US1298950A - Circuit-closer. - Google Patents

Description

G. E. HULL.

cmc'un CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 4. I918 63 66 35' aazyeMaZZ gm/ 6mm Patented App 1, 1919;

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

v GEORGE E. HULL, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO I-IICKOK CONSTRUCTION 00., OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA.

CIRCUIT-CLOSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

' Application filed December 4, 1918. Serial No. 265,234.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. HULL, a citizen of the United "States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Closers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in alarm mechanism and has to do more particularly with mechanism of this character as applied to grain bins of elevators and other grain storage houses.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a mechanism of this character in which the grain actuable element will always assume, by gravity, a position receptive for actuation, thereby entirely avoiding the employment of springs or other restoring devices.

Devices of this character usually employ a movable element in the generalform of a paddle whereby a relatively broad surface is presented toward the grain slope so that when the grain advances against the paddle, the latter will be retracted, and such retractive movement is utilized for actuating the alarm to give warning that the bin has been filled. Now as the grain rises in the bin and the slope shifts, it frequently happens that the grain will get behind the paddle and thereby block alarm movement of the paddle under the action of the grain against the front of the paddle. Therefore, it is a feature of my invention to employ guards on the sides of the paddle to prevent the flow of grain to the rear thereof.

My invention has many other objects and features which will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawing, and which will be more particularly pointed out in and by the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1, is a vertical sectional view of a grain bin showing one form of the device of my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2, is an enlarged vertical sectional view with certain parts omitted to more clearly show the structure.

Fig. 8, is a View in elevation looking from the right of Fig. 2. V

Fig. 4:, is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 8.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the different figures of the drawing.

As illustrated, 1 designates one wall of a bin and 2, .designates the opposite wall, the construction being of cribbing, not shown, as the particular construction of the bin is not material to this invention. A grain pipe or chute is indicated at 3, and the grain slope is shown by a dotted line 4. The device of my invention, which is generally indicated at 6, is shown disposed opposite the grain pipe 3, although it is merely neces sary that it should be positioned remote therefrom, or in other words in a position where the slope of the grain will be toward the paddle.

Referring mOI'e particularly to the specific construction, 7 designates a strip or mounting which is adapted to be secured to an upper inside portion of the bin, in any suitable manner, as by wood screws 8. Near the top of the inside face of this mounting strip 7, is adjustably secured a circuit closer supporting block 9. The top of the strip 7 is slotted, as indicatedat 10, and screws 11, extending into the block, and through said slots, permit of the block 9 being nicely adjusted to the required position to bring its circuit closer in operative relation with the actuating device therefor. As shown, a circuit closer inthe' form of a push button device 12, ismounted on the bottom of said block in a manner to cause its button 13 to project downwardly. A circuit is shown extending to or including said device 12,

one line 14 extending from the device 12 to one pole of a source of current 15, and from the other pole, a lead16 extends to one terminal of a bell 17. From the other terminal of said bell a lead 18 extends back to the device 12. This alarm circuit is diagrammatically indicated because it does not specifically form a feature of my invention, merely a broad element of the combination. However, it is a feature of my invention to fixedly mount the circuit closer 12 on an adjustable mounting so that at any time adjustment may be made of the circuit closer without in any way interfering with the wiring forming the circuit. It is also a feature to extend the top of the mount strip 7 above the cribbing of the bin wall so that the rod normally seeks a position by gravity,

away from said button.

Reference will next be made to the movable element adapted to be actuated by the grain to energize the alarm.

A pivot block is mounted on strip 7 and the same includes lateral members 21 which project from the inside of the bin wall toward the interior of the bin and which converge from their base portions toward their free ends 22. A pivot bolt 23 is mounted in the free ends of said members, for a purpose which will presently appear. A movable element in the form of a paddle 24: is provided with a relatively broad fiat lower portion 25, and a relatively reduced upper portion 26. A block 27 mounted on the upper end of the front of said paddle provides stock through which pivot bolt 23, extends. This disposes the pivotal axis somewhat at one side, or forwardly, of the center of mass of the paddle, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 2. Rearwardly of the paddle is fixed a block 28 which extends downwardly along the paddle a considerable distance. shifts the center of mass farther to the left of pivot bolt 23. It is by reason of this novel form of pivotal suspension of the paddle that the latter assumes, by gravity, a position in which its lower end is projected toward the grain slope, thereby avoiding the use of springs. Thus, the paddle will at all times seek to assume the position shown in Fig. 2.

Means is provided for pivotally connecting the lower end of rod 19, in supported re lation with the top of said paddle, and as shown, block 28 is provided with an eye 29 with which an eye 30, on the lower ,end of the rod 19, is linked. Thus the weight of rod 19, is also added to the disposition of the mass of the paddle, to urge the same into the projecting position shown in F ig, 2. A roof cover 31 is mounted on members 21 and extends forwardly over the pivot bolt 23, in a manner to prevent entrance of the grain in such a manner as to clog the free working of the gravity paddle. An opening 32 in said cover permits of extension of rod 19 therethrough.

In order to prevent thegrain from flowingbehind the paddle and thus neutralizing the thrust of the grain against the front of the paddle, the latter is provided with guards 33. These guards are secured to the The weight of this block 28, also edges of the paddle and not only project rear-wardly therefrom but also depend downwardly from the lower extremity of the paddle. Thus the area in the rear of the paddle is maintained free from grain and when the slope advances toward the paddle, as it rises in the bin, the grain will exercise a lateral thrust on the paddle shifting the lower end to the left of Fig. 2, and thereby raising rod 19 into contact with the button 13 to energize the alarm. Subsequent to this operation of the paddle, the grain slope will continue to rise until the pipe 3 is closed, and the alarm will continue to be sounded, until switched off. The grain might, if the pipe were not promptly shut off, rise above the level of the bolt 23. Thus, it will be seen that by housing the pivot por tion of the paddle, the grain could never wedge in and prevent the return of the paddle to the position shown in Fi 2, after the grain had descended to a point below the alarm mechanism.

It will also be noted that the terminals of the circuit are inclosed in the push button device and all adjustments are made without exposing the same, therefore, the vital contacts can never become fouled as the actuation of the button 13, by rod 19, is merely mechanical, not electrical, but even so, this point of contact or engagement of the rod with said button is above the highest point at which the grain could ascend, and therefore, nothing could be clogged.

It is believed that the advantages and utility of my invention will be fully under.- stood from the foregoing description, and while I have herein shown and described one specific-form of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto except for such limitations as the claims may import.

I claim:

1. In a grain bin circuit closing device, a mounting strip adapted to be attached in a vertical position to the upper inside face of a bin, a circuit closer supporting block adjustably mounted on the inside face of the upper end of said strip and having a circuit closer secured to the lower portion thereof with a downwardly projecting push button, a circuit closing rod extending vertically along said strip, means on said strip for guiding said rodto aline its upper end for engagement with said button, a pivot block projecting from the inside face of said strip near the lower end thereof, a grain actuable paddle pivoted at its upper end to said block and having an enlarged lower end providing a broad surface facing the grain slope, means pivoting the upper end of said paddle to the lower end of said rod between the pivotal mounting of the former and said strip whereby said rod will be shifted upwardly against said button to close the alarm circuit when the grain forces. the

lower free end of the paddle toward said strip, the center of mass of said paddle being so disposed with respect to the pivotal axis of said paddle as to normally cause the latter to assume a position by gravity with its lower free end projecting away from said strip.

2. In a grain bin circuit closing device, a paddle pivot block comprising lateral pivot supporting members projecting inwardly from the bin side, a grain actuable paddle having a reduced upper end disposed between and pivotally hung from between said members and having an enlarged lower face exposed to the grain slope for actuation thereby, a roof cover mounted on said members and extending sufliciently beyond said members to prevent the grain from entering at the point of pivotal connection of said paddle with said members, and means extending through said cover and connected with said paddle for operating the circuit closer when said paddle is actuated by the grain.

3. In a grain bin circuit closing device, a

rain actuable paddle, means pivotally hanging said paddle at a point with respect to its center of mass so as to cause said paddle to assume a position by gravity disposing its lower end in a projecting position with respect to a vertical line intersecting the pivot axis of said paddle, and a circuit closing rod extending vertically upwardly from the top of said paddle, and means connecting the lower end of said rod in pivotal supported relation with the top of said paddle on that side of the pivotal axis thereof opposite from which the lower end of the paddle projects.

4C. In a grain bin circuit closing device, a mounting strip adapted to be secured to the inside face of said bin with a portion of said strip projecting above the top of said bin, a grain actuable device mounted on said strip and having an upwardly extending push rod, a block on the inside face and near the top of said strip, a push button device on the bottom of said block and having a downwardly extending push button for en gagement by said rod, alarm circuit wir ing connected with said push button device, and means accessible from the outside of said bin for adjusting said block up or down on said strip in accurate relation to said rod without interfering with said wiring.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I hereby affix my signature.

GEORGE E. HULL.

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

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