US3268048A

US3268048A - Pneumatically operated loading chute

Info

Publication number: US3268048A
Application number: US409033A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert H Noble
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-11-04
Filing date: 1964-11-04
Publication date: 1966-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 1983-08-23

Description

1965 R. H. NOBLE PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED LOADING CHUTE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 4, 1964 INVENTOR. ROBERT H. NOBLE AT TORNEYS Aug. 23, 1966 NOBLE 3,268,048

PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED LOADING CHUTE Filed Nov. 4, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 39 g fig: INVENTOR.

L, ROBERT NOBLE 'L I BY 74; w A

i", 4 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,268,048 PNEUMATRALLY OPERATED LOADING CHUTE Robert H. Noble, Randolph Township, Morris County,

N.J., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Nov. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 409,033 Claims. ((1 19332) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes Without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a loading chute and particularly to a chute for rapidly and safely loading explosive pellets into a carrier or dispenser.

It has heretofore been the custom in loading explosive pellets into carriers or dispensers to have an operator place a number of the pellets into a cloth bag, or the like, which was capable of being opened, by pulling on a draw string or the like. The operator would lower the bag of pellets into the carrier or dispenser and then retire to a remote safety area. He would then pull the draw string which would open the bag to drop the pellets into the carrier or dispenser. This procedure was repeated until the required number of pellets was loaded into the carrier or dispenser. This method of loading the pellets was extremely tedious and time consuming. More significantly it was dangerous to life and limb. The operating personnel were required to subject themselves to a proximate spaced relationship with the explosives whereby any spontaneous detonation of the explosives could possibly result in disastrous physical harm.

It .is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a chute for loading explosive pellets into carriers or dispensers, operating in combination with a remotely loaded conveyor, which provides for rapid loading of the pellets and effectively eliminates the safety hazard to the operating personnel in the loading area.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a chute for loading explosive pellets into carriers or dispensers, which is adapted to control the rollingor sliding speed of the pellets to insure against any momentum buildup of a pellet great enough to result in an explosive impact with the carrier or dispenser.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a chute for loading explosive pellets into carriers or dispensers, which can be adjusted in cross sectional area to accommodate pellets of different cross-sectional dimensions.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a chute for loading explosive pellets into carriers or dispensers, which is of simplified and of low cost construction and which is adapted to be mounted on a carrier or dispenser eliminating external means for supporting the chute.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a chute for loading explosive pellets into carriers or dispensers which includes means for preventing spillage of pellets from the chute insuring that the pellets must ultimately be loaded into the carrier or dispenser thereby further enhancing safety in the loading operation.

In accordance with the invention the chute is provided with an elongate member substantially L shaped in cross section which comprises the base and one wall of the chute. Another elongate section substantially U shaped in cross section is firmly secured to the base portion of the L members. Disposed in the U member and at substantially right angles to and in movable relation to the walls thereof are rods, which are spring urged to- Wards the inner Wall of the U member. The rods extend through the inner wall of the U member where on their ends are rigidly secured a locking bar which is in sub- 3,25%,M8 Patented August 23, 1966 stantially parallel spaced relation to the walls of the U member and coextensive therewith. The locking bar consists of a metal bar covered with a resilient friction material on its side portion away from the urging rods.

The rod, the wall of the L member, and the base of the L member therebetween form a trough area where the pellets may be rolled or slid. The U member may be moved a limited distance laterally over the surface of the base of the L member by loosening the screws which secure it to the L member. This permits adjustment of the rolling area of the chute to accommodate pellets of various cross-sectional dimensions.

A flexible rubber tubing is secured in abutting relationship to the inside of the inner wall of the U member and forms a substantially U shaped continuous length. The tubing is connected to a fluid supply through regulating valves. Means are provided between the tubes and the urging rods whereby upon supplying the fluid to the tubing the expansion thereof causes the springs to compress the locking bar to move laterally towards the inner wall of the U member. While this condition exists the explosive pellets are free to roll or slide down the chute. If the fluid supply is cut off the locking bar will resume its original position which is such that pellets in the chute will be held stationary. The chute is securely attached to the carrier or dispenser to be loaded.

The means for attaching the chute to the carrier or dispenser is also a tunnelling means which functions to prevent spillage of the pellets from the chute during loading. A conveyor system delivers the pellets to the chute. During the entire loading operation no personnel are present in the area where the carrier or dispenser is being loaded, with observation of the operation being remotely viewed via a closed circuit television system.

The invention will however be further understood from the following description, when considered in connection With the accompanying drawings, and its scope is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a chute for loading pellets into a carrier or dispenser, embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation of the chute of FIG. 1 showing further details of construction;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a partial vertical section on the line 44 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a viewv in perspective showing a chute for loading explosive pellets into a carrier or dispenser, a section of a conveyor belt delivering pellet to the chute, a funnelling apparatus fixed to a carrier or dispenser, representing an embodiment of the invention in an operational mode;

FIG. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 showing a detail of the tunnelling apparatus of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic of an air system used with the embodiment of the invention described herein.

Referring to the drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the various figures, and referring particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 there is shown a chute for use in loading explosive pellets into a carrier or dispenser, generally designated by the numeral 10. The basic structure of the chute comprises a conventional elongate structural member 11 and a conventional elongate structural member 12 coextensive therewith. As shown in FIG. 3 member 11 is somewhat L shaped while member 12 is somewhat U shaped, and will be hereafter referred to as Lmember 11 and U member 12. The U member 12 has the bottom surface of its base portion 13 arranged in substantially abutting relationship with the top surface of its base portion 14 of the L member 11 and spaced at the open end thereof, whereby the outer wall portion and inner wall portion 16 of the U member are substantially parallel to the wall portion 17 of the L member 11. The U member 12 is movably fixed to the L member 11 by suitable means. In this embodiment a plurality of large headed screws 18 substantially parallel to each other in the same plane pass through registering openings in the

base portion

14 and 13 of the members 12 and 11. The openings in the L member 11 are threaded whereby clockwise rotation (looking downward toward the chute) of the screws 18 will result in the downward movement of the screws and ultimately the securing together of the U member 12 and L member 11. The openings 19 in the U member 12 are relatively larger in diameter than the openings 20 in the L member 11. This relationship allows for a transversely movable adjustment of the relative positions of the L member 11 and U member 12. Upon loosening all of the screws 18 the U member 12 may be moved transversely slidably over the surface of the L member 11 a maximum distance measured by the difference in diameters of the

openings

19 and 20. The significance of this adjustment will be indicated further on in this description.

A plurality of laterally movable shafts 21 extend transversely across the U member 12 substantially at right angles to the

walls

15 and 16 thereof and through registering openings therein. The shafts 21' are in spaced relationship and substantially parallel in the same horizontal plane with each other. The shafts 21 are joined outside the inner wall 16 with a Hat common carrier element or urging rod 22 which is substantially parallel to the

walls

15 and 16 and approximately coextensive therewith. As shown in this embodiment the urging rod 22 may be smaller in width than the walls of this chute. The urging rod 22 is comprised of a rigid portion 23 fixed to the rod 21 by welding or the like, and a flexible rubberlike material 24 coextensive with and firmly fixed to the side of the rigid portion 23 facing the wall 17 of the L member. The urging rod 22, the wall 17 of the L member 11 and the base portion 14 therebetween define a trough wherein the pellets to be transported may be moved.

The width of this trough may be adjusted by sliding the U member 12 of the L member 11 the distance desired by the method hereinbefore described. This allows the chute 10 to be used with varying sized pellets.

A continuous length of flexible tubing 25 made of rubber or the like is secured by a plurality of spaced clip members 26 to the inside of the inner wall 16 of the U member 12 and in substantially abutting relationship thereto. This length of tubing 25 is essentially in a U-shaped configuration in its relationship to the chute 10. The U portion 27 of the tubing 25 is fixed to the inside of the inner wall 16 of the U member 12 by means of a plate 28 abutting the tubing and secured to the wall 16 with a screw 29 or the like.

A plurality of clip members 26 in spaced relationship with each other secures the remainder of the length of tubing 25 to the inside of the inner wall 16 of the U member 12. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 the clip members 26 comprise a central flat body portion 30 and two curved clip elements 31 integral therewith and extending coextensively therefrom. The curved elements 31 are shaped to fit the contour of the tubing 25 and this shape of the members 26 maintains the tubing 25 in substantially parallel U-shaped relationship when the clip members 26 are secured by a screw 32 or the like to the inside of the inner wall 16.

Coaxial with the'shafts 21 are

bushings

33 and 34. The bushings 33 are situated in the openings in the outer wall 15 of the U member 12. The shafts 21 are in slidable relationship with the bushings 33. The bushings 34 are fixed to the shafts 21 by means of pins 35 or the like passing transversely radially through the bushings 34 and shaft 21. Flat plates 36 are secured by some suitable means such as welding or the like to the bushings 34. The plates 36 are in substantially abutting relationship with the tubing 25. The plates 36 have two ends turned at 37 to a substantially parallel relationship with each other and at substantially right angles to the inner wall 16 of the U member 12. Disposed between the inner surface of the outer wall 15 of the U member 12 and the plates 36 are helical compression springs 38 coaxial with the shafts 21. The springs 38 urge a force against the plates 36 which is transmitted to the shaft through the bushings 34 to the urging bar 22.

One end of the tubing 25 is connected to a pressurized fluid supply such as air or inert gas, for example. In this embodiment air at a pressure of 5 to 10 p.s.i.g. is used flowing through the tubing 25 as shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a fluid system which may be used with this invention. Air is admitted to the tubing 25 by opening the manual valve 39 and the solenoid valve 40. Solenoid valve 41 is closed and the tubing 25 is pressurized whereby the tubing 25 expands and urges a uniform transversely directed force on the plates 36 thereby causing the shafts 21 and the urging rod 22 to move transversely in unison in the direction of the force. The springs 38 are compressed and, so long as the air pressure is maintained in the tubing 25, urge a restoring force on the plates 36 which is imputed on the shafts 21 and urging rod 22. This feature renders the chute fail safe, that is, when the fluid supply to the tubing 25 is inadvertently shut-off, the urging rod 22 will be restored to its original position thereby precluding any pellets from being transported down the chute.

A funnelling apparatus 42 for preventing any spillage of pellets over the side of the chute 10, as shown in FIG. 5, is secured to a carried or dispenser 43 which is to be filled with explosive pellets. The funnelling apparatus 42 comprises a base member 44 which is shaped to conform to the contour of the carrier or dispenser 43 to be filled. A funnel member 45 which is trough-like in shape comprising four fiat sides, the end members tapering, is firmly fixed to a rectangular transition piece 46 which in turn is firmly fixed to the base member 44 by welding or the like. The funnelling apparatus 42 is secured to the carrier or dispenser 43 by screws or the like 47 passing through registering openings in the base member 44 and the carrier or dispenser 43. The lower or narrow portion of the funnel member 45 registers with an opening in the carrier or dispenser 43. One end of the funnel member 45 has a rectangular section identified as 48, cut-out from the top of the wide portion to a depth approximately the height of the chute It). The chute 10 may be placed in the cut-out section 48, tilted a desired angle and placed in communication with the opening in the carrier or dispenser 43. A screw clamp 49 is provided in the transition piece 46 for securely holding the chute 10 to the funnelling apparatus 42. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 the screw clamp 49 comprises a shaft member 50 passing through and in screw-threaded engagement with a screw-threaded opening in a pad 52 fixed by welding or thelike to the outside wall of the transition piece 46 and preferably at the end thereof nearest the cutout section 48 of the funnel member 45. A circular metal disc 53 is firmly fixed at substantially right angles to the end of the shaft member 50 as shown in FIG. 6.

The shaft member 50 is rotatable about its axis and can be longitudinally moved in or out of the funnelling apparatus 42 by screwing the shaft member 54} clockwise or counterclockwise as desired. Holding means such as a rod 54 or the like is firmly fixed to the outside end of the shaft member 50 for facilitating screwing of the shaft member 50. The chute 10 will be securely held to the funnelling apparatus 42 by screwing in the shaft member 50 until the disc makes substantially right angle abutting contact with a portion of the wall 17 of the L member 11. The force applied to the wall 17 is transmitted to the chute 10 causing it to be moved until a portion 17 of the wall 15 of the U member 12 opposite the disc 53 abuts against a portion of the inner surface of the wall of the transition piece 46. The shaft member 50 may be screwed in until the desired fixed relationship exists 'between the chute and funnelling apparatus 42.

In operation, the funnelling apparatus 42 is secured to the carrier or dispenser 43 to be filled with explosive pellets. As hereinbefore described the chute 10 is ad justed for accommodating the diameter pellet to be loaded and fixed to the funnelling apparatus 42 at a slope angle dependent upon the downward speed of the pellets desired. The tubing 25 is then connected to the air supply system as shown schematically in FIG. 7.

Valves

39 and 40 are opened and valve 41 closed thereby pressurizing the tubing 25 and positioning the urging bar 22 in substantially abutting contact with the ouside of the inner wall 16 of the U member 12. A commonly used horizontal and vertical conveyor 54 is loaded with explosive pellets 55 at a point remote from the carrier or dispenser 43. The conveyor 54 is mechanically passed over a protective wall and positioned in proximate spaced relationship with the chute 10. This operation is performed from a remotely and safely located control area and is continuously observed on a closed circuit television system receiver. The conveyor 54 is turned on and the pellets 55 are trans ported to the chute 10 where they roll or slide safely into the carrier or dispenser 43. If it appears that a pellet is moving at an unsafe speed down the chute 10 the air supply may be shut off and the urging rod 22 will move to stop the pellet. The air supply can be restored and the pellet will resume travelling down the chute at a safe speed into the carrier. The operation continues until the carrier or dispenser 4-3 is loaded with the amount of explosive pellets required. The entire loading operation is conducted without any personnel being in the area of the carrier or dispenser to be loaded.

I claim:

1. A chute for loading explosive pellets into a carrier or dispenser, comprising means defining an open ended trough having at least two side walls in fixed space relationship with each other,

a flat rod mounted on one of said side walls coextensive therewith and movable with respect to the other of said side walls to vary the space therebetween,

actuating means connected with said rod comprising,

a laterally movable shaft mounted on one of said side walls and fixedly connected to said rod,

a length of flexible tubing in substantial abutting relationship with said movable shaft,

said flexible tubing being connected to a source of pressurized fluid whereby said tubing expands when the fluid is admitted thereto causing said rod to move in a direction to increase the distance between said rod and said other of said side walls, and

means mounted on said movable shaft urging a force on said shaft in a direction opposite to that exerted by the pressurized tubing whereby release of the pressure in said tubing effects restriction of the lateral distance between said rod and said other of said side walls.

2. A chute for loading explosive pellets into a carrier or dispenser, comprising an elongate structural member substantially L-shaped defining a side wall and a base portion,

an elongate structural member substantial U-shaped defining an inner and an outer wall and a 'base portion,

said U-shaped member and said L-shaped member having their base firmly fixed to one another by suitable means and substantially coextensive with each other,

at least one laterally movable shaft member extending transversely across said U-shaped member and substantially at right angles to the walls thereof,

said shaft member having one end passing through the inside wall of said U-shaped member,

a flat rod connected to the end of said shaft member passing through the inside wall of said U-shaped member,

said flat rod substantially parallel to and coextensive with said walls of said U-shaped member,

a length of flexible tubing mounted on the inside of said inner wall of said U-shaped member,

said length of flexible tubing defining a substantially U-shaped configuration adjacent said walls with one leg above and one leg below said shaft member,

a fiat plate member firmly fixed to said shaft member and in substantially abutting relationship with said flexible tubing, and

a compression spring member interposed between said flat plate member and outside wall of said U-shapcd member.

3. A chute for loading explosive pellets into a carrier or dispenser as defined in claim 2, wherein said U-shaped member and said L-shaped member are laterally movable with respect to one another to vary the space therebetween.

4. A chute for loading explosive pellets int-o a carrier 'or dispenser as defined in claim 2 wherein a plurality of laterally movable shaft members in spaced relationship and substantially parallel in the same plane with each other extend transversely across said U-shaped member and substantially at right angles to the walls thereof.

5. A chute for loading explosive pellets into a carrier or dispenser as defined in claim 2 wherein said flat rod has a flexible rubber-like material coextensive with and firmly fixed to the side thereof facing said side Wall of said L- shaped member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,108,671 10/1963 F'uka et a1. 193-40 ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A CHUTE FOR LOADING EXPLOSIVE PELLETS INTO A CARRIER OR DISPENSER, COMPRISING MEANS DEFINING AN OPEN ENDED TROUGH HAVING AT LEAST TWO SIDE WALLS IN FIXED SPACE RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER, A FLAT ROD MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS COEXTENSIVE THEREWITH AND MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER OF SAID SIDE WALLS TO VARY THE SPACE THEREBETWEEN, ACTUATING MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID ROD COMPRISING, A LATERALLY MOVABLE SHAFT MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS AND FIXEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID ROD, A LENGTH OF FLEXIBLE TUBING IN SUBSTANTIAL ABUTTING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID MOVABLE SHAFT, SAID FLEXIBLE TUBING BEING CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF PRESSURIZED FLUID WHEREBY SAID TUBING EXPANDS WHEN THE FLUID IS ADMITTED THERETO CAUSING SAID ROD TO MOVE IN A DIRECTION TO INCREASE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID ROD AND SAID OTHER OF SAID SIDE WALLS, AND MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID MOVABLE SHAFT URGING A FORCE ON SAID SHAFT IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THAT EXERTED BY THE PRESSURIZED TUBING WHEREBY RELEASE OF THE PRESSURE IN SAID TUBING EFFECTS RESTRICTION OF THE LATERAL DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID ROD AND SAID OTHER OF SAID SIDE WALLS.