US3770099A

US3770099A - Scraper-extractor

Info

Publication number: US3770099A
Application number: US00203259A
Authority: US
Inventors: B Bernicot
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-06-20
Filing date: 1971-11-30
Publication date: 1973-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 1990-11-06
Also published as: FR2061555B1; DE1938397A1; FR2061555A1

Abstract

This gantry-type scraper-extractor comprises a gantry from which two arms equipped with endless chains carrying scraper tools are suspended in separate planes by having their lower ends pivoted to and guided by the base of said gantry, the upper ends of said scraper arms being interconnected by a link-forming member pivoted to said upper ends and responsive to a control device of the screw-jack type determining the angular position of said member in relation to the upper end of one arm so that the upper end of the other arm constantly lies substantially above that of said first arm.

Description

D United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,770,099

Bernicot Nov. 6 1973 54] SCRAPER-EXTRACTOR 3,621,977 11 1971 Fischer 214/10 [76] Inventor: Bernard Bernicot, 4, rue dAnvers, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Mulhousc, France 747,683 4/1938 Germany 214 10 122 Filed: Nov. 30, 1971 Primary ExaminerGerald M. Forlenza I Appl' 203259 Assistant Examiner-Frank E. Werner Related US. Application Data Aztorney Robert E. Burns et al. [63] Continuation-in-part of Scr. No. 859,473, Sept. 19,

1969, abandoned. [57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data This gantry-type scraper-extractor comprises a gantry June 20 1969 France 6920772 from which two arms equipped with endless Chains rying scraper tools are suspended in separate planes by 52 us. Cl 198/36 37/192 R 214/10 having their lower ends Pivmed and guided by 51 Int. Cl. B65 g 59/00 base of Said gantry "PPer ends Said Scraper arms [58] Field of Search 198/9 36 87 92 being inmconnected by a ink-forming member 198/174. 214/10. 37/191 5 oted to said upper ends and responsive to a control device of the screw-jack type determining the angular po- [56] References Cited sition of said member in relation to the upper end of one arm so that the upper end of the other arm con- UNITED STATES PATENTS stantly lies substantially above that of said first arm. 3,604,572 9/1971 Strocker et al. 214/10 3,509,985 5/1970 Fischer 198/36 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHUY 6 1m SHEET 30F 3 m OE mm 8 mm mm mm s E 4 N. v 8 3w 3 i Q @m 1 SCRAPER-EXTRACTOR CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a scraper-extractor of the movable translational type, which comprises essentially two movable arms carried by a gantry and provided with scraping means.

A scraper-extractor movable on rails is already known, which comprises a pair of scraper arms disposed in succession and pivoted to each other so as to form a variable angle therebetween for scraping simultaneously the two sides of a heap, pile or like material or products to be picked up. The scraper arms are driven separately and suspended from the gantry overlying the material. However, in actual service a scraper extractor of this type proved unsatisfactory in that the material to be scraped off tended to accumulate and clog the apex portion of the angle formed by the two arms, thus impairing the operation of the assembly.

Another known scraper comprises two arms pivoted to the gantry at their bases, without having any common point. Obviously, this arrangement is attended by considerable difficulties as far as synchronization is concerned. On the other hand, two separate devices must be provided for controlling the luffing or upward movements of the two arms, thus increasing the final cost of the assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing, it is the essential object of the present invention to avoid these inconveniences by providing a scraper-extractor of the movable translational type, adapted to operate under the best possible conditions as far as efficiency is concerned, while having a sound mechanical construction eliminating any risk of clogging and failures, the cost of the complete unit comparing favorably with the most economical apparatus hitherto available in this field.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of a gantry scraper according to this invention;

It is another scope of this invention to provide a scraper-extractor free of any clogging in the zone adjacent to the upper ends of its two scraper arms.

To this end, the scraper-extractor of the movable translational type according to this invention, comprising a gantry from which are suspended a first scraper arm and a second scraper arm, said arms having their lower ends pivoted to and guided by said gantry, is characterized in that the upper ends of said arms are interconnected by a member pivoted to said upper ends, and that an adjustable control device is provided for determining the proper angular position of said connecting member in relation to the upper end of said first arm so that the upper end of said second arm constantly lies at a higher level than the upper end of said first arm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING A typical form of embodiment of this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 2 is an elevational view showing on a larger scale the member interconnecting the upper ends of the two scraper arms, with its control system, and

1 FIG. 3 is a plane view showing on a still larger scale the upper ends of the two scraper arms, the connecting member and its control system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The scraper-extractor movable in translation, ac-

cording to the invention, as illustrated very diagrammatically in FIG. 1, comprises essentially a gantry 1 having the shape of an inverted V and at its lower ends, means permitting its translation along horizontal track rails (not shown). Suspended from this gantry 1 are a pair of scraper arms, namely a primary scraper arm 2 and a secondary scraper arm 3. Each

scraper arm

2, 3 carries an endless scraper chain driven from power means (not shown) and provided with scraping tools disposed at spaced intervals. The primary scraper arm 2 is pivoted at its lower end to the lower portion of gantry 1, about pivot means 4. The secondary scraper arm 3 carries at its lower end a pivot shaft 5 or any other similar member adapted to slide in a guide rail 6 carried by the gantry. This secondary arm 3 is on the other hand suspended at its upper end from a hoisting rope 7 passing over a pulley and connected to a luffing or hoisting winch (not shown).

According to this invention, the pair of

scraper arms

2 and 3 are interconnected at their upper ends by a connecting member 9 pivoted on the one hand'to the upper end'of primary arm 2 about a pivot pin 10 and on the other hand to the upper end of the secondary arm 3 about another pivot pin 11. This connecting member 9 is held in an adjustable angular position in relation to the primary arm 2, through a control device 12 operatively connected to the connecting member 9 by means of a transmission device 13 such as a linkage or lever system. 7 I

The connecting member 9 illustrated diagrammatically in the drawingin the form ofa link, is positioned and held in a position such that the upper end of the secondary arm 3, during actual operation, is constantly kept above upper end of arm 2, as illustrated in FIG. 1. With this arrangement, it is possible to definitely eliminate any risk of clogging the angle formed between the two scraper arms.

The control device 12 is intended for adjusting at will the inclination of the connecting member 9 in relation to the primary arm 2, and therefore the position of the connecting member 9 as the two

arms

2 and 3 are lowered. This variation in the angular position of the connecting member 9 is particularly desirable when the two

arms

2, 3 eventually engage the ground 14, for in this case a superposition would prevent a complete picking up the products in series. In this last instance, by disposing the connecting member 9 substantially in alignment with the primary arm 2, the two scraper arms 2 and'3 can be aligned in end to end relationship, as shown diagrammatically in dash lines in FIG. 1. This Figure also shows in dash lines an intermediate position of

arms

2 and 3, during the downward movement thereof.

Now reference will be made more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3 for describing a specific and exemplary form of embodiment of the above-mentioned control device 12 and also of the connecting and superposition member 9 contemplated between the upper ends of-the

scraper arms

2 and 3 of the apparatus.

The connecting member 9 comprises two

parallel arms

18, 19 of section material, welded to each other and pivoted about

pivot pins

10, 11 carried by the upper ends of

arms

2 and 3, respectively, equipped in turn with the scraper chains 20, 21. The two

arms

18, 19 are interconnected by a cross member 22.

The control device proper 12 comprises a pair of

mechanical screw jacks

23, 24, mounted on a frame structure 25 rigid with the head of the primary scraper arm 2. This frame structure comprises a cross member 26 to which an electric motor 27 is mounted, the output shaft of this motor carrying a pulley 28 connected via V-belts 29 to another pulley 30 rigid with a transverse shaft 31. This shaft 31 rotatably mounted in bearings 32 carried by said cross member 26 is operatively connected to the input shafts of

jacks

23 and 24. The

output rods

33, 34 of these jacks have their outer ends pivoted to

shafts

37, 38, carried by straps 35, 36 rigid with said cross member 22. The

shafts

37, 38 also act as pivot means to links 39, 40, and extend through

external straps

41, 42, rigid with theaforesaid two

arms

18 and 19, respectively, and receiving the ends of said

links

39 and 40, respectively. At their opposite ends these links are formed with

elongated holes

43, 44 into which

pivot pins

45, 46 carried by cross member-26 project.

From the foregoing, it is clear that when the electric motor 27 is energized, its rotational movement is transmitted to the transverse shaft 31 via

pulleys

28, 30 and belts 29. Shaft 31 rotatably drives the

screw jacks

23, 24, and thus cause the

rods

33, 34 thereof to emerge or recede, according to the direction of rotation of the electric motor 27. Due to the operative coupling of these rods with straps 35, 36 carried by cross members 22, the complete connecting member 9 is caused to pivot about the axis of pivot pin until the desired angular relationship between this member and the primary scraper arm 2, and therefore the proper positioning of the upper end of the other'scraper arm 3 pivoted to the connecting

arms

18, 19, about the other pivot pin 11, is obtained.

Of course, various modifications and variations may be contemplated in the practical embodiment of this invention, without inasmuch departing from the basic principle of the invention as set'forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a scraper extractor of the translational type movable above a heap or pile of bulk material to be loaded comprising a movable gantry, a first scraper arm having a lower end pivotally mounted on said gantry and extending on one side of said gantry, a second scraper arm mounted on said gantry on an opposite side of said gantry and having a lower end guided on said gantry, means for guiding said second arm lower end for upward and downward movement thereof, means for lifting and controlling downward movement of saidsecondary arm, first and second pivot pins on the upper ends of said first and second scraper arms respectively, a member interconnecting the upper ends of said first and second scraper arms and having ends pivotally connected to said first and second pivot pins respectively, and adjustment means for variably adjusting and maintaining the angular position of said connecting member about said first pivot pin so that the upper end of said second scraper arm is disposed above the upper end of said first arm during the major downward movement of said upper end of said first and second arms, said adjustment means comprising a cross member rigid with the upper end of said first scraper arm, an electric motor carried by said cross member, a transverse shaft rotatably mounted on said cross member and operatively connected to the output shaft of said electric motor, a pair of mechanical screw jacks carried by said cross member and operatively connected to the two ends of said transverse shaft, respectively, each screw jack comprising a movable rod, said connecting member comprising a pair of straps to which the ends of the two rods of said screw jacks are pivoted respectively.

1 2. A scraper-extractor as set forth in claim 1, wherein said connecting member comprises two vertical parallel arms pivoted to said first and second pivot pins and a distance-piece interconnecting said two arms and carrying said pair of straps. I

'3. In a gantry scraper for loading bulk material from a storage heap; a gantry; a scraperloader for loading bulk material from a storage heap of said material comprising a first scraper jib having first scraper means thereon for scraping said material from said storage heap to a loading position, and a second scraper jib having second scraper means thereon for scraping said material on said storage heap and feeding said first scraper means with said material, means pivotally connecting a lower end of said first scraper jib to said gantry at an elevation above the elevation of the bottom of said storage heap; a link member pivotally connecting said second scraper jib to said first scraper jib; means pivotally connecting said link member at one point to said second scraper jib; means pivotally connecting said link member at another point to said first scraper jib; guiding means for guiding movement of said second scraper jib during operation of said gantry scraper; and adjusting means connected to said link member and operative for selectively applying a force to said link member for adjusting and maintaining during operation the relative angular position of said link member and said second scraper jib relative to said first scraper jib.

Claims

1. In a scraper - extractor of the translational type movable above a heap or pile of bulk material to be loaded comprising a movable gantry, a first scraper arm having a lower end pivotally mounted on said gantry and extending on one side of said gantry, a second scraper arm mounted on said gantry on an opposite side of said gantry and having a lower end guided on said gantry, means for guiding said second arm lower end for upward and downward movement thereof, means for lifting and controlling downward movement of said secondary arm, first and second pivot pins on the upper ends of said first and second scraper arms respectively, a member interconnecting the upper ends of said first and second scraper arms and having ends pivotally connected to said first and second pivot pins respectively, and adjustment means for variably adjusting and maintaining the angular position of said connecting member about said first pivot pin so that the upper end of said second scraper arm is disposed above the upper end of said first arm during the major downward movement of said upper end of said first and second arms, said adjustment means comprising a cross member rigid with the upper end of said first scraper arm, an electric motor carried by said cross member, a transverse shaft rotatably mounted on said cross member and operatively connected to the output shaft of said electric motor, a pair of mechanical screw jacks carried by said cross member and operatively connected to the two ends of said transverse shaft, respectively, each screw jack comprising a movable rod, said connecting member comprising a pair of straps to which the ends of the two rods of said screw jacks are pivoted respectively.

2. A scraper-extractor as set forth in claim 1, wherein said connecting member comprises two vertical parallel arms pivoted to said first and second pivot pins and a distance-piece interconnecting said two arms and carrying said pair of straps.

3. In a gantry scraper for loading bulk material from a storage heap; a gantry; a scRaper loader for loading bulk material from a storage heap of said material comprising a first scraper jib having first scraper means thereon for scraping said material from said storage heap to a loading position, and a second scraper jib having second scraper means thereon for scraping said material on said storage heap and feeding said first scraper means with said material, means pivotally connecting a lower end of said first scraper jib to said gantry at an elevation above the elevation of the bottom of said storage heap; a link member pivotally connecting said second scraper jib to said first scraper jib; means pivotally connecting said link member at one point to said second scraper jib; means pivotally connecting said link member at another point to said first scraper jib; guiding means for guiding movement of said second scraper jib during operation of said gantry scraper; and adjusting means connected to said link member and operative for selectively applying a force to said link member for adjusting and maintaining during operation the relative angular position of said link member and said second scraper jib relative to said first scraper jib.