US2242657A - Mechanism for feeding explosive pellets to detonator cups - Google Patents

Description

May 20, 1941. H. w. MORGAN MECHANISM FOR FEEDING EXPLOSIVE PELLETS TO DETONATOR CUPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 19, 1959 INVENT OR.

ATTORNEY.

May 20, 1941. H. w. MORGAN 2,242,657

MECHANISM FOR FEEDING ExPLosIvE PELLETS To DETONATOR CUPS Filed April 19, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

Patentecl May 2G, 1941 MECHANISM FOR FEEDING EXPLO'SIVE PELLETS TO` DETONATOR CUPS [j 13 claims.

This i1fflvention relates to mechanism for feeding P'ellfts, one or more at a time, from a lot, to a d 'Tt predetermined position with reference to the mechanism. Among the objects of the invention are to provide mechanism:

That handles the pellets throughout gently and delicately without scratching, deformation, or concussion so that the danger `of explosion of explosive pellets is eliminated; that is capable of nice adjustments, that has as a primary feeding element a plane-surfaced rotatable dial; that has one or more feeding tracks or channels having openings opposed to the direction of rotation of the dial; that has feeding channels for forming single rows of pellets; that has an `agitator for feeding pellets into the channels; that has feeding channels adjoining and overlying a rotating dial; that has a slidetransverse to the delivery end of the channels, the slide having a side aperture into a vertical V-shaped groove and .a clamp for loosely holding the pellets in the groove which is operable by a cam as the slide protrudes from the slide housing, so that the pellets are carried to a predetermined point outside the housing; that has a pivoted arm held in position by a spring under the V-groove and over the above-mentioned predetermined point, which point may be the axis of a vertically reciprocate ing frictionally mounted ram adapted to push an explosive pellet, or a plurality of explosive pellets down into a cup, the arm being swingable, when a cup is in position axially below the ram, away from the axis of the ram and the cup against a spring, but remaining beneath the pellets if no cup is in the receptive position, thereby Apreventing the spilling of an explosive pellet and causing a complete reciprocation of the slide until a receptive cup is in position. The slide may move thev-groove to a plurality of positions successively, opposite the delivery end of each channel, for accumulating a plurality of pellets, one atop the other, which may be simultaneously carried to the predetermined point and rammed down into a receptive cup as a unit.

I-Ieretofore the highly explosive pellets used in detonators have been manually positioned and this device is the rst mechanism to load detonator cups mechanically with highly explosive pellets. Factors independent of mechanical perations, such as Variation in materials and compositions, sometimes unpredictable, may be anticipated by encasing the entire mechanism in an explosion-proof housing.

Explosive detonator pellets are vpreferably cylindrical in form, the height being less than the Harry W. Morgan, Phillipsburg, N. J., assigner to The Canister Company, Phillipsburg, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey n Application April 19, 1939, Serial No. 268,756

diameter so that the pellets may be arranged for feeding on to the dial of the device on a tray covered with a plane glass at a height sufficient to keep the cylinders upright as they are fed by a pusher slide.

The device may be operated from .a vertical rotatable shaft which turns the dial and two cams, one cam moving a spring-retracted lever to actuate the agitator smoothly, and the other cam actuating a second spring-retracted lever which reciprocates the V-groove slide.

Reference is made to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View showing the slide in the delivery position over a detonator cup.

Fig, 2 is an elevation looking at the delivery side.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the lline 3 3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.v

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan of the slide.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig, 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6 5 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

A flat table I0 mounts a casting I I which has a bushing I2 over a central bore I3 in the table Ill. A bearing I4 is secured centrally below the bore I3 to the table I0 by a bolt I5. A gear I6 is secured by a pin I'I .to a stub shaft I8 rotatable in the bearing Ill. Thru an intermediate I3 and pin 2I the shaft I 8 is secured to rotate with a stub shaft 22, the latter rotating in the bearing I2. A shoulder 23 on shaft 22 definitely positions the Stub shaft 22 on the bearing I2 and provides an annular sea-t on the upper side. A reduced end 24 of shaft 23 terminates in a screwthreaded stub 25 adapted for a nut 26. The gear I6 is connected with the power to rotate with the shafting counterclockwise.

A plate 27 is mounted atop the casting II above which is secured a corner bracket 28 by screws 3|. At the rear a slide housing 29is mounted on the casting I I.

' A shelf 32 for feeding explosive pellets has side walls 33 connected at one side with a circular wall 34 which has an enlargement at the end thru which a screw 35 passes to lock it to the end of vthe slide housing 29. `The other end ofthe circular wall 34 is secured by a screw 36 to the top of housing 29. The bottom of the Wall 34 closely overlies a flat dial or circular disk 31 which is secured by screw 159 to collar 40 and rotates with the stub shaft 22 in a counterclock- Wise direction. The dial 31 has a smooth polished surface upon which cylindrical pellets .are slidable with slightffrictional resistance as hereinafter made clear.

Explosive pellets E95 cylindrical in form but of a height less than the diameter of the pellets `are arranged flat on a tray, which is covered with plane glass at a height sufcient to clear the tops but to keep the pellets upright, and the tray is mounted on the shelf 32 adjacent the dial 31 and the `pellets may be pushed on the dial by a suitable pusher, manually or otherwise.

A plate (il, closely overlying the top of the dial 31, and having a thickness greater than the height of the explosive pellets, is irregularly shaped in periphery, presenting a circular vedge on the side opposing the shelf 32 which develops into an oppostely disposed eccentric curved edge on the other side. On the opposite side the plate 4l is attached by brackets 42 to the top of plate 21 by screws 43. The inner Aedge of the plate 21 and the outer edge of the plate 4l are bounded by a similar arcuate curve and a divider ri4 having similar arcuate curves is-centrally positioned between the edges of platesv `All and 21 and supported above the dial 31 by screws 45 thru the brackets 42 to provide an arcuate track or channel 45 and a similar track or channel 41, both a bit wider than the explosive pellets. A plate 48 secured by screws on plate 4I extends out over the dial 31 at a height from dial.31 a bit more than the height of an explosive pellet and prevents a pellet getting atop another pellet. The edge of plate 4| tends to feed the pellets into the opening into rchannel 41 as the dial rotates, the friction between the top of dial 31 and the bottoms of the pellets being sufiicient for this purpose.

An agitator l is slidingly secured atop the left end of the divider 44 by two screw and slot connections 52, and has an arcuate finger 53 for agitating the pellets on the dial 31 to facilitate their feed. An L-lever 54 has at the outer end of the longer arm a transverse pin and slot connection 55 with the agitator 5l, mounting 56 on the plate 4l, a tension spring 51 tied to the long arm of the lever 54 at 5D and pinned to the plate 4l, and the inner end of the short arm of the lever 54 engaging an octagonal cam 53 which therefore continuously agitates the agitator 5I to provide a constant feed into the channels 46, 41 so that the explosive pellets ll the channels in single rows, one pellet contacting another pellet.

The delivery end of the channel 46 has a depression 59 which is as deep as the height of an explosive pellet so that a pellet, from channel 41 can be fed on top of a pellet from the channel i6 as will be hereinafter set forth.

a pivot A slide 6! is mounted in the housing 29V and in cross section has the form of an inverted trapezium with the sides symmetrical and the adjoining sides of a slot in the housing. 29 are similar in form to thesidesof the slide but with flat walls partially overlying the slide. This mounting is exact thruout. Exact adjustment of the slot is procured by a fiat piece 19 adjustable by set screws 3E in the housing 29. A gentle motion Vof the slide is procured by means .of a superstructure 62 which is slotted for movement of a block 63 therein along the axis of the slide. Opposed countersinks in the end of the `superstructure 62 and block 63 mount the ends of a coil spring 64 so that any possible shocks inimicable to explosive pellets are absorbed.' A post 65 is mounted in the block 63 and also` atk the upper end in a slide 66 carried in a tracked re- .the slide housing 29.

cess in-one end of an arm 61, the other end of which has a pivotal mounting 68 on an exten,- sion of the bracket 28. Intermediate the ends of the arm 61 a bolt B9 supports beneath the arm a rotatable. collar 1l the side of which engages the side of aca-m 12 xed on the reduced shaft 24 on the annual shoulder atop shaft 22 by the nut 26. The cam 12 is so shaped as to provide for reciprocating the slide 6l and holding it in various positions for predetermined intervals of time. A tension spring`13 is secured to a post 14 on the top of the arm 61 between the cam 12 and the free end of the arm 61, and to the end of anarm 15 extending from the left end 0f It is\ obvious that the spring 'i3 holds the roller collar 1l inV continuous engagement with the cam 12.

At the right end the slide tl'nsupports an eX- tension 16 in the front edge of which isb V-gl'OVe Vertical slot 11.l As clearly shown in fg- 4 'hS V-groove slot is open to the channel 41'W11BI1 the slide is in the proper position at the lef 01" inner end of the slide movement, but as the sdi moves left from the discharging position sh0wn""\ in Figs. 1 and 3 it iirst passes the opening from the channel 46. Requisite time for the movement of a pellet from either channel 46 or 41 into the V-groove 11 is provided by suitable forming of the periphery of the cam 12. As shown in Fig. 1l a set-screw 18 in the end of the slide housing 29 extends thru the arm 15 against which a locking nut 19 may be tightened to exactly position the V-groove 11 with reference-.to the channel 41 so that no pressure can beexerted on the explosive pellets as they are pushed from the channel 41. At'the delivery end of channel 46 a small gate 83 is provided to prevent explosions. The V-groove 11 in extension 16 is made to grasp pellets |65 and to centralize .themlin the groove. Pellets vary in diameter and with smaller pellets, the pellet following, which slightly enters the V-groove 11 is cammed back intovthe channel 46 by the radial nose on the clamp block 93.` At the same time that the V- groove 11 picks up the second pellet the gate 83 closes thus keeping the pellet from being crushed by the sharp corner of the V-groove and causing an-explosion. Gate 83 is operated by the spring S2 which is fastened in a groove in the plate 85. A cam 84 secured by screws or otherwise near the periphery and on the bottom of the kdial 31 actuates a follower 8| which in turn vactuates the spring 812' and the gate 83 as the dial rotates. AY pin thru a slot in the follower 8l keeps it in position on the plate- 89.

HeusingZB mounts a set screw 81 and locking nut 88 therefor, the inner end of the screw 81 providing a-stop to engage the right end of the superstructure 62 on the slide 6l to exactly determine the extreme right position of the slide 6|.

As shown in Fig. 4 the slide extension 16 has a lateralextension 89 opposite the `V-groove 11 and a pin 9i, connecting with an axial bore therein locks the left end of a bolt'92. Slidably mounted on the bolt 921 is an L-shaped piece 93 having top and bottom cutaways andpermitting the partial rotation of a latch 94 pivotally mounted on a pin 95. Around the bolt 92 is a coil spring 95 which bears against the youtside Wall of the piece 93 and is 4adjustably secured at the outer end by lock nuts 91 to exert a gentle pressure onvpiece 93. It

, is clear that as the latch 94 moves to the right and passes the wall of housing 29 the eccentric vengagementgof one end with the extension 89 causes it to swing lto the position shown in Fig. 1

I position under the V-groove which allows the spring 9B to push the piece 93 toward the V-groove and to resiliently grip any pellets in the groove and hold them against dropping out of the bottom of the groove as the extension 16 moves outside its housing. The corner of the piece 93 proximate the channels All and 41 is rounded to prevent a portion of a-following pellet from being broken off and gently forces the pellet back into the channel. When the extension 'I6 is retracted the latch 94 is c'ammed by the Wall of the housing 29 back into the position shown in Fig. 4 and piece 93 pushed back against the tension of the spring 96 to open up the V- groove 'Il wider for the facile insertion of explosive pellets therein. Exact adjustments and gentle action can be maintained thruout.

A at arm 9B has a pivotal mounting 99 on a part of housing 29 and is yieldably heldin the extended position by a spring I lll. The flat arm 98 normally engages the bottom of and 93 and the bottom of the V-groove 'Il is closed thereby. As detonator cups are pushed by mechanism (not shown) into the receptive 'I'I the cup mountand away from the spring I to permit a ing pushes the arm 98 out V-groove 'Il against the ram 02 which has a frictional mounting |03 to descend through the v-groove 'I1 and press the pellet down into a detonator cup held below the ram |02, but if no detonator cup is in the receptive position, arm 98 is not pushed away by the detonator cup mechanism but remains as a closure of the bottom of the V-groove 'il and the explosive pellets are carried back thru a full reciprocation of the slide '16, or repeatedly, until a detonator cup is in the receptive position, so that no explosive pellets are spilled about the mechanism with resulting danger of explosion.

On the return stroke of the slide 16, or in any other position outside the V-groove 77 the side wall of the slide forms a stop preventing the exit of pellets from the channels 46 and ll'l. The slide is related to the operating cam so that the V-groove first stops at the delivery end 59 of channel 46 and loads a pellet in the lower part of the V-groove. Then it moves to the delivery end of channel il where another pellet HB5 is pushed the parts 'I6 in on top of the rst pellet by the action of the dial 37. Both pellets are fixed exactly on each other by the spring pressure of part 93 against the pellets and the V-side of the groove so that they are both axially adjusted and aligned with the axis of the ram H12 in the delivery position.

Variations in details will readily occur to those skilled in the art, in view of my disclosure, but within the spirit and scope of my invention, and

I do not therefore limit myself to the exact disclosure.

I claim:

1. A mechanism for feeding pellets comprising, in combination, a rotatable dial, a plurality of channels over the dial and having openings opposed to the direction of rotation of the dial and slide transverse to the channels, having means for recelving a pellet from each channel succes- (siivily, and movable to a delivery point outside the 2. A mechanism for feeding pellets comprising, in combination,

channel being lower than that of another, and a slide transverse to the channels, having aclamp for receiving a pellet from each channel successively and holding them frictionally, one atop the other, and movable to a delivery point outside the dial.

3. A mechanism for feeding pellets comprising, in combination, a rotatable dial, a plurality of channels over the dial and having openings opposed t0 the direction of rotation of the d ial and delivery openings, a slide transverse to the channels, having a clamp for receiving a pellet from each channel successively and holding them frictionally, one atop the other, and movable to a delivery point outside the dial, and an arm normally underlying the slide at the delivery point but movable away from the delivery point.

fl. A mechanism for feeding pellets comprising, in combination, a rotatable dial, a plurality of channels over the dial and having openings opposed to the direction of rotation of the dial and delivery openings, a slide transverse to the channels, having a clamp for receiving a pellet from each channel successively and holding them frictionally, one atop the other, and movable to a delivery point outside the dial, and an arm pivotally mounted and underlying the slide at the delivery point and under spring tension and movable against the tension of ltlie spring away from the delivery point.

5. A mechanism for feeding pellets comprising, in combination, a rotatable dial, a channel over the dial and having an opening opposed to the direction of rotation of the Opening, an agitator for feeding pellets into theJ channel, and means for receiving and positioning the pellets as they issue from the channel.

6. A mechanism for feeding pellets comprising, in combination, a rotatable dial, a channel over the dial and having an opening opposed to the direction of rotation of the dial and a delivery opening, an agitato-r for feeding pellets into the channel, means for moving said agitator comprising a spring and a rotatable cam, and means for receiving and positioning the pellets as they issue from the channel.

7. A mechanism for feeding pellets comprising, in combination, a rotatable dial, a plurality of channels over the dial and having openings opposed to the direction of rotation of the dial and delivery openings at the opposite end, the delivery opening of one channel being lower than that of the otherl channel, and a slide transverse to the channels, having means for receiving a pellet from each channel successively, and movable to a delivery point outside the dial.

8. A mechanism for feeding pellets comprising, in combination, a rotatable dial, a channel over the dial and having an opening opposed to the direction of rotation of the dial and a delivery opening, a gate at the delivery opening, means on the dial for operating said gate, and means for receiving and positioning the pellets as they issue from the channel.

9. A mechanismfor feeding pellets comprising, in combination, a rotatable dial, means for guiding the pellets on the dial, and a plurality of channels over the dial having receivingand delivery openings for the pellets, the receiving pellet is fed atop of another.

10. A mechanism for feeding ing, in combination,

pellets comprisa rotatable dial, means for dial and a delivery ings being opposed to the rotation of the dial and the delivery opening of one channel being lower than that of another channel, and means' for making the service of the pellets to said channels selective.

11. A mechanism for feeding pellets comprising, in combination, a rotatable dial, means for guiding the pellets on the dial, a plurality of channels over the dial having receiving anddelivery openings for the pellets, the receiving openings being opposed to the rotation of the dial and the delivery opening of one channel being lower than that of another channel, and means for closing the receiving opening of one of the channels Without interrupting the feeding of pellets to the other channel.

12. A mechanism for feeding pellets comprising, in combination, a rotatable dial, means for guiding the pellets on the dial, a plurality of channels over the dial having receiving and der livery openings for the pellets, the receiving openings being opposed tothe rotation of the dial and the delivery opening of one channel being lower than that of another channel, and means for automatically interrupting the delivery of the pellets from said delivery openings under given conditions.

13. A mechanism for feeding pellets comprising, in combination, a rotatable dial, a plurality of channels over the dial and having openings opposed to the direction of rotation of the dial and delivery openings, the delivery opening of one channel being lower than that of anothena slide transverse to the channels, having means for receiving a pellet from each channel successively and holding them frictionally, one atop the other, means for reciprocating the slidesuccessively with respect to the delivery openings of said channels, and means for moving the slide to a delivery point outside the dial.

HARRY W. MORGAN.

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