US2650692A - Material loading apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Sept. l, 1953 c. N. BEBINGl-:R

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' f fares Z. eenyez: W y Q4 A Patented Sept. 1, 1953 MATERIAL LOADING APPARATUS Charles N. Bebinger, New Philadelphia, Ohio, assignor to Joy Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 28, 1947, Serial No. 788,703

6 Claims.

This invention relates to loading apparatus and more particularly to improvements in loading apparatus having a vibratory gathering head for gathering the loose material to be loaded. From one aspect, the invention relates to improved counterbalancing means for the vibratory gathering head whereby the unbalanced forces are kept at a minimum, thereby substantially reducing vibrations set up within the machine during its operation.

In mobile loading machines, such as are used in loading loose material in underground mines, not only are loading eiciency and ease in rnaneuverability necessary, but also extreme compactness is essential due to the relatively restricted spaces in which the machine must operate. In order to obtain compactness and efficiency in the gathering of loose material in underground mines, a machine of the vibratory gathering head type, more or less similar to that of the present invention, was developed by me, as disclosed in Patent No. 2,234,071, granted March 4, 1941.

The present invention contemplates improvements over the previous machine disclosed in the patent above referred to, in part in the provision of improved counterbalancing means associated with the vibratory gathering head, whereby anl improved smoothness of operation and an increase in overall efficiency may be obtained, and

in part in the provision of improved shovel supporting means, whereby dependence on hydraulic shovel positioning means may be replaced by improved mechanical support, and occasion for shovel readjustment may be minimized. By the improved construction and arrangement of parts in my present invention not only are unbalanced forces kept at a minimum, but also the counterbalancing means is arranged and mounted in a novel manner so that extreme compactness is obtained. Due to the novel arrangement of the counterweight means close to the center of gravity of the head, an effective minimization of vibration is made possible. Further, by the provision of the guiding and supporting means for the forward gathering end of the head, the head is adequately guided, and has its penetrating edge maintained steadily in desired relation to the bottom.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved loading apparatus constituting a substantial improvement over previously known generally similar apparatus. Another object is to provide an improved loading apparatus of the vibratory gathering head type whereby loose material may be easily 4and relatively smoothly gathered and loaded by a substantially continuous operation. Still another object is to provide an improved mobile loadingmachine especially designed for use in loading loose material in underground mines. A still further object is to provide a machine of the vibratory gathering head type having improved means for keeping the unbalanced forces at a minimum, thereby effectively reducing the vibration set up Within the machine as a result of the vibratory action of the gathering head. Yet another object is to provide improved counterweight means associated with the vibratory gathering head in a novel manner for substantially reducing vibration. A further object is to provide a novel and extremely com-pact arrangement of counterweight means Within the body of the machine in adjacency to the center of gravity of the loading head. Another object is to provide improved mechanism for operatively connecting the counterweight to the loading head, together with improved actuating means for the loading head. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Figs. l and 2, taken together, constitute a plan View of a loading machine in which an illustrative form of the invention is embodied.

Figs. 3 and 4, taken together, constitute a side elevational view of the machine shown in Figs. l and 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view, with parts of the vibratory gathering and elevating head removed and parts broken away and in section.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 oi Figs. l and 2, with parts omitted.

Fig. '7 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 1 1 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on lines 9 9 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on line lll-I0 of Fig. 6.

Fig. l1 is a substantially horizontal sectional view taken on lines I I-I I of Fig. 7.

Fig. l2 is an enlarged cross-sectional View taken substantially on line |2-l2 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on line l3l3 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 14 is -a somewhat schematic view of the vibratory gathering and elevating head and assocated counterweight means.

The improved loading apparatus, as shown in the drawings, is of the tractor mounted, frontal attack type, although, evidently, the invention may be embodied in loading machines mounted in other manners and may be used for purposes other than loading.

The machine generally comprises a mobile base including a main frame I carried by conventional crawler treads 2, 2 at the opposite sides of the frame, and these crawler treads are driven and `may be controlled to effect propulsion and steering of the machine in a well known manner. Carried above the main frame is a vibratory gathering and elevating head 3 having,` as shown in Fig. l, a relatively wide front gathering head portion 4 and a relatively narrow troughlike portion `5 extending rearwardly of the widened portion and arranged to gather and elevate the material to be loaded and to discharge the material ontoV a rear discharge conveyor 6 carried by a rearward projection 'I of the main frame I. The front widened gathering head portion 4 has a serrated front penetrating edge at 8, and is formed with forwardly diverging side walls 9 whieh converge into the side walls I8 of the narrow troughlike portion 5 in the manner fully described in my Patent No. 2,234,071 above referred to. As shown `in Figs. 7, 9, 10, 12 and 13, the troughlike portion 5 of thegathering and elevating head is provided with strips of resilient material, along portions of the sides and bottom thereof, as indicated at I I, such strips preferably composed of rubber impregnated material, for providing a high `coeiicient of friction and to attain greater resiliency for reducing the disintegration of the material being loaded. The gathering and elevating head 3 is mounted for oscillatory movement on pairs of forward and rearward hanger arms I2 and I3 (Figs. 6 and 11i) of equal length andarranged in parallel relation and pivotally mounted at their upper ends at I4 on the vertical sides of a tiltable upper frame I5 and pivotally connected at their lowerends at I5 to the sides of the gathering and elevating head. The rear discharge conveyor is pivotally mounted atI IT onthe rearward projection of the main frame I to swing horizontally and vertically relativeto the gathering and elevating head, and this conveyor isl drivenby an independent motor I8 through `suitable transmission connections I9. The specific structure of the rear discharge conveyor and its swinging and tilting means may be generally similar to' those described in the patent above referred to, and since they do not per se enter into the present invention, further description thereof is herein unnecessary.

In accordance with this invention, carried centrally by the upper frame I5 of the machine beneath the vibratory gathering and elevating head is a motor 2U, having keyed to the forward end of its power shaft 2| a bevel pinion 22 (see Fig. 11)

meshing with a bevel gear 23 keyed to a transverse shaft 24 suitably journale'd within a gear housing 25 carriedby the upper frame I5. Keyed to: and driven by the transverse shaft 24 is a spur pinion 26 meshing with a spur gear 2l keyed to a transverse shaft 28, likewise suitably journaled within the gear housing 25. The shaft 28 projects horizontally through the sides of the gear housing and has formed at the projecting sides thereof eccentric or crank portions 29 which are engaged by parallel connecting rods 3) arranged exteriorly of the housing at the sides thereof. The forward ends of these connecting rods are pivotally connected to a transverse shaft 3I. The shaft 3i is suitably journaled at its opposite ends within crank arms 32, 32 (Fig. 13) secured to aligned transverse shafts 33, 33 suitably journaled within the sides of the upper frame l5. Secured to the outer ends of the shafts 33 at the outer sides of the upper frame and spaced with respect to the crank arms 32 are crank arms 34. The shafts 33 provide the pivots 35 for the crank arms 32 and 34 on the sides of the upper frame. The crank yarms 34 are pivotally connected at 36 to links 3?, in turn pivotally connected at 38 to arms 39 integral with the front hanger arms I2. Thus, when the eccentrics or cranks 2S are rotated by the motor 2D, the gathering and elevating head 3 is rapidly oscillated back and forth on its arm mountings, for a purpose to be later explained, through the connecting rods 30, crank arms 32 and 34, links 3'( and arms 39 integral with the front hanger arms I2. The gathering and elevating head is rapidly oscillated with relatively short strokes of uniform length.

The tiltable upper frame I5 on which the vibratory gathering and elevating head 3 is mounted is pivoted at 4Q at its rearward end on the main frame I to swing in a vertical plane relative thereto, thereby to raise and lower the front penetrating edge 8 of the front widened gathering portion 4 of the head. 'Ihe means for swinging the upper frame about its pivot 40 comprises a pair of upright extensible hydraulic jacks 4I arranged at the opposite sides of the forward portion of the main frame. IIhese jacks include cylinders 42 pivoted at their lower ends on the main frame and contain reciprocable plungers 43 pivoted at their upper ends to the sides of the upper frame I5. By trapping liquid in these jacks, the tiltable frame may be locked in adjusted position. The upper'frame has guides 44 slidably engaging arcuate guideways 45 yon the forward lportion of the main frame for guiding the upper frame as it is swung in a vertical direction about its pivot. The pivoted upper frame and its swinging means are similar to those described in the above mentioned patent. vrThe guides 44 have outer lateral projections 46 at their tops which engage plungers 4l guided in vertical cylinders' secured to the main frame. Springs 49 in the cylinders act on the plungers to urge the latter upwardly, thereby to support a major portion of the weight of the swinging frame when the latter is in its lowered position. When the shovel is raised, the plungers do not engage the projections 46. By virtue of the-fact that the springs receive the major portion of the weight of the swingingframe when the shovel is lowered,l leakage from the cylinders 42 due to high pressures in the hydraulic jacks 4I is eliminated.

In this improved construction, to prevent the front penetrating edge 8 of the widened front portion y4 of the head from digging into the oor, the forward part of frame I5 has forward side projections 5I extending beneath the head and provided with bottom floor engaging shoes 52 and upper guide portions 53 engaging the sides of the forward widened portion of the head for guiding the latter during its oscillation. Thesefloor engaging shoes 52 serve to prevent the penetrating edge of the head from running into the floor in the lowered position of the head, in the manner shown in Fig. 3.

Now referring to the improved counterbalancing means, generally designated 55, for offsetting the unbalanced forces of the vibrating gathering and elevating head 3 to keep vibration of the machine at a minimum, it will be noted that arranged beneath the vibratory head on the upper frame I5, in advance of the main frame, is an oscillatory counterbalancing weight 56. This weight is arranged in substantial parallelism with the vibratory head and is of a substantial width and length, as shown in Fig. 5, providing a relatively flat construction to enable location thereof close tothe bottom of the vibratory head in the restricted space provided, as shown. This weight is pivotally mounted at its rear end on the transverse shaft 3| and at its forward end on a transverse shaft 51 secured to arms 58 pivotally mounted at 59 on the sides of the upper frame I5. The bottom of the upper frame is cut away at 60 to clear the sides and ends of the weight, thereby to permit oscillatory motion of the weight with respect thereto. The weight is hollowed out at its upper side to receive a heavy mass 6I, such as lead or other heavy metal. In this novel construction, the counterweight is of substantially equal mass with the gathering and elevating head 3, and is arranged to oscillate in a path extending in the same general direction as the path of oscillation of the head, and its center of gravity and the center of gravity of the vibratory head lie in common planes parallel to the parallel arms I2 and I3, and these centers of gravity are relatively close to each other. Thus, a nearly perfect balance between the head and counterweight is afforded, keeping the unbalanced forces at a minimum. Of course, with the arrangement shown, the instantaneous directions of motion of the head and counterweight are in opposition, to cancel out the unbalanced forces. Another counterweight 62 is keyed to the shaft 28 to counterbalance the off"- set crank portions 29 and the weight supported thereby. The connections between the crank pins 29 and the head 3 are such that rearward movements of the head always have an upward component while the forward movements of the head have a downward component.

The general mode of operation of the loading apparatus may be described as follows: The loading machine may be propelled about the mine and maneuvered with respect to the work by the crawler treads 2 in a well known manner. During transport, the forward ends of the gathering and elevating head 3 and the tiltable upper frame I5 are held raised above the floor level by the hydraulic jacks 4I, and when the working place is reached, the jacks may be operated to lower the frame shoes 52 into contact with the floor to bring the penetrating edge 8 of the head into adjacency with the oor. The motor 20 may then be operated to impart, through the arms and links, a rapid oscillatory motion to the head in a direction generally lengthwise thereof, and, concurrently, the crawler treads may be perated to advance the head toward the material to be loaded, to feed the widened front head portion 4 beneath the loose material. As the head is rapidly oscillated, the loose material is gathered thereon and moved rearwardly and upwardly along the trough portion to discharge at its rear end on the rear discharge conveyor 6, by which the material is conveyed rearwardly of the machine to a suitable point of disposal. The vibratory action of the gathering and elevating head 3, resulting from the coordination of the relatively high speed and short stroke reciprocatory movement with the angle and disposition of the hanger' arms I2 and I3 produces a 'gathering and elevating motion which causes the loose material to move steadily and relatively smoothly along the inclined trough portion 5, thus reducing disintegration of the material; and due to the novel counterbalancing means associated with the head, such vibratory action of the head produces comparatively little vibration within the machine as a whole. The counterbalancing means so offsets the unbalanced forces resulting from the vibratory action of the head that there is little vibration transmitted to the frame of the machine, thereby enabling the latter to move with comparative ease under the propulsion of the crawler treads during the gathering and loading operation. As the connecting rods 3D are rapidly oscillated by the cranks 29, the gathering and elevating head is rapidly oscillated, and during the rearward stroke of the head, the material on the head is carried rearwardly and upwardly; and during the forward stroke of the head, the latter passes beneath the material thereon, and during such head oscillation, the material is thrown a slight distance upwardly from the head bottom during the rearward stroke so that the head may move forwardly relative to the suspended material during its forward stroke, and when the end of the forward stroke is reached, the material has again settled down on the head in such manner as again to be moved rearwardly and upwardly during the rearward stroke. Thus, the rear stroke of the head imparts sufficient momentum to the material to carry it rearwardly and upwardly a slight distance while the material is freely falling during the forward stroke of the head. Thus the improved vibratory gathering and elevating head rapidly and continuously gathers and conveys the material with substantially no disintegration, and the material moves in a substantially steady stream rearwardly and upwardly along the trough to discharge. Since the man-r ner in which the gathering and elevating head 3 operates to gather and convey the material isfully described in the above mentioned patent, further description of its mode of operation is herein unnecessary.

As a result of this invention, an improved loading apparatus is provided which has not only relatively large loading capacity and ease in. maneuverability, and compactness, but which` also operates smoothly and with relatively little vibration, resulting in more economical operation. By mounting the vibratory gathering and elevating head in the manner disclosed, the material to be loaded is moved substantially continuously and relatively smoothly toward its elevated discharge position. By the provision of the improved counterbalancing means associated with the head, the unbalanced forces are kept at a minimum, thereby substantially reducing vibrations set up within the machine during its operation. By mounting and arranging the counterbalancing means in the manner disclosed, close to the center of gravityof the gathering and conveying head, not only is vibration kept at a minimum, but also extreme compactness is attained. The shoes and guides on the frame projections beneath the vibratory head prevent the penetrating edge of the head from digging into the iioor when in lowered position, and serve adequately to guide the for ward portion of the head during its operation. Other manners of use and advantages of the 9 of gravity of said conveyor, said counterweight supported by a pivoted link parallel with said rst mentioned link and by said second mentioned link at the opposite side of the pivot of the latter from said conveyor so that said counterweight has a similar Vbratory motion in opposition to and of substantially the same amplitude as the vibratory motion of said conveyor thereby to reduce vibrations set up Within the apparatus during its operation.

CHARLES N. BEBINGER.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,361,653 Wilkins Dec. 7, 1920 1,495,850 Jacquelin May 27, 1924 1,641,435 Jacobsen Sept. 6, 1927 Number Number Name Date Pray Oct. 4, 1927' Petersen Aug. 12, 1930 Ross Apr. 12, 1932 Sloane Apr. 12, 1938 Cartlidge July 12, 1938 Sloane May 7, 1940 Bebinger 4, 1941 Overstrom Apr. 14, 1942 Bergmann Apr. 20, 1943 Holstein Aug. 8, 1944 Overstrom Sept. 26, 1944 Doberstein Nov. 5, 1946 Sinden Feb. 28, 1950 Sabes Feb. 26, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Nov. l, 1922

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