US265592A - Elevator for loading and unloading vessels - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets-Sleet 1.

Patented Oom 10, 1882.

A. D'. FOX.

(No'Model.)

ELEVATOR FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING VESSELS, 650.

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(No Model.)

i A. D. FOX.

ELEVATOR POR LOADING AND UNLOADING VESSELS, &c. No,265,'592. Paf/sented Oct. l0, 1882..

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A. D. FOX.

ELEVATOR POR LOADING AND UNLOADING VESSELS, &c.

No. 265,592,A

Patented Oct. 1(1), r1882,l

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ALFRED D. FOX, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELEVATOR FOR LOADlNG AND UNLOADING VESSELS, &c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 265,592, dated October 10, 1882.

Application tiled February 16, 1882.

.To all whom it may concern:

Bc it known that I, ALFRED D. FOX. of New York, in the county and State ot' New York, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Elevators for Loading and Unloading Vessels and other Structures, of which the following is a specilcation.

Figure lis aplan or topviewof my improved elevator', showing it placed iu a boat for use in loading ships from sa-id boat. Fig'. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section ofA the same. Fig. 11 is a detail side view, showing the arrangement ot' longitudinally movable carriages, from which the elevator is suspended. Fig. 5 is a detail face view of the arrangement for counterbalancing the elevator-leg.

The object of this invention is to produce. a simple and in every direction adjustable apparatus for lifting things by buckets that are on an endless belt or chain, be that apparatus used as an elevator' for lifting coal, grain, or the like, or as au excavator for lifting earth or mud, or for any other purpose whatever.

The invention relates to the means of adjusting, balancing, and giving` direction to the elevator-leg and the appurtenances thereof', and has no limitation as to the uses to which the same can be put.

In the drawings I have shown the invention applied to a boat that could be used, for instance, when loaded with coal or grain, to be moored alongside of a ship, the elevator then serving to lift the contents ot' the boat into the ship; butin lieu of fastening the apparatus to a boat it may be secured in a building that is firmly placed on the ground; or, instead of making the elevator-leg project upwardly from the hold of a boat, it may be arranged to project downwardly to serve the purpose of an excavator.

' My invention consists iu the severalarrangements ot parts that are hereinafter more particularly described, for moving the leg of an elevator up and down, and horizontally backward and forward, and crosswise, and oscillating it and giving it any inclination that may be desired; also, in means for poising it, so that it will readily hold its balance; also, in

in the particular arrangement of the buckets and of the bucket-chains of the carriage on which the elevator-leg is suspended, and in (No model.)

other details that are hereinafter more fully described.

A in the drawings represents a boat, carrying an upwardly-projecting frau1e,B, which carries horizontal parallel rails C G, on which rest, as is more clearly shown in Fig. 4, longitudinally-niovable carriages D D, with friction-rollers thereon, that bear upon said rails. The carriages D D on each side of the frame are joined together by a brace or framing, E, to constitute one rigid structure on each side, and the two sets of carriages on opposite sides of the boat'are united by cross-bars F G, so that by taking hold ot' one ot' said cross-bars and pushing or pulling thereon both sets ot' carriages will simultaneously be moved either forward or backward, as may be desired.

One ofthe bars, G, thatjoins the two sets of carriages constitutes the means of supporting the elevator-leg H. This elevator-leg H consists, as far as its body'is concerned, of two face or cheek pieces, a a, between which are hung the shafts ot' the upper and lower rollers, b b, around which are passed the endless chains d d that carry the buckets c c. The shafts!) I) have suitable notched or toothed disks for guiding and receiving the chains d, so that by imparting rotary motion to any cile of these shafts the endless chains that carry the buckets will be revolved.

The two chains l d arcjoined by a net-work, j", ot' wire, or equivalent fabric, so that the contents ofthe fabric, especially when the buckets reach the uppcrcurved portion of the elevator-deg, will not be dropped into the inner part of the leg, but will be retained on that net until the bucket is in position to be emptied into the r'eceiving'chute I.

The buckets themselves are at their outer edges (I mean the edges that are lowest when the buckets dip into the hold of the boat A) made with projecting teeth g, that are clearly indicated in Fig. 3. By these teeth the matter to be lifted is more or less loosened by the progressing bucket, and the bucket is not liable to scrape the lower portion ofthe matter to be raised tight on the bottom of the boat, but will loosen it, and enable thereby the next bucket to take it up.

rlhe elevator-leg H is slotted vertically or otherwise, as shown at h in Fig. 2, at the piace where the shaft or rod G passes through it, so

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that by virtue ot this slot the whole leg can either be lifted or lowered at will. There being such a slot on each side, the elevator-leg can also be oscillated transversely and inclined in the lateral direction into any desired position. This enables the attendants to bring the lower part ofthe elevator-leg into contact laterally with any part of the boat or ground from which the substance is to be lifted.

Downwardly-projectin g teeth fi are attached to the lower end ot' the elevator-leg, on each side ot its cheeks, which teeth are clearly shown in Fig. 2, and which serve, when the elevator-leg is lowered,`to enter into the matter or material to be lifted, and prevent the coal or other material from injuring the buckets, whereas if there were no such teeth fz the elevator-leg would not be lowered as far into the coal or other substance as it can when the teeth are provided.

In order to move the endless belt, a crank or set ot' cranks can be attached to either one of the shafts b, over which the chains d are passed, and rotary motion may be imparted to such shaft by lnanual labor; but I prefer to attach a small-power engine, J, which is indicated in Fig. 2, to the elevator-leg, between its cheeks a, and connect the piston-rod of said engine with the lower shaft of the endless belt or apron, so as to cause said engine to revolve said shaft, and thereby the chains and move the buckets. The engine, being rigidly attached to the elevator-leg, will always be in the proper relative position to the shaft to be driven, and may be connected to itsboiler by elastic pipe, if desired. I prefer to have two such engines or steam-cylinders J, one on each cheek a, and so set that when the piston ot' one has finished its stroke that of the other will benearthe middle of its stroke, thus avoiding any stoppage ofthe buckets by reason of a dead-center.

As a precaution against accident or stoppage ofthe apparatus incase one ofthe chains d should break, I attach the buckets e also to another setot' chains, l, which also pass around the rollers or shafts b, but which in the ordinary operation otl the apparatus are not used, but follow idly along the motion of the other chains; but it' one ot' the chains d should break, or if they both should break, the chain l will take up the load and retain the buckets in the proper operative position and continue to hold the whole apparatus in operation, if desired.

To the outer and inner faces ofthe elevatorleg, where otherwise the buckets would be exposed to view, I fasten by means of hooks and eyes mi, or by any other analogous means, covers -or caps L and M, which are hollowed on their inner sides to allow the buckets to pass, and which protect the buckets against rain and snow, and also prevent the contents of the buckets from being lost by falling over the ends thereof. The inner cover, M, also serves the purpose ot' preventing the chains from sa gp ging and the buckets with them, especially in case the elevator-leg is placed into a more or less horizontal position. These caps also protect the engines that are placed between the cheeks of the elevator-leg from dirt, Sac.

The chute I, into which the elevator discharges the lifted load, should be connected in suitable manner to the upper part ot' the elevator-leg, and reaches over the framing B to the place into which the load is to bedeposited. lt' this load is to be discharged into the hold of a vessel, the chute should lead into telescopic tubes N, (indicated in Fig. 3,) so that the grain 'or coal can be by these telescopic tubes led into any part of the vessel, or between any suitable decks, without requiring adjustment or attention further than to properly adjust the length ot' the telescopic tubing and direct it into the necessary hatch.

In order to move the elevator-leg lengthwisethat is, parallel to the direction o't' the rails C-I connect the two ends of a chain or rope, O, with the framing E, and pass said rope around friction-rollers n, so that by revolving' any one of these friction-rollers the entire framing D E F G, and with it the elevaorleg, will be moved toward the desired end ot the frame B.

For moving the elevator-leg laterallythat is to say, on the supporting shat't or rod (Jiits two sides are connected with ropes or chains P, that pass over friction-rollers o and thence over winding-shafts j), so that by turning one of these shafts by a crank-handle the necessary lateral motion ot' the elevator-leg will be obtained.

For oscillating the elevator-leg longitudinally its lower part is connected to the ends of a rope, It, that passes over drums 1', which hang in laterally-movable frames S. 3y revolving one of these drums 1' the fastened ends of the rope or chains R will be moved so as to swing the lower part of the elevator-leg in either direction desired,

For maintaining the elevator-leg properly balanced in either direction I fasten to it ropes or chains T, which pass over friction-rollers s thathang in a laterally-slidingframe, U, which is supported on the rod F, the ropes or chains T carrying weights V at their lower ends, as clearly shown in Fig. 2; but, in addition to these counterbalancing-weights V, springs V2 can be applied to the elevator-leg above and below the shaft or rod Gr, as shown in Fig. 2.

It will be readily perceived from the foregoing description that the elevator-leg, if moved laterally on the rod G, would distort its connections, above described, with the laterallyadjustable frames S and U. Hence it is necessary to have these frames S and Ujoin in any lateral motion of the elevator-leg. In Fig. l

is clearlyshown how this is done-namely, b v passing ropes W, that extend from the ends of these laterally-sliding frames S and U, around the same drums or shafts p over which the ropes or chains P that control the lateral motion ofthe elevator-leg are passed, as already stated. Then, by turning either drum 11, the

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elevator-leg will be moved laterally, as stated; but to the same ratio said sliding frames or carriers S and U will also be moved laterally.

I claiml. In an elevator-leg, the combination of the elevator-chains d d, having buckets c e, with the reticulated filling fbetween said chains, substantially as described.

2. In an elevator having,` an endless belt or carrier with buckets thereon, the buckets made with projecting` teeth g, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The elevator-leg made with upright slots 7L, through which passes the suspending-bar G of the supporting-frame, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The vertically-adjustable elevator-leg made with downwardly-projecting teeth t', substantially as herein shown and described.

5. In an elevator, the combination of the elevater-leg;` with one or more engines, J, rigidly attached thereto, substantially as specified.

G. In an elevator, the combination ot' the ele` vator-leg with the chains d, carrying the buckets, and with additional chains, l, that pass around the shafts of the elevator-leg and are united to the buckets, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. The combination of the elevator-leg' with the removable caps or covers L M, substantially as specified.

8. The combination of the elevator-leg.,y with the longitudinally-movable carriage D E F G,

and With the rope or chain O passing over the rollers a, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. The combination of the elevator-leg with the shaft or supporting-bar G, and With'the chains or ropes P, friction-rollers o, and Wind-A ing-shafts p, substantially as described.

10. The combination ot' thc elevator-leg with the rope or chain R, lia-ving,` its ends fastened thereto, and with the drums i', around which said rope or chain passes, substantially as described.

ll. The combinatiou'of the elevator-leg1 with the ropes or chains R, having their ends fastenedto it, and with the drumsraud laterallysliding frames S, substantially as specified.

12. The adjustable elevator-leg, combined with the balancing Weight or Weights V and laterally-movable framing),` U, substantially as described. y

13. The elevator-leg, combined with the balancingsprings V2, above and below its supporting-shaft G, substantially as specified.

let. The combination ot' the movable elevator-leg with the laterally-movable frames S and U, and with the ropes P W and windingdrums j, all for operation substantially as specified.

ALFRED D. FOX.

Vituesses:

WILLY G. E. SCHULTZ, J AMES TURK.

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