US418231A - Automatic coal-bucket - Google Patents

Description

(NoModeI.)

A. M. RUGKER 85 T. LONG. AUTOMATIC GOAL BUCKET.

No. 418.231. Patented Dec. 31, 1889.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER M. RUCKER AND TIMOTHY LONG, OF MILWAUKEE, VISOONSIN.

. AUTOMATIC COAL-BUCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,231, dated December 31, 1889. Application iiled April 27, 1889. Serial No. 308,791. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that we, ALEXANDER M. RUCK- ER and TIMOTHY LONG, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Coal-Buckets; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our newly-invented device belongs to that class of automatic coal-buckets in which compressed air, steam, or water is used to close the two sections of the bucket.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of our device, parts being broken away to show other parts. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same device, taken at right angles to the view shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail of the check-valve and cut-off in the induction-pipe. Fig. 4 is a detail of'a modiiied form of cross-bar.

A cylinder A is provided with downwardly andv outwardly extending arms B B, to the lower ends of which the two sections C C of the coal-bucket are hin ged, and on which they are thereby supported. The sections C C of the bucket are hinged at their outer upper edges to the arms B B, each section being hinged to two of the arms B.` The cylinder A is made steam and air tight and is provided with a piston, the stem D of which at its outer end is connected to a cross-bar E, which cross-bar extends laterally parallel to and above the line of junction of the two sections of the bucket, and at each of its outer ends are two swinging arms F F, hinged thereon, the lower ends of which arms are secured pivotally to the inner upper edges of the sides of the sections O C. Lateral braces G G are secured to the arms B B. The cylinder is provided with a ring H, whereby the cylinder and its supported bucket may be attached to the elevating and carrying mechanism. The cylinder is provided with an induction-pipe I,whereby compressed air, steam, or Water maybe introduced into the cylinder from the flexible supply-tube K. The induction-pipe I is supplied with a plug-valve L, having a crank-arm M, and a connecting-rod N connects it to one arm of the bell-crank O,

which bell-crank is pivoted on the cylinder A. A spring P, connected at one end to the bell-crank O and at the other end to the cylinder A, is adapted to throw the bell-crank into such position as to open the inductionpipe through the plug-valve L, and a suspended weight R receives the impact ofthe free arm of the bell-crank O as the cylinder and it-s load travels forward on its track as a carrier and throws the bell-crank arm backward, turning the plug-valve so as to shut oif the inflow of steam or air and allow the steam or air in the cylinder to be discharged therethrough and out at the orifice S. As the tube K is a flexible one, it permits the cylinder and its load to be elevated and carried along a track and returned to its work without disconnecting the steam or air supply, if desired; but as it is often desirableto disconnect this supply-pipe a proper air-tight coupling U is constructed for connecting the iieXible pipe K with the induction-pipe I, and a check-valve at T prohibits the escape of the steam or compressed air from the cylinder when the pipe K is uncoupled at U. A stopcock V is put in the pipe K at any place desired to close that pipe and prevent the escape of steam or compressed air therefrom.

The construction of the bucket and the piston is such that by gravity the sections. of the bucket are thrown open into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, and in this condition the device is lowered to the mass of coal to be gathered into the bucket, and steam, air, or water under sufficient pressure is introduced into the cylinder through the induction-pipe, whereby the piston is forced upward in the cylinder, and the inner edges of the sect-ions of the bucket are drawn together upward, scooping up the coal and closing in the form shown in Fig. l, in which form the deviceis elevated to a track or to a crane and is carried or swungaway to the point of deposit of the coal, where the bell-crank impinges against the weight R or other obstruction provided therefor, whereby the plugvalve L is soi-turned as to close the inductionport and open the eduction-port or oriiice S, whereby the steam, air, or water is discharged and the piston falls, opening the bucket and discharging the coal.

The modified form of cross-bar E (shown IOO in Fig. 4L) .is bent downwardly somewhat, whereby. the cylinder is brought nearer the bucket, and the perpendicular height of the cylinder and bucket together is somewhat lessened. rlhis form of construction is desirable Where the space in which the device operates is limited in its perpendicular height.

What we clai rn as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

I. The combination, with a coal-bucket in two sections hinged at its outer edges on arms secured rigidly to a cylinder above. the bucket, of a steam-tight cylinder, a movable piston therein provided with a rigid stem, and hinged. arms connecting the stem of the piston to the upper inner edges of the sides of the section-s ofthe bucket, substantially as described.

2.v The combination-cfa bucketin two section-s0 C, each of which sect-ionsis hinged at itsouter upper edge to arms B B, secured rigidly to acylinder A, with a pistonhaving asteml), across-bar E, hung on the stem I), and swinging arms F F, hinged on thek crossbar.-.E.and.-pivoted to the inner upperedges ofzthevv sides ofthe sections() C, substantially` asfdescribed.

3.; The-combination, with a. bucket in-two sections@ @hinged on arms attached to a cylindersA,.and apiston Working in the cylinder, the stem of which is connected by arms to the innerswingng edges of the sections of' the; bucket, of an induction-pipe I, a plugvalve L therein, a bell-crank O, one arm of' whichis connected to the crank of the plugvalve, a retrieving-spring P, and an obstruction R, against which the free arm of the bell-crank is adapted to impinge, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a cylinder A, provided with a piston adapted to close the sections of a bucket supported on the cylinder, ot a plug-valve L, adapted to be operated by means, substantially as described, and a fieXible supply-pipe K, leading into the inductionpipe I and provided with a stop-.cock V, substantially as described.

5. In a-device for automaticallyclosing a coal-bucket, a steam-cylinder A, provided 'with an ind notion-pipe I and-a plug-valve L therein, the plug-valve being constructed t0 open-a passage from the supply-pipe tothe cylinderA and a passage from the cylinder 'to' the open air, of? a bell-crank O, pi-voted ony the cylinderandconnected to the arm ofthe plug-valve by connecting-rod-N, a retrievingspring P, an obstacle R; againstwhich the free arm of'th'e'bell-crank is .adaptedto iinpinge, and a check-valve T, as and for the purpose set'forth.

In testimony whereof wel affix our signaturesin presence ot-two witnesses.

' ALEXANDER. M. RUGKERi TIMOTHY LONG. Witnesses:

C. T. BENEDIGT, 4ANNA FAUsT.

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