicated in its middle position in full lines, and in its vertical traversing movement in dotted lines therein;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional dea 2 tall view taken substantially upon the plane of the section line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional detail view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the unloader, showing the vertical component thereof together with a slidable and counterweighted extension thereon; and

Figure 6 is a side elevational view showing in end elevation the unloader of Figure 2, indicated in full lines the middleposition of the unloader in a vehicle, and in dotted lines the extreme positions of the unloader in horizontal traversing movement of the same, the side of the vehicle being broken away and shown in section therein.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, it will be seen that the numeral 10 indicates a portion of a vertical wall forming a part of a cotton gin or housing for the same, this wall having a horizontally extending opening or slot 52 through which the improved suction unloader forming the subject matter of this invention is adapted to extend and having a horizontal traversing movement therein.

Housed within the construction of which the wall l0 forms a part is a cotton gin of any conventional type, not shown, and to which the suction unloader forming the subject of this invention is adapted to be connected. The suction unloader comprises a substantially horizontally extending suction head, indicated generally by the numeral I4, and adapted to be connected in any suitable manner to the cotton gin, not shown, this head terminating in an enlarged housing It having an open chamber in its outer end in which is received the correspondingly enlarged and shaped end portion [8 of the horizontal tube section 2%). The portion I8 is secured within the chamber in the housing it, as by a vertically disposed pivot pin 22, so that the tube 29 is capable of a horizontal traversing movement in the slot [2 and in. the housing It. Any desired packing means may be provided to insure an airtight seal between the relatively pivoting members l8 and It, the principles of the invention not being limited to any particular type of seal.

The horizontal tube 20 may be conveniently divided, as shown more clearly in Figure 4, into two sections, 24 and 26, the end 28 of the section 25 being of reduced diameter and slidably received in the end of the section 24 for rotation therein. Welded or otherwise secured to the outer surface of the section 2 t is an annular mcmber or ring 28 which is received rotatably and loosely in the channeled portions til of a plurality of brackets 32 fixedly secured to the outer surface of the end of the section 24.

By this means, it will be seen that the sections 24 and 26 forming the horizontal tube 20 are prevented from endwise displacement, but are permitted relative rotation, facilitating the operation of the unloader. as will become apparent hereinafter.

The horizontal tube of the unloader is supported for horizontal traversing movement by means of a monorail track in the form of an angle iron member 34 suitably mounted in spaced relation in a horizontal plane upon the Wall as by brackets consisting of horizontal members 36 and inclined reinforcing or brace members 38. A pair of straps or clamps M) are rigidly secured to and embrace the horizontal tube 20 in any desired manner, and constitute support brackets between which is journaled, as by means of a longitudinally extending axle '45. secured to the brackets as by fastening nuts 44, a supporting roller 48 ,icurnaled upon, the axle 42 by any suitable anti-iriction means such as bearings or the like. This roller G8 is adapted to rest upon the monorail 35, thereby supporting for horizontal traversing movement the horizontal tube 20, in a manner which will be readily understood by reference to Figures 1 and 2.

At its outer extremity, the horizontal tube is provided with a downwardly extending elbow 48 which, terminates in an enlarged hollow casing 5.0. Secured in this casing as by a horizontal pivot pin 52 is the enlarged upper end portion 54 of a vertical tube 56v constituting the inlet tube of the unloader. By means of the pivot pin 52, the tube 56 is mounted for a vertical traversing movement, as indicated in Figure 2. In order to adjustably lengthen or shorten the effective lower end of the tube 56, there is provided an extension in the form of a sleevefit which is slidably received upon the interior surface 023 tube 3 for vertical sliding movement thereon.

To facilitate the adjustment of the sleeve 53, a counterweight mechanism for the same is provided. A pair of handles 66 are attached to 0D" posite sides or" the sleeve 58 and a counterbalancing cable 62 is connected to each of these handles, and is then entrained over guide pulleys 65 mounted on suitable brackets 66 carried by the member 50, and over further guide pulleys 68, secured to bracket '1' carried by a clamp 72 embracing the tube 29. The ends of these cables (32 are provided with suitable counterweights the arrangement being such, that the weight it will substantially balance the weight of the sleeve 58, whereby the latter may be vertically adjusted ma ually to any desired elevation and will then remain in adjusted position.

In order to establish a fluid-tight seal between the members 54 and 50, the upper rim of the member 54 is provided with a felt packing or other suitable sealing means 16, which is adapted to frictionally engage against the inner surface of the member 50 during the vertical traversing movement of the tube 56.

From the foregoing, the operation of the device will now be understood. A truck or other vehicle to be unloaded of cotton or similar material is driven into an appropriate position, and the entire suction assembly either rotated about its slip coupling between the sections 24 and 26, or the extension 58 is raised sufliciently to permit the lower end of the inlet tube 58 and its extension to clear the sides of the vehicle until the inlet tube is positioned at substantially the central portion of the same. The cotton gin is now started, the suction from the same being transmitted through the conduit system of the suction unloader, picking up and entraining cotton from the truck and delivering the same into the cotton gin. It will now be perceived that the horizontal traversing movement of the horizontal tube 28, by means of the movement of the roller upon the monorail track 34, will position the vertical inlet tube 56 throughout the entire length of the truck, as indicated in the full and dotted lines in Figure 6. At the same time, the vertical traversing movement of the inlet tube 55 with respect to the horizontal tube, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, permits the device to remove cotton throughout the entire width of the truck. During both the longitudinal and lateral movement of the inlet tube 56 throughout the truck, the sleeve 58 may be easily adjusted to enable the lower end thereof to pick up all of the cotton from the bottom of the truck.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the device permits a single person to completely unload the contents of a truck without the necessity for moving or adjusting the truck with respect to the device, and with a minimum of effort.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that numerous modifications and equivalents will readily to those skilled in the art after r. consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings and, accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed and described the invention, what is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A universal traveling unloader for cotton gins comprising a suction head for connection with a suction tube assembly having a horizontal portion which at one end is communicating with and directly attached to said head, a supporting track. having a level upper horizontal supporting surface intermediate the ends of said horizontal portion, an elongated support roller extending longitudinally of and dependingly mounted upon the bottom surface of said horizontal portion and resting upon said supporting surface, a vertical pivot connecting adjacent end portions of said portion and said suction head for horizontal traversing oscillating movement about the vertical axis of said pivot, said suction tube assembly having a vertically disposed inlet tube, a horizontal pivot connecting the upper end of said inlet tube to the other end, of said horizontal portion for vertical swinging movement of said tube and an extension slidable upon. the lower end of said tube.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said lioTlzonta-l portion includes a pair of aligned sect ons, means connecting said sections for relatlve rotation about their common axis but preventing relative axial movement of said sections.

LEO J. ZEIG.

References Cited in the file of this patent

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