US2673009A

US2673009A - Keg dumping device

Info

Publication number: US2673009A
Application number: US177529A
Authority: US
Inventors: Leslie J Hawkins
Original assignee: HONAN CRANE CORP
Current assignee: HONAN CRANE CORP; HONAN-CRANE Corp
Priority date: 1950-08-03
Filing date: 1950-08-03
Publication date: 1954-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 1971-03-23

Description

March 1954 L. J. HAWKINS KEG DUMPING DEVICE Filed Aug. 5, I950 2 Sheets-Sheet l [area fur March 23, 1954 J. HAWKINS KEG DUMPING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 3, 1950 lllllllll fax E1725! \o [552/5 I HAW/(1N5- 5. W

Patented Mar. 23, 1954 KEG DUMPING DEVICE Leslie J. Hawkins, Golden, N. Y., assignor to Honan-Crane Corporation, Lebanon, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application August 3, 1950, Serial No. 177,529

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a keg dumping device, and more particularly to a device for unloading kegs containing nails, screws, bolts, nuts, pins, small parts machinedor to be machined, or any other items that might be conveniently packed in a keg, the device being highly desirable for use in a manufacturing plant to facilitate the emptying of kegs and the retention of the contents in a convenient location for a worker, although the invention may have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, considerable diiiiculty has been experienced in the emptyin or dumping of kegs, especially in manufacturing plants where it is necessary to retain the contents of the keg easily available to a Workman utilizing such contents. I-Ieretofore, most of the dumping of the kegs was accomplished by hand, such procedure being dangerous to the workmen, there was risk of injury to the parts by way of spilling, and an objectionable amount of time usually wasted in endeavoring to place the dumped items in a handy location to the workmen. Obviously, if a keg were disposed adjacent the workman it was necessary not only to knock out the end of the keg, but to remove all the customary nails holding that end so as to eliminate injury to the Workman.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a keg dumping device in which a full keg may be easily disposed, and a part of the device readily rotated to quickly dump the contents of the keg.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a keg dumping device, mobile in character, which is not only capable of readily dumpin a keg, but which also may retain the parts dumped from the keg in a handy hopper easily accessible by a workman, the entire device being readily movable from one location to another as may be desired.

It is also a feature of this invention to provide a keg dumping device including a rotatably mounted keg holding structure equipped with a readily accessible hopper to receive the contents of a dumped keg, and wherein the keg holding structure is easily elevated to any desired or suitable height.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a keg dumping device having a rotatable cage or cradle for the reception of a keg to be dumped, and a hopper to receive the contents of the keg, whereby it is not necessary to remove or knock out the nails holding a keg head, but merely necessary to punch out the head of the keg.

2 Still another object of this invention resides in the provision of a keg dumping device embodying a rotatable keg holding cradle having a bottom and an adjustable top which may be clamped over the open end of a keg, such top being provided with a suitable opening through which the contents of the keg may pass when the cradle and the keg therein are inverted.

Also an object of the invention resides in the provision of a keg dumping device embodying a lift support readily movable to a desired height, and a keg holding cradle pivotally carried by that support, the support having latching or lockin means to maintain the cradle against accidental movement with either end of the cradle uppermost.

Still another feature of the instant invention resides in the provision of a simply constructed, economical, highly durable and readily usable keg dumping device, the device requiring only one man to operate it, and the device maintaining the contents of the keg readily available at a most convenient height and location to a Workman.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a pictorial illustration of a ke dumping device embodying principles of the instant invention, showing a keg therein, after the keg has been dumped;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary pictorial illustration of the structure of Fig. 1, taken from the opposite side thereof, and illustrating the apparatus in position to receive a keg to be dumped;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through the keg holding cradle and receiving hopper, taken substantially as indicated by the staggered section line III-III of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating the mounting of the lift yoke and keg cradle, and taken substantially as indicated by the line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

-As shown on the drawings:

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention there is shown an upright supporting structure in the form of a frame l preferably fabricated from angle iron. A subframe structure 2 is preferably provided on the side of the main frame to which a suitable winch 3 is secured as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. This winch may be manually operated by means of a handle 4 through a worm or other equivalent drive, and the subframe prosame time functioning as an integralpart of the frame. Inside the frame is a substantially U-shaped lift yoke l, with the .bight at .thetop and connected to the end of a cable 3 attached:

to the aforesaid winch, the cable passing over suitable pulleys 9 journaled in the top-member of the frame. As seen best in Figs. 3 and'4, each side leg of the lift yoke l is providedv with one or more flanged guide wheels or rollers l0, two: vertically spaced rollers being illustrated. The fiangeportion ofeach such guide wheel overlies-the inner edges of the track railsS-B, while therbarrel portion of each wheel extends between the track rails to ride against one or both of the confronting-faces of the track rails. With. this construction; it will be noted that the lift yoke may be readilyv elevated or lowered relativelyrto the frame by means of the winch, the guide wheels stabilizing the yoke and holding it steady during its upor down travel. Obvious- 1y; .with'the aid' of'the winch the yoke may be stoppedwat any: desired height'and retained. at that level indefinitely;

The 'liftyoke carries a suitable keg, holding cage or cradle I I, and in the illustrated instancethis cradle '11 is of somewhat skeleton formation, being;suitably-fabricated from angle irons and-fiat bars; Asseen clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, one sidewall of the cradle is preferably left open so that a keg. may readily be placed in and removed from the cradle. The cradle is also provided" with a pair of opposed outwardly projecting trunnions [2, there being one mounted in:each side of the cradle preferably centrally or'near'the center of gravity of the cradle. AS seen clearly in Fig; 4; these trunnions are journaled in the respective side legs of the lift yoke I so that the entire cradle is rotatable about theatrunnions relatively to the lift yoke. As also seen clearly in 'Figsyil and 4, one or both of the trunnionzcarrying side members of the cradle is provided with a pair of apertures l3, one on eachnsideofthe trunnion. Each of these apertures'issized to receive the shank of a headed pin inserted through an aperture in the adjacent side leg of the lift yoke i, and thus the cradle may be: locked or latched in. fixed position with either end uppermost.

As 'seen clearly in Fig. 2, the cradle is preferably provided with a solid bottom I5 upon which a keg 16 may be initially seated when the device is in the position seen in Fig. 2.

A' top l1 isadjustably connected to the other end of the cradle, and in the illustrated instance this top is maintained in position at the front.

or loading side of the cradle by means of-apair of elongated bolts l8l8, and at their-ear side preferably; with only: a single similar bolt. 19; This cover IIis provided with a central aperturevzfl :-through which the contents of the: keg

may; be dumped intoan outwardly andzdownrward-1y inclined-and: open topped hopper 21 carried by: the cradle top: i 1.

As seen .clearlyin.v Figs.- 1 anzl=:3,:- this hopper projects outwardly; fromtheebodyyof thedevicewso" as to bewreadily;

4 accessible to a workman. Around the opening 20 the top I1 is provided with an inwardly ex tending flange 22 positioned to circumscribe the adjacent end margin or rim 23 of a keg, and maintain the keg steady during the unloading or dumping thereof.

In operation, the instant invention is extremely simple and highly satisfactory. Assuming that a new keg of material is needed, it is simply necessary to punch out the head of the keg, without regard to any protruding nails or other head holding means. The keg is then placedinthe cradle-l l with the open end uppermost, andwith-the apparatus in the position seen in-Fig. 2. When the keg is so positioned, the. adjustable. top 7 I! is clamped against the open end of the keg by means of the bolts l8 and" [9, spacers 24 being utilized if desired or needed. It will be noted that the open end of the-keg is circumscribed by the aforesaid flange 22 so that the keg is firmlyheld in position. The entire devicemay-then be moved to any..desired location if such is necessary, and when it-is de-. sired to dump the :keg it is a simple means-Itoelevatethe lift yoke by, means of thewinch 3.

so that the keg is disposed at any desired height. lhen. thepin I l may be withdrawn, the cradle and: keg inverted,.and the pin reset in the other. aperture 13 of the: cradle. contents of the keg. pass through the opening :20 in the cradle top or cover it and cascade into the hopper 2! which will now be in. the position seen inFigs. l and 3.3 The keg: contents are readilyaccessible in a most convenient manner to asworkman who need only remove them in: any, desired quantity from the protruding portion: of the hopperZ I.v Only one-man is needed to operate the entire device, and there iswno contingent danger to the operator or a-possibility of loss-byv spillage ofv contents. structure is extremelysimplein operation; highly eilicient and time saving in use, andiJmaybe economically manufactured.

It will-be understood that modificationsian'd.

variations may, be effected withoutdeparting fromthe scope of; the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention a l. in a keg dumpingdevice, a supporting struc ture, alift support movable upwardly and down:- wardly. in said structure, a keg. holding, cradle pivotally mounted in said lift support; latch.

meanscarriedbysaid lift support to anchorsaid cradlein position with either end: uppermostra bottom in saidcrade, an adjustable top in said cradle. having a central opening therein, an inwardly, extending flange around said opening: to

circumscribe the adjacent end margin cta kegv a bottom in said cradle, an'adj'ustable cover in:

said cradle-having an opening therein, and a'laterally extending hopper on said cradle in' communication with said openingsto'receivezthe con-I tents of a key upon inversion of the cradle.-

Upon inversion, .the

Further, the

3. In a keg dumping device, a support, a keg holding cradle rotatably mounted in said support, latch means to secure the cradle to the support with either end of the cradle uppermost, a bottom in said cradle, an adjustable cover in said cradle having an opening therein, an inwardly extending flange on said cover around said opening to circumscribe the end margin of a keg on said bottom, and a laterally projecting inclined hopper on said cradle in communication with said opening to receive the contents of a keg upon inversion of the cradle.

4. In a keg dumping device, an upright supporting frame, means defining opposed tracks in said frame, a lift yoke, guide wheels on said yoke to ride said tracks, a keg holding cradle, opposed trunnions on said cradle journaled in said lift yoke, latch means on said yoke to secure said cradle in position with either end uppermost, means to elevate and lower said lift yoke, a hottom in said cradle, a cover having an opening therein, means to clamp said cover over a keg in said cradle, and a laterally extending opentopped hopper connected with said cover to receive the contents of the keg.

LESLIE J. HAWKINS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 419,006 Fisher Jan. 7, 1890 791,367 Reynolds et a1 May 30, 1905 1,019,550 Stavely Mar. 5, 1912 1,150,317 Timmons Aug. 17, 1915 1,186,318 Kohn June 6, 1915 1,627,490 Disibio May 3, 1927 1,854,973 Bell Apr. 19, 1932 2,335,572 Schroeder Nov. 30, 1943