US2017005A - Conveying and loading mechanism - Google Patents

Description

@at 8, E935., N. D. LEVIN CONVEYING AND LOADING MECHANISM Filed NOV. 17, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l hv 'Il bnuIlIIIIIIIIIIlI/llllllt @et S, 1935. N, D. EvlN CONVEYING AND LOADING MECHANISM 4 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Nom-17, 1931 @et 8, 1935. N D, LEWN CONVEYING AND LOADING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 17, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /N VENTO/'Q /V//s D. Lev/f7.

Patented Oct. 8, 1935 rar orsi-es .leery Manufacturing Company,

Columbus,

hio, a corporation of Ohio Appiieenon November 17; 1931, serial No. 575,621

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for gathering material lying in an elongated pile and delivering the material to a point preferably at one end of the pile.

The invention nds particular application in mines wherein material is removed in successive increments of considerable length, as in the "longwall system of mining.

According to the longwall system, the wall of the mine room is kerfed to a certain depth throughout its length, or a considerable portion thereof, and the kerfed material shot down, the disrupted material lying in a pile extending along the newly exposed face.

According to the present invention, for the purpose of removing the disrupted material an elongated stationary conveyor is disposed parallel to the face and spaced from the material a sufficient distance to permit a gathering instrumentality to travel between the conveyor and mine face, gather the material, and pass it to the stationary conveyor for delivery thereby to the room entry. In its travel the gathering conveyor is guided by guiding means presented by the adjacent edge of the stationary conveyor.

Features of novelty reside in both conveyors and 1n their combination, as will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment of the invention,

Figure l is a plan view of a suitable form of gathering conveyor,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the conveyor of Figure l, A

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure l and includes a cross sectional View of the stationary conveyor,

Figure 8, and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a guide rail associated with the -stationary conveyor.

, Referring to the drawings, reference number I@ designates generally a gathering conveyor which comprises a main casting Il and plates I2 and lill.

The plate l2 is elongated and has a projecting substantially horizontal bed or way i3 and an upwardly inclined bed or way lil, Figs.

l, 2 and 3.

spaced guide members I5 and i6 extend longitudinally of plate l2 in symmetrical relation to the longitudinal axis of the plate, these guide members serving to guide an endless draft device in the form of a chain il made up of links pivoted together to render the chain flexible in both horizontal and vertical planes. Scraper flights i8 are secured to the chain I'I at intervals and 5 travel over the beds or ways i3 and H. The ends of the flights, it will be noted, project beyond the lateral edges of the bed or way I3 of the plate I2 but terminate inwardly of the lateral edges of the inclined bed or way I4, the edges of the 10 latter being contiguous with the lower edges of outwardly flared guide plates I9 and 20.

Journaled in a vertical sleeve 2l of the main casting Il is a head shaft 22 upon which is rotatably mounted a sprocket wheel 23 engaging l5 chain I'I tb drive the latter. The sprocket wheel is provided with a lower sleeve portion 24 and within the latter are clutch teeth 25 adapted to be engaged by clutch teeth 26 formed on a sleeve 21 splined on the lower end of shaft 22 and held 20 thereon by means of a plate 28. Sleeve 2l is provided with a circumferential groove 2l n which is engaged a half ring 29 provided with diametrically opposite trunnions as at 30, Figure 3, engaged in the bifurcated ends of the yoke arms 25 3 I. The yoke is fixed on a rocking pin 32 to which is also fixed an arm 33 provided with spaced iingers 34 and 35 at its extremities. Pin 32 is supported in bracket members as at 36. A shaft 31 has an eccentric central portion 38 engaged be- 30 tween the fingers 34, 35, the shaft 31 comprising two coaxial terminal portions journaled in blocks as at 39 and Ml, Figure 3, at opposite sides of the machine, the extremities of the shaft being angularly bent and constituting levers, one of 35 which is shown in dotted lines at IGI', by means of which the shaft may be rocked to engage the clutch teeth 25 with the teeth 25 or to disengage them therefrom.

Above the sprocket wheeel 23 a gear 4I is keyed 40 to shaft 22 and is engaged by a drive pinion 42 nxed on a drive shaft 133 journaled in a portion tl of the casting II in conjunction with a semicircular block 45, Figures 3 and 4, between which is positioned a thrust flange 4l integral with shaft 45 43 and accessible upon removal of the cover plate Q5. Shaft t3 is coaxial with the armature shaft of a reversible electric motor i8 mounted on a platform i9 of the casting I I, Figure 2, suitable coupling means for the shafts being pro- 50 vided.

Rotatable on an upwardly extending cylindrical boss portion 4I of gear 4I is a ring 5D provided with a plurality of upwardly extending studs 5I,

52 and 53 upon which are rotatable planet wheels 55 54, 55 and 56, all of which are engaged by a sun pinion 5l, here shown as being formed integral with shaft 22. Above pinion 5l a drum 58 is journaled on shaft 22 and is held thereon by means of a cap plate 59. Secured to the lower margins of the drum flange BIJ is a ring gear 6I which is engaged by the planet wheels 54, 55, 56. Gear 4| and ring 58 are provided with registrable key ways 62 and 63 in which a key 63' is insertable to lock the two elements together. Under these circumstances it Will be evident that since ring 50 will Yrotate at the speed ,of shaft 22, drum 58 Will also rotate at the speed of the shaft.

A brake band 64 provided with a friction liner 65 has lugs 66 and 6l secured to its ends, as shown in Fig. 4, these lugs being provided with outer substantially parallel faces against which bear cap screws 68 and 69 `threaded through ledges 'i9 and 'II of the main casting II. Key 63 may be removed from its locking position above described whereupon the drive of drum 58 may be controlled by suitably tensioning brake band 64. When key 63 is not in use, it may be placed in an aperture provided in a plate 12, Figure 3, to assume the dotted line position shown.

With gear 4| and ring 59 locked together, drum 58 is rotated at a definite relatively high speed which is the speed of shaft 22, as above mentioned. With ring 58 revoluble relative to gear 4| but held stationary by means of the brake band, drum 58 will be rotated at a denite relatively slow speed. By loosening the brake band to permit slipping of thev ring 56, still slower speeds of drumV 58'may be secured.

Drum 58 is provided with anY annular lubricant chamber 'I3 having an annular cover plate 'I4 prom vided with an opening (notY shown) through which lubricant may be introduced. The bottom of the chamber is provided with apertures as at I3 overlying cup-like formations 'I5 of ring 50, the latter communicating through ducts 15 with the top of boss portion 4| to supply lubricant thereto. Lubricant is also supplied through ducts 'I3' to the tops of planet wheels 54, 55 and 56 to supply lubricant to the bearings thereof, surplus being carried by centrifugal force to the teeth of ring gear 6I to bathe the latter in lubricant.

Downwardly'escaping lubricant is caught in cuplike formations of the ring 50 as at '|1, Figure 3, whence it passes through ducts as at 18 to lubricate further contacting surfaces of the gear and ring.

Disposed between the motor and the drum is a casting I9 mounted on the main casting II and secured thereto byV means of bolts. Casting I9 supports'a sheave 88 on a vertical axis to one side of the longitudinal axis of plate I2 and in a suitable plane to receive a cable 8| from drum 58. The casting 'I9 supports a sheave 82 on a horizontal axis on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis of plate l2 from sheave 89 and positioned to receive cable 8| from sheave 80. The main casting supports a sheave 83 whose central transaxial plane is coincident with the longitudinal axis of plate I 2, cable 8| being guided to sheave' 83 by means of a sheave 84 positioned beneath sheave 82, the path of the cable between the last mentioned sheaves being clear of the opening 85 through which the drive shaft 43 ex- Y tends.

A bar 86 extending beneathV plate portion I4 transversely thereof Vsupports at its central portion the adjacent sheaves and 88 forrotation' about vertical axesand at its ends the bar supports similar sheaves 89 and 90. Sheaves 87 and 88 are positioned to receive the cable 8| from sheave 83. As shown in Figure l, the cable ls reaved about sheaves 8l and 89. If, however, it is desired to reverse the direction of movement of the conveyor, the cable is reaved about sheaves 5 88 and 90.

Forwardly of motor 48 a cover plate 9| extends between guide members I5 and I6 and mounted thereon is an upright baille plate 92 surmounted by a horizontal baffle plate 93. A post at the l0 forward end of plate 92 presents upwardly extending spaced ngers 94 and E25. The motor is protected by forwardly divergent baffle plates 96 and 97.

A bracket 98, Figures 1, 6 and 7, has an arm 99 15 slidably engageable in a sleeve |66 secured beneath the bed or way I 6|, the arm being securable in such position by means of a pin |62 passed through the top plate |63 of the sleeve and engaged in an aperture |84 of the bracket. Bracket 20 98 has an integral stud |85 upon which is rotatable a drum |66, the drum having a brake flange lill spaced within a protecting wall |98 of the bracket and adapted to co-act with a brake band |69. The drum I 86 is rotatable by means of a 25 crank handle H9 and has one end of a cableA |I secured thereto.

Band |09 has lugs I I2 and I I3 at its free ends, the lugs presenting parallel outer surfaces engaged respectively by the `cap screw II4 and the 30 screw spindle |I5 with which is integral a disc II 6 and a shank A lever II 8 is pivoted on shank IIl outwardly of disc ||6 and is pressed toward the latter by means of a compression spring ||9 interposed between the lever and an 35 abutment washer |28 at the extremity of the shank. Disc I|6 has a number of spaced lugs as at I 2| and |22 on its outer face between which lever IIS is adapted to seat and through abutment therewith to transmit rotary movement to 40 the spindle ||5 in either direction. The angular position of the lever II 8 relative to the screw spindleV may be altered by moving the lever outwardly of the shank against the force of spring II9, swinging it relative to the shank and per- 45 mitting it to seat between another pair of lugs. Obviously through proper manipulation of the lever I 8 the tension of band |89 may be regulated. Drum |66 is intended for use as a retarding drum and hence must be disposed on the 50 trailing side of the conveyor so as to be accessible to the operator. Band 64 must be controllable from a similar station, and to this end I provide an elongated socket member |23 adapted to engage the head of cap screw 68 or 69, the socket 55 member at its other end being provided with a hand wheel |24 and having a constricted portion |25 inwardly of the hand wheel engaged in an upwardly open notch in a clip |26 secured to the upper edge of wall I9. According to Figures l, 2 60 and 8, it will be seen that the hand wheel |24 is directly above drum I 86, the socket member being engaged with the head of cap screw 69.

Beneath the guard plate I2? is disposed a starting box |28 while bene-ath the guar-d plate |29 65 at the same side of the machine is disposed a reversing switch |38, an electric supply cable |3| being engaged in a clip |32 on plate 29 and led to a junction box |33 at the top of the motor through a belled neck portion |34. 7 0

Vbracket 98 is dismounted and remounted at the Yother side of the machine with arm 99 engaged 75A 'disrupted material in a sleeve |35, engaged with the head of cap screw 68 so that hand wheel |24 is brought above the newV position of drum |86, the constricted portion |25 of the socket member being engaged in an upwardly open recess of a clip |36. The starting box and reversing switch are duplicated on the opposite side of the machine and a clip |31 is provided for engaging the electric cable |3|.

'Ihe stationary conveyor is designated generally at |38, Figures 3 and 8, and as here shown is made up of a series of sections as |39, IM! and Uil, the conveyor being disposed in substantially parallel relation to the mine face |42, a mass of being shown in front of the face at |43.

Each conveyor section comprises channel side members as at |54 and |45, Figure 3, a bottom plate |46 and a partition plate |31, the top and bottom runs of an endless draft device traveling respectively above and below the partition plate. The channel members have angle bars as at |43 and |59, Figure 8a., secured in vertical position adjacent their ends and provided with apertures Ythrough which connecting bolts as at |50 are passed to secure the sections together.

In order to provide a substantially continuous and adequate guide surface for the gathering conveyor, I provi-de a number of channel members as at |5| each preferably of the same length as each conveyor section and provided adjacent their ends with apertures as at |52 and |53 (Fig. 9). However, if desired the length of each channel member may be a multiple of the length of each conveyor section. The channel members are disposed with their ends in embracing relation to the angle bars |58, |49 at the ends of the sections, and pins, as at |5, are p-assed through the apertures |52 .and |53 between bolts |50 and Side members |55 to retain the channel members |5| in alignment. .The members |5| in alinement constitute a continuous guide rail adapted to be engaged by the vertical plate |55 at the rear of the gathering conveyor, this plate being V-shaped in plan as shown in Fig. l to afford a fulcrum for the purpose hereinafter explained. The lower horizontal plate portion IGI of the frame overhangs the stationary conveyor to deliver thereto, material confining plates |65 being mounted on the side wall IM.

Inasmuch as the guide rails are detachable they may be removed one after another after the gathering unit has passed by, and re-attached to the conveyor in advance of the gathering apparatus. In some instances, two guide rails each of the same length as a conveyor section may be sufiicient; or, if desired, one guide rail may be used of a length equal tothe combined lengths of two conveyor sections. v Such double length guide rail may be disconnected and slid along the conveyor to a new position each time the gathering unit reaches the next advanced conveyor section.

In operation, cable 8 assuming that the gathering conveyor is to be moved as shown in Figure 8, is passed around a sheave |55 supported by a roof jack |5l disposed in advance of the gathering conveyor and is then engaged between the fingers 913 and at the leading end of baille plate 92. Cable is wound on drum |05 through rotation of the latter by means of crank handle iE! and the free end of the cable is secured to a jack |58 at the rear of the gathering conveyor. Drum 58 is now rotated .at slow speed through suitable manipulation of band 54 and band |05 is controlled so that cable I|| is drawn out at and the socket member |23 isY such Va rate as to maintain the gathering conveyor in substantially perpendicular relation to the stationary delivery conveyor.

It should be noted that the gathering edges of the plate I2 are in alinement with the edges of the pan |59 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l. Therefore, since the projecting sides of the rear end lof the framework of the gathering conveyor are in elevated positions the gathering unit as a whole is free to tilt in opposite directions to a limited extent to keep the gathering edge in contact with the surface from which the coal is being loaded and prevent such edge from riding up over the loose coal. When .the rope gearing is arranged as shown in Fig. 8 the pull on the rope is such that tilting will be effected at the elevated connection 9d, 95; furthermore, the location of the anchorage |5'i may be such as to secure a resultant force tending to hold the rear end |55 of the frame of the sectional Aguide rail which is detachably secured to that side of the conveyor |38 facing the working face |42 of the coal vein.

While I prefer to guide the rope 8| over the pulleys 8G, 82, 33, 8l and 89 as shown in Fig. l so as to cooperate with the retarding rope drum |55 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 8, it is evident that when increased leverage for tilting the gathering unit is desired the vrope 8| may be extended to the anchorage |51 from the top of the gathering unit, trom the rope drum 53 in either direction. Tt is therefore desirable to mount the rope drum 58 on the uppermost side of the gathering unit.

It should be understood that the gear 6| is keyed to the head shaft 22 so that when the clutch 25, 26 is in, power will be transmitted from the motor shaft t3 whether the rope drum 58 is being rotated or not.

The rope drum 58 is journaled loosely on the upper end of the head shaft 22 and is therefore coaxial therewith. It can readily be seen that when the brake band 5d is released from the ring 55 the rope drum 53 will not be rotated when the pinion 51 is rotated with the vertical head shaft 22. When the rope drum 58 is Vstationary and the ring 50 is free the planet gears 54, 55, 55 simply walk around the inner annular gear 5| on the rope drum 58, When, however, the brake 55 is partially applied to the ring 55 the rotation of the latter is retarded and consequently power is transmitted t-o the rope drum 58. The greater the application o the brake 54 to the periphery of the ring 55 the less the slip will be between the brake band and the ring and the greater will be the transmission of power to the rope drum 58. The application of power to the drum 58 may thereiore be controlled according to the condition of the coal to be gathered. When the pile of coal is shallow and easily gathered the rope drum may be operated at maximum speed by inserting the key S3 to connect the gear 6i to the ring 56. Then there will be a direct drive to the drum 58 from the gear 3| and the brake band 54 may be kept released while the speed of travel of the gathering unit may be regulated by controlling the motor i8 which is connected to the shaft 43.

Through transposition of the parts as above described, the conveyor may gather in either direction of travel, motor i8 being reversible to secure the proper direction of travel ofthe flights. As has also been mentioned, the Working speed of movement of the gathering conveyor is obtained through the planetary transmission between shaft 22 and drum 58. A faster handling speed is obgathering unit against the 20 tained when band 64 63 is engaged in keyways 62 and 63 to lock ring B to gear 4|. c

When handling the gathering unit to position it where desired'the clutch 25, 26 may be disengaged by rocking the shaft 37 which may be manipulated from either side of the gathering conveyor. 'I'herope Si may be removed from the guide pulley 89 or 99 and passed through the rear bottom central passageway formed by the vertical spaced apart plates ii, 62 and the horizontal plate E63. The plate i63 is flared upwardly at its forward and rear ends to facilitate sliding of the rope through the passageway referred to while the free end ofthe rope is connected to a xed anchorage in the mine and a pull is being exerted on the rope by direct rotation of the rope drum 58 with the key 63 inserted as shown in Fig. 3. The rear edge of the base plate 159 is beveledv at |54 to enable the gathering unit to more easily ride over the floor while it is being handled for positioning purposes. In such handling operation the power operated mechanism on the gathering unit is used to move the latter about in the mine from one place to another and into position at the conveyor 38 as shown in Fig. 8.

It should also be noted that the plate H55 is V-shaped in plan asV shown in dotted lines vin `Fig. 1, therefore, during operation the outer end of the gathering conveyor may have a limited amount of forward and backward swinging movement on the connection between the bearing plate l55 and the guide channel i5i as a fulcrum.

In practice, conveyor |38 will ordinarily be placed in position and a longwall machine operated between the conveyor and the mine face to form an underkerf therein. The whole face vmay be underkerfed and shot down and the mining machine removed and replaced by the gatheringconveyor or the gathering conveyor mayY follow to the rear of the mining machine, the under- V kerfed material, Ythrough suitable means, being `continuously dislodged in advance of the gathering conveyor unit. When Ythe gathering conveyor unit is fed in one direction the conveyor i38 may be operated in the same direction or the opposite direction. limited to any precise mode of procedure since it will adapt itself to various systems of material removal as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Y

Further, while I have described a specific embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to structure except as set forth in the following claims:

l. Apparatus of the class described comprising a receiving conveyor having an elongated frame and on a side of the frame a longitudinally extending rail having an outer lateral guide surface, a side gathering conveyor comprising a frame adapted to move along the receiving conveyor in substantially rectangular relation the-reto to discharge thereto, means comprising a Winding drum on the gatheringconveyor frame Y for so moving said gathering conveyor and means on the rear portion of said gathering conveyor horizontally pivotal on and movable along said rail to maintain the operative relation of the gathering conveyor to the receiving conveyor.

2. Apparatus of the class described Vcomprising a receiving conveyor having an elongated framey and on a side of the frame a longitudinally extending rail having an outer lateral guide suris entirely released and key However, the invention is not f winding drum on the gathering conveyor' frame for so moving said gathering conveyor, and a rearwardly faced shoe on the rear portion of said gathering conveyor having a horizontally convexed face pivotal on and slidable along said rail to maintain the operative relation of the gathering conveyor to the receiving conveyor.

3. A side gathering conveyor comprising al frame including an elongated normally horizontal base plate tiltable about a longitudinal axis toa scraping position with an edge of the base plate in substantially continuous Contact with the supporting surface, an endless material moving device having a portion traveling on said plate adjacent said edge, and means for laterally traversing the conveyor substantially translationally and for tilting the conveyor comprising a winding drum on said frame, a draft cable windable on said drum and led from one side of said conveyor at a relatively elevated point. means for rotating the drum to tension the cable and thereby movey the conveyor bodily laterally and tilt the base plate about said axis, a snub'- bing drum on said frame, a cable led from said other side of said conveyor, and means for controlling said snubbing drum to control the tilting angle of said plate.

4. A side gathering conveyor comprising a. frame including an elongated normally horizontal base plate tiltable in either direction about a longitudinal axis to a scraping position with an edge of the base plate in substantially continuous contact with the supporting surface, an endless material moving device having a portion traveling on said plate adjacent said edge, and means for laterally traversing the conveyor substantially translationally and for tilting the conveyor comprising a Winding drum thereon, a draft cable windable on said drum and adapted to be extended from either side of said conveyor at a relatively elevated point, means for rotating the plate about said axis, a snubbing drum securable to said frame at either side thereof, and a cable windable on said snubbing drum and led to an external anchorage at the opposite side oi the conveyor from said rst named chorage, and bing drum to plate.

5. A side gathering conveyor comprising a frame including an elongated base plate tiltable about a longitudinal axis to a scraping position, and means for laterally traversing and tilting the conveyor comprising a winding drum an external anchorage at the other side of said conveyor, means-for controlling said snubbing drum to control the tilting angle of said plate, and guide means for the conveyor comprising a guide rail `extending along the path of movement of the conveyor at the delivery end of the latter, said rail having a lateral face toward the conveyor, and abutment means at the delivery end of the conveyor movable cn and in contact with vsaid rail face to limit bodily movement of said conveyor in one longitudinal direction while permitting free tilting thereof.

6. A conveyor comprising an elongated frame, an endless draft device guided longitudinally of said frame, an upright head shaft at one end of said frame and projecting upwardly beyond the upper limits of said frame, a wheel on said shaft engaging said draft device to drive the same, a downwardly faced bevel gear on said shaft for driving the same, a motor cn said frame, a motor driven shaft having a pinion thereon engaging said gear; and means for moving said frame comprising a winding drum rotatable on the upper extremity of said shaft, planetary gearing between said shaft and drum including a rotary planet carrier disposed between said drum and gear coaxially with said shaft, and means for locking said carrier to said gear to cause rotation of the drum at the speed of the shaft.

'l'. In combination with a conveyor comprising a plurality of trough sections, the sections being provided at the ends of their side walls with outwardly projecting ears, and bolts connecting the ears at adjacent ends of adjacent sections, rails disposed externally of a side wall of the conveyor and provided with means engageable behind said bolts to secure the rails to the conveyor.

8. In combination with a conveyor comprising a plurality of trough sections, the sections being provided at the Vends of their side walls with outwardly projecting ears, and bolts connecting the ears at adjacent ends of adjacent sections, rails disposed externally of a side wall of the conveyor and provided with means engageable behind said bolts to secure the rails to the conveyor, said rails being in the form of channelv portion normally assuming a substantially horizontal position with the head portion elevated thereabove, means beneath and supporting said head portion, the edges of said foot portion being unobstructed and the side plate being tiltable in either direction on the edges of said foot portion and on said supporting means, the lower of said edges upon such tilting being in substantially continuous contact with the supporting surface, an endless flexible draft device mounted for travel longitudinally of said base plate, material engaging flights on said draft device, the advancing and returning runs of said draft device being disposed side by side, an upright head shaft on said head portion, a drive wheel on said head shaft engaging the draft device, said head shaft extending above the remaining conveyor structure, a winding drum on the upper end of said shaft, a motor mounted adjacent the juncture of said head and foot portions above the draft device and closely adjacent thereto, drive connections between said motor and'said shaft, a draft cable windable on said drum and led from one side of said conveyor at a relatively elevated point so that upon driving the drum from said shaft to tension the cable the conveyor is moved bodily laterally and tilted, a snubbing drum on the conveyor, a cable led from said snubbing drum toI an external anchorage at the other side of said conveyor, and means for controlling the snubbing drum to control the tilting angle of said plate.

NILS D. LEVIN.

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