US2109139A - Lowering apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 22, 1938. F. PARDEE, JR

LOWERING APPARATUS Filed June 23, 1937 4.Sheets-Sheet 1 VIL Feb. 22, 1938.

F. PARDEE, JR

LOWERING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 25, 1957 INVENTOR. RANA/QfJ/PDEQJ,

ATTORNEYS Feb. -22, 1938. F, PARDEE, JR 2,109,139

LOWER ING APPARATUS Filed June 23, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Z/a Z/Q.

5 INVENTOR, BY AA/KRDEE/L/.

ATTORNEYS Feb. 22, 1938. F, PARDEE, JR

LOWERING APPARATUS Filed June 23, 1937 4 SlfleeLS-SheefI 4 INVENTOR. j RA/VAQDA//QQDEE/ L/r.

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOWERING APPARATUS lApplication June 23, 1937, serial No. 149,797

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in lowering apparatus which is peculiarly well suited for loading coal or other lump material into railway cars, or holds of ships and the like. In

lowering such material, it is highly desirable that, as the material leaves the loader, there be a minimum drop, so as to avoid breakage which -produces fines or a dust-like product having very little sale Value. Heretofore, coal has been frequently loadedinto railway cars by a so-called loading boom, which carries the coal from shak- .ing screens to the oar. A disadvantage of the use of such yloading boom lies in the fact that the coal ,must drop from one to two feet to the bottom of the car or to the pile of coal in the car. Moreover, when ,a Vloading boom is used ordinarily the pile of coal is built up from the bottom of the car to a point near one end. This results in a long slope extending for about twenty feet from the top of the Vpile to the bottom of -the car `and the larger lumps frequently run down this twenty foot slope with a resulting breakage and degradation of the product.

When using such old loading boom, if the car is moved relatively to the boom periodically during the loading operation, practicing what is known .in the art as layer loading, the length of slope can be reduced to about thirteen feet. The heavier lumps will run or roll down this thirteen foot slope with resulting degradation.

My improved lowering apparatus hereinafter more fully described can be lowered vertically practically all the way to the bottom of the car so as to initially deliver the lumps directly on the bottom with no drop, and by adjusting the loading apparatus relatively to the car I am enabled to reduce the vrun of the lumps to a maximum of approximately three or four feet with a resulting lessening of the liability of breakage and production of nes. My improved loader includes a series of carriers mounted on endless chains, each carrier having a pair of cheek plates which support a exible or reversible load supporting element. Means are provided i'or feeding the lump material to the carriers on the ascending side of the chain and the arrangement is such that, as the chain and the carriers round the turn at the top supporting sprocket thereof the lump material is transferred from one carrier to the adjacent carrier in advance thereof.

Thereafter, the carriers move downward to a point adjacent the bottom of the car or vessel being loaded, whereupon the carriers are flexed so as to gently deposit the lump material on the bottom of 'the car or vessel. The cheek plates referred to have a lost motion connection'with the chain and the load supporting elements of the Vcarriers at their outer portions are pivotally connected to the chain pintles at points midway v'between'the ends of the cheek plates. At the inner ends, the load supporting elements are pivotally connected to the inner portions of the cheek plates and the inner portions of the cheek plates and load supporting elements ride along a Vpair of interior walls, Which walls are converged at their upper and lower ends, 4respectively, toward the centers of the sprockets over rwhich'the chains are trained. For a more complete disclosure of the present invention, reference is to be had to the following detailed description, claims and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings- Fig. l is a vertical longitudinal section through a coal car showing Amy improved lowering apparatus in the starting position; Fig. 2 is a view` showing the relative positions of the car and the 'lowering apparatus about the 'end of the loading operation; Fig. 3 is an end view of the lowering apparatus, as viewed at right langles rto Fig. l, also showing diagrammatically hoisting mechanism for bodily adjusting the lowering apparatus in a vertical direction; Fig. 3a is a view showing an alternative means for bodily adjustingthe lowering apparatus; Fig..4 'is an enlarged view, partly in `vertical section and partly in elevation, illustrating the details of construction of the lowering apparatus; Fig. 5 is a view at right angles `to Fig, 4, as viewed from the leftside thereof and with parts broken away and shown in section on line 5--5 of Fig. 4, coinciding approximately with the plane passing through the axis of the sprockets of the apparatus; Fig. 6 'is a detail perspective view showing the essential elements of one of the carriers comprising the propelling chains, cheek plates and flexible load supporting elements; Fig. '7 is a detail of one `of the cheek plates shown'in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail in vertical longitudinal section illustrating the manner in which the flexible load supporting elements of the carriers coactwith the guide wall; Fig. 9 is a perspective detail view of a portion of one of the load supporting elements; Figs. 10, 11, and 12 `illustrate modified forms of the carrier.

Referring in detail to the drawings, I have illustrated my improved llowering apparatus in connection with the loading of bituminous coal into a conventional type of hopper bottom railway car, indicated generally at I0. It is to be understood, however, that the apparatus is well suited for lowering lump material into barges, holds of ships or storage silos, or the like.

The improved loader or lowering apparatus as a whole is indicated at I2 and, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, it is suspended from an overhead yoke I4, which is secured to a cable I5, which passes over a guide sheave I6 to a hoist drum I1 driven by a motor I8 controlled by a conventional manually operated controller I9. As so arranged, it will be understood that the lowering apparatus can be bodily adjusted vertically so as to position the lower end thereof close to the bottom of the car, vessel or bin which is to receive the lowered material.

In the loading o-f railway cars at the mine or breaker, a shaking screen 2l)l of conventional type may discharge lumps onto a short inclined lip 2l carried by a fixed guide 2Ia, which engages ribs 2| b secured to the loader. The lip 2I .will direct the lumps to one of the ascending carriers hereinafter referred to, vwhich are propelled by a pair of endless flexible members, such as the sprocket chains 22-22'. v

These chains are trained at their upper ends over sprockets 23-23 and at their lower ends over sprockets 24-24.

The sprockets 23-23 are carried by an upper shaft k25, which is journalled near its outer ends in bearings I4L-I4 carried by the depending arms of the yoke I4. l

'I'he supporting bearing 26 carried by the shaft 25 has secured thereto a pair of parallel walls 21 and 28, which converge as shown in Fig. 4 toward the member 26. Near the bottom of the apparatus, there is a member 29 similar to the member 26 and it supports a lower shaft 30, which carries the sprockets 24--242 The lower portions of the walls 21 and 28 converge inwardly toward the center of the shaft 30.

Supported by the chains 22-22, there is an endless series of carriers, each of which is identical and, therefore, a description of one will suflice for all. f

Each carrier includesa pairvof cheek plates 3I-3I, the plates 3I being secured to the chain 22 and the plates 3|l being secured to the chain 22. These cheek plates are each connected near their outer ends with the chain by means of a pin and slot connection herein referred to as a lost motion connection. This connection includes Vthe slotted portion 32 of the cheek plate,

'which is engaged by one of the pintle pins 33 connecting two adjacent chain lengths. The cheek plate at the end remote from the slotted portion 32 is provided with a round perforation 34 for engagement withanother pintle pin or stud 35, which also connects two adjacent chain links.

Midway between the chain connections or pintles 33 and 35, the cheek plate is recessed, as indicated at 36, so as to provide clearance for a cross-rod 31, which at its ends also serves as a pintle connection for the adjacent chain links. This cross-rod 31Y constitutes a pivotal mounting for one of the parts 38 of the load supporting element, which also includes another part 39, which is hinged thereto at 40. The inner end of the part 39 of the load'supporting element carries a trunnio-n portion 4I, which pivotally engages a perforation 42 formed in the inner central portion of the cheek plate.

The inner extremities of the parts 39 of the load supporting elements are provided with converging bearing faces 43 and 44, which are adapted to ride on the guide walls 21 and 28.

The chains 22-22 are driven by the sprockets 23-23 through ring gear 45, which meshes with a drive pinion 46 carried by a shaft 41, which is driven through speed reducing gearing, indicated generally at 48, which in turn is driven by an electric motor 49, which is of the type also adapted to serve as a regenerative brake. The motor and transmission gearing may be conveniently mounted on a support 50 located between the guide walls 21 and 28, thus being protected from the dripping of water, which the material handled usually carries or from sludge or other foreign matter frequently clinging to such material.

The load supporting elements previously described in the construction best shown in Fig. 8 are flexibly connected by the hinged joint. This hinged joint may also take the form of connecting .links or rings 5I, such as shown in Figs. 10 and l2, these rings or links passing loosely through perforations 52 formed near the meeting edges of the parts 38 and 39. Or, as indicated in Fig. 1l, the flexible load supporting element may consist of a chain mesh member, such as shown at 53 in Fig, 11. When such construction is used, the outer end of the load supporting elementv will carry a clip 54, which will engage the supporting rod 31a similar to the rod indicated at 31 in Fig. 8 g

and the inner portion of the load supporting element will carry a clip 55 engaging a rod 4I, the ends of which will be fitted in an aperture 42EL in the cheek plates. This rod 4Ia will ride along the guide Walls 21 and 28 in a manner similar to that in which the inner portion of the member 39 coacts with such walls.

In operation, coal coming from the breaker or from a. suitable storage bin will be fed to inclined shaking chute 20, which will discharge the lumps onto the lip 2|` extending outwardly from the upper end of a plate 56 secured to the fixed guide Zla. The lump material will slide down the lip toward the inner guide wall 28 of the lowering apparatusk and will thus be received between the cheek plates 3| of one 'of the carriers. Continuing upward movement of the carrier will result in the load being taken by the hingedy connected or flexible load carrying elements. As the lump travels upwardly, the inner end of the load carrying element rides along the wall 28.

As this wall approaches the axis of the shaft 25, which carries the upper chain driving sprockets, it converges inwardly. Thus, the distance from the guide wall 28 to the chain increases.` The load carrying elements, therefore, are flexed or gradually straightened out and as the carriers round the turn the lump or load is shifted from a given carrier to the next one in advance thereof. The carriers are thus reversed as they round the turn and they gradually descend with the movement of the chain, their inner ends riding on the guide wall 21. As the carriers approach the bottom of the apparatus, they are again flexed or straightened out, thus gently discharging their load and as they round the turn at the lower end of the apparatus the weight of the load supporting parts of the carrier is sufficient to again reverse them and to cause them 'to assume the load receiving position indicated in Fig. 4, where-` upon they'ascend in succession to receive the lumps being, fed at a substantially constant stream.

The' spaced guide walls 21 and 28 for their greater portion are parallel with the line of travel p of the opposite runs of the chain and at their` upper and lower ends they curve toward or converge inwardly and merge with the members 2B and 21, which surround the Ashafts 25 and 30, which support the upper and lower sprockets. The distance measured laterally outward from either wall 21 or 28 to the adjacent run of the chain is considerably less than the radial distance from the axis of rotation of the sprockets to the outer periphery thereof.

By reason of such arrangement, in combination with the lost motion connection between the cheek plates and the chains coupled with the fact that the cuter supporting rods 31 for the parts 33 of the load supporting elements are secured to the chain midway between the connections of the cheek plates with the chain, it follows that, as the carriers reach the sprockets and round the turn, the cheek plates span the chord of circle around which the chain travels, thus the said plates move inwardly toward the axis of the sprockets, thereby moving inwardly the stud pivots 4l of the parts 39 of the load carrying elements and thus exing the hinge joint 40 between said parts 38 and 39 and straightening out and lengthening the same. Such straightened out position of the parts 38 and 38 is indicated at the top central portion of Fig. 4.

This action shifts each load or lump gently from one carrier to another adjacent thereto as the successive carriers pass the central Zone above the axis of rotation of the upper sprockets 23-23.

By the use of my improved loader, the material can be accumulated in a car or the like in such a way that there will be a very short travel of any lumps, which tend to roll. In Fig. l, I have illustrated a method of loading hopper bottom cars lil, which are usually provided with a plurality of transverse braces Illa, Ib, and |00. The loading device will rst be llowered so that the lumps will be discharged directly onv the bottom of the car. Then, as a pile, indicated by dotted lines a, is accumulated, the loader is lifted, another layer, indicated at a' isaccumulated. Then, the apparatus will be again lifted so as to accumulate the pile, indicated by the dotted line a2. This pile may be approximately level with the cross-brace lila of the car.

Then by shifting the car along its track and lowering the apparatus between the braces |02' and lb, another pile of coal, indicated by dotted line b can be accumulated in the car. Then successive layers, indicated by dotted lines b' and b2 can be accumulated. In a similar manner, the car can be shifted and the loader can be manipulated so as to successively build up the layers indicated by c, c', c2, d and d. When these mounds of coal or other material have been accumulated in the car, the lowering apparatus can be adjusted to an elevation above the cross-braces, -thereupon the car can be gradually shifted along its track while the lowering device is in operation. In this manner, the material can be loaded so as to substantially level it 01T along layers e, e.

Or, if desired, the apparatus may be operated by starting from the position about as indicated in full lines in Fig. 1, and gradually elevated until a pile of material, as indicated by the dot and dash line is accumulated at one end of the car. Thereupon, the car may be moved along its track and the coal discharged gradually until the car is completely loaded as indicated in Fig. 2, it being understood that during such a loading operation the lowering apparatus may be bodily adjusted by the Winch I 1 as' the loading progresses. In' Fig. 3a, I haveillustrated a modication, wherein the loading apparatus as a whole may be pivotally mounted as indicatedy at 51 and rocked about this pivotal mounting by means of a cable E48 secured 4to a suitable swivel joint carried by the lower sprocket shaft 30, the other end of the cable being attached to a hoisting drum 59 capable of swinging the apparatus from the full line to the dotted'positon shown, so as to cause a discharge of the material-at diiferent elevations. i" I While I have described quite preciselyv certain detailed features of the embodiments of the invention herein illustratedit is to be understood that various modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be made by those skilled in the art Without departing from the invention as described in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus of theA character described comprising a pair of flexible members each carrying a series of cheek plates, each cheek plate being secured to its respective iiexible member with freedom for motion relatively thereto, and reversible load carrying elements each supported at one end by said cheek plates and at its other end by said flexible members. l

2. An apparatus of Ythe character described comprising a pair of chains each carrying a series of cheek plates having a lost motion connection therewith, load carrying elements each having a flexible joint intermediate its ends and having one end pivotally supported by said pair of chains and its. other end pivotally supported vby a pair of said cheek plates. i

3. An apparatus of `the character described comprising a pair of chains each carrying a series of cheek plates having a lost motion connection therewith, load `carrying elements each having a flexible joint intermediate its vends and having one end pivotally supported by said pair of chains and its other end pivotally supported by a pair of said cheek plates, a pair of sprockets by which said chains are driven, a pair of spaced walls along which the load carrying elements ride and means located between said walls for driving said sprockets. l

4. In an apparatus of the character described an endless series of carriers for receiving material to be lowered, a pair of 'flexible members to which the outer ends thereof are connected, each carrier including cheek plates having a lost motion connection with a flexible member, flexible load carrying elements each supported at one end by said iiexible member and at the other end by certain of said cheek plates, spaced guide walls along which the load carrying elements ride, wheels with which said flexible members coact, said guide walls converging toward the axis of said wheels effective to assist in supporting the load as the carriers shift it from one to another as they round the turn at the top of the apparatus.

5. Lowering apparatus of the character described comprising a shaft carrying a pair of sprocket wheels, a pair of chains driven thereby, means at a location remote from. said shaft about which said chains are trained, a series of carriers propelled by the chains each including a pair of cheek plates having a lost motion connection with said chains and a flexible load supporting ele/ment pivotally connected at its outer end with the chains at points approximately midway between the points where the cheek plates are connected to the chain, the inner ends of said elements being pivotally supported at the inner central portions of said cheek plates, and guide walls along which said carriers travel having converging portions over which the inner ends of the carriers ride as the chains pass around the sprockets, the above parts coacting to cause each carrier to straighten out and thus shift its load to the carrier in advance thereof as they round the turn vat said sprockets.

6. Apparatus of the character described for lowering lump materials from an upper to a lower level with'a minimum breakage comprising a flexible member carrying an endless series of carriers, each carrier having a respective outer portion pivotally connected with the flexible member, a series of cheek plates having a pin and slot connection with the flexible member and serving as end closures for the carriers, each carrier having an inner portion movable relatively to said outer portion and pivoted to said cheek plate, spaced walls with which the inner ends of the carriers coact as they follow the line of travel of said flexible member, and bearing means secured to said walls and supporting shafts carrying wheels with which said flexible member coacts.

7. Apparatus of the character described comprising a pair of sprocket wheels propelling a pair of endless link chains, a series of cheek plates for each chainrwhose respective outer ends engage alternate pintles o-f said links, reversible load carrying elements whose outer ends engage chain pintles midway between those engaged by the outer ends of said cheek plates, said load carrying elements being hinged between their outer and inner ends and having their inner ends pivotally secured to inner portions of said cheek plates, and inner walls with which the inner ends of the load carrying elements coact, and bearings adjacentthe ends of said walls carrying shafts for said sprockets.

8. An apparatus of the character described comprising a central upright structure including upright guide walls, sprockets supported on shafts journalled adjacent the upper and lower ends of said structure, chains coacting with said sprockets and carrying a series of reversible carriers whose inner portions ride along said walls, the walls having converging portions at their upper and lower ends, suspension means operatively connected with the upper end of the structure, and means coacting therewith for bodily adjusting. the position of the apparatus as a whole.

9. An apparatus of the character described comprising a central upright structure including upright guide walls, sprockets supported on shafts journalled adjacent the upper 'and lower ends of said structure, chains coacting with said sprockets and carrying a series of reversible carriers whose inner portions ride along said walls, the Walls having converging portions at their upper and lower ends, suspension means operatively connected with the upper end of the structure, a winding drum coacting therewith for bodily adjusting the position of the apparatus as a whole, fixed means for guiding said structure vertically, a shaking chute, a stationary member located on the ascending side of said chains and having a lip for receiving lumps from said shaking chute and guiding them to said carriers as they ascend in succession.

10. An apparatus of the character described comprising a pair of flexible members jointly supporting an` endless series of ilexible reversible carriers, wheels around which said members are trained, driving means for said wheels, a fixed inner structure with which the inner portions of said carriers coact means for bodily raising and lowering the foregoing assemblage, and

Vfixed means on, the ascending side of the ilexible members for delivering material to the ascending carriers, the apparatus being effective to; first lift the material received from said xed means and then to gently lower and discharge it at various desired elevations.

l1. An apparatus of the character described comprising a pair or chains jointly supporting carriers including cheek plates and hingedly connected load carrying' elements, each having an outer portion pivotally secured to the chain and an inner portion pivotally secured to a respective cheek plate, a pair of sprockets with which the chains coact, driving means for said sprockets, means for bodily raising and lowering the foregoing assemblage, a fixed chu-te o-n the ascending side of the chain for delivering material to the ascending carriers, the said apparatus being effective to rst lift the material received from the chute and then to gently lower and discharge it at various desired elevations.

FRANK PARDEE, JR.

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