US1112636A - Automatically closing and opening receptacles. - Google Patents

Description

T. W. MGNEILL. AUTOMATICALLY CLOSING AND OPENING RBOEPTAOLES.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 8, 1913.

Patented Oct. 6, 1914.

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7IIE NORRIS PETE-(.5 (50.. Puma 1' H1101. wAsI/mmu u UNITED STATES Parana ormen THOMAS W. MCNEILL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOE ETC REID, MUIRDOGH 8a 30., OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATICALLY CLOSING AND OIENING RECEPTAGLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 6, 191 1.

Application filed September 8, 1913. Serial No. 738,532.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS W. MONEILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatically Closing and Opening Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in automatically closing and opening receptacles.

In a co-pending application filed by me October 21st, 1912 for improvements in sys tem for transporting material in bulk, which application is identified by Serial No.

726,958 I disclosed, in connection therewith,'

a receptacle designated by reference character 21, the general features of which are reproduced in the accompanying drawings.

In my former application the lower valve was shown to be unrestrained and after it had been automatically opened, by the weight of the superimposed contents of the receptacle or tank the counter-balancing weight would cause it to close before the contents had been completely discharged.

The object of my present invention is to provide means for positively holding the valve open until the entire contents has passed out of the receptacle, after which the valve is released and thereby closed by the counter-balancing weight which is adapted to normally hold the valve closed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of the receptacle showing it in position before it has been moved to per mit opening of the valve that closes the discharge opening at the lower end thereof. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the receptacle after it has been moved to permit open- 1 ing of the valve and showing the means for 1 of the tank and is pivoted, as at 11, to a transverse lever 12. The lever 12 is pivoted to a depending arm 13 projecting downwardly from a carrier 14. On one side of the pivot 15 is a counter-weight 16 which is adjustable along the beam or lever 12. Secured to the depending arm 18 are stops 17-17 that limit the movement of the arm 12. Now it is evident that when the counter-weight 16 is heavier than the tank 5 and its contents, that the parts will be in the positions shown in Fig. 1 and if the tank 5 and its parts, including its contents, overbalance the weight 16 the parts will be in the positions shown in Fig. 2. A fitting 18 is secured near the top of the tank and communicates with a conduit 18 by means of which the material to fill the tank is conveyed thereto. A retarding dash pot 19 prevents spasmodic or too rapid movement of the tank and the counteracting weight 16. An air valve fitting 20 communicates with the upper end of the tank, as at 21, and is provided with an opening 22 which, under certain conditions, permits the air to pass into the tank and under other conditions is closed by the valve. A pipe 23 is intended for communication with an exhaust pump or other means for pumping the air from the tank or receptacle 5. A valve 24: is rotatable in the valve fitting 20 by means of an arm which is secured thereto. The extended end of the lever 12 is secured to the arm 25 by means of a link 26 so that when the tank moves, from its upward position to its lowest position, the valve 24 is rotated by means of the arm 12. In the position shown in Fig. 1 the exhaust means is in connection with the interior of the tank and the valve 21 is turned properly to permit this condition, while in Fig. 2 the valve is turned so as to close the pipe 28 and to permit communica tion between the fitting 22 and the interior of the tank that air may pass through the pipe 22 into the tank. hen air is being pumped from the tank the atmospheric exterior pressure, due to the attenuation within the tank is the means by which the valve 7 is held tight upon its seat in the opening 6. Any suitable gasket may be employed for rendering the valve air tight with reference to its face.

The apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings is to be used especially in a system for transporting materials in bulk, such as pickles in brine or other similar objects in a fluid or liquid. The receptacle 5 will be filled with such material through the openin 18 and the weight or" the material in the receptacle will overbalance the counterbalance weight 16 to cause the tank or receptacle to descend o the position shown in Fig. 2, in which case the tendency toward vacuum in the receptacle is overcome by admission of air through the fitting 22 of the valve Therefore pressure being thus removed the valve 7 is no longer held closed and will be opened by the weight of the contents of the tank. Now the counterbalancin weight 9 would immediately cause the valve 7 to close again if it were not for my present improvement, whereby the door or valve? is held open until the tank 5 is returned by the wei ht 16 substantially to the position shown in Fig. 1. To carry out this feature of my invention, which is the subject matter of this application, a latch 27 is pivoted to the side of the tank 5, as at 28, and is secured to the arm 25 by means of a pin ano slot connection 29 of the rod 30. The lower end of the rod is pivotally secured to the outer end of the latch 27, as at 31, and is d' *ided into two sections by a turn buckle so that the exact length of the rod may be accurately adjusted by means of said turn buckle.

An angular bar 33 is secured to the weight 9 of the valve 7 and its free end forms one latch member with the other pivoted men"- be'r The bar 33 carries a bumper, such as a piece of rubber 34, to prevent unnecessary noise and to relieve the shock when the door 7 is suddenly opened. Now when the valve, or door 7 is opened, it assumes the position substantially as that shown in Fig. 2 where the bar 33 makes latching engagement with the latch 27 to hold the door in this position during the time that the tank 5 is in depressed position, as shown in Fig. 2, and the valve 7 is positively retained in this position until the latch '27 is raised, as when the counterbalancing weight 16 overcomes the weight of the receptacle 5, shown in Fig. 1, in which event the counterbalancing weight 9 will cause immediate closing of the valve 7' after the content of the receptacle 5 has been completely discharged so that the premature closing of the valve 7 will not smasn or otherwise injure or bruise the fruit vegetable or other like material that is pass ing out of the receptacle.

Whlle I have herein shown a single embodiment of my invention for purpose of clear disclosure, it is evident that variations my be made theretrom within the scope ot the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. in device of the character described, a receptacle having a discharge opening at its lower end, a valve to close the opening; a pi 3e for connection to an air exhausting means, to exhaust the receptacle to hold said discharge valve closed; a valve in said air pipe; means movable by the increased weight of the filled receptacle to actuate the air valve, whereby to operate the valve closing the discharge opening, and means for holding said latter valve open until return of said movable means after the discharge of said receptacle.

2. in a device of the character described cylindrical receptacle having a discharge opening at its lower end;-a counter balance valve to automatically close the opening; a

ijeaii's to exhaust the receptacle to hold said charge valve closed; a valve in said air pipe; pivoted lever to which said receptacle is attach d at one side of its axis; a counterbalance weight ior said receptacle, on the other side oi the axis ot'said lever; a link connecting said lever and air valve; a latch for holding said discharge valve open, movable when the weight of said receptacle is overcome by said counter weight, to release said discharge valve and means, movable by said air-valve-moving-means to unlat'ch and release said discharge opening valve and a counter-weight to close said valve.

3. in a device of the character described,

a receptacle 5, pivotally secured to a lever 12;.

a lever 12 pivoted as at 15, to a stationary part 13; a counter-balance weight 16 to overcome the weight of the receptacle; a fitting 18 for connection to a conduit for ingress of the material to the receptacle; a valve 7 for closing the lower open end of said receptacle; a counter balance weight 9, adapted to automatically close the'said valve wien released; a pipe for connection to an exnaust means; anair valve 2 1 for controlling said exhaust means; means connected with the lever 12 for controlling said air valve'and a latch 27, operable by means of the bar 12, for releasing the valve 7 when the receptacle has been discharged of its contents and the counter-weight 16 raises I said receptacle.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

.THOMAS WV. MONEILL. In the presence of- Foniin Barn, Mary F. ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner'of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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