US1133008A - Coal-loading machine. - Google Patents

Description

T. S. CONVERSE.

GOAL LOADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.10, 1914.

Patented Mar. 23, 1.915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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i". s. CONVERSE.

GOAL LOADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1o, 1914.

Patented Mar.23,1915.

F. S. CONVERSEl` GOAL LOADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG,10, 1914.

Patented M3123, 1915.

5 SEEETSFSHBET 3.

F. s. CONVERSE.

GOAL LOADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1914.

Patented Mar.23,191 5.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

F. S. CONVERSE.

GOAL LOADING MACHINE. l APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 1o, 1914.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915A 5 SHEETS--SHEET 5.

assur FREDERIC S. CONVERSE, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

COAL-LOADING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented lla'. 23, 1915.

Application filed August 10, 1914. Serial No. 856,023.'

. Binghamton, in the county-of Broome and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements' in Coal-Loading Machines; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingv drawings, which forni part 'of this speciication.

This invention is a novel machine designed for loading various materials such as coal from piles into wagon or other convevanccs, and to screen the material between the pile and the point of discharge.

It comprises in brief a novel adjustable elevator for removing the material from the pile; novel screening mechanism whereby the material can be screened and graded; and different grades discharged if desired at different points; and the screenings separately discharged; and a novel construction whereby the parts may be partially collapsed or folded when desired. These and other minor features of the invention will be clearly understood from the following description thereof in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one.

practical embodiment of'theinvention; and I refer to the claims for summaries of the features and combinations of parts for which protection is desired.

In said drawings-Figure l is a right hand side elevation` of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a left hand side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a left hand side elevation showing the machine collapsed or folded. Fig. 5 is a detail top plan View of parts of the machine partlv broken. Fig. 6 is a detail end view of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of the hopper Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of the hopper and screen.

-The operative parts ofthe machine are preferablymounted upon a hase framel .which may be made of anv suitable material, and mounted upon rear wheels 1; and front wheels 1b attached to an axle lc which is -pivotally connected to the frame in the usual manner. Upon this frame 1 are mounted -two front standards, each composed of up` per and lower bars le, 1f, jointed together at is g and two rear standards eachcomposed of tWo bars 1h and l pivoted together Aat 1l, so'

that the frame may be folded or tilted as hereinafter explained. The lower ends of bars levare also pivoted to the frame as at 1k. To the upper ends of the bars 1, lf of the standards are'attached bars lm and these parts may be braced by bars ln so as to form a suitable strong andstifl' main supporting frame for the operative parts.

vAttached to the upper end of the bars 11 are bearings 2a for a transverse shaft 2 which extends across the frame as shown; and upon this shaft is hingedly supported the upper end of an endless elevator which comprises a frame 3 which is preferably constructed of metal bars,'as indicated in the drawings,

and lhas bearings 23X attached to its rear member, which bearings are transvfxedby the shaft 2 and suspend .the elevator frame thereon. The frame 3 has bearings 3 at top and bottom for transverse shafts 3" and 3c on which are mounted sprocket wheels 3d` and 3e over which runs an endless sprocket chain 3f carrying elevator buckets 3g which descend at the inner 51de of the elevator and ascend at the outer side thereof, and are adapted when in'operation to scoop up coal, or other material from a pile at the bottom, and carry the same to the top of the machine anddischarge it into a hopper 5 thereon. The endless conveyer or elevator is operated as hereinafter explained.

-To tlu lower end of the elevator frame are attached bars 4, see Fig. 3, which may be guided in lo ips 4*Non the rear bar of the frame 1andtliese barsvmalv be toothed or perforated as indicated iny Fig. 3 to engage gears or spur wheels 4b attached vto the shaft 4 iournal'ed in bearings on the frame l (see Fig. 3) and which shaft may be operatedbyv means of a spur gear 4d connected by a chain 4e with a sprocket 4', on a. shaft 4g iournalcd in bearings on the frame 1,

and having a sprocket 4 driven by a chain le from :i sprocket 4.1 on a stub shaft 4k suitablyT journaled on one of the rear uprights of the frame, and which can be operated by means of a crank handle 4m.

ln addition to crank 4m for operating shaftsk I provide a hand lever .-l" (Figs. l and 3) which may be loosely pivoted on said shaft Il beside aI notched disk 4P keved to said shaft, and the lever can be lockedv to said disk by means of al spring catch .41,

operated by a hand piece 4' on the lever 4 in the usual manner, so that instead of using the crank 4m a person in the wagon being loaded may shift the conveyer by manually operating lever 4".

The lower endof the frame 3 can be swung to or from the frame 1 so that it can be introduced into a pile of coal, or other material to be lifted by the buckets, and kept in proper operative contact with such pipe without the necessity of moving the entire machine in order to follow up the decreasing pile of coal.

The endless series of buckets 3g may be operated by means of a sprocket .wheel 3 on shaft 3 (Figs. 1 and 2) driven by a chain 3m from a sprocket 3" on the shaft 2; and said shaft 2 may be driven by means of a sprocket 2" thereon connected by a chain 2 with a sprocket 2e on a 'shaft 2d (Fig. 3) journaled in suitable bearings on the frame 1; and shaft 2d in turn may be driven by a. pulley 2x operated by a belt 2t from a pulley 2g on the shaft of an electric or other motor 2h mounted on the framel 1. I preferably employ an electric motor where the machine is to be used in yards where electric power is readily obtainable, but any suitable motor may be used in place of an electric motor as isy obvious.

The coal elevated by the buckets 3g is dumped into a hopper 5 on the top of the frame (see Figs. 1-2) and -into a rotary screen 5a (Fig. 5) which is of any desired construction and is mounted on a shaft 5h journaled in bearings ,5c and 5d on the top members of the upright frame. The hopper 5 into which the coal is discharged from the vbuckets is preferably so constructed (see Figs. 2 and 7) vthat there is constantly a quantity of coal in the bottom of this hopper onto which the coal discharged by the buckets drops, so that instead of the coal having to drop upon a metal surface. it dropsV upon other coal which reduces fracture or breakage thereof. The coal heaps up on the bottom of the hopper 5 until the upper coal' slides from the top of the pile in the hopper into the end of the rotary screen 5a. On the same shaft 5h and surrounding the' screen 5a is a finer o r rotary sieve 5e which is spaced apart from screen 5a by means ofsuitable studs 5x, see Fig. 6, and the screens rotate together. The inner screen 5a has a mesh of a size so as to screen out coal, of any desired size, and the outer screen 5" is so tine that only dust or waste Will pass therethrough. lThese screens are preferably rotated as follows: 0n the inner end of the shaft 5b adjacent its bearing 5d (see Figs. 5 and 6) is a sprocket 5t which is driven by a chain 5E from a sprocket 5" on a stub' shaft 5* on which may be a bevel gear 5 (Fig. l) meshing with an opposed,

wagon being loaded, or into bags if desired.

The chute 6 maybe provided With a gate 6 (see Figs. 1 and 5) which can be lowered when the desired quantity of coal has been delivered to the wagon or bags so as to stop the escape of coal through the chute', and

'if the operation of the machine is not stopped surplus coal will then pile up in the chute 6 until it begins to escape through a passage 6d in the side of the chute 6 (Fig. 5) whence it passes into a trough 6 attached to the side of the frame, and which conducts the surplus coal back to the rear of themachine and discharges it onto the pile. The coal that passes through the`s'creen 5a is caught in the screen 5, and the coarser screenings are discharged from the screen 5 into the mouth of a lchute 7, arranged at the discharge end of the screen 5e (Figs. 1-5) and is directed into a rotary screen 7, of ordinary construction, supported upon a shaft 7b journaled in bearings attached to brackets 1D on the side of the main frame,4

as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. This screen 7a preferably divides the fine coal into two or more sizes if desired which are dropped from the screen into a hopper 7, which is shown as divided by an interior partition 7d into two chambers` each of which may be respectively provided with sliding gates `or valves 7e and 7, so that the different grades of coal escaping from screen 7 may be separated and retained in saidcompartments from which they may be withdrawn at will. The screen 7LL may be rotated by means of a. sprocket 7h F ig. 1) on its shaft 7* driven by a sprocket chain 7 from a sprooket5u on shaft 5l. y

The tine dust which escapes through the screen 5e is caught in a hopper 5l in which it can be trapped and retained until it is desired to discharge same; the lower end of this hopper 5q being closed by a slide or gate 5r, as indicated in the drawings, (Figs. 2 and 4).

When the machine is to be used it Should be backed up against the pile of coal, or material to be screened, so that the lower end of the endless conveyer enters the pile; and then started in operation and wagons or bags can be loaded with the coal discharged from the chute 6a. As the coal pile is re duced the operator, by properly turning mae-,m11

shaft e swings the lower end of the conveycr into the piic, without having to move the machine, until the pile is substantially removed. When the desired amount of coal has been loaded he vcan out off the supply of coal to the Wagons by lmvering the gate 6,

and can either stop the motor, or withdraw the buckets from the pileby properly'turning shaft slk.

lhe endless elevator so constructed that its lower end may be pushed out to swing into the pile of coal as the latter is removed Without having to back np the entire machine, or more the entire machine against the coal, is a very useful, practical and advantageous feature of the invention.

rthe uprightsof the frame might be rigid, but 1 preferably form them in sections and pivotally unite them as described so that the top portion of the machine may be lowered or tilted forward, as indicated in Fig. Li, so that thc machine may be more readily transported or drawn under shelter or sheds, or through a doorway. A's shown in Figs. `1 and 2 the front uprights are formed in two sections pivotcd at 1h and the rear uprights' are formed in two sections pivoted at 15.

Attached to the rear end of the frame adjacent thc bars l* and rigidly 'connected therewith are'uprights 8, (Fig. Ll) to the upper ends of which are attached curved rack 'plates S which are curved forward on an arc concentric with the pivots 1j and the forward ends of these racks S are con nccted to the. front of the machine below the pivots l, as indicated in Fig. el. Journaled in bearings attached to the bars 1i is a transverse shaft 9 on which are mounted spur gears 9a which-engage the segmental racks or perforated plates 8*.v The shaft 9 may be rotated by means of sprocket pinions 9* thereon connected by sprocket chains 9 to' sprockets 9d on a stubshaft 9 attached to the lower portion of the bars 1i idjacent the pivots lj, and said shaft 9e is provided with a crank handle 9i by which itmay be turned.

lli/"hen the machine is in operativev upright condition, as shown in Figs. l and 2, the hars lr lf may be locked in upright position by means of bolts l which may be engaged with corresponding registering openings 1t in the parts lf, 'l'3 of the rear standards (Fig. il and prevent accidental folding of the frame. The shaft 9e may also be locked by any suitable'means. vVhen however it is desired to lower 'or fold the machine, for transportation or to run it into a shed, the bolts l" should be removed, and thenl shaft v9 turned, by crank Slf, so as to cause thc spur gears 9h to descend along the curved racks 8 and lower the operative parts of the machine to the position shoivn in Fig. vfl, the bars l, l. folding toward each. other, and the elevator frame being lowered to almost horizontal position, as illustrated in Fig. et. To

facilitate the lowering of the elevator frame, l

its lower end may be detached from the bars 4: by removing the bolts 4x connecting the lower endl of the frame 3 to the bars 4; When it is desired to put the machine in operative position the crank 9" is turned so as lto cause the spurs 9 to roll up on the racks 8 and raise the frame to vertical position and in such position the shaft 9 should be locked and the bolts 1E be inserted, thus holding the parts securely in operative position, and the boltsax'replaced to connect bars 4 to frame 8.

The bars le, l at the left hand side of the machine preferably fold baclwvard, as indicated in el, so as not to interfere with the chute Gon the left, but the bars le, lf, at the riehthand side of the machine preferably fold forward sopas notV to interfere with the chute 7 on the right leading into the small rotary screen 7a.

The .mode of operation of the machine will besufiiciently clear from the' foregoing description and the drawings. With this ma-l chine thelower end of the elevator is movable to andfrom the pile of'coal being loaded, and can-beloperated by the driver in the Wagon, or by a man on the ground. 1t provides a combination loader and screen having chutes adapted either for loading or for bagging coal. The novel .hopper 5 les. Y

sens the danger of the. coal breaking and the trough 6e Will, carry away .the overfi'owv if it is dischaiggcd from the rotary screen 5a faster than it can be bagged; or when the valve or gate 6c' in the chute is closedand stops the flow of coal into the Wagoner bag; the machine'is also foldable or adjustable in `height as described so that it can be lowered to facilitatevits loading onto a car or passing through a door.

The' machine as shown will take lcoal from a-mixed pile if desired and separate the small coal from the coal to be loaded, and from thedirt and smaller coal, at the same time it Will separate the fine coal from thevv dirt, and will rade very fine coal such as chestnut ant pea coal; and will also if desired retain the dirt land dust so that theyard Will not be littered by the operation of the machine; and because yof the capabilityof the elevator being projected into the pile of coal it is not necessary to keep moving the machine up 'toward the pile of ycoal beingv loaded during 'the process of loading.

hile I'have referred to this machine as a coal loader, yet it i's obviously adapted forv use for loading, screening and sorting, sand, gravel or other substances without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. That I claim is: 'y l. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a base frame having vertical uprights composed of sections pivotally connected together, arc-shaped rack bars at said shaft so as to cause the gears to ride up or down on said racks to raise or lower the frame.

2. ln a machine of the character described, the combination of a base, a frame having vertical uprights comprised of .sections pivotally connected together, are-shaped rack bars at the sides or the frame, spur gears engaging said bars, a shaft rotatably connected with opposite uprights and carrying spur gears engaging said bars, and means for rotating said shaft so as to cause the gears to ride up or down on said racks to raise or lower the frame, with a conveyor frame mounted on said main frame and adjustable therewith, and means for adjusting the lower end of said conreyer frame independently of said adjustable main frame, for the purpose specified.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a base traine having frame. i 1li. In amachine of the character described the combination olga base frame havingwer tical uprights cornpjlsed of sections p1vot ally connected"together, arc-shaped rae'` bars at the sides of the frame, spur gears engaging saidi'bars, means for rotating said gears seas-to cause them to ride un or down on said racks to raise or lower the frame, a conveyor frame mounted on `said main `frame and adjustable therewith,` and means for adjusting the lower end of said conveye'r frame independently of said adjustable main frame.

In' testimony that I claim the 'foregoing as my own, l atliX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FREDERIC S. CONVERSE. Witnesses:

EnwiN B. REYNOLDS, MAUmoE E. PAGE.

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