US544002A - Store service apparatus - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. M. NEER.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS. No. 544,002. Patented Aug. 6.1895.

WITNESSES:

' ATTORNEYS (No Model.) 8 SheetsSheet 3.

, H. M. NEER.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS. No. 544,002. v Patented Aug. 6, 1895.-

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STORE SERVICE APPARATUS. No. 544,002. Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

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STORE SERVICE APPARATUS. No. 544,002. Patented Aug. 6., 1895 (No Model.) 7 8 Sheets-Sheet 6'. r H. M. NEBR.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 544,002. Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

WlTNESSES: I, INVENTOR ATTORNEYG (No Model.) 8 SheetsShet 7. 1 H. M. NEER.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

Patented Aug. 6,

ATTORNEYJ QNo Model.) 8 SheetsSheet 8K H. M. NBERQ- STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 544,002. Patented Aug.6,1895.

-H HP A WITNESSES'.

. Unrrno STATES PATENT Orrtcn.

HARRY M. NEER, or SPRINGFIELD, onto, ASSIGNOR TO 0. s. KELLY, 0F SAME PLACE.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,002, dated August 6, 1895.

' 7 Application filed September 10, 1894. Serial No. 522,566. (No model.) i

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY M. NEER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Store'Service Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in store-service apparatus.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective store-service apparatus, the motive power of which is an electric current.

My invention consists in the various constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and set'forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the manner of installing my improved store-service apparatus, showing the track, cashiers station, and salernans station. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the motor which travels on the track, showing also the manner of supporting .the carrying-receptacles on said motor. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the track and a portion of the motor referred to hereinafter. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the motor and track. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the motor detached and some of the parts broken away. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the same with some of the parts broken away. Fig. 7 is a detail view of a portion of the motor illustrating the manner of releasing the carrying-receptacles therefrom. Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively a side and rear elevation of a stand used at the different stations from which the carrying-receptacles are supplied to the carrying-car. Figs. 10 and 11 are detail views of portions of the same. Figs.12 to 16, inclusive, are detail views showing the devices for discharging and supplying the traveling car as it passes the terminus or cashiers station. Fig. 17 is a diagram showing the continuous track.

Like parts are represented by similar letters and numerals of reference thronghoutthe several views.

In carrying out my invention I employ a track a a, formed of a single flat piece of any suitable material, preferably metal, though wood or other material. may be used, ifdesired. This track aa is supported at'suit able intervals from the ceiling, as shown at a or in any other suitable manner. The track is extended to such parts of the store or other building as are to be covered by the service, and bythe peculiar constructions and arrangements of the track and the motor hereinafter to be described it may be elevated or depressed at any reasonable angle and carried upwardly, if desired, from one floor to the other.

The traveling car A is suspended from the track a a by means of small carrying-wheels b b, which are preferably provided on their peripheries with rubber or other similar material to prevent slippage. Motion is imparted to these driving-wheels b b from an electric motor, whichis supported on the frame of the car A, and which receives current from two conductors a 0. extending along the track preferably on the bottom of the same. This motor I make of a peculiar construction, inasmuch as it is provided with a single fieldmagnet b and two armatures b b. There are four of the carrying-wheels b 19', those I) I) being on one side of the car, and those I) 1) being on the other side of the car, both of the carrying-wheels on one side of the car and running on one side of the track being geared together and to one of the armatures of the motor, the remaining carrying-wheels being geared together and geared to the opposite armature of the motor.

In addition to the carrying-wheels b b and b b, I provide beneath the track additional track-wheels b b These track-wheels are adapted to run under the track and bear on the under side thereof, being held in contact with the track by a spring 19 (See Figs 3 and 5 for detail.) These under-track wheels b b are connected, respectively, to the respective sets of carrying-wheels b b and b b, so that one of these under-track wheels is driven from one armature and the other track-wheel is driven from the opposite armature. These under-track wheels are also preferably covered with rubber or other material, which prevents their slipping.

It will be seen from this construction that the driving-wheels on one side of the car or motor are entirely separate and independent from those on the opposite side, each set being driven from a separate armature, which armatures are operated from a single fieldmagnet. The result of this construction is that in going around curves, which is absolutely necessary for an apparatus of this kind, there is no slipping, the armatu res regulating themselves to any speed of the wheels, whether on the inside or outside of the track, and re volving accordingly.

The power to drive the track-wheels is conveyed to suitable gearing, as indicated in Fig. 2. A main driving-gear 1 meshes with a pinion 0 on the armatureshaft. It has on the shaft therewith a pinion 2, which meshes with an intermediate gear 3, which, in turn, drives the track-wheels through the medium of the gears 4 and 5, which mesh with the intermediate gear 3. A gear 6 meshing with the gear 5 drives the under-track wheel of each series. The gearing on opposite sides of the car is the same, so that under normal conditions the respective armatures are driven uniformly and uniformly drive the trackwheels. It will be understood that the gears 4, 5, and 6 are of the same diameter and that the track-wheels connected thereto are of a uniform diameter. The gears 5 and 6 mesh together, while those 3 and 6 do not. To accomplish this I construct the under trackwheels b I) each with a sleeve b which extends onto a tapered shaft 1;,journaled in the frame of the car and carrying the gear 6. This shaft is connected to the sleeve b by a pin 1) which passes through suitable openings made sufficiently large to permit a universal movement of the sleeve about the shaft b" to a limited extent. By this construction the spring D which presses against the trackwheel support, is enabled to keep the under track-wheels pressed firmly against the track so that said track is grasped securely between the upper and lower track-wheels and thus insures the movement of the car along the track whenever the two wheels are revolved, even though the track should be elevated at a sharp angle.

The car A is provided on each side with a longitudinal carrying rod or way I), which are supported by transverse bars b, extending from one side of the motor to the other and connected to the frame thereof at the bottom. These ways or rods 12 are adapted to support the receptacles 0, into which the articles to be carried or delivered are placed. These receptacles c are each formed at each end with laterally-extending hooks c, which are adapted to rest on the bars or ways Z) and support the said receptacles on the car. In practice a number of these receptacles c, which may be formed in the nature of haskets of wire or other suitable light material, are placed at the differentstations, one of which is represented at A in Fig. 1. Each of these stations consists of upright standards (1 and cl',on which is adapted to slide aframe (1 to which is attached a U shaped supporting-piece (Z which carries at each extremity longitudinal rods or ways (1. These rods or ways (1 are in construction similar to those I) on the car, and the baskets or receptacles to be gathered by the car are placed thereon, being supported by projections c which support said receptacles on said rods or ways in a manner similar to that in which they are supported on the car by the hooks or projections 0, as before described.

The ways Z) on the car are inclined down- Wardly at one end, as shown in Fig. 2, and a pivoted latch I) is provided in close proximity to the place where this inclination ends, so that as the car travels along the track if one of the baskets or receptacles is supported on the ways at the same elevation as those on the car the end of the ways on the car run under the hooks of the receptacle and elevate said receptacle, raising the pivoted latch, which, falling by gravity, prevents the basket or receptacle from again passing off from this end of the way or supporting-rpd.

Each of the stations A is provided with a raising and lowering device, which consists, preferably, of a rope d attached at one end to the frame (1 and provided at the other with a suitable handle. By pulling the rope d the frame 61 carrying the ways (1", maybe elevated to a position in which the ways d" will be substantially on the same plane with the car which passes said station. Toinsure this result, a curved arm (1 is employed, which extends from a point above the track outwardly and downwardly, and is provided with a forked end 61 adapted to engage a laterallyextending projection d on one of the ways at, so as to insure the frame being elevated into the same position at each successive operation. This standard is further provided with a spring-catch (1", adapted as the frame (Z is elevated to engage said frame and hold it in an elevated position. The frame (1 is further provided with a pivoted latch (Z having at the opposite ends upwardly and downwardly extending arms with lateral projections, as shown in detail in Figs. 10 and 11. One of these lateral projections on'one of these arms stands, when the frame is in an elevated position, opposite the spring-catch (Z and the other stands in close proximity to the supporting way or rod d of said frame, the construction being such that when the basket or carrying receptacle is deposited onto the ways (1 from the car in the manner hereinafter specified, the weight of said basket will move said pivoted latch d and cause it to disengage the spring-catch d, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 11, and allow the frame d to descend with the said basket.

It should be stated that the traveling car in addition to the ways I) is provided with spring-actuated pivoted arms 0 which extend outwardly and backwardly so as to rest in contact with the ways I). These arms are pivoted at b" to the motor-frame and con- 'nected together by a bar 11 and adapted to be oscillated by a forwardly-extending lever h arms b serve as stops to prevent the baskets or receptacles on the car from sliding off from the ways in the direction opposite to that in which the car is going, and the raising and lowering of these arms at the moment of passing the station permits the baskets or.

receptacles to be delivered at the station, providing said station is the proper one, which is determined in the manner hereinafter described.

At the terminal or cashiers station, which is shown in Fig. 1 at A a slightly-different arrangement is provided. Here I employ a revolving delivering device, which consists of a supporting sleeve or standard 6, preferably supported from the ceiling, and in which is journaled a shaft 6, carrying at one end a series of laterally-extending arms e each of which is provided at its outer end with a U- shaped bar a having at its extremities lon gitudinal ways (2, corresponding to the. ways (1 at the other station described. In the normal position one set of these ways stands at alltimes in. proximity to the track and in a position to receive the baskets or receptacles, which are gathered up and deposited by the traveling motor or car. As each basket or receptacle is deposited thereon, the shaft e is caused to revolve a portion of a revolution corresponding to the number of arms thereon, thus carrying the receptacle around and depositing it on the cashiers or wrappers table. buch receptacles as are to be returned are placed on the vacant arms, so that each partial revolution may discharge one or more receptacles from the car and supply it with others.

The revolution of the shaft e is effected in the following manner: To the shaft is connected a spring-case a containing a spiral spring e, which is secured at one end to said spring-case and at the other to said shaft e. (See Figs. 15 and 16.) The outside of the spring-case is provided with a ratchet e having a number of teeth corresponding to the arms supported on said shaft, there being four in the present case. An auxiliary pawland-ratchet device a is provided to prevent said shaft from revolving except in one direction. In close proximity to the shaft is an electric solenoid e, the core 6 of which is connected to a pawl e ,adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet-wheel a". Each time a car passes along that portion of the track opposite to the revolving .shaft, an electrical impulse is established through the solenoid e", in the manner hereinafter described, which causes the core e to reciprocate, and thus carries the ratchet-wheel e around a portion of a revo lution equal to the number of teeth therein.

This movement of the ratchet-wheel places the spring a under tension, so that when the shaft is released by the means hereinafter described said shaft is caused by said spring to revolve a similar distance, bringing a new set of supporting devices into position to receive the load from the car.

It should be stated that the motors or cars, of which any suitable number may be employed, are intended to run continuously and in the same direction at all 'times. Each receptacle is provided with a stop peculiar to the station to which it belongs, so that as it comes to said station its stop comes in contact with similarly-arranged projections at said station and discharges the basket or receptacle therefrom. All baskets or receptacles, however, which are carried to the terminalstation are discharged, and as the motors run in the same direction at all times, the baskets or receptacles are always distributed in the order in which they are gathered, the operator returning them to the motor in the order in which they are received.

The devices for effecting the starting and stopping of the rotating shaft e are shown in Figs. 12 to 14, inclusive. For each of the arms 6 there is provided a projection 6 located in proper position and'adapt'ed, as the shaft is revolved, to pass under a pivoted latch 9, supported on a frame in proximity to the track. Adjacent to this latch is a downwardly-extending finger e on the end of a pivoted arm e the projecting end e of which is adapted, as the motor or car passes along the track, to be operated by said motor so as to raise the finger 6 and thus release the projection 6 and permit the rotating shaft to revolve. The pivoted arm e is threaded through the perforated end of a small pivoted contacting-lever e", to which one pole of an electric generator is attached.

In proximity to this pivoted lever e is a stationary contacting-piece 6 to which the other pole of the generator is attached. The circuit formed by these contact devices includes the solenoid e the construction being such that as the finger e is elevated by the movement of the car it causes the contacting devices e e to come together and establish a circuit through the solenoid e", which operates the ratchet device, in the manner before described, to produce the rotation of the shaft 6'.

It will be understood that the operation of the solenoid is completed in a short interval of time, and serves only to set the spring to cause the shaft to revolve, which produces its movement in a more leisurely manner. As

soon as the car passes the lever 6 the contacting devices and the projecting finger e assume their normal positions, and as the shaft e revolves the next succeeding projection e is brought in contact with the projecting finger e, and retained there by the pivoted latch e The shaft e, being revolved by'the tension of the spring, acquires some ICC little momentum just prior to the time it is stopped by the stop-finger c and the jar or recoil occasioned by the sudden stoppage is utilized to cause the baskets or receptacles to slide from the supporting rods or ways 6 and drop onto the cashiers or wrappers desk in convenient position for manipulation.

At each of the stations, except the terminal or cashiers station, stop devices are provided to contact with the traveling receptacles on the motor-car. These stop devices are shown atf (see Fig. 8) and are provided with small projections f and intervening spaces, something after the manner of the tumblers in a permutation-lock, the receptacles being provided with similarly-arranged projections, the spaces and projections being varied at each station and on each receptacle, so that the stop devices on the receptacles come in contact only with the stop devices of that station to which the receptacle belongs.

It should be stated that the current to drive the motor is collected from the conductors from suitable brushes or other collectors. (Shown in Fig. 6.)

ltis obvious that the constructions set forth admit of various modifications in the details of construction. I do not, therefore, limit myself to such construction; but

I claim as my invention- 1. In a store service apparatus, a fiat horizontal track, and a motor car having track wheelsto operate against said track, said track wheels being arranged above and below the track and one or more of said track wheels being yieldingly supported so as to bear yieldingly against said track, a motor on said car having a single field magnet and independent armatures, each of said armatures being connected to the driving wheels on one side of said track, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a motor car and a fiat horizontal track on which the same operates, a motor on said car having a single field magnet and two independentarmatures, track wheels on said motor car adapted to operate on said track, the track wheels on opposite sides of said car being connected independently to the respective armatures, each set of track wheels including one or more wheels above and below said track, and means as described for keeping said track wheels in contact with said track, substantially as specified.

3. In a store service apparatus, a iiat horizontal track, a motor car having track wheels to operate against said track, said track wheels being arranged above and below said track and having their peripheries covered with rubber or other flexible material, guides or ways on said car, and carrying receptacles having suitable hook-shaped arms to be engaged by said guides or ways, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

t. In a store service apparatus, a series of stations and a track extending in proximity to said stations, an electrically operated motor car on said track having guides or ways, and stationary supporting devices at eachof said stations adapted to support carrying receptacles having hook-shaped arms which lie along the line of travel of said guides or ways, stop projections on said receptacles and stations respectively, and a revolving discharging apparatus operated electrically by the movement of said car to receive said receptacles as the car passesthe same,substantially as specified.

5. In a store service apparatus, a moving car having guides or ways to receive carrying receptacles, as described, a revolving shaft having projecting arms carrying guides or ways adapted in their normal positions to rest adjacent to the line of travel of said car, a spring connected to said shaft, and a solenoid for operating said spring, and means as described for sending an electrical impulse through said solenoid at the same time said shaft is released, substantially as specified.

6. The combination with a stationary track, of a revolving shaft having projecting arms, a car on said. track adapted to carry receptacles as described, and guides or ways on said projecting arms to engage said receptacles, a spring connected to said shaft, and a solenoid for operating said spring, a pivoted catch for retaining said projecting arms in their norrnal position, and electrical contacting devices connected to said catch, said contacting devices being adapted to establish an electrical circuit through said solenoid, and means as described for operating said catch and said contacting devices as the car passes along said track, substantially as specified.

7. The combination with a track, a motorcar on said track, guides or ways on said car, gravity latches on one end of said guides or ways and pivoted arms at the other end of said guides or ways, said pivoted arms being adapted to be operated by stationary projections as the car passes along said track, substantially as specified.

8. The combination with the track, and a motor car adapted to travel thereon, supporting track wheels supported in rigid bearings on said car, and auxiliary track wheels arranged opposite the main track wheels, said auxiliary track wheels being connected to the driving mechanism by a joint as described, and a spring for holding said auxiliary wheels yieldingly in contact with said track, substantially as specified.

9. The combination with the track, and a motor operating thereon, of main supporting track wheels, and auxiliary track wheels geared thereto, said auxiliary track wheels being yieldingly connected to said driving gear, and a spring for holding said auxiliary track wheels yieldingly in contact with said track, substantially as specified.

10. The combination with a stationary track, of a moving car, guides or Ways on said car, carrying receptacles to engage the said guides or ways, stations along said track IIO each consisting essentially of standards having a movable frame with a U-shaped support on Which'said receptacles are adapted to rest, a spring-catch for holding said traveling frame in an elevated position, and a pivoted latch adapted to rest at one end against said spring catch and at the other in position to be engaged by said receptacle holding said frame in its normal position, a pivoted latch adjacent to said spring catch having a projection adapted to be engaged by said receptacles, stop projections at said stations corresponding to similar stop projections on said receptacles, whereby as the car passes said station the receptacle is discharged and engaging with said pivoted latch disenvbe engaged on said car, a spring catch for gages said spring catch, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of August, A. D. 1894.

HARRY M; NEER.

Witnesses:

FRANK W. GEIGER, CHAS. I. WELCH.

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