US1362889A - Coal-loading machine - Google Patents

Description

N. A. NEWDICK.V

COAL LADING MACHINE.

Armcmou FILED MV10, |916.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

QOH

ccf/oma N.. A. NEWDICK..

COM. LUADING MACHINE.

ueucmnn man MAY lo.. 1.916,.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mw MN N.. NWDICK, COAL LOADING MACHINE.

ARPucMmN. in ip mw lo, 1.91.6.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920,

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N* A. NEWDICK.

CUM. LOADING MACHINE.

APPucATloN FILED MAY lo. uns.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

N. A. NEWDCK.

COAL LOADING MACHINE.

Armenian man M'AY lo. 191s.

1,362,889, Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

s sains-SHEET 5. 75

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NORTON A. NEWDICK, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

COAL-LOADING MACHINE.

Application filed May 10, 1916.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, NonToN A. NEwnic-K, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coal-Loading Machines, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention ielates to coal loading machines and is directed particularly to that class of loading machines used in a mine to load the coal into the mine cars after it has been blown down.

The main object of my invention resides in the provision of a machine of this type whose construction and relative arrangement is such that it may be readily utilized in many types of mines to remove the coal from the mine floor and deposit it into a suitable mine car. To this end, my invention resides broadly in the combination of a pair of separate trucks, one having mounted thereon a gathering conveyer mounted adjacent its rear end to swing about a vertical axis and the other being provided with a hopper and a discharging conveyer leading out of it, the swinging axis of the front conveyer and the hopper being so located with respect to each other upon their separate trucks that when the two trucks are brought into Working position one with the other, the hopper will be in receiving position with relation to the discharge end of the gathering conveyer for all positions of angularity of the gathering conveyer with respect to the front truck and for all positions of angularity of the two trucks with respect to each other and for all positions of angularity of the two conveyers with respect to each other. By this arrangement, a loading machine capable of being applied to various uses other than coal loading is provided. By the use of separate trucks, the machine may be easily proportioned to facilitate the transportation without Vteetering or jumping the rails. Likewise, should one unit be temporarily out of operation. the idl investment is considerably less than where the entire structure is mounted upon a single truck.

Among the other objects of my invention is the provision of a structure whereby the gatlierinuf conveyer is mounted adjacent its rear end` to permit of its various movements and adJustinents.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying sheets of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

Serial No. 96,723.

drawings, in which similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved. type of coal loading machine, i

1g. is a top plan view o the structure shown 1n Fig.V l,

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevationA on a slightly1 larger scale of the gathering conveyer mechanism,

Fig. is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail View showing the manner of supporting the gathering convever on its supporting truck, ig. 4(3 1s a view in side elevation showing the discharge conveyer and its driving mechanism,

Fig. T is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 10 is a section taken on line 10-10 of Fig. 8,

Fig. 11 is an enlarged section taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 1Q is an enlarged detail View partially in section of a portion of the conveyer chain and its guide,

Fig. 13 is a section taken on line 13-13 of Fig. 12, and,

Fig. 14 is a section taken on line 14-14 of Fig. 6.

My coal handling apparatus comprises essentially two interacting units shown in assembled relation on Sheet 1 and shown separately on Sheets 2 and 3.

The gathering conveyer Aand its driving structure is shown in detail on Sheets 3. 4 and 5 and comprises a drive sprocket 1 and an idle or tail sprocket 2, over which a chain 3 passes. This chain is equipped with a plurality of laterally extending flights shown at 4, which are designed to dig themselves into the coal heap and carry the coal up one side of the conveyer pan or trough, which is designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 5. This chain, in additi'on-to being guided by the sprockets 1 and 2 is also guided b v the channel guideways 6, the conveyer itself being provided with a depressed horizontally extending front end nose portion 7, a rearwardly extending tail portion 8 and an intermediate inclined portion 9. The chain guideways located between the portions 7 and 9 are provided with a curved casting 10 into which a plurality of rollers 11 are rotatably journaled to lessen the amount of friction in causing the chain to pass the angle formed. A similar arrangement is shown at 12 as bein" located between the portions 9 and 8 0F the conveyer frame. It will of course be understood that when the jack post is set up on the other side of the mine room and the conveyer is bodily swunnr thereby in the opposite direction, the direction of travel of chain 3 is reversed so that the movement of the flights across the nose 7 will be in the direction of bodily movement of the conveyer. It is manifest that this involves merely the reversal of motor 17 in a usual and well known way.

This entire conveyer structure is supported upon a fourwheeled truck comprising the side ieces 13 axles 14 and 15 and the track whees 16. etween the axles 14 and 15 there is suitably supported a power unit or driving motor 17. on the outer end of the armature shaft of which is mounted a pinion 18. This pinion 18 meshes with a large spur gear 19 rotatably mounted upon a shaft 20, which shaft is shown in detail in F ig. 11. This shaft 20 is also provided with a friction clutch controlling the various movements of the gathering unit and which clutch comprises the slidable member 21 and the statlonarv member 22. The slidable member is controlled by the lever arm 23 pivotally mounted at 24 upon the motor casing and being pivotally connected at its upper end as is shown at 25 with the control rod 2G, which latter passes out through the side trarne and is provided at its outer end with an operating handle 27 within the ready grasp of the operator. On the sleeve 28 of the stationary clutch portion 22, I have rigidly secured a sprocket wheel 29 which sprocket is in line with a s rocket 3() rigidly secured to the hub 31 of a evel gear 32 rotatably supported on the axle 16, this latter structure being shown in detail in F iv. 9. This bevel gear in turn meshes with a bevel inion 33 located on the vertical shaft 34. T is shaft 34 is rotatably journaled in a yoke member designated 35, which yoke member is provided with dependin legs 36 having bearing portions 37 rotatab y mounted on the axle 15 as shown more clearly in Fig. 9. The upper end of the shaft 34 carries the drive sprocket 1 and through the drive connections just described, the conveyer as a whole may be set in o eration by simply shifting the two clutc arts 21 and 22 in engagement with each ot er.

It is by means of this yoke member, that the conveyer as a whole and the conveyer pan 5 specifically, is mounted to sweep the mine Hoor or, in other Words, is mounted to swing about a vertical pivot. The upper portion of the yoke member 35 is provided with a shoulder 38 u )on which the bearing member 39 rests. 'lhe conveyer pan 5 is itself rigidly connected to this bearing member through the medium of the rivets shown at 4() and further, the underside of this pan at this end of the conveyer is provided with an arcuate guide member 41, this guide member being circular with the exception of the open or cut-away portion 42 of the rear end of the pan as is shown in Fig. 4, through which the coal is discharged. A substan tially Z-shaped slide member 43 mounted upon bosses 44 of the arms of the yoke member, cooperates with the guide member 41 to give the conveyer pan a substantial bearing at some considerable distance from its rotative center or from the shaft 34. This arrangement just described, permits the conveyer as a whole to sweep the mine floor or pivot about a vertical center which happens to be the shaft 34 and it also permits this conveyer to be swung about a horizontal ivot which, in this case, is the axle 15. his swinging about the horizontal axis is desirable in that it permits the elevation of the front or nose portion of the conveyer to permit its ready transportation from place to place in the mine. The rear portion of the yoke member 35 is also provided with a ivoted dog 45 which, when the conveyer is 1n its operative osition as is shown in F ig. 3 engages the e ge of a bolster 46 forming a portion of the supporting truck. This arrangement is provided to relieve the yoke member of undue strain as the conveyer is being forced into the coal heap. When the conveyer is forced into the coal heap, the natural tendency would be to cause a pivoting about the axle 15, and, therefore strain the connections between the two members 41 and 43. It is to relieve this strain that the dog 45 is provided, it bein of course, understood that this dog is re eased when it is desired to elevate the front end of the conve er.

he mechanism for causin this athering conve er to sweep the mine oor will now be descri ed. A jack post or other temporary anchoring means such as shown at 47 is provided and set up adjacent one Wall of the mine room or entry. En aging this jack post is a hook 48 onto whic the cable 49 is connected. This cable passes over a pulley 50 secured to the frame portion of the section 9 of the conveyer through the medium of either of the eye bolts 51 and from here it passes rearwardly and is connected with the winding drum 52 mounted on the axle 14 as is shown in Fi 8. This drum is provided with a lateray projecting sleeve 53 onto which the half 54 of a friction clutch is rotatably mounted. The other half of this clutch is designated 55 and is slidably keyed to the sleeve and is controlled in its movement by means of the arm 56 pivoted at its lower end as is shown at 57 and provided with a shifting yoke 58. To the upper end of this arm the operating rod 59 is pivotally connected as shown at 60 and by operating this rod 59 through the medium of a handle 61 projecting out through the side frame, the friction clutch ma be thrownin or out. The portion 54 of Vthis last named friction clutch is provided with a sprocket 62 which sprocket 1s in line with a sprocket 63 rigidly secured to the shaft 2O on which the main friction clutch is mounted, so that whenever the friction clutch on this shaft 2O is in, the sprocket 63 rotates. A chain 64 connects the two sprockets 63 and 62 and, therefore, after the friction clutch on the shaft 20 Vis thrown in, this chain 64 is set in operation to rotate the ortion 54 of the friction clutch on the shaft 4 and when then the operating handle 61 is grasped to bring the two parts 54 and 55 of the friction clutch on the axle 14 into engagement, the winding drum 52 is also Set into operation to wind up the cable 49 and by the shortening of the cable length in this manner, the gathering conveyer as a whole is drawn across the mine floor about its vertical pivot 34. VllVhen a sweep across the entire floor has been made, the jack post may be removed and set up on the other side of the mine room, the cable extended and the operation repeated.

In order to automatically prevent the conveyer from forcing itself out of. the coal heap after it has been thrown into the same by the operation inst described, l have provided one end o the drum with a ratchet face 65, Fig. 10, in connection with which the dog 66 operates. This dog is pivoted as at 67 to the side of the motor frame and as the drum 52 is rotated, the dog runs idle, but upon stopping of the winding action, this dog 66 drops into engagement with one of the teeth on the. ratchet wheel 65 and, therefore, prevents reverse rotation of the drum 52. It will be understood that the flights forcing their way into the coal heap have a tendency to push the front end of the conveyer in a direction opposite from that in which it was pulled by the cable and it is, therefore, necessary to lock the eonveyer in whatever position of adjustment it may have been placed by the winding up of the cable. This is automatically accomplished by the dog 66 and the ratchet wheel 65. lpon shifting of the jack post and the ex tending of the cable, 1t will be understood that the clutch sections 54 and 55 are out of engagement so that the drum is free to rotate on the axle 14. Therefore, by manually releasing the dog 66, the cable may be again extended.

In order to elevate the front end' of the gathering conveyer, this same cable and winding mechanism is employed. The hook is disengaged from the jack post and is attached to the arm 68, Fig. 3, which latter is pivoted at its lower end as at 69 to the truck or conveyer sup ort. The upper end of this arm is provide with a roller 70 andthe arm isitself slightly longer than the shortest distance between its pivot point 69 and theunderside of the conveyer framework. The arrangement is also such that the roller end of this arm 68 operates on the underside of the conveyer framework. as shown in Fig. 3. After the cable hook has been attached to the arm 68, the winding mechanism may be set in operation to shorten the cable length and this action causes the swinging of the arm 68 about its center 69 to elevate the conveyer by swinging it about itshorizontal pivot 15. The action of the dog 66 isithe same to automatically lock the drum against reverse rotation after the winding operation is stopped and, therefore, the conveyer is held in any position of elevation at the time the driving clutch on the axle 14 is thrown out of enga ement.

The manner of driving t is gathering conveyer upon the mine tracks, will now be described. AThe main drive shaft 20. as is shown in Fig. 11 is provided with a jaw clutch, the movable section of which is designated by the reference numeral 71 and`is rigidly secured to the shaft 20 by means of a sliding key engagement and 'the other-or loosely mounted section of which is designated 72. This section 72 is formed with a spur gear face 73 of a size to mesh with the gear 74 rigidly secured to the axle 15. Therefore. when the friction clutch upon the shaft 20 is thrown in, this shaft is set inV operation and b v moving the keyed section 71 of the jaw clutch into engagement with the section 72, the two gears 73 and 74 are set into operation. which causes the axle 15 to rotate to in turn rotate the drive wheels 16. The movable section 71 of the jaw clutch is controlled through the medium of the control rod 75 pivoted at one end as shown at 76 to the arm 77. This arm is pivoted intermediate its ends as at 78 to a bracket 79 carried by the truck framework and operatively engages the movable clutch section 71 as is shown at 80.

From the foregoing description. it will be apparent that I have provided a type of gathering mechanism capable of accomplishing all the necessary movements, that of transporting itself about the mine floor. swinging about a vertical pivot to sweep the mine floor. and elevating its front end to clear the track construction to facilitate its more ready transportation.

However, the open portion 42 of the conveyer pan changes its position by the sweeping movement of the conveyer and, therefore, the discharge point is not always in central alinement with the conveyer when in the position shown in Fig. 1. This is due to the fact that the center of rotation is about the drive sprocket shaft and, therefore, should a mine car be moved into a position to receive the discharged coal, this coal would only fall into the mine car when the conveyer was in the central position shown in Fig. 4. To overcome this, I have provided the dischargin conveyor shown in detail in Figs. 6 and This conveyor comprises a pair of endless chains 81 between which flights 82`are secured and operates out of the base of a hopper 83. This hopper as well as the conveyer and its supporting framework is mounted upon a truck designated generally by the re erenee numeral 84 and shown as being supported upon four track wheels 85, the latter being mounted upon axles 86 and 87. The hopper pro er is mounted to be relatively stationary wit the truck frame as is shown in detail in Fig. 14 wherein its sides are shown as being rotatably fitted over collars 91* to which the sides 91 of the conveyer frame are secured. The under portion of this hopper further rests on the end frame of the truck as is shown at the point designated 89 and because of its wei ht, this hopper always maintains this re'ative position with t e frame no matter what may be the position of the conveyer itself. The lower ends of the side frames of this conveyer are rotatably journaled on `the axle 86 as is shown and are further provided with upstanding ends 91 to overlap the rearwardly extending portions 92 of the hopper proper. This sliding arrangement 'between the sides of the hopper and the sides of the conveyor frame is provided to accommodate the structure to the pivotal movement of the conveyer as a whole. The bottom or trough Jortion shown at 93 cooperates with the ights in moving the coal out of the hopper to its point of discharge and is likewise movable with the conveyer as it swings about its pivot 86 inasmuch as it forms a rigid part of the conveyer frame. The conveyer chains themselves ass over tail sprockets 94 mounted on t e axle of the truck 86 and head s rockets 95 mounted on a head shaft 96. he rear portion ,of the discharge conveyer is so proportioned that it lies substantially parallel with the mine floor when in its operative position as shown in F ig. 6 and extends' over the same after the manner illustrated in Fig. 1.

From the arrangement thus far described, it will be apparent that the hopper 83 is so proportioned to receive coal discharged from the gathering conveyer, no matter what ma be the position of this conveyer as regar s movement about its vertical center. From here the coal is conveyed by means of the discharging conveyer into the mine car and inasmuch as the discharging Lacasse conveyor never changes its relative position as regards a swinging movement about a vertical pivot, it follows that this conveyor always stands in central alinement with the center of the track and is, therefore, always in. a proper position of discharge over the mine car. By means of the rearwardly extending portion asis shown in the drawings, the car may be loaded from its front end and gradually pulled forward by a mine locomotive or any other means as the coal piles up. In addition, the trimmer may pile the coal to a level in the car above or equal to that occupied by the mine car itself as it 1s pulled forward. It will be observed that the bottom 93 over which the flights 82 travel consists of a plate comprising a sharply inclined portion which constitutes a substantial part of the bottom as well as the rear wall of the hopper proper and that this sharply inclined portion merges into a substantially horizontal portion,which projects rearward] beyond the truck' 84. An important at vanta e arises from this construction as follows: lgrequently very large lum s of coal are discharged into the hopper. IIgf these lumps become securely en aged with the flights they are carried up 51e sharply inclined portion or rear wall and out of the hopper. If insecurely en aged with a flight they fall back into the lgiopper. Thus the provision of the sharply inchned portion in conjunction with traveling transverse flights, the whole associated with a hopper one wall of which is formed by said shar ly inclined portion assures that no huge umps will leave the hopper until they become sufficientl engaged by a flight, it being manifest tiat if such engagement is firm and secure enough to cause the lum to be lifted against the force of gravity rom the ho per it will be secure enough to insure t e proper conduct of the lum to the discharge end of the conveyer. T e importance of this will be appreciated when 1t is understood that throughout the operation of the machine miners are Working about it. A large lump of coal toppled over the side of the discharging conveyer because of its insecure enga ement with a flight would be likely to kil or injure a workman.

The manner of driving this discharging conveyer is as follows: A motor 97 is suitabl supported on the truck and is provided with a drive pinion 98 meshing wit a drive gear 99 mounted on a shaft 100 rotatabl ournaled in the truck frame. This sha t is also provided with a sprocket 101 in alinement with a sprocket 102 over both of which a chain 103 passes. The s rocket 102 is mounted on a shaft 104 anc carries a second sprocket 105 in alinement with a sprocket 106 carried by the head shaft 96 over which the driving chain 107 passes. Thus, when the motor is set in operation, the

conveyer as a whole, is driven by the driving arrangement just described.

When transferring the conveyer from place to place about the mine, it is desirable to lower the upper portion in order to give more clearance or head room and inasmuch as this conveyer frame is pivotally mounted about the axle 86, this may be done in the following manner. A pair of toggle links 108 are pivoted respectively to the truck frame and the conveyer support and hingedly connected together as shown at 109. At this connection 109, I have attached a chain 110 which is designed to be wound on a drum 111 which may be hand operated by means of the crank 112. This crank is held against reverso motion by means of the pivoted dog 113. The chain 103 passing over sprockets 101 and 102 is of such length that it attains its proper tautness when the upper portion of the conveyer is substantially parallel with the mine floor and the slack which occurs when the conveyer is lowered is of no consequence, inasmuch as the conveyer is not driven when in such lowered postion.

From the fore oing description, taken in connection with t e accompanying sheets of drawings, it will be apparent; that have provided a type of coal handling machine which is articularly adapted for many types of mines; The machine operates in a minimum of head room and by means of the rearwardly extending portion of the discharging conveyer, this conveyer may be on a level practica ly with the level of the mine car, reliance being had on the attendant or trimmer for suitably Vpiling the coal after the car has been gradually pulled forward. Also, this arrangement permits the switching of a loaded car and the bringing of an empty without stopping the operation of the gathering conveyer, the coal gathered in the meantime being deposited in the hopper 83 and when the empty car is brought to position, the discharging hopper may again be set in operation. All the various advantages outlined and those which must be apparent are attributable in a large sense to the particular relationship which must necessarily be established between the vertical swinging axis of the gathering conveyer with respect to the hopper for all of the various relative positions of the two lunits with respect to each other so that the discharge end of the gathering conveyer will always be in its proper discharging position with respect to the hopper.

What I claim, is:

1. In a loading machine of the character described the combination with a front truck and a rear truck adapted to travel upon and be guided by a mine car track and capable of moving to varying positions of horizontal angularity with respect to each other,

of a gathering conveyer mounted on the front truck to have a vbodily horizontal swinging movement about a vertical axis adjacent the rear end of said truck, said gathering conveyer comprising a pan and flights mounted to travel with respect to said pan to `:onvey material thereover and which flights sweep horizontally and laterally across the front of said pan and horizontallyY and laterall throu h the material bein gathered, a opper ocated at the front o the rear truck and a discharging conveyer leadin out of said hopper, the vertical axis of sai gathering conveyer and said hop er being so located with res ect to each ot er upon their separate truc s that when the two trucks are brought into workin position one in the rear of the other the opper will be in position to directly receive material discharged from the rear end of the gathering conveyer throughout all positions of angularity of the gatherin conveyer with respect to the front truck an throughout all positions of angularity of the two trucks with respect to each other and all positions of angularity of the two conveyers with respect to each other.

2. In a loadin machine of the character ,described the com ination with a front truck and a rear truck adapted to travel upon and be guided by a mine car track and capable of moving to varying positions of horizontal angularity with respect to each other, of a gathering conveyer comprising a pan including an inlined portion and a depressed substantially horizontal front end portion which merges into the inclined portion, means for mounting said an on the front truck to have Va bodily horizontal swinging movement about a vertical axis adjacent the rear end of said track whereby the front end of the pan is caused to have a horizontal swinging movement back and forth over the surface from which material is being gathered, an endless chain carrying transverse flights movable over the surface of said pan and guided at the front end of said pan about a substantially vertical axis, whereb said flights are caused to sweep horizonta ly and laterally through the material being gathered, a hopper located at the front o the rear truck and a dischar ing conve er leading out of said hopper, t e vertica axis of said gathering conveyer pan and said hopper being so located with respect to each other upon their separate trucks that when the two trucks are brought into working poY sition one in the rear of the other the hopper will be in position to directly receive material discharged from the rear end of the gathering conveyer throughout all positions of angularit of the gathering conveyer with respect to t e front truck and throughout all positions of angularity of the two trucks with respect to each other and all positions of angularity of the two conveyers with respect to each other.

3. A structure as recited in claim l wherein the gathering conveyer is also mounted for bodily swinging movement about a horizontal axis.

4. In a loading machine of the character described, a gathering conveyer comprising traveling flights operable in both directions and a pa'n associated therewith comprising slides for conveying the material when the flights are run in either direction, a front truck, means for pivotally mounting the gathering conveyer upon the front truck to adapt its front end to swing horizontally back and forth across a mine Hoor and. in conjunction with the flights to gather ma terial in both directions. a rear truck, said trucks being adapted to travel upon and be guided by a mine car track and being capable of movement to varying positions ot angularity with respect to each other the point of pivot-al mounting of the gathering conveyer and said hopper being so located with respect to each other upon their separate trucks that when the two trucks are brought into working position one in the rear of the other the hopper will be in position to directly receive material discharged from the rear end of the gathering conveyer throughout all positions of angularity of the gatherin conve 'er with respect to the front truc and throughout all positions ot angularity of the two trucks with respect to each other an all positions of angularity of the two conveyers with respect to each other.

In a coal loading machine. a gathering conveyer including a pan whose going and return sections are at the same elevation, a truck. a member pivotally supported on said truck to swing about a horizontal axis, said member being provided with a vertically extended bearin portion, a head shaft passing through sait bearing portion and into said pan. a sprocket on said head shaft located in said pan. and means for rotatably supporting the rear portion of said conveyer pan on said member to swing about a vertical pivot. h

6. In a coal loading machine. a gathering conveyer including a pan whose going and return sections are at the same elevation, a truck. a member pivotally supported on said truck to swing about a horizontal axis. said member being provided with a verticali extending bearing portion. a he Afl sha t passing through said bearing poinon and into said pan. a sprocket on said head shaft located in said pan. and means for rotatably supporting the rear portion of said conveyer pan on said member to swing about a vertical pivot, and additional releasable means for preventing said member moving rearwardly about its horizontal pivot.

T. In a coal loading machine, a gathering conveyer including a pan whose going and return sections are at the same elevation. a truck. a member pivotally supported on said truck to swing about a horizontal axis, said member being provided with a vertically extending bearing portion, a head shaft passing through said bearing portion, a sprocket on said head shaft, said conve er pan being adapted to swing about said sliaft as a center. and means carried by said member at a distance from said shaft for preventing relative separation between saidmember and said pan when said member is swung rearwardly about its horizontal axis and at the same time permitting swinging about its vertical axis.

8. A coal loading machine comprising a gathering conveyer. a truck. a member pivotally supported on said truck to swing about a horizontal axis. said member bein A' provided with an upwardlv extending necio; portion. means for rotatably supporting the rear portion ot Asaid conveyer about nthe upwardly extending neck portion. and releasable means operatively engaging the rear portion ot said conveyer and also said truck to prevent swinging ot' said conveyer about its horizontal pivot.

9. In a coal loading machine, a pair of separate trucks, a gathering conveyer mounted on one of said trucks. a discharging Iconveyer capable of a pivotal movement about a horizontal axis mounted on the other truck, and a hopper arranged to be located beneath the discharge end of said gathering conveyer and carried by said second named truck out ot which said discharging conveyer operates` said hopper being formed of relatively movable sections to permit the adjustment of said discharging conveyer about its horizontal axis without materially,r destroying the relationship between the hop` per and the discharge end of the gathering conveyer. i

10. In a loading machine of the character described. a gathering conveyer Whose going and return sections are at the same elevation. a wheeled supporting truck, means for supporting the rear end of said conveyer thereon to enable it to swing about a vertical axis. and means tor in turn supporting said first named means from said truck at a position in a substantially vertical transverse plane passing through the rear wheel center of said truck to permit up and down movement of the front end of said conveyer.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NORTON A. NEWDICK. v

Witnesses C. C. SHEPHERD, WALTER E. L. BooK.

los

Images