US630801A - Conveying apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

Md. 630,80l. Patented Aug. 8, [899.

v E. s. DECKER.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

(Applicatioh filed. Dec. 21, 1898. Banawed July 17, 1899.)

2 Sheets$heat L.

Patented Aug. 8,1899.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN S. DECKER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE STEEL CABLE ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF MAINE.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 630,801, dated August 8, 1899.

Application filed December 21,1896. Renewed July 17, 1899. Serial No. 724,139. (N model-l To who? it y 6971/0677 view of the parts shown in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4

Be it known that I, EDWIN S. DECKER, a is an enlarged and partially-broken-away side subjectof the Queen of GreatBritain,residing elevation of a bracket and its supportingat Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State frame.

5 of Massachusetts, have invented an Improve- In the present embodiment of my invention 5 5 ment in Conveying Apparatus, (for which suitable tracks A A form the upper and lower Letters Patent have been granted in Great runs,acarrying ordrivingwheel 1), preferably Britain, No. 4,189, dated February 16, 1897; made as as a sprocket-Wheel, being mounted in France, No. 264,167, dated February 18, on a suitable shaft b at the upper portion of to 1897; in Germany, No. 95,513, dated Februeach end, onlyonebeinghereinshown. There 60 ary 20, 1897, and in Belgium, No. 126,455, are two such wheels at each end of the run, one dated February 19, 1897,) of which the folfor each of the two lines of sprocket-chains, lowing description, in connection with the acthe buckets being suspended between the companying drawings, is a specification, like chains and passingbetween the wheels.

letters on the drawings representing like I have herein shown the links d arranged'65 parts. in parallel pairs, connected at their ends by This invention has for its object the prorods or shafts 0?, which extend across from duction of a novel and simple conveyer parone to the other line of sprocket-chains, the ticularly adapted for use in connection with links and their connecting transverse pivot endless conveyers for handling grain, coal, members constituting bucket-frames. and the like. The buckets are of the class Each frame is preferably provided with four termed gravity-buckets, each pivotally carrying-wheels cl, two at each side, flanged, mounted to swing about an axis substantially as herein shown, and mounted on the pivot at right angles to the direction of travel of the members (I and held in place between the 2 5 bucket, and said buckets are maintained by pairs of links d bysuitable collars or'washers gravity in load-retaining or upright position 61 said wheels traveling upon the tracks or until positively tipped by suitable means for runs A A and supporting the frames in trandischarge. sit. The said wheels, as herein shown, enter In loading the moving buckets from a fixed the gaps of the sprocket-wheels b when pass 30 point means must be provided to prevent the ing around the latter. 8o escape of material through the clearance- Referring now to the construction, which I openings between adjacent buckets, and vahave selected for illustration and description rious devices have heretofore been constructas one convenient embodiment of my imed for such purpose. proved overhanging form of overlapping de- 5 My invention comprehends'overlapping device, as best shown in Fig. 3, the pivot',1nemvices mounted on the bucket connections and hers or shafts (Z are enlarged at (1 inside of overhanging the openings between two adjathe lines of links to support hollow sleeves cent buckets, said devices being located out (1, surrounding the shafts between the lines of alinement with the axes of the buckets or of the links and forming overlapping mem- 0 in different planes, whereby the adjacent bers, which overhang the spaces or openings 0 buckets when they swing in rounding corners between adjacent'buckets when in loadiugpoin the run or in unloading can freely pass by sition, as will more fully appear hereinafter. said overlapping devices. By the construction described the shafts d Figure 1, in side elevation and partially may be made comparatively small in diame- 5 broken out, shows a sufficient portion of a ter, while the effective size of the overlap is 5 conveyer embodying my invention to be unreadily attained by the sleeve of considerably derstood, the tracks or rails being partly omitgreater diameter. ted. Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional de- I have herein shown ears or hangers fon tail taken on the line :0 as, Fig. 1, looking to the inner links of each pair and rigidly se- 50 the left. Fig. 3 is also an enlarged top or plan 1 cured to them both by suitable bolts f, said too ears or hangers extending beyond the plane of the frame and located midway between the pivotal connecting members (1 Each hanger has projecting inwardly therefrom a hub or boss provided with a short stud f on which are loosely hung the buckets H, provided externally at each side, above the center of gravity, with brackets h, having outwardly-extended fi-shaped bearings h to receive the studs f retained therein by suitable means, as cotter-pins IV, the faces of the bearings being held from undue lateral movement by the hub portions of the hangers f. The brackets are thus pivotally mounted in the frames to swing about axes substantially at right angles to the direction of travel, said axes being out of alinement with the pivotal connecting members cl The bottom and ends of each bucket are curved, preferably, in a circular are having the stud f as its center and of such a radius that the bucket can freely pass by the overlapping device cl when the bucket swings on its axes on the turns in the run. This relative movement of the bucket and overlapping device without interference is made possible in the instance illustrated by locating the bucket-axis out of alinement with the pivot members d at each end of the frame, so that while the buckets are on the lower run the overlapping devices will overhang the openings between adjacent buckets, the bucket ends being quite close together; but the connected series of buckets will pass around the turns at the ends without obstruction.

It will be obvious that the requisite difference of alinement between the overhanging overlapping devices and the bucket-axes may be secured in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown a curved guide-railD at the lowerturn, two such guiderails being located beneath a sprocket-wheel b and inside the path of the connected series of buckets, the carrying-wheels cl as they leave the downward run engaging and traveling around the guide-rails until said wheels pass onto the lower runs A, it being supposed that the direction of travel is indicated by arrows 25. It will be seen that while the links 01 gradually change from horizontal to vertical position, or vice versa, the buckets retain their upright position, and in such change of position of the links the bucket ends will pass freely by the overlapping devices described.

To tip the buckets at the proper time, and thereby discharge their contents, I have provided herein a stand or trip M, Fig. 1, below the upper track or run A in the path of movement of a suitable projection or roller 77. on one side of each bucket below and in advance of its pivot, said roll during the travel of the bucket engaging the vertical edge m of the trip. This retards the onward movement of that part of the bucket, tipping it, so that by the time the roll 7L5 rises from the edge m to the horizontal or dwell portion m the bucket will be tipped sufficiently to discharge its contents. From the dwell the trip gradually slopes or inclines downward, as at 111. permitting the bucket to resume its normal position by degrees and without undue shock.

A suitable hopper F receives the contents of the buckets as they are dumped one after another.

It sometimes happens that the bucket,from unequal loading, will tip enough to raise the roll h above the trip M, and to prevent this I make use of a leveling device. (Shown also in Fig. 1.) Each bucket on its opposite side, back of and below its center and preferably somewhat above the roll h is provided with a second roll h, which in the progress of the bucket travels up the inclined surface 7?. of the leveling device N and onto its horizontal surface a. This latter surface is at'such a height that it insures the depression of the tripping-roll 7? coming into engagement with the trip along its edge m, and the surface a" is of sufficient length to retain the bucket level until such engagement is effected.

By varying the length of the dwell m of the trip the length of time during which the buckets are in discharging position may be regulated as desired.

The buckets are fed or loaded continuously as they pass beneath the mouth of a suitable hopper G, Fig. 1, and at such time the overlapping devices not only cover the openings between adjacent buckets, but the convex surfaces of said'devices direct the material to the buckets in front and rear thereof.

It will be noticed in Fig. 1 that while the links are reversed in position on the upper and lower runs the buckets will at all times hang freely suspended in retaining position except when positively tipped to discharge.

I have not herein claimed, broadly, a series of connected buckets provided with overlapping devices movably connected with the buckets to close the openings between adjacent buckets, as such constructionis broadly claimed in another application, Serial No. 557,068, filed by me July 25, 1895.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus of, the class described, a bucket-frame provided at opposite sides with carrying-wheels, and bucket-supporting axes beyond the plane of said frame and substantially parallel to the axes of the carryingwheels, and a bucket pivotally mounted on said axes, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of pivotally-connected bucket-frames, carrying wheels at opposite sides of each frame, bucket supports mounted on said frames substantially at right angles to the line of travel of the buckets and beyond the pivotal connections of the frames, buckets arranged in the respective frames to swing about said supports, and means to tip the moving buckets, substantially as described.

In an apparatus of the class described, a series of connected buckets arranged to swing on axes transverse to the line of travel of the buckets, combined with overlapping devices overhanging the openings between adjacent buckets when in loading position and supported above the axes of the buckets and independent of the latter by the connections therebetween, substantially as de scribed.

a. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a plurality of frames pivotally connected at their ends, and bucketsupports on said frames and out of alinement with the pivotal connections of the frames, of buckets mounted to normally swing on said supports below said frames and at right angles to the line of travel, the pivotally-connected portions of the frames extending transversely above and closing the openings between adjacent buckets at such time, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of buckets each pivoted transversely to the direction of its line of travel, the bottom and ends of said buckets being concentrio to their axes, and convex overlapping devices overhanging the openings between adjacent buckets, said devices permitting movement of the buckets past them when tilted upon their axes, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of connected buckets, and supporting-pivots therefor on the bucket connections, each bucket having a movement for discharging about said pivots, the latter being substantially transverse to the direction of travel of the buckets and out of alinement with the connections therebetween, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of connected buckets having a discharging movement about pivots substantially transverse to the direction of travel of the buckets, said buckets being normally actuated by gravity and held therebyin retaining position, bucket-supporting pivots carried by the bucket connections, means to act upon the moving buckets and successively tip them upon their pivots for discharge, and overlapping devices mounted on the bucket connections to overhang the openings between adjacent buckets when in loading position, the bucket-pivots and overlapping devices occupying different planes, substantially as described.

8. In a conveyer, the combination with a plurality of bucket-frames comprising side members, and transversely-extended pivot connections at their ends, and bucket-supports on the side members parallel to said pivot connections, of buckets mounted to swing on said supports below the plane of the pivot connections when in loading position, the said connections at such time overlapping the openings between adjacent buckets and being movable relatively thereto, toenable the buckets to pass by said connections and remain upright when rounding curves in the run, substantially as described.

9. In a conveyer, the combination with a plurality of bucket-frames comprising side members, transversely-extended pivot members connecting the ends of the frames, and bucket-supports on said frames parallel to and out of alinement with said pivot members, of buckets pivotally mounted on said supports, and sleeves mounted 011 the said pivot members and overlapping the openings between adjacent buckets when the latter are in loading position, substantially as described.

lO. In a conveyer, a series of connected buckets arranged on axes transverse to the line of travel of the buckets, and overlapping devices overhanging the openings between adjacent buckets When the latter are in loading position,said devices being at such times supported in a plane above the axes of the buckets by the bucket connections, combined with means to trip the buckets for discharge, and independent means to properly present the buckets to the tripping means, substantially as described.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of bucket-frames, comprising side links and transverse pivot members, bucketsupports on the side links, and buckets arranged in said frames to swing on said supports about axes substantially at right angles to the line of travel of the buckets, and located beyond the planes of the respective frames, the transverse pivot members connecting the side links of adjacent frames and adapted to overhang the openings between adj acent buckets when the latter are in loading position, relative angular movement of a frame and its bucket permitting the latter to freely pass the transverse pivot members,substantially as described.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of pivotally connected buckets, bucket-supports on the connections and upon which the buckets are arranged to swing on axes transverse to the line of travel thereof, the axes of the buckets when in loading position being below the path of the bucket connections, whereby the intervening pivots overlap the openings between adjacent buckets, substantially as described.

13. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a plurality of side members,and transverse connecting-pivots at their ends, to form bucket-frames, of swinging buckets,and pivotal supports therefor mountbe below the said line in the lower run, and above the line in the upper run.

'16. The combination in an endless-chain pivoted bucket-conveyer, of links having arms projecting at an angle to the bodyof the link, with buckets pivoted to said arms In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of twosnbscribing Witnesses.

EDWIN s. DECKER;

\Vitnesses:

GEO. W. GREGORY, JOHN COUPER EDwARDs.

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