US738309A

US738309A - Automatic bucket-loader for aerial wire-rope tramways.

Info

Publication number: US738309A
Application number: US14485303A
Authority: US
Inventors: Christopher T Finlayson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1903-02-24
Filing date: 1903-02-24
Publication date: 1903-09-08
Anticipated expiration: 1920-09-08

Description

No. 738,309. PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

G. T. FINLAYSON.

AUTOMATIC BUCKET LOADBR FOR AERIAL WIRE ROPE TRAMWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1903.

no 11013111.. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 738,309. PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903. G. T. FINLAYSON.

AUTOMATIC BUCKET LOADER FOR AERIAL WIRE ROPE TRAMWAYS.

APPLICATION rI'Lnn ms. 24, 1903. I

no 1101121,. 5 QHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wfimsea:

5 i kjjgL/ffjwzy- I (flown;

THL NORRIS FE'IERS co. FummLnnmwAsNmcYoN. n c

No. 738,309. PATENTBD SEPT. 8, 1903. C. 'II. FINLAYSON.

AUTOMATIC BUCKET LOADER FOR AERIAL WIRE ROPBTRAMWAYS.

APPLIOATIOI FILED FEB. 24, 1903.

I0 IODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3 Zc'hwJsev v PATENTED SEPT. 8, 19031.

5 -SHBBTS-SHEET 4.

PINLAYSON. AUTOMATIC BUCKET wanna; FOR AERIAL W-l-RE ROPE TRAMWAYS.

AEB Ii-IOATION FILED FEB. 24, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

No. 738,309. I 'PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

0. T. PINLAYSON. I

AUTOMATIC BUCKET LOADHR FOR AERIAL WIRE ROPE TRAMWAY S.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1903.

NO MODEL. 5 SHEBTSSHEET 5.

UNITED STATES iatented eptember 8, 190

PATENT ()FFICE;

CHRISTOPHER T. rINLArsoN, or DENVER, coLonADo;

AUTOMATIC BUCKET-LOADER FOR AERIAL WIRE-ROPE TRAMWAYS SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 738,309, dated September 8, 1903.

' h Application filed February 24:, 1903. Serial No. 144,853. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER T. FINLAY- SON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Bucket-Loaders for Aerial VVire-Rope Tramways; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accom panyin g drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.-

My invention relates to improvements in automatic bucket-loaders for aerial wire-rope tramways; and the objects of my invention are, first, to provide means for automatically loading a traveling bucket at any intermediate points in a tramway-line or at its terminal ends; second, to provide a loading-station at any point in the length of or at the terminals of a tram-line and a loading-hop per adapted to be loaded at said station and to be automaticallyengaged and carried apredetermined distance by said passing bucket and that will discharge its load in said bucket within its predetermined traveling distance and that will then be released from said traveling bucket and will return to its loadingstation. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a plan view of a tramway-terminal and of my automatic bucket-loader arranged in operative relation to a tramwayterminal. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. is an end elevation in section on line 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4c is a perspective view of the loader, the platform of the loadingstation being shown in section. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the loader and bucket, showing a traveling bucket at its point of engagement with the accelerating device of the automatic loader. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the bucket and loader, showing the travelingbucket and leader in operative loading position and .at the point where the bucket directly engages the leader or hopper. Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the traveling bucket and the loader near or at the end of its travelingmovement and showing the accelerating-arm in the position it assumes during the operative loading movement of the loader to act as a buffer on the return of the loader to the loading-station. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of the loader detached, the section being taken on one side of its central lifting-rod; and Fig. Qis a side elevation of the trolley and fragment of the pendant of the bucket. Similar figures of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Wire-rope tramways are used to convey material of all kinds from one place to another. They are extensively used in mining for transporting ore down mountain sides over gulches and valleys to points of treatment or transportatioi'i. They generally vary in length from a few hundred feet to several miles in length.

There are two systems of rope tramways in common use-the single-rope system and the double-rope systcmand there are two types of the double-rope system, in one of which the traveling rope is below the track or stationary rope and is called the depending double rope system. In the other type the tractionrope is above the track or stationary rope, and is called the overhead double'rope system. The single-rope system consists of a single endless wire rope, which is supported at its opposite ends by timber-structure tei minals, which support asheave-wheel around which the endless rope runs. The opposite sides of the rope run in opposite directions side by side and substantially parallel with each other. The single rope supports and carries the bucket. The bucket runs by gravity down the mountain sides, and by power up mountain sides or on level plains, In the double-rope systems there are two ropes'one rope is stationary and forms a track for a trolley of a bucket or carrier to run on. This stationary rope connects at the terminals with metal rails which extend along the sides of the terminals and curve around their terminal ends. The other rope is an endless rope called the traction-rope, which is mounted on large sheave-wheels placed in the terminals concentric to the curved end of the track at p the outer end of each terminal. A trolley runs on the stationary rope and is connected to the traction-rope by a clip or friction-grip. The

traction-rope is a continuous running rope and propels the trolley and the bucket on the stationary cable. The stationary and traction ropes are supported between their terminal ends on suitable towers. The terminals are timber structures arranged to support the ends of the ropes, the endless traction-rope, and the track rope and track, and also the bucket loading and dumping mechanism. The bucket-loadin g terminal is usually positioned above the dumping terminal or at a higher altitude, especially in mountainous countries,where they are used to transport ores and other material down the mountains, in which case they usually run by gravity; but they are also built to run uphill or down and also on level or comparatively level ground. When used at mines, supplies of all kinds are carried up from the lower terminal to the upper, and whenever it is desired an automatic bucket-loader can be arranged at the lower terminal. Automatic bucketloading stations can also be positioned at any desired point intermediate of the terminal ends of the tramway or at any point where a branch tramway-line connects with a main tramway-line. 1 My automatic bucket-loader is adapted to either the single-rope system or to either type of the double-rope system of wire-rope tramways. I have, however, preferablyillustrated my automatic loader in connection with the overhead system of double-rope tramways.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates, preferably, the upper or loading terminal of a wire-rope tramway. This terminal is a timber structure composed of the sills 2 and posts 3, and the tie-beams 4, plates '5, and the stringers 6. The sills, side posts, and tie-beams arearranged to form the foundation and side walls and roof-timbers of a building suitable toinclose the terminal mechanism of the tramway. A roof, of which the rafters 7 form a part, is built over the structure, and a floor 8 is laid between its side-wall posts, which are boarded up, so that the i11- terior is suitably inclosed. Stringers 8", 9, 10, and 11 (see Fig. 3) are secured to the under side of the lower tie-beams 4 of the truss 12. These stringers extend centrally through the length of the building parallel with each other. In Figs. 1 and 2 some of the timbers shown in Fig. 3 are left out in order not to confuse the views, and only such members are shown as directly support the This track extends along the sides of the terminals and curves concentrically around the outer peripheral edge of the sheave-wheel 14 at the outer end of the terminal and connects with. the stationary ropes of the tramway, of

tion-rope 16 is an endless running rope that is mounted on the sheave grip-wheel 14, the

peripheral groove of which is usually provided with rope-gripping devices which are not shown. A grip-wheel is mounted in each terminal at the ends of the tram-line. The traction-rope is guided into and out of the terminals by the sheave 17. The grip-wheel 14 is secured on a vertical shaft 19, which is journaled in bearings 20 and 21, which are supported by the framework. The track is below the running rope and is supported by radiating arms 22'and clips 23 where it surrounds the grip-wheels and by cross-arms 24 adjacent to the gripwheel, as shown in Fig. 1. I preferably use, however, in place of the cross-arms 24 the depending angled brackets 25, as shown at Fig. 3. These brackets are secured to and depend from the lower side of the stringers 8, 9, 10, and 11. The lower end of the brackets are provided with a rightangled offset, to the end of which the rail is secured in any suitable manner.

A trolley 26 runs on the track of the terminals and on the stationary rope between the terminals. This trolley is connected to the traction-rope by a clip 18, which is connected to the traction-rope at one end and to the trolley at its opposite end. On steep inclines the weight of the loaded buckets keeps the endless traction-rope running, their speed being regulated by a brake, (not shown,) which is applied to the brake-sheave 14, which is attached to the grip-wheel. There the incline of the tram-lin e is not steep eno ugh to run the buckets, the traction rope is run by power and hauls the trolley-buckets along the track-rope by means of the clips or by friction-grips. A pendant 27 is pivotally secured to the trolley, and a bucket 28 is pivotall y secured to the ends of the pendant. A chain is shown secured at one end to the bottom of the bucket. This chain passes around one side of the bucket up through a tube 28,that is sec ured between the pend ants to a spool 28 ,that is adapted to be used with suitable mechanism (which is not shown) to dump the bucket. The trolley-buckets may be loaded on either side of the terminal. The number of buckets used depends on the tonnage capacity of the tram-line, which may Vary from a few tons to several hundred tons per day, and the buckets, of which there may be a large number, are constantly coming into the loading terminal to be loaded, and my invention contemplates the loading of the buckets automatically without detaching them from the running rope and stopping them. I place the automatic bucket-loader alongside of the terminal, preferably on the side the bucket goes out 011 the line from, although the loader can be placed on the side the buckets comes in on, if desired.

IIO

A platform 29 is supported by the posts 29 and by the wall-posts of the supporting and inclosing structure and extends along one side of the terminal and close to it. A storage-bin 30 is built adjacent to the platform, and a chute 31 extends from the bin to the platform, and its discharge end registers in line with an opening 33 in the floor of the platform, under which there is a loading-hopper 34, which receives the ore or other material from the bin. The hopper is a rightangled triangular-shaped hopper that is supported on

sheaves

35, 36, 37, and 38, which rest and run on

tracks

40 and 41. The track 40 is supported by brackets 42, which are secured to the posts 29. The track 41 is secured to clips 4:3, that are secured to the ends of timber 'tt,that supports the floor of the platform. The tracks are straight and, together with the platform, extend along the side of the terminal far enough to allow the hopper sufficient traveling movement in which to fill the bucket, and both the terminal and the bucket-loader may be extended so that a number of independent bucket-loading stations may be arranged in a row along the side of the terminal. A fragment of a second bin is shown in Fig. 2.

lVhere two or more bucketloading stations are placed in a row, the loading-hopper mechanism is arranged so that the buckets may pass any of the loading-stations and en gage any particular station desired, as will be described hereinafter.

The sheave-

wheels

35, 36, 37, and 38, that support the hopper on the tracks 40 and 4E1,are secured to the top edge of the hopper by

brackets

45, 46, 47, and 48. At the front a sheet-metal plate 49 extends across the top of the hopper, to which the angled brackets 45 and 46 are secured. to the hopper by bars and 51, which are secured at one end to the hopper and at their opposite ends to the plate, which extends a suitable distance above the hopper. The track-

sheaves

35 and 36 are mounted on axles 50- and 51, that are bolted to the angled brackets and plate 49. At the rear end of the hopper the

brackets

47 and 48 are secured to the side edges of the hopper. The plate 49 is extended a short distance on each side of the hopper, and at the side of the hopper where the bucket approaches to engage it the flange of the angled bracket 45 that lies against the plate is extended laterally beyond the extended portion of the plate 49 and alongside the platform and at its end lugs 50 are formed, to which a lever 51, which I term the hopper starting and accelerating lever, is pivoted by a bolt 51 with a large curved end 52, which extends through a slot 53, formed through a plank railing 54:, that is secured to the edge of the plat form. The opposite end 55 of the lever 51 is pivotally connected to one end of a chain 56, the opposite end of which is secured to'an arm 56,which I term the trolley-eatchin g arm.

The plate 49 is secured This lever 51 is pro vided.

This trolley-catching arm is the hopper-actuator. two arms of the yoke are slidably mounted on a rod 57, that extends across the top of the hopper from the tops of the

wings

58 and 59 of the brackets 45 and 46. The yoke-end portion of this trolley-catching arm is considerably narrower than the length of the rod. It is mounted between brackets and normally stands against the bracket d5,being held there normally by the lever 5l ,which bears against a compound abutment-spring582 This compound abutment spring comprises a spring blade 59, one end of which forms a pin-hinge 60, that is secured to an abutment-block 61. This abutment block is secured to the platform and railing and extends through the slot in the railing and stands substantially at right angles to the direction of travel of the trolley bucket and loading hopper. The hinged end of this spring-blade is secured to the inner end of the abutment-block; but the free end extends through the slot in the rail ing parallel with curved lever 51 to opposite the pivotal center 51 of the curved lever 51, so that the curved end 52 will roll on it, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and as will be explained hereinafter.

I arrange a coiled spring 62 between the hinged blade 59 and the abutmentbloek 61, placing it a short distance from the free end of the blade, which acts as a resilient abutment-cushion for the lever 51 on the return movement of the bucket loading hopper. The free end of the blade acts as a resilient abutment and stop to the curved lever and also to the loading-hopper and defines its normal position to the ore-bin chute through the platform, the hopper being normally held against the end of the spring-abutment by a weight 63, which is attached to one end of a rope 64, that passes over an idler-sheave 65, from which it extends to the hopper to which it is attached. The sheave 65 is attached to a sill of the platform. The trolley-engaging arm stands in a horizontal plane at right a11- gles to the vertical plane the trolley-bucket and front of the hopperstand in and extends laterally into the path of a vertical lug 56 that projects from the top of the trolley. The trolley-catching arm is held in a position to be engaged by the lug 56 by a depending lug 67, that rests against a bar 68, that extends across the front of the hopper below the trolley-catching arm and is secured at its ends to the wings ofthe brackets 45 and 46. Upon the rod 57, close to the angled bracket 46, I mount a coiled buffer-spring 69, which receives the shock of the sliding trolley-engaging arm when the trolley of the bucket strikes it and is compressed by the sliding trolleycatching arm, and thus starts the hopper to rolling on its tracks along with the trolleybucket, which is moving continuously.

- As each bucket and pendant are apt to swing around the curved end of the terminal and as this swinging motion. might continue One end of it is yoke-shaped, and the &

. nal.

while the buckets were being filled from the hopper and a portion of the ore or other material be spilled over the sides of the bucket, it is necessary that some means he provided by which the pendant and bucket can be automatically secured and held against either swinging movement in front of the dischargespout 70 of the hopper and at the same time be free to leave the hopper at the end of its bu cket-loading movement. I preferably carry out this feature of my invention in the following manner: On each side of the hopper, adjacent to its lower end, I secure two metal bars 71 and 72, which project forward toward the buckets pendant. A short portion of their free ends is bent at right angles to form a flat bearing-surface, to which is secured a long guide-rail 73, which I term the pendant guide-rail. The end of this rail that the trolley-pendant first strikes is provided with a forwardly-projecting offset 74 at a short distance from its terminal end, which is'curved backward from the path of the trolley far enough to allow the pendant to always strike its curved surface when it is swinging laterally from its speed in rounding the termi- Above the rail 73 I place a second rail 75, which I term the bucket-holding rail. This rail rests on the bars 71 and 7 2 and at its ends is secured by a clip 7 2 and 7 3 to the rail 73. The rail 7 5 is positioned a short distance farther back from the normal vertical plane of the pendant than the rail 73, but its bucketentering end is curved forward to the curved face of the entrance end of the rail 73 adjacent to the offset 74:. To the forward limb 75 of the pendant I secure one endol' an arm 76,the free end of which is provided with a short depending lug 7 8, that is adapted to extend over and down the farther side of the rail 75 from the bucket. These two guiderails always catch a swinging bucket and pendant and guide the pendant outward until it passes the ofiset shoulder of the lower rail, when itswings in against the rail, and the shoulder prevents the bucket from swinging longitudinally rearward, while the trolley-engaging arm and the spring 69 prevent it from traveling too farbefore it picks up the hopper. At the same time when the bucket-pendant strikes the lower rail the angled arm on thependant is guided behind the upper rail and the bucket is held at its side and is prevented from swinging laterally in either direction while it strikes, picks up, and carries along with it the hopper which is attached to 7 it directly opposite to the bucket and delivers its contents into it as they travel along together and in the following manner: The front of the hopper is provided with a vertically- .arranged door 77, which fits loosely in the front end of the hopper between its sides. This door is held in position by two rollers 7 8 and 79, which are mounted on a shaft 80, that is rotatably journaled in boxes 81, secured to the sides of the hopper, which are positioned to bear against the door a short distance above the center of its length, and a vertical standard 82 that is secured to the center of the door and extends from near its lower edge up through its center and some distance above it, where it is slidably connected to a gage-rod 83 and also pivotally connected to a sheave-wheel 85, that is mounted on a track 86, that is secured to the plank railing of the platform. The lower edge of the door rests againts the inclined floor 0f the hopper, being held in a Vertical position when ore is pressing against its inside by the

rollers

78 and 79, which rest against the outside of the door, whilethe standard 82 acts as a stiffener and prevents the door from bending out. The top end of the door extends to near the top of the hopper, and cleats 89, that are secured to the sides of the hopper near the top, act. as outside guides and abutments. The upper end of the standard is preferably formed into a loop 90, through which apertures 9i are made, through which the rod 83 loosely extends. This rod is provided with a cross-arm 92, which is secured to the top of the plate 49, that extends across the top of the hopper. The top end of this rod is provided with a collar 91", which is secured to it. The track 86, upon which the guide-sheave 85' of the door is mounted, is arranged to lift the door as the hopper is carried along by the trolley-bucket. It is secured to the ends of brackets 93, that project from and are secured to the plank railing of the platform. At the loading-station end of the track,where the hopper is at rest, the track is straight. From this straight portion it curves upward with a gradual inclination suitable for the sheave to run upon to raise the door of the hopper, and then extends straight and holds the door wide open for a sufficient distance to allow the hopper to dischargeits contents into the bucket. As the hopper moves along the track with its door open its trolley-catching arm encounters an inclined lever 94;, which raises the trol ley-catcher above the abutmentlug 56 on the top of the bucket-trolley,which disconnects the hopper from the trolley. The hopper immediately slows up and stops, and its weight 63 draws it back to the loading-station,while the trolley and bucket continue on.

The inclined trip-lever 94 is supported in. a yoke-shaped clip 95, the supporting end of the trip-lever being provided with a rightangled end, the depending portion of which is the spring abutment of another hopper and bucket loading station 98, a fragment of which is shown in Fig. 1. I

The object of arranging the trip-lever 94 so that it can be lifted out of its supportingsocket is to enable it to be moved from one bucket-loading station to another, as the terminals may be of suiiicient length to place as many loading-stations as may be desired.

The operation is as follows: The tractionrope and the trolley-bucket run continuously when the tramway is in operation over the tramway-line and around its terminal ends. Sutlicient ore to fill a bucket is fed through a door 100 into the hopper by an attendant. Then when a bucket reaches a loading-station the abutment-lug on top of the trolley first strikes the trolley-catching arm 56 of the hopper, which pushes it along the rod 57, and as the trolley-catcher moves it draws on the chain and on the end 55 of the hopper-starting and accelerating lever 51 which causes its curved end 52 to bear against the spring blade 59* at the extremity of its free end,which yields or springs a trifle under its pressure as the blade fulcrums on the coiled spring 62, and as the curved end 52 of the lever bears against the end of the blade close to its pivotal center the chain end 55 of the lever has alarge leverage over it, as shown in Fig. 5. The hopper is started slowly and easily by the pry of the startin g-lever 51 against the spring end of the spring-blade without any shock or jar, and as the trolley-catcher continues its movement the curved end of the starting accelerating lever rolls on the face of the spring-blade to its end and pushes the hopper along, gradually accelerating its speed until the trolley catcher strikes the spring 69 and compresses it sufficiently to directly push the hopper ahead of it. At this point the starting and accele 'ating'dever 51 leaves the spring abutment, and the hopper is carried along by the direct push of the trolley-arm against the spring and bracket 46 to the end of its operative movement, the door of the hopper raising as its sheave-wheel runs up the inclined track and the hopper discharging its contents into the bucket as they roll along together. lVhen they reach the trip, the hopper is released from the bucket and is pulled back to the loading-station by the weight 63, the door closing as the sheave-wheel runsdown the inclined track to the station. The starting and accelerating lever leaves the slot 53 during the buckets loading movement of the hopper, assuming the position shown in Fig. 7. On the return movement of the hopper this lever strikes the end of the spring-blade of the com pound-spring abutment and enters the slot 53, and the end of the lug 50 of the hopper strikes against the end of the spring-blade and springs back itself, as well as compresses the coiled spring behind it, thus forming a compound-spring buffer that receives and cushions the return shock of the hopper.

While I have illustrated and described my automatic loader applied to the overhead type of double-rope tramway, it can be readily seen that it is as readily applied to the depending system of double-rope tramways, as the position of the running rope is immaterial. This is also'so in regard to the single-rope system, in which case the trolley would be dispensed with and the pendant would be secured directly to the rope, in which case any suitable projection on the pendant arranged to strike the hopper-actuating arm would be equivalent to the pin on top of the trolley. It can also be readily seen that bucket-loading mechanisms can be positioned at any desired point between the terminal ends of a tram-line, it onlybeing necessary to interpose and support a short section of metal track in the track-rope opposite the loadingstation, as shown in Fig. 4, the terminals in the case being dispensed with.

My invention is simple and makes a perfectly reliable and practical automatic bucket-loader.

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

1. In an automatic bucket-loader fol-wirerope tramways, the combination with the terminals and the continuously-running pendant-buckets of an operative tramway, of a loading-station, a bucket-loading hopper mounted on tracks at said station, an arm slidably mounted on said hopper, a spring between said arm and said hopper and aprojection on said pendant of said bucket adapted to strike said arm and to move said hopper throughthe medium of said spring, a predetermined distance on said tracks, means for returning said hopper to said loading-station and means for discharging the contents of said hopper into said bucket, substantially as described.

2. In an automatic bucket-loader for wirerope tramways, the combination with the terminal, the traction-rope the bucket-loading station and a bu cket-loading hopper arranged to be caught by said bucket and carried a predetermined distance and to be discharged into said bucket and returned to said station, of rollers arranged in the discharge end of said hopper, a dis charge-controlling door arranged in said hopper to be supported and roll on said rollers, clips arranged to support said door at its top edge, an extension on said door, a guide for said extension, a roller on said extension and an inclined track arranged and adapted to open said door as said hopper is carried along by said bucket, substantially as described.

3. In an automatic bucket-loader for Wirerope tramways, the combination with the terminal, the traction -rope the trolley-bucket, the bucket-loading station and the hopper, of a vertical door in said hopper, clips secured to the sides of said hopper outside of said door arranged to hold and support its top edge against inside pressure, a shaft journaled in suitable boxes in the opposite sides of said hopper, a roll at each end of said shaft arranged tobear against said door in aposition to form a roller-bearing support for said door, a vertical guide-rod secured at one end to said hopper and extending above it, a standard secured to the center of said door and extending above it, a loop in the end of said standard slidably mounted on said guide rod, a track secured to said loading-station in alinement with said operative bucket loading movement of said hopper provided with an upward-inclined portion intermediate of its ends, a sheave mounted on said track and pivotally secured to the extension-standard of said door, substantially as described.

4. In an automatic bucket-loader for wirerope tramways, the combination with the terminal, the traction-rope and the bucket, of a loading-station, an operative bucket-loading hopper arranged to roll from said station a predetermined distance and to return to said loading-station, a rod secured to said hopper an arm slidably mounted at one end on said rod having its opposite end arranged and adapted to extend into the traveling path of said bucket, a spring on said rod between said sliding arm and an abutment on said hopper and a projection on said bucket arranged to strike said sliding arm and move said arm and said spring against said hopper whereby said hopper is picked up by said bucket and is carried a predetermined distance by said bucket, means for discharging said hopper into said bucket as the bucket carries the hop-- per with it, means for releasing said sliding arm from said bucket, and means for returning said hopper to its loading-station, substantially as described.

5. In an automatic bucket-loader for wirerope tramways, the combination with the terminal, the traction-rope and the bucket, of a loading-station arranged in operative relation to said terminal, a bucket-loading hopper mounted on tracks to reciprocate a predetermined distance along said terminal, a rod secured to said hopper between projecting portions of said hopper, an arm slidably mounted on said rod, a spring on said rod be tween said arm and the projecting portion of said hopper farthest from the direction said bucket approaches said hopper from, a suitable abutment at said station, a spring-blade pivotally hinged at one end to said abutment and having its opposite end free, a spring secured at one end to said abutment and arranged to bear against said blade intermediate of its free and hinged ends, a lever pivotally secured intermediate of its ends to said hopper having one end curved and arranged to bear in rolling contact against said springblade and pivotally connected at its opposite end by a flexible connection to said arm, and a projection on said bucket arranged to engage said arm as said bucket travels along said terminal, substantially as described.

6. In an automatic bucket-loader for wirerope tramways, the combination with the terminal, the traction-rope the bucket-loading station and the hopper mounted to reciprocate a predetermined distance along said tramway, of an arm slidably mounted on said hopper, a spring arranged to receive the thrust rope tramways, the combination-with the terminal, of the traction-rope and the bucket, of a loadingstation at the terminal, a bucketloading hopper mounted to move a predetermined distance along said terminal with said bucket, an abutment at said station, a compound resilient-buffer device secured to said abutment, abucket starting and accelerating leverpivoted intermediate of its ends to said hopper having one end curved and arranged to bear and roll against said compound resilient -buffer device throughout the length of its curved portion at an initial portion of said hoppers operative movement, an arm slidably mounted on said hopper and arranged and adapted to be struck by a passing bucket,

a flexible connection between said arm and V the opposite end of said lever, a resilient cushion member between said sliding arms hopper-moving end and said hopper, means for releasing said sliding armfrom said'bucket and means for discharging said hopper into said bucket whereby a passing bucket engages said sliding arm and movesit and said starting and accelerating lever and said compound resilient abutment to start the hopper and to accelerate its speed to nearly the speed of said bucket when said bucket and sliding arm and resilient cushion directly engage said hopper as it is carried by said bucket a predetermined distance.

8. In an automatic bucket-loader for wirerope tramways, the combination of the terminal, the trolley-pendant bucket, the loadingstation and the reciprocating hopper, witha bucket starter and accelerating device comprising acurved lever pivotally secured to said hopper, a resilient abutment on which said curved lever rolls, an arm slidably mounted on said hopper and arranged to project into the path of passing buckets, a flexible connection between said arm and said curved lever and a projection on the pendant of said bucket adapted to engage said arm and slide it to cause said curved lever to start and accelerate the speed of said hopper, substantially as described. I

9. In an automatic loader for. wire-rop tramways, the combination with a moving bucket on a tram-line and a moving hopper adapted to discharge into said bucket while both are moving together, of means for preventing the bucket from swaying, comprising a rail secured to said hopper and positioned in the path of said buckets pendant, a'curved end against which said pendant strikes when it arrives at the hopper, a receding offset portionin said rail at the end of said curved portion into which said pendant moves after it passes said curved portion, a hook on said pendant and a second rail secured to said hopper and arranged to permit the pendant to pass on one side of it and said pendanthook to pass on the opposite side of it, substantially as described.

10. I11 an automatic bucket-loader for wirerope tramways, the combination with the. terminal, the traction-rope the trolleypendant bucket and the hopper, of a rail secured to said hopper arranged and adapted to guide said pendant to rest against it When said trolicy-pendant bucket moves opposite said ho'pper, a second. rail arranged at one side of said first rail and a hook secured to the pendant of said trolley-bucket arranged to extend over to and move along the opposite side of said second rail, substantially as described.

11. In an automatic bucket-loader for Wire: rope tramways, the combination of the terminal, the traction-rope and the trolley-pendant bucket, with the loading-station, the tracks supported by said station,the hopper mounted on said tracks and arranged to be attached to and carried along by a passing bucket a predetermined distance, means for returning said hopper to said loading-station, a rail secured to said hopper and positioned in the path of the pendant of said bucket and arranged and adaptedto engage and guide said pendant to rest against its sides, a shouldered offset in said rail'adjacent to the said bucketentering end of said rail adapted to project across and behind the rear end of said pendant after said trolley bucket and pendant have arrived opposite said hopper whereby a stop is provided against the backward movement of the bucket after it has arrived opposite said hopper, a hook projecting from said pendant, a second rail secured to said hopper having its bucket-entering end curved to en gage said hook and guide it to its farthest side from the side adjacent to said pendant, an arm on said hopper extending into the path of said pendant and a projection 011 said pendant arranged to engage said arm as said bucket arrives opposite said hopper, means including a cushioning device for gradually starting and accelerating said bucket and means for automatically discharging the contents of said hopper into said bucket substantially as described.

12. In an automatic bucket-loader for Wirerope tramways, the combination with the terminal, the trolley-pendant bucket and the loading-station and the reciprocating hopper, of a rod supported on said hopper, an arm pivotally secured on said rod to reciprocatively slide thereon in the direction the passing bucket is moving in and to pivotally swing in a vertical position, a free endon said arm projecting into the path of a pendant oif a passing bucket, a depending lug on said arm arranged to hold said arm in a substantially horizontal or pendantengaging plane and to prevent its movement below said pendants engaging plane, and an illclined lever secured to the frame at the end of said hoppers operative bucket -loading movement adapted to engage said arm and to move it to disengage said arm from said pendant, substantially as described.

13. In an automatic bucket-loader for Wirero'pe tralnways, the combination with continuously-running trolley-pendant buckets, a plurality of bucket-loading stations, a reciprocating hopper arranged and adapted to be engaged by each passing trolley-pendant bucket and conveyed a predetermined distance With it, of a tro1ley-pendant-bucket e11- gaging arm slidably mounted on said hopper to move in substantially horizontal and vertical planes, a vertical projection on the pivotal apex of said pendant, arranged and adapted to engage said arm when said continuously-moving bucket arrives at said loading-station opposite said hopper, a socket or staple at the end of said bucket and hoppers operative loading movement, and an inclined lever arranged to be instantly inserted and removed from one socket or staple of one station to the socket of another station arranged and adapted to engage and raise said hopper trolley-bucket arm and release said hopper from said trolley -pendant bucket, substantially as described.

14. An automatic bucket-loader for contini uously-running buckets of wire-rope tram- Ways comprising a loading-station, a hopper at the station having an automatic loading movement, with the buckets, a bucket-engaging arm slidably and pivotally mounted on said hopper to move into and out of the path of said passing buckets, a resilient cushion between said arm and said hopper, means for disengaging said arm from said bucket at the end of its bucket-loading movement, and means including a roller-supported door for automatically discharging said hopper into said buckets as said hopper is car ried along by said buckets, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I wit: my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHRISTOPHER T. FINLAYSON.

Witnesses:

G. SARGEN'I ELLIOTT,

Josnrrr WILKINsoN.

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