US3752334A

US3752334A - Industrial bulk material transportation

Info

Publication number: US3752334A
Application number: US00199865A
Authority: US
Inventors: M Robinson; C Jaco
Original assignee: Dravo Corp
Current assignee: Dravo Corp
Priority date: 1971-11-18
Filing date: 1971-11-18
Publication date: 1973-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 1990-08-14

Abstract

An industrial railway is provided wherein a train of cars is propelled along a track by motor-driven friction wheels at intervals along the track which contact friction strips along the sides of the cars. The cars are dumped while the train is moving by successively tilting them sideways, but cooperating means on the track and cars keep the cars on the track. Unloading stations include adjustable and mobile arrangements so that dumping of the load may take place at different locations without moving the track.

Description

United States Patent 191 Robinson, Jr. et al.

[45] Aug. 14, 1973 INDUSTRIAL BULK MATERIAL TRANSPORTATION [75] Inventors: Melville W. Robinson, Jr., Beaver;

Charles M. Jaco, Jr., Upper St. Clair Twp., Allegheny County, both of Pa.

[731 Assignees Dravo Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: Nov. 18, 1971 [21] Appl. No.2 199,865

[52] US. Cl. 214/41, 104/168, 214/1 MS, 214/62 A, 238/11, 238/284 [51] Int. Cl. 865g 67/04, 865g 67/44 [58] Field of Search 214/62 R, 62 A, 41; 104/168; 238/11, 284

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 282,125 7/1883 Simar et 214/62 A 2,954,744 10/1960 Bonner 104/168 2,055,571

9/1936 Bruneti 238/284 3,039,402 6/1962 Richardson 104/168 2,979,184 4/1961 Becker et a1 214/62 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,235,381 5/1960 France 104/168 Primary ExaminerRobert G. Sheridan Att0rney--William H. Parmelee [57] ABSTRACT An industrial railway is provided wherein a train of cars is propelled along a track by motor-driven friction wheels at intervals along the track which contact friction strips along the sides of the cars, The cars are dumpedwhile the train is moving by successively tilting them sideways, but cooperating means on the track and cars keep the cars on the track. Unloading stations include adjustable and mobile arrangements so that dumping of the load may take place at different locations without moving the track.

20 Claims, 27 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 14, 1973 3,752,334

8 SheetsSheet 1 Patented Aug. 14, 1973 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOHS MELV/LLE Hf ROBINSON, Jr. CHARLES H. JACO, Jr.

h mhml By)?" i f be Attorneys Patented Aug. 14, 1973 3,752,334

8 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS MEL V/LLE W. ROBINSON, Jr.

ems/ass 41. M00, .0.

W fire/r Aflomeys Patented Aug. 14, 1973 8 Sheets- Sheet 4 N /l A INVENTORS MELV/LLE W ROBINSON, Jr

CHARLES H. 'JACO, Jr.

Wv 7 M Meir Aflameys Patented Aug. 14, 1973 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS MEL V/L LE W. ROBINSON, Jr

CHAR .512 M. MCO, Jr. 5 fluwuk Zflr/ W y their Attorneys Patented Aug. 14, 1973 8 Sheets-Sheet (3 .3 1 mm g Wt Wm k2 INVE'A/Tk MELV/LLE W. ROBINSON, Jr. CHARLES M. JACO, Jr.

Em IMP M, W 1 WM their Attorneys Patented Aug. 14, 1973 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 M 49/! Atfarneys Patented Aug. 14, 1973 3,752,334

8 Sheets-Sheet 8 zvvnvrops MELV/LLE w. ROBINSON, Jr. CHARLES H. .1400, Jr.

their Attorneys INDUSTRIAL BULK MATERIAL TRANSPORTATION This invention relates to the transporation of material, especially bulk material by railways, and more especially railways in which a train of cars is propelled by trackside driving means located at intervals along the track rather than by a locomotive or other selfcontained motive power.

In numerous environments, as for example in open pit mining operations, strip mining, quarrying, mineral processing plants, leaching and land-fill operations, large quantities of bulk material must be hauled from one location to another. It is commonly necessary in such cases to change the place of loading or unloading the material into transport vehicles as earth or mineral deposits are removed, or as land-fill progresses, or as other change takes place. At the present time such operations are usually effected with a fleet of automotive dump trucks that travel at least in part over temporary roadways between the loading and unloading stations or terminals. This is expensive, especially from the standpoint of truck maintenance including rapid deterioration, and the replacement of tires due to rapid wear. Another important item of expense is the fact that each truck must have at least one operator at all times that the truck is in use, both in actual transport of material and during loading and unloading of the truck. Another cost factor is the grading and upkeep of the temporary roads for all-weather use.

Narrow gauge railways are sometimes used with internal combustion powered locomotives, but in such case the track must be well laid and bedded to accept the weight of the locomotive and the thrust of its wheels against the rails in pulling the train or in braking, so that the initial cost of the track is high and its relocation to keep up with the excavation or place of disposal is costly. The road bed must be limited to quite low grades, and the establishment of maximum grades is a further factor to the usefulness or economy of such equipment. If more than one train is used, this expense is increased, double trackage or switches then being necessary. Often with locomotive haulage, several trains may be required for efficient handling of bulk material especially for hauling material over a distance of a mile or more. This entails the use of an engineer for each train, and as with automotive trucks, the engineers empty return time and standby for loading and unloading is unproductive.

Railways have heretofore been proposed where trains are propelled by friction wheels or belts arranged at intervals along a track so positioned as to engage drive strips along the sides of the cars to propel the train from one drive unit to the next. This enables very inexpensive tracks to be used, since the track does not need to resist the thrust or weight of a locomotive, and in such case the tracks may be moved with relatively little expense. Also there can be much steeper grades because of the drive means being stationary with much more effective driving friction than can be secured between the drive wheels of a locomotive and the rails.

As heretofore constructed, however, transportation systems of this kind have not been extensively used because of loading'and unloading problems, particularly in respect to the difficulty in changing the location of the loading and unloading stations, and the cars themselves have posed further difficulties. Perhaps the most successful of prior apparatus of this type of which we are aware is disclosed in Hubert US. Pat. No. 3,332,535, dated July 25, 1967.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, the cars are each formed with a chassis made of structural sections with a readily replaceable strip extending lengthwise of each car. These strips are covered with a slightly resilient friction material, such as synthetic or natural rubberousmaterial, elastomer polyurethane of 95 durometer being a particularly tough, high-friction material suitable for the purpose. The cars are closely coupled through universal couplings, and except for the lead, and perhaps the rear end car, each preferably has a single axle at one end and the other is supported on the axle end of an adjacent car. Each car has a hopper-like or trough-like body with substantially open ends supported thereon and a trough-like apron extends from one end of each car into the end of the following car.

In a preferred embodiment the cars have no springs, and they are preferably loaded on a resilientlysupported track section whereby the shock of dumping the bulk material into each truck in succession is cushioned by the track instead of the usual arrangement of springs on the cars operatively interposed between the vehicle wheels and bed. Unloading is effected by progressively tipping the cars in succession to one side through an are sufficient to discharge the contents, perhaps as much as about while the cars remain connected to each other with a unique holding arrangement for keeping the cars on the track. After dumping, the cars are restored to their normal upright position.

The unloading terminal may be variously constructed, depending on the nature of the operation. It may be simply an elevated track that progressively tilts the cars sideways as the train moves therealong, or it may be a structure which is itself movable along the track with a ramp at each end having rails so arranged that the train will ride from the true trackage, up a ramp, be dumped, and then down another ramp back on the true trackage, or it may be a mobile structure mounted on a tractor unit or other movable supporting unit.

The railway of the present invention is adapted especially to extensive open pit mining operations, such as copper mining, and will hereafter be described particularly in connection with such an operation, for the purpose however of illustration and without excluding a wide variety of other operations to which it is adapted. In open pit mining of copper, high-grade ore which is produced is sent directly to a smelter or other metalextracting or beneficiating plant. There is also produced low-grade ore too poor for smelting and which is deposited in beds on the earth through which acid is percolated to leach out the metal values and the seepage into the earth from this bed is collected and processed for the recovery of metal. There is also produced on abundant quantity of overburden and rock that is of no value for processing for the recovery of metal ane which must be transported to a land-fill or dump. The present invention lends itself to this type of mining in that: (l) the loading terminal can be moved as the pit develops; (2) mobile unloading stations can deposit the unwanted material in a land-fill in an effective manner; (3) the mobile unloading terminal enable the leaching beds for low-grade ore to be developed in layers with provision for the recovery of the spent acid 3 from which the metal values are recovered and trains loaded with high-grade ore can be sent directly to the smelter or other metal extraction or ore-beneficiating operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Our invention may be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing a preferred construction and method, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a train of cars;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation on a larger scale of a single car;

FIG. 4 is a broken top plan view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a transverse section in the plane of line VV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a loading station;

FIG. 7 is a transverse section in the plane of line VI-VI of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary detail on a larger scale of one of the shock absorbers;

FIG. 9 is a more or less schematic elevation looking into a typical drive station for the train;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of FIG. 9 with part of the structural framework broken away;

FIG. 1 l is a side elevation of the driving unit of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of one form of dumping terminal for the railroad;

FIG. 13 is a transverse section through the track at a dumping station;

FIG. 14 is a schematic view elevation of another form of dumping arrangement which itself is movable along the track and with a train of cars, the cars being tilted to different angles;

FIG. 15 shows schematically in perspective the dumping arrangement of FIG. 14 but without the cars;

FIG. 16 is a transverse section in the plane of line XVI-XVI of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a transverse section in the plane of line XVII-XVII of FIG. 15;

FIG. 18 illustrates in side elevation a loading station such as might be provided on the entrance of an openpit mine;

FIG. 19 is a more or less schematic side elevation of a mobile unloading terminal for stacking the unloaded material in a particular form of bed;

FIG. 20 is a schematic top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a fragmentary schematic plan view of a desirable track arrangement for use with any unloading station, but particularly the unloader of FIGS. 19 and 20;

FIG. 22 is a fragmentary side elevation showing one arrangement for keeping the rail of the mobile unloading unit in register with the non-movable track;

FIG. 23 is a transverse section in'- the plane of line XXIIIXXIII of FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is a schematic diagram indicated how an installation of the transportation apparatus herein disclosed is adapted to an open-pit mining operation;

FIG. 25 is a view similar to FIG. 9 of a modified form of driving station where there are parallel track for trains moving in opposite directions;

FIG. 26 is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing a modified form of driving station; and

FIG. 27 is also a view similar to FIG. 9 of another form of driving station.

The invention contemplates the organization of several components, some of which will be differently constructed for different specific requirements, such as train loading and unloading stations, and different forms of unloading stations may be used in one system. as, for example, in the herein-described method of mining. The apparatus and arrangements herein illustrated and described indicated the adaptability of the invention to various situations or operations.

The Track The track, designated generally as T, is preferably a narrow-gauge two-rail track carried on cross ties. The rails are designated 2 and the ties 3. For the most part the track does not require very much grading, ties can be light-weight and may be widely spaced, and light ballast is all that is needed. The loading and unloading track sections will be hereinafter described. Conventional track switches and cross-overs may be used, as hereinafter more fully described.

The Train and Cars The train is comprised of a succession of cars, desig-' nated generally as C, C and C, and C being at opposite ends of the train. The cars are all generally similar and of simple construction, as best seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. Each has a frame conprising a central longitudinally-extending I-beam 5 with side channels 6 extending parallel therewith, one at each side thereof but spaced from it, these channel sections having their flanges turned toward the center beam. At each end of the frame there are channel sections 7 and there are cross members 8 at the middle of the frame.

Bolted to the under surface of each channel member 6 of the cars C near one end thereof is a journal box 9. The ends of an axle 10 are received in the opposed journal boxes on each car, the axle having flanged wheels 11 spaced to ride on the rails 2. It will be noted that there are no springs in the structure between the wheels and the frame.

On each car frame there is an open-ended open-top body designated generally as 12. It comprises three spaced cradle-like cross frame 12a secured to the frame, one at each end, and one at the middle into which is secured the material receiving body 13 of metal plate, the body thus being generally in the form of a trough with a flat bottom and upwardly-flaring sides.

At one end of each car there is a recessed coupling element of some kind, and at the other end there is a second coupling adapted to be received in the recessed coupling of an adjacent car, the two complementary couplings of adjacent cars allowing substantial universal movement of one car relative to the next. The recessed element at one end is designated 14 and the coupling at the othe end is designated 15. A transverse pin is designated 16. Ordinarily the train will operate as a unit and there will be no need for frequent coupling or uncoupling of the cars. The coupling is designed so that while the end of one car is supported on one end of another, each may rotate relative to the other about its longitudinal axis through a substantial are which may even be as much as The connection also permits some vertical movement of one car relative to the adjacent ones.

The cars C and C are of the same construction as the cars C but these cars have front and rear wheels and axles instead of only a single axle. With these two end cars having two axles and four wheels, the train may run in either direction, but obviously it is only necessary that one of the end cars have four wheels. Often times it may be desirable on all cars to have one or both wheels loose on the axle, especially if the track involves frequent sharp turns.

Removably attached to the outer face of the side channels 6 of each car are elongated metal plates coextensive with the length of the car and which have a rubber or rubber-like tread strip 21 on the outer face thereof. These strips are parallel to channels 6, except that as seen in FIG. 1 the corresponding strips on the two end cars and designated 22 desirably converge in the direction of that end of the train on which they are located. It will also be noted that the top flange 6' of each channel 6 is unobstructed and clear of or spaced away from any part of the body. The purpose of the strips 20-21 and of the exposed top flange of the side channels 6 will be hereinafter described.

As previously indicated, the body of the car in which the load is carried comprises a trough-like structure 13 having a flat bottom 25 of less width than the frame or chassis with upwardly and outwardly-flaring sides 26 received within transversely-extending cradles 13 secured to the car frame. Each end of the body is open, but at one end of the body of each car there is secured an apron 28 which is preferably made of heavy rubber or rubber-like material. This apron, shaped to conform to the trough shape of the body, extends beyond the end of the car in which it is secured into the open end of a succeeding car. Each car C has the apron 28 secured therein at one end, and at the other end receives the similar apron of the next-adjacent car. The terminal ends of end cars C and C have end walls 29, but their opposite ends may either have such an apron 28 secured thereto or received therein, as the case may be.

The train therefore comprises an articulated continuous trough mounted on a succession of wheeled frames or carriages more or less flexibly coupled so that each car may have limited vertical movement relative to the ones to which it is connected, and also have limited rotational movement about its long axis relative to the ones at each end and transversely thereto. The significance of this will be apparent from the side dumping to be hereinafter described.

The Driving Stations For propelling the train there are similar driving stations at intervals along the trackway, these being generally designated as D. The spacing of these stations will depend on the topography and the length of the trains. Upgrade they will almost always be sufficiently close that some portion of the train will engage one driving station before leaving a previous one, and on steep grades, they may be even closer. In a double-track system where cars move upgrade on one track and downgrade on the other, the drive stations may be arranged to drive trains moving upgrade and as braking stations on trains moving down. They may be further apart on substantially level tangents; the drive stations may be further apart if they are located at a place where the train will be moving with sufficient momentum to travel between stations without applying power thereto. Also these stations may at times function exclusively as braking stations.

Referring to FIGS. 9, l0 and 11 showing one form of driving station, there is a base structure 30 over which the rails 2 pass, and to which they are secured by bolts or other fasteners to restrain the rails against vertical or lateral movement. At each side of the track and spaced about equal distances from the rails are upright supporting

structures

31 and 32, each comprising at least two spaced vertical columns 33 welded or otherwise secured to the base 30 and connected at the top by a structural section 34. A weather canopy or roof 35 is desirably provided over the entire station. I I

On each of the columns 33 of upright structure 31 there are secured bearing blocks 36 for a cross shaft 37. There is a generally horizontal frame 38 that extends sideways away from the track and which is pivotally hung from the shaft 37. There is a cradle-like suspension structure 39 hung from this frame in which is an electric motor and speed reducing gear and brake unit 40 with a depending driven shaft 41 on which is a drive wheel 42 with a friction tread on its periphery. The drive wheels 42 are at the level of the friction strip 20-21 on the sides of the cars C.

There are compression springs 43 on the top of the pivoted frame 38 at the end most remote from the cross-shaft 37. The upper ends of these springs are confined against fixed abutment members or brackets 44 rigidly fixed on each of the uprights 33. Adjusting screws are schematically indicated at 45 to adjust these springs which have the double function of biasing the motor and drive wheel assembly that is pivotally hung from shaft 37 toward the cars of the train, and absorbing impact when the front end of the train engages the driving wheel and the tapered friction strip 22 moves the wheel 42 against gravity and the pressure of the springs outwardly. With this arrangement the friction wheel is resiliently urged against the strips 21-22 on the sides of the cars with the required traction to drive the train when the wheel 42 is being driven.

For opposing the lateral thrust of the drive wheel against the cars by this arrangement, the upright col-- umns 33 of the opposite frame 32-has bearing brackets 36' for a rock shaft 37. There is a laterally-extending frame 38' extending outwardly away from the track on this shaft. Depending structural elements 39 support a bearing for shaft 41' on which is an idler wheel 42' at a level to engage the friction strips on the other side of the train. Springs 43' are arranged similarly to springs 43 between frame 38' and brackets 44', these springs urging the wheel 42' against the side of the car opposite the driving wheel 42 with sufficient pressure to keep the car centered and relieve substantially, if not entirely, the side thrust of the wheels on the rails.

Often two tracks may be side-by-side for trains moving in opposite directions. In this case there may be a driving station such as shown in FIG. 25 where there are two motor-driven wheels, one at the outside of each track and normally driven in opposite directions and the thrust which corresponding to 42' is positioned to engage the friction strips 21 of the cars going on either track. The arrangement may simply require the addition of another -motor-driven wheel 42 on the outside of the opposite track, or driving units may be similar to the units shown in FIG. 26, now about to be described.

Another form of drive is shown more or less schematically in FIG. 26 where the friction wheels, instead of being resiliently supported, have resilient pneumatic tires that press against the side strips of the successive cars, somewhat similar to US. Pat. No. 3,039,402, Richardson, granted June I9, 1962.

There is a base structure 30a with spaced upright supports 31a and 32a thereon and the track rails 2 are located between them. On each upright support there is a vertical shaft 410 on which is a drive wheel 42a. Each drive wheel has a resilient tire, preferably an inflated pneumatic tire 42b on its periphery. The two wheels and tires are so spaced that as the front of the train with its rearwardly-diverging side strips 20-21 will enter between the opposed tires and there will be a gradually increasing pressure between the tires and the cars to provide good traction between the wheels and the cars. As here shown only the right wheel 42a is driven at the same speed if this is found to be desirable by a motor 400, but both may be driven.

As indicated above, FIG. 25 shows in slightly less detail essentially the arrangement shown in FIG. 26 but with the second driving assembly at the outside of the second track. In this view, the same reference numerals have been used to disignate parts which correspond to FIG. 26, and in additiion the middle wheel which replaces the left wheel 42a 42b of FIG. 26 has a driving motor 40C. This motor, like the others, may also be of a type used for regenerative braking. As explained above, the middle wheel in FIG. 25 engages the drive strips of a train on either track.

In the arrangement shown in FIG. 27 the car, disignated generally as C has a laterally-projecting horizontal strip 20* thereon at each side thereof. As here shown it extends from the sides of the body, and it preferably has rubber strips 21- removably secured to the top and bottom flat horizontal surfaces thereof.

At the proper elevation the driving station has two pairs of oppositely-driven resiliently-tired driving wheels 46 on horizontal drive shafts 47, one pair being at each side of the track and so located that the flangelike strips on the cars will enter the bight between the tires of the wheels 46 and be frictionally engaged thereby. The wheels 46 and their shafts 47 are driven from a motor 48 through a common gearbox 49. Since the power from the motor is applied equally to the train between two driving wheels instead of one, slippage moving a heavy load is reduced, and by using pneumatic tires on the drive wheels, the pressure may be adjusted to effect the most efficient drive.

While there are a pair of wheels at each side of the train, there may be only one pair, and since there is no side thrust by the friction wheels against the cars, no idler wheel to oppose side thrust is required.

As above suggested, driving stations may also be braking stations, in which case the motors are regenerative or the friction wheels may be otherwise restrained from free rotation by friction brakes of any appropriate type.

The Loading Station Since the cars preferably have no springs, and heavy loads of rock, ore or other cargo may be dumped from a chute, hopper, clamshell bucket or the like into the cars, some provision is made to relieve the shock. FIGS. 6 to 8 show one such arrangement. It may be compared somewhat to a bridgebetween two fixed ends of the track, the span of the bridge being supported on shock absorbers that cushion the span when a heavy load is dropped into a car positioned on or moving over the span.

More particularly, there are two fixed supports spaced from each other a distance greater than the length of one car and between these two are other supports 51 of lesser height. The main track rails 2 terminate on the supports 50. There is a beam structure 52 spanning the distance between the supports 51. Above this there is a span 53 that is resiliently supported on the beam structure 52. The beam structure comprises parallel I-beam sections 54, the spacing of which -is about the same as the spacing of the track rails, and

they are connected by structural sections 55.

The span 53 is likewise comprised of parallel I-beam sections 56 located above the sections 54 but preferably shorter than the sections 54. The minimum length of the span is not less than the length of a single car and it may be longer, even long enough to support more than one car. There are rails 57 on this span corresponding to the track 2. At each end of the span 53 there are shorter beams 58 that have one end flexibly joined at 59 to the span 53 and the other end resting on a rocker bearing 60 on the main supports 50. There are rails 61 on these sections that match the track ends on the supports 50 and on the span 53.

The beams 56 of the span 53 and the confronting ends of the beams 58 are resiliently supported on the I-beam sections 54 by means of compression springs 62 each of which surrounds a telescoping dash-pot style of guide arrangement 63 comprising a cylinder element on the top of the sections 54 and a plunger-like element on the bottom of the upper I-beam sections 56, as clearly shown in FIG. 8. In addition, there are bolts 64, each attached to a flange of a section 56 and slidably passed through a flange of beam 54, with cushioning means 65 at their lower ends. These bolts restrain the vertical movement of span 53 with respect to beam structure 52.

The span 53 has one or more, preferably two, rigid holddown bracket units 66 secured thereto, each comprising a horizontal arm 67 at the free end of which is an upright 68. Each upright has a horizontal stud 69 which carries a roller 70 at a level and in a position where the top flange 6' of the side channel 6 of a car will roll under it, the entire bracket and roller assembly comprising a hold-down bracket that will prevent the car from leaving the track either under the impact of a load or under rebound of the spring-supported span. The brackets may be on both sides of the span 53, but if they are on one side only, as shown, they will preferably be on the side of the track opposite the loading chute to better oppose any lateral thrust of component of force of the material sliding down an inclined chute into the car. It will be noted how the construction or the car with the upwardly-flaring trough-shaped body is arranged to provide clearance for the travel of the car under the hold-down roller.

The Unloading Station Depending on the type of operation for which the apparatus is constructed, the unloading station may be arranged in several different ways, but in all cases there will be certain constructions that will be common, and the simplest unloading station will be first described.

In FIG. 12 the unloading terminal is a simple incomplete circular or semi-circular loop 75. The loop begins at ground level at 76 with an upwardly-inclined ramp which is supported on a trestle 77. At 78 the track begins a gradual edgewise tilt to a mid point on the loop when it has been turned edgewise sufficient to dump the entire contents of the cars up to 90 if necessary. For example, the loop may at this point be at the edge of a landfill and as each car moves around the track it will begin to dump its contents somewhat in advance of the position of maximum tilt. Beyond this point the track will start to twist back to normal plane so that the cars will return to an upright position and the train will go down a ramp 76' similar to 76 onto a return track at ground level. Since the cars are not disconnected, the train may continue to move as the cars successively dump. In fact in the process of dumping, the train twists in one direction and then in a reverse direction, the point of maximum twist progressing car-by-car toward the trailing end of the train. track FIG. 13 shows in detail the track arrangement at the position where the tacks is tilted to a vertical or near vertical position. Along that edge of the track which is tilted up, there are hold-down devices 80 similar to the hold-down units 66 at the loading station. These holddown units are spaced along the track at a center-tocenter distance less than a single car length beginning at a point where the loaded cars are approaching a position as they move around the track where they assume an angle of tilt of perhaps to a position of maximum tilt and back to about the same angle, when they are no longer necessary. In this stretch of track, each car will always have its upper channel edge 6' restrained by contact with the roller 70 of at least one hold-down bracket.

On the low side of the track, beginning close to where the track begins to tilt and continuing to a point where the track is almost back to a normal position are a series of car supports and retainers designated generally as 90. They are preferably at a center-to-centerdistance of less than one car length. As seen in FIG. 13, each unit 90 comprises a structure similar to the holddown units 80, each having a rigid bracket arm 91 on which is a post 92 with a roller 93 arranged to ride on the top flange of the side channel 6 at the lower side of the car. Beside the holddown roller 93, each unit 90 also has an elongated roller 94 carried on a shaft so mounted in bearings 95 that the roller can turn freely. The roller 94 is so positioned that the side strip -21 on the low side of each car will ride on the roller to keep the car from slipping sideways as it tilts progressively about its longitudinal axis from the normal upright position to the maximum angle of tilt and back to normal. It should be kept in mind, however, that each car is part of a continuously-moving relatively long train, so that except for the end cars, there is a car ahead and one behind approaching or receeding from the position of maximum tilt. Since the cars are turned edgewise during a substantial part of their travel around the loop and they are connected with couplings permitting universal movement, the radius of curvature of the loop may be very much shorter than would be the case if the cars were upright. This is important in and then restored to a normal upright position as the train continues to move. The friction drive units are yieldably held against the driving strips with sufficient force to avoid slippage on the level and upgrade, and on downhill grades the friction wheels at the drive stations may be driven by the cars to provide regenerative electric braking, or mechanical braking, or even both.

Hold-down brackets and side roller assemblies are provided at the unloading station, as above described. By having no springs in the cars which would compress unevenly with variations in the load, the friction driving means for the train and the holddown brackets and side rollers may be set at the correct level for effective functioning.

For some cases a complete system may have but a single track with a single train or a single track with multiple trains and sidings for passing and preferably with a loop at each terminal. However, instead of having a loop at each terminal the trains may be reversed at one or both terminals with appropriate reversal of the driving stations.

Track-on-Track Unloading Station In line with the foregoing comments, FIGS. 14 to 17 inclusive show an arrangement where unloading may be at preselected locations. For example, ore from a mine, coal or some other mineral may be placed in heaps along a straight reach of track. As shown in FIG. 15, the track at the unloading area has a ramp leading from ground level to an elevated straight stretch of track 101 supported on a trestle structure schematically indicated at 102. The unloading arrangement is provided to discharge material onto any one of two or more stations as indicated by the piles of material at 103 or any selected position along the stretch of track 101. For this purpose there is an unloading structure designated 104 that is movable along the track 101 and which has an inclined ramp 105 at one end and another inclined ramp 106 at the other end. There are rails 107 on the structure which slope at the ends of the

respective ramps

105 and 106 onto the rails of the main track. These rails 107 taper at the ends where they fit against the rails of the main track so that the train may move onto and off from the movable section as smoothly as possible. The track on the movable section starts to tilt edgewise close to the beginning of the ramp 105, reaches the maximum edgewise tilt along the central portion 108 of the movable unit and then tilts back to a normal plane where the cars are again upright so that when they leave ramp 106 of the movable structure, they will again be in a normal upright attitude.

The construction of the movable section 104 is best seen in FIGS. 16 and 17, which are somewhat schematic, In general, the structure has longitudinallyextending inverted channels 110 that rest on the rails of the straight track section. They are constructed to roll, or with lubricant to slide, on the rails. These longitudinal runners 110 are connected at frequent intervals with transversely-extending horizontal structural sections 111 near one end of which are rigid upright sections 112 wich increase in height from each sloping end toward the area of maximum tilt. At those areas of the track where the angle is about 90 or more there are inclined structural sections 113 (see FIG. 16) corresponding to cross ties to which rails 107 are secured, one end of the sections 113 being secured to the tops of the uprights 112 and the other, lower ends being secured to the cross members 111. Where the track on the movable section is turned edgewise to the maximum angle which may be a full 90 as shown in FIG. 17, the uprights 112 are no longer used and the cross-tie members 113 themselves are upended and welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the cross members 111. In this location where the cars are turned sideways, there may be blocks of concrete, or other ballast 113a secured to the members 113 on the side opposite the rails 107 to assume that the center of gravity will at all times be positioned to hold the sliding track section on the main track.

, On'the high end of the members 113, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 there are holddown roller units 113, similar to those previously described. At the lower side of the tilted track the cars may be retained either as shown in FIG. 13 or FIG. 16 and for purposes of illustration we have shown a support roller arrangement 95 as shown in FIG. 13 and corresponding parts in FIG. 17 and 13 have corresponding reference numerals. However, where ever it may be desirable, the support roller may be motor driven, as is the support roller 119 in FIG. 16, and of course in FIG. 16 the motor for driving the roll 119 may be omitted.

If it is necessary, one or more of the wheels or rollers 119 may be power-driven (as shown in FIG. 16) to aid in moving the train as it is moving over the movable unit.

The movable track unit 104 may be slid or otherwise moved along the straight elevated track 101 so that the cars will be tilted to dumping position at any selected position along this track. It may be pulled or slid one way or the other by a cable and winch, for example (not shown) or by other means.

The movable loading station on a straight track as just described is primarily designed for use in a fixed location, as for example adjacent a smelter or other operation where the bulk material which is dumped from the train is processed or consumed or perhaps transferred to some long-haul transport system such as standard railroad cars, barges, or long-haul trucks. It has an important advantage over the arrangement shown in FIG. 12 in that the material may be dumped at any position along a given site to form several receiving stations such as indicated by the piles 103 without changing the position of the main tracks themselves. With a loop, as shown in FIG. 12, the entire unloading loop must be moved to dump the cars in different locations. There are, however, many instances where a mobile unloader may be much more useful or even necessary. Out invention provides such a mobile unloader for the train, as illustrated in FIGS. 19-23.

Referring specifically to FIGS. 19 and 20, the dumping terminal as here shown comprises a self-propelled unit 130, with some mobile or wheeled support, such as the endless tracks or crawlers 131 here shown of conventional design and the unit has a cab 130a thereon. It supports an elevated nearly circular dumping track which in its overall construction is arranged much like the fixed track in FIG. 13. As here illustrated as one construction, the unit has heavy longitudinally extending frame members 132 along each side. To each of these frame members at each side of the machine is attached an upwardly-extending X-frame comprised principally of intersecting

structural sections

133 and 134. At the top of each of these X-frames are long downwardly and rearwardly-sloping structural beams 135 that converge and are joined together at 136. Adjacent the forward ends of the beams are parallel forwardly and downwardly-extending struts 137, and there is a strut 138 extending downwardly and outwardly from near the upper end of each beam 137, these struts diverging with respect to each other. A cross member 139 is connected to the ends of the struts 138. There is a short cross member 140 connecting the forward ends of the beams 137. Structural members 141 extend diagonally between the ends of cross member 140 and the ends of the long cross-beam 139.

On the opposite end of the inclined frame structure comprising the long beams 135 and in the area 136 there is hinged at 142 an adjustable extension 143. There is a light truss-like structure 1430 on this extension to which is anchored a cable 144 that passes over a sheave 145 on a mast 145a extending upwardly from the inclined frame structure. After passing over the sheave the cable extends down to a winch (not shown) that is controlled from the cab 130s of the mobile unit 130. Through the operation of this cable, the extension may be moved up and down.

There is a track section 146 rigidly mounted on each side of the extension 143, the sections being simply conventionally shown but which would actually comprise a structural support to which rails are secured, the spacing of the rails corresponding to the spacing of the rails 2 of the main track. The main supporting frame has a track 147 that extends from the upper end of one of the track sections 146 along the side of one of the beams 13S and then angles away from said beam to the outer end of the beam or across frame 139 and then it extends in a semi-circle around the fron of the frame to the other end of cross beam 139. From this point it angles inwardly toward the other main beam 135 and terminates in the other pivoted track section 146 on the other side of the adjustable frame. Because of the extremely short radius about which the universallycoupled cars can turn when the cars are vertical or nearly so, the semi-circular track loop of this mobile unit is of a size capable of being mounted in this fashion on a mobile unit, as described.

Beginning at about the area marked 148, the track 147 begins to be tilted transversely edgewise, reaching the area of maximum tilt at the front of the frame in the semi-circle and remains at the position of maximum tilt past the front center of the frame and then begins to gradually flatten out to become flat in the region 1480. The hold-down and side support rollers are used on the upper and lower sides'of the tilted track as described in connection with FIGS. 16 and 17 or in FIG. 13 and structures for supporting the track at different angles may be generally similar to the arrangement shown in these figures, but because of the small scale of the drawings and for purposes of clarity of illustration, these details are not shown.

It will be seen that the supporting structure on the mobile unit is generally cantilevered, with the wider front portion balancing more or less the longer downwardly-sloping rear portion and with transverse balance be provided by a general symmetry of structure at each side of the longitudinal axis of the apparatus.

The free trailing ends of the rails on the pivoted extension 143 must be operatively retained on the heads of the rails 2 of the non-movable track so that the train may roll from the tracks 2 onto or off from rails of track sections 146. FIGS. 22 and 23 show one arrangement wherein the end of rail 150 forming track 146 is beveled at 151 to ride on the head of a rail 2. There is a shoe 152 on the head of the rail 2 under the sloping rail 150 with a channel-like under surface so that the shoe is free to slide on the rail 2 but cannot move sideways with respect thereof. The top of the shoe has apaced parallel vertical side plates 153 therein between which is slidably received a vertical plate 154 secured to element 155 forming part of the track structure 146. If desired, guide pins 156 passing through the plate 154 and curved slots 157 in the side plates 153 limit the relative arcuate movement between the track sections 146 on the sides of the pivoted extension and the track 2.

With an arrangement such as the one described, the mobile unit may travel on uneven ground and deviate to at least a slight extend from absolute in-Iine travel with the rails 2 and move back and forth along these rails, and of course, if the distance between the crawlers is wide enough, the unit may straddle the rails 2 and move a considerable distance therealong. The construction described also enables the mobile unit to leave one track terminal and engage another, as herein after more fully described.

As indicated in FIG. 21, it is often desirable with the unloader, as well as with the others, to have

parallel tracks

157 and 158 leading to and from the machine with a conventional double cross-over arrangement 159 so that the train may be selectively sent up onto the dumping loop of the track from either direction and thus selectively dump material to one side or the other of the longitudinal center of the apparatus. With this arrangement considerable flexibility is provided for making land fills, storage piles, leaching beds and the like before the non-movable main tracks must be entended or shifted to another location. Also the mobile unit may be at grades above or below the rails 2 since the hinged extension section 143 with its track sections 146 can be adjusted to a considerable variation in levels.

Loading Arrangement for Open Pit and Similar Excavations There are various loading arrangements that may be provided. FIG. 18 schematically represents one form of loading station for use in open pit mines, such as those in which the walls of the pit are terraced and the diameter of the pit at each level progressively increased. FIG. 18 shows how a dump truck, or a clam shell bucket or the like on one terrace may dump material into a hopper from which it is loaded onto a train on a terrace below. In this view T designates one terrace and T a terrace above. Parallel tracks A and A2 are on a slope leading from one level to another. One of these tracks A includes a loading station, S, such, for example, as that shown in FIGS. 6-8. The loading station is positioned under a hopper 165 the top of which opens at the level of the terrace T. A dump truck 166 or other material handling apparatus may dump ore or waste into the hopper and it is discharged from the hopper into a train (not shown) on track A from a conveyor belt 167. There is a double drive unit indicated at 168. The track A extends a substantial distance beyond the loading station and there is a switch-back 169 by which the loaded train may be transferred to track A2 to travel to an unloading station. There is shown over the hopper a screen or grating to separate larger pieces of rock which do not pass through the screen and which collect on a still lower terrace.

It should be understood that there may be more than one loading station and that through the use of switches, trains may be directed toward a common track leading to an unloading station and there may be switches to direct different trains to different unloading stations.

Open Pit Mining or Similar Operation The diagram FIG. 24 shows schematically, but much out of proportion, an adaptation of the invention to an open pit copper mine. The broken contour line 174 merely indicates a pit area. The tracks and other components are out of proportion and the numerous driving stations have not been shown.

There is a central control station 175 where movement of trains into and out of any one of several branches by the operation of track switches is directed.

There may be a number of loading stations 176 in the pit, three being shown, and two tracks are shown leading to each but frequently there may be but one. Two of the stations 176 are in track loops whereas the third, 176a at the right may be a switch-back type.

In addition to ore that is rich enough to be crushed and processed for the recovery of metal, there will be mined lean ore that does not justify crushing and smelting, but which is delivered to extensive leach-beds for the acid extraction of metal, and of course there will be much waste that has no mineral value or only a trace and which must be removed for disposal elsewhere.

There are generally parallel main tracks 177 leading out of the pit. Switches at 178 may direct the trains into and out of looped dumping track 179 similar to the unloading station, for example, heretofore described in connection with FIGS. 12 and 13. This would be for the waste disposal. Other switches 180 in tracks 177 are for a pair of branch tracks 181 which in turn lead to one or more pairs of tracks 181a, 181b, and 181e, for use wijh the traveling unloader 182, similar to that shown in FIGS. 19 through 23. This arrangement will provide for the sequential loading of materials in any one of several leaching bed areas where the low-grade ore will be leached. The back-and-forth travel of the mobile unloader will permit material to be laid down in successive layers in the leaching beds.

The tracks 177 may extend for a considerable distance to an ore processing plant or smelter 183 where there may, if desired, be a movable unloader track 184 similar, for example, to the arrangement shown in FIGS. 14 to 17, inclusive.

In FIG. 24 differen types of loading and dumping or unloading stations are shown in different locations merely to indicate the flexibility and adaptability of our invention, and all one kind of dumping station may be used at all terminals, or various ones otherwise arranged. However, at the leaching bed area, the mobile unloader arrangement is particularly desirable since the back-and-forth travel of the unloader enables leaching beds to be filled in layer after layer with a minimum of labor and bull-dozing. In this operation it becomes feasible to grade a bed area, lay down a plastic covering and then develop a bed of leaching ore by moving the mobile unloader back and forth over the bed area, compacting the leveling the bed at least to some extent, as it delivers the material to the bed. The leaching liquor, subsequently applied to the bed, is caught by the plastic sheet and conducted to one or more collecting outlets.

In an extensive system, such as that diagrammed in FIG. 24 the track switches may be remotely operated and a panel board may indicate the position of different trains. Ordinarily the trains do not stop when being loaded or unloaded but their speed may be reduced at the loading and unloading stations. A train may be stopped and started at most positions by de-energizing a selected drive station and frictionally and/or regeneratively retarding the free rotation of its driving wheel or wheels, and of course to again put the train in motion, the motor at that station is energized to operate the friction drive. The train is capable of making sharp turns and adapting to uneveness in the tracks and the tracks may be easily shifted and moved as operations require. Inexpensive tunnels may take the tracks in most cases under a highway instead of over it.

The apparatus may, of course, be used in various other fields, such for example as the building of dams, the excavation of tunnels, the building of earthen dikes and the digging of ditches. It is transferable from job to job and may be supplied to a contractor or as rental equipment. The tracks may be shifted about, and the side dump unloading stations of whatever type used, may also be shifted about from time to time as may be necessary or desirable. Where grades are very steep, and in order to avoid an excessive number of driving stations therealong, a cable and winch arrangement may be provided for use with or in lieu of the friction drive, and even where only the friction drive stations are used the grades may be steeper than those on which a locomotive could be used because of the superior traction that can be exerted with fixed drive stations as herein described. Other uses and advantages will be recognized by those skilled in the art and need. not be set forth here.

We claim:

1. Industrial bulk material transportation apparatus comprising:

a. remotely separated train loading and unloading stations and a main railway track extending between them, the track at the unloading station being progressively tilted edgewise from a normal plane through an are sufficient to tilt the cars of a train designed for use therewith through an angle sufficient to discharge the contents thereof and then progressively tilted back to a normal plane, said tilted portion of the track being several car lengths in extent so that different cars of a train are tilted at different angles at the same time,

b. a train movable along the track comprising several individual wheeled cars coupled for relative rotation about their longitudinal axes whereby cars of a train moving on said tilted track may be tilted to a different angle than the one ahead or behind, the cars being also pivotally connected for relative movement about an axis parallel with the axes of the cars across their width, each car of the train having a body and a frame on which the body is secured, the car having a drive strip extending therealong substantially the full length thereof on that side of the car which is the lower one when the car is being tilted to discharge its contents, the frame having at least one pair of wheels thereon arranged to roll on said track, d. spaced drive stations positioned at intervals along the track, each station having a power-driven resilient friction element arranged to engage the drive strips of the successive cars of a train to thereby propel the train from one drive station to the next,

c. said edgewise tilted section of the track at the unloading station having roller means at intervals there-along positioned to engage the drive strips on the cars as they are moving and supporting the cars against side slip toward the lower side of the track while the cars are tilted, and other means at intervals along the high side of the track arranged to engage the upper surfaces of the car frames while they are so tilted for holding the wheels of the cars against the track.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein at least some of the roller means that engage the drive strips when the cars are tilted are power-driven for moving the train and wherein there are also rollers at intervals along the lower side of the track at the unloading station which are arranged to engage the upper surface of the tilted car frames along the lower sides thereof and confine the wheels on the lower sides against the tracks.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the car frames have generally trough-like bodies thereon which have outwardly-flaring sides, each frame having a structural section along each side which is substantially the full length of the car, and hold-down rollers spaced along the higher side of the tilted track at the unloading station so positioned that they are received in the space above the frames of the cars and the flaring sides of the bodies and roll on said structural section to confine the wheels of the cars against the rails, said structural sections also having the said drive strip secured thereto.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the cars are each constructed with an axle and wheels attached directly to the frame without springs whereby the said structural sections and drive strips of the several cars are at the same level when the train is on a level track irrespective of variations in the loads in the cars.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which the drive strips are on the exterior side faces of said structural frame members at each side of each car.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which the drive stations each have a power-driven wheel that is resiliently urged against the said drive strips, there being at each drive station other means engaging the drive strip on the opposite sides of the cars to oppose the lateral thrust of the driven wheel against the cars.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the several cars of the train have a horizontal strip therealong extending laterally thereof on at least one side, the driving station having upper and lower friction wheels arranged to resiliently engage the upper and lower surfaces of said strip with the upper friction wheel opposing any upward thrust exerted by the lower friction wheel against said strip, and means for driving said friction wheels.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim I in which the main track at the unloading station has a movable secondary track section thereon with the main track extending continuously under the movable secondary track section, said movable section being arranged to effect the tilting of the cars and the restoring of them to normal position, said movable section being so arranged that the train will move up onto it from the main track and then return to the main track after the cars have been dumped.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the unloading station comprises a mobile unit that may travel back and forth along the main track, the track extending continuously under the mobile unit, the mobile unit having a ramp engaged with the rails of the main track to and from which the train may move from the main track onto the ramp and from the ramp back to the main track, the mobile unit itself having the track thereon progressively tilted edgewise from a starting position of maximum tilt and back to normal for dumping the cars after the train moves up the ramp and before it moves down the ramp to return to the main track.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the main track has two branches side-by-side and the unloading station comprises a self-propelled unitary vehicle that has endless tractor treads to move over the earth unsupported by the main track, said vehicle having a structural framework supported thereon and extending upwardly above it, the structural framework comprising an inclined ramp that slopes downwardly and rearwardly with two parallel tracks thereon and a looped track support, the looped track support having a generally semi-circular looped track thereon connecting the upper ends of the two tracks on the ramp, said looped track being gradually tilted outwardly edgewise from a normal plane to a substantially vertical plane and then tilted in the reverse direction to a normal position at the other end of the loop, said looped track having means at intervals thereabout arranged to provide a rolling support bearing against said drive strips on the lower sides of the tilted cars and other means along the looped track on both the high and low sides for holding the car wheels on the looped track when the cars are tilted to an angle to discharge a load therefrom, said ramp terminating with one of its two parallel tracks extending up from one branch of the main track and the other extending up from the other branch of the main track so arranged that a train may move from one track up the ramp, around the loop and down the ramp to the other main track.

11. The invention defined in claim wherein the dual branches of the main track adjacent the unloading terminal are provided with double switches so arranged that the direction of travel of a train up the ramp and around the loop may be selectively reversed to change the position where the dumping area of the cars begins to take place.

12. Apparatus for dumping a train of open top cars connected for universal relative movement that are propelled along a main track comprising:

a. a movable elevated track section having an inclined ramp portion with a two-rail track thereon that extends from the elevated track to the two-rail main track, the rails on said ramp slidably engaging the rails of said main track whereby the movable track section may be moved along the main track and the train may travel up or down the ramp,

b. the said movable elevated track being twisted edgewise to a substantially vertical position during a portion of its length whereby cars of the train moving along the tilted elevated track are tilted sideways through an arc sufficient to discharge the contents of the cars to one side of the elevated track,

0. hold-down means at spaced intervals along the elevated tilted track section at the high side of the tilted track each comprising a roller arranged to bear against a member extending along the upper longitudinal edges of the cars to hold the cars against the track, and roller means at intervals along the lower side of said section positioned to engage a member extending along each of the cars at their low sides to restrain the cars from side slip while they are being tilted and dumped.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said elevated tilted track section is supported on and carried by a vehicle.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said elevated track section is mounted on and slidable along a straight reach of the normal two-rail main track.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the cars are springless and the loading station comprises a resiliently-supported track span of at least one car length interposed between two fixed track ends with connections between said span and the track ends which permit vertical movement of the span while effectively maintaining the continuity of the track from one track end to the other.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein there is a loading device over said resiliently-supported track span arranged to drop bulk material into cars moving along said span.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each drive station comprises an upright frame structure at one side of the track, a laterally-extending frame pivotally hung in the upright frame for rotation in a vertical arc, a cradle hung from the laterally-extending frame in which is set a combined motor, brake and speedreducing gear, the speed-reducing gear having a vertical driven shaft with a friction wheel thereon, said motor and reducing gear being so positioned in the cradle with reference to the axis about which the laterallyextending frame pivots that the wheel is yieldably biased by the combined weight thereof to bear against the drive strip of a car positioned on the track alongside the wheel, and spring means for increasing the biasing pressure of the wheel against a car which is so positioned.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the body and frame of each car are substantially coextensive and the body is of a trough-like section open at the top, only the front and rear cars having transverse end walls for the body, the bodies of the intermediate cars being open-ended, each car except one end car having a flexible trough-like apron fixed thereto at one end only that extends into the trough-shaped open end of the adjacent car for support but to which it is unattached whereby the cars provide a substantially continuous trough-like material-receiving space from one end of the train to the other.

19. Bulk material transporting apparatus for use in open pit mining comprising:

a. a railway track extending from within the pit to separated unloading stations, one of which is at an ore processing plant, another at a dump, and another at a leaching bed area, the track having switches for selectively directing a train into or out of any one of said areas,

b. the track in the mine having branches leading to different loading stations in the mine with switches for selectively directing a train to or from any one of said loading stations,

c. a train movable over said track comprising a connected series of cars, each car having a frame and a body, each car having a drive strip along each side edge thereof, each car having a trough-like body on the frame open-at the top,

d. train driving stations at intervals along the track having drive units comprising power-driven friction wheels that resiliently bear against and engage the drive strips on the cars for propelling the train, said units being also arranged with brakes for retarding down-grade travel of the trains or stopping them,

. each unloading station comprising an elevated the unloading station at the leaching bed area having the said elevated track section on a mobile support that may travel on the earth at the end of the track that leads to said leaching bed area whereby said mobile unit may travel back and forth relative to said track end to progressively build up a leaching bed, the track on the mobile unit being engaged with said track end through an inclined ramp the lower end of which is adjustable vertically to accommodate the change in height of the leaching bed as it is built up, the ramp having track means thereon extending between said track end and said elevated track section.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein there is a central control area in the pit for routing empty trains to selected loading areas and loaded trains to a selected unloading station, said trains being controlled entirely from said control station with no crew being required on any train.

Claims

1. Industrial bulk material transportation apparatus comprising: a. remotely separated train loading and unloading stations and a main railway track extending betwEen them, the track at the unloading station being progressively tilted edgewise from a normal plane through an arc sufficient to tilt the cars of a train designed for use therewith through an angle sufficient to discharge the contents thereof and then progressively tilted back to a normal plane, said tilted portion of the track being several car lengths in extent so that different cars of a train are tilted at different angles at the same time, b. a train movable along the track comprising several individual wheeled cars coupled for relative rotation about their longitudinal axes whereby cars of a train moving on said tilted track may be tilted to a different angle than the one ahead or behind, the cars being also pivotally connected for relative movement about an axis parallel with the axes of the cars across their width, c. each car of the train having a body and a frame on which the body is secured, the car having a drive strip extending therealong substantially the full length thereof on that side of the car which is the lower one when the car is being tilted to discharge its contents, the frame having at least one pair of wheels thereon arranged to roll on said track, d. spaced drive stations positioned at intervals along the track, each station having a power-driven resilient friction element arranged to engage the drive strips of the successive cars of a train to thereby propel the train from one drive station to the next, e. said edgewise tilted section of the track at the unloading station having roller means at intervals there-along positioned to engage the drive strips on the cars as they are moving and supporting the cars against side slip toward the lower side of the track while the cars are tilted, and other means at intervals along the high side of the track arranged to engage the upper surfaces of the car frames while they are so tilted for holding the wheels of the cars against the track.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the main track at the unloading station has a movable secondary track section thereon with the main track extending continuously under the movable secondary track section, said movable section being arranged to effect the tilting of the cars and the restoring of them to normal position, said movable section being so arranged that the train will move up onto it from the main track and then return to the main track after the cars have been dumped.

11. The invention defined in claim 10 wherein the dual branches of the main track adjacent the unloading terminal are provided with double switches so arranged that the direction of travel of a train up the ramp and around the loop may be selectively reversed to change the position where the dumping area of the cars begins to take place.

12. Apparatus for dumping a train of open top cars connected for universal relative movement that are propelled along a main track comprising: a. a movable elevated track section having an inclined ramp portion with a two-rail track thereon that extends from the elevated track to the two-rail main track, the rails on said ramp slidably engaging the rails of said main track whereby the movable track section may be moved along the main track and the train may travel up or down the ramp, b. the said movable elevated track being twisted edgewise to a substantially vertical position during a portion of its length whereby cars of the train moving along the tilted elevated track are tilted sideways through an arc sufficient to discharge the contents of the cars to one side of the elevated track, c. hold-down means at spaced intErvals along the elevated tilted track section at the high side of the tilted track each comprising a roller arranged to bear against a member extending along the upper longitudinal edges of the cars to hold the cars against the track, and roller means at intervals along the lower side of said section positioned to engage a member extending along each of the cars at their low sides to restrain the cars from side slip while they are being tilted and dumped.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each drive station comprises an upright frame structure at one side of the track, a laterally-extending frame pivotally hung in the upright frame for rotation in a vertical arc, a cradle hung from the laterally-extending frame in which is set a combined motor, brake and speed-reducing gear, the speed-reducing gear having a vertical driven shaft with a friction wheel thereon, said motor and reducing gear being so positioned in the cradle with reference to the axis about which the laterally-extending frame pivots that the wheel is yieldably biased by the combined weight thereof to bear against the drive strip of a car positioned on the track alongside the wheel, and spring means for increasing the biasing pressure of the wheel against a car which is so positioned.

19. Bulk material transporting apparatus for use in open pit mining comprising: a. a railway track extending from within the pit to separated unloading stations, one of which is at an ore processing plant, another at a dump, and another at a leaching bed area, the track having switches for selectively directing a train into or out of any one of said areas, b. the track in the mine having branches leading to different loading stations in the mine with switches for selectively directing a train to or from any one of said loading stations, c. a train movable over said track comprising a connected series of cars, each car having a frame and a body, each car having a drive strip along each side edge thereof, each car having a trough-like body on the frame open at the top, d. train driving stations at intervals along the track having drive units comprising power-driven friction wheels that resiliently bear against and engage the drive strips on the cars for propelling the train, said units being also arranged with brakes for retarding down-grade travel of the trains or stopping them, e. each unloading station comprising an elevated track section having a portion of its length arranged to progressively twist a train moving therealong sideways To successively turn the cars from a normal upright position sideways through an arc sufficient to discharge from each car in turn all of its load and then return the cars to an upright position, f. the unloading station at the leaching bed area having the said elevated track section on a mobile support that may travel on the earth at the end of the track that leads to said leaching bed area whereby said mobile unit may travel back and forth relative to said track end to progressively build up a leaching bed, the track on the mobile unit being engaged with said track end through an inclined ramp the lower end of which is adjustable vertically to accommodate the change in height of the leaching bed as it is built up, the ramp having track means thereon extending between said track end and said elevated track section.