US2318154A - Material disposal apparatus - Google Patents

Description

s. M. GooDER 2,318,154 MATERIAL DISPOSAL APPARATUS Cifled Oct. 28, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 4, 1943.

s. MqGooDE MATERIAL DISPOSAL APPARATUS May 4, 1943.

5 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Oct. 28, 1941 May 4, 1943. s. M. sooDER MTERIAI'.; DISPOSAL APPARATUS Filed Oct. 28, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

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f f i Z f L v ,L d a May 4, 1943. s. M.GooDER MATERIAL DISPOSAL APPARATUS Filed Oct.. 28, 1941V 5 Shee(.S-Sheel'I 4 May 4 1943 s. M. GODER` 2,318,154

MATERIAL DISPOSAL APPARATUS Filed oct. 2a. 1941 5 sheets-sheet s jzdnfof/ Patented May 4, 1943 UNITED. STATES@ .ceram oFF-l CEL MATERIAL DIsrosALArPARATUs Seth M. Gooder, Deerfield, Ill. Applicatie@ october 2s, 1941,seria1No. 416,920,

(ci. (s1-ssl 10 Claims. The p resent invention has for itsv objectcto prof.

vide means for eciently and quickly emptying dumping cars and disposing of` their contents.V

When excavating tunnels, subways, or the like,

the excavated material is usually hauled away in small dump cars which must be unloaded and the contents be then raised to` thesurfaceof the each cali may turn with thecase, when positioned..

in the same, without uncoupling it frornadjacent cars. In this Way each car is simply turned over to dump its load, upon reaching the unloading.' station, and is then restored. to itsuprignt.. po.-V

sition so as to permit the4 train to moveahead e, car. length and brine thenext carlnto. dump:`

iner position. InV this aspect o f the invention, the apparatus is useful wherever large. quantitiesof material must be moved, regardless of. What. hap.- pensto the ,samel after being dumped.

A further object of the present Ainvention is to provide a simple` and novel arrangement for associating with a car dumping apparatus an airlock which permits the material to be transferred from a tunnel to the outside, or in the opposite direction.. Without permitting the escape of any objectionable amount of air when the. air in the tunnel or subway is being maintained under a considerable pressure.

A further object of thepresent invention isr to provide an automatic interlock.. between a hoist located in a shaft close to a tunnel, subway, o r the like, and the transferring apparatus for `e2;- cavating material, whereby no niaterialcan be delivered into the shaftV unless the h oist for the apparatus is ready to receiveit.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be.

pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to. connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1. is a vertical section through. the

ground at and below the bottom. oi e tunnel, or

the .following detailed description taken in.

v. cllldins; the. face of the be self-evident.

the like, at an. unloading op dumping station showing in. elevation. a. train ci eers and: the

dumping apparatus or mechanism, elle the site' per; ne. 2 is. an. elevation cnY e. nuclilereer scale, of a fraementof. the rotatable. @lille inthe air-lock:A Fie.. 3. is a sectlonon line 3.-3 el Fie 2;' Fie... 4 is a section taken approximately on line 4-4 of Eig.. l'; Fig. 5 isa diagram illustrating the electric control` system; Elg- 6 is a, section.' on a larger scale than Fls.- Lon. line li.-6-`Qt7Fle`-f 1.; ne. i is c section Online l-l.- cf 6:, 8 is. a section taken. approximately on lice @f8 ojvljlig. '7, but on a smaller scale; and Vshowing only the air-lock portion ot the apparatufsl Fig.

ll is a section. taken applolsilnetlely' on line 9?-9 cf. Fie. 7, cn the seine' scale alle; shell/ille the seme apparatus as. Eier., .8.; Fie lll is. il.v lonelitlldl? nel centralv sectionthrelleh the. dllverl ellClfQf, `the cir-lock drum and. adjacent necllenlslniicillely the. end at tliev riehtliend side. lll Fiati, Fla 1l is a face View of one of the reteliets cppeie in. Fia 10,. together with the poul. 'cooperating with .the same; Eie- 121 isa vicW partly in local? tuflinel section and partly in elevatllen, lllllsltltt-r ine one. of the couplings, between eers:- lile- 1 3 is a section on line lt-IS. 0f Fie- 12.; all@ Fie 141s. c horizontal section. through ,one of the socket. members. with the corresponding- 'elld 0f the coupling bei" shown. in elevation, in 'Working posi-' tion inthe socket. 1n the drawings theJ present invention has been illustrated as embodied in an. apparatus ci mechanism for handling material eiavat'efd in the iieeine or 4tonne cf c tunnely ci the like, lnhoisting of the material to the 'sur-v ground; and, for thesake of. brevity, the detailed description will be confined to. this particular form of the invention, since the utility of the Whole or parts thereof, other eldswill Referring to Figs. 1 and i of the drawings, I represents the floor of a tunnel on which have. been laid rails 2n for supporting clump cars 3, B elow the bottom of the tunnel, at a point-Which is to serve as an unloading station, there is a pit 5 from the bottom of which a passage 6, prefer'- ably rectangular in cross section, of,l large area, extends laterally and downwardly until it meets a vertical shaft l. This shaftl may extend to the surface of the ground and be carried up still higher, in the form o f a tower, as in myprior Patent No. 2,190,004. In the pit is an airlocks material transferring unit A, driven by a., suitable, motor B, which may be similar to that illustrated in prior Patentv No, 2,227,749, Above the pitl is a rotary cage 8 adapted the contents of which may transferring unit when the upside down.

As best shown in Figs. 6 and "I, the air-lock and transfer device comprises a stationary cylindrical shell 9 closed at the ends, the axis of the cylinder being horizontal and extending lengthwise of the tunnel. The shell contains large openings-l0, 'I in the top and bottom, the length of the openings being almost as great as the length of the shell. The lowermost opening registers with the upper end of the inclined passage or chute 6. Within the shell 9 is a rotatable cylindrical drum Il having in the cylindrical wall thereof an opening l2 about the same length and width as one of the openings lll. The drum is somewhat smaller in diameterA than the shell 9 and carries on its periphery a series of sealing units. In the arrangements shown, each sealing unit comprises two metal strips llt and l and an intervening stripY I6 of packing material, preferably soft rubber. These strips extend the entire length of the drum parallel with the axis of the drum. The strip I4 is fastened directly to the outer surface of the drum, -while the strips l5 and I6 are secured to one side of the; strip lll by suitable .screws l1. Upon tightening the screws Il, the rubber strip is compressed and expanded somewhat in the radical direction to insure good Contact between the same and the surrounding shell. `These sealing units are distributed approximately uniformly about the: periphery of the drum, except that two ofl them lie directly on opposite sides of the opening or window. As in the later of my aforesaidpatents, the eiective capacity of the drum is that of a receptacle I3 xed within the drum with its open side constituting the effective opening into the drum.

The shell or casing 9 and the ends oi the drum proper, ll, are closed by sturdy disks i9 secured to theends of'the shell by screws 2G. The drum has at eachend a narrow peripheral flange 2| that its within the surrounding shell and,v surrounding the drum,` adjacent to each flangegare a packing ring 22,'preferably of rubber, and a clamping ring 2li, which are convenientlyv fastened to the corresponding flanges'by screws 25. By tightening thev screws 25, the rings 24 are drawn toward the corresponding flanges 2l, thereby compressing the packing rings and expanding them radially into engagement with the surounding shell or casing. This packing lat the ends of the drum, Vtogether with the longitudinal packing units, eiectively seals the uni'tagainst the passage of air through the same, except such air as may be contained in the matemi which ie delivered inte the drum fer the purpose of discharging it into the inclined passageor cnute 6.

'The cage 8 has wide, ring-like end sections 26 which 'rest on flanged rollers 21 mounted upon the"'shell vor casing 9 in a manner to form a cradle for the cage. In the arrangement shown, there are two upwardly-diverging plates 28 rising from opposite sides'ofthe upper opening l0 in the stationary shell; these plates being of the same length as said opening. Spaning the space between the ends of the plates 23 and extending well beyond the same are two stationary vertical plates 29 fixed to and rising from the top of th'eshell 9. The upper edges of the plates 2S are curved to t the rim-like endl sections 2S of the cage." The supporting wheels for the cage are to receive a dump car, be dumped into the dump car is turned conveniently mounted 'onn laterally-projectingflanges 3! at the ends of the plates 2B; these flanges in turn being braced by means of sturdy brackets 3l xed to the periphery of the shell 9 and having portions lying against and extending along these flanges.

Within the cage is a flat bed, which may consist simply of a pair of sturdy cross ties 32, provided with rails 34 that register with the rails 2 in the tunnel proper when the bed is in a horizontal position at the bottom ofthe cage. Within the cage, above and on opposite sides of the rails 34, are a pair of stiff angular plates 35 extending throughout the length of and rigidly fixed to the cage. These angular plates are of such a size-and shape and are so disposed that then the usual dump car, comprising a little wheeled chassis 36 and a hopper-like body 31 is run into the cage, the noses or corners of the angular plates extend in close to the body and overlie the chassis, while the upper portions of the plates lie fairly close to and approximately parallel with the sides of the car body. When the cage is rotated, these heavy angle plates support the car except at times when it is resting on the rails. VEach car is provided with couplings C so disposed that their longitudinal axes register with the longitudinal axis of the cage S. By properly constructing these couplings, as -Will hereinafter be explained, any car inV a train Vof cars may be enteredl in the cage and -be rotated with the latter without being disconnected from the cars before and behind it, thereby making it unnecessary to uncouple the cars in order to be able to overturn them, one at a time. f

It will be seen that the stationary plates 28 and 29 form a hopper into which the. contents of the car are dumped when the car is over`l turned; this hopper directing the charge intoV the receptacle withinthe drum when the mouth ofthe latter is up, as shown in Fig. 6.

So far as the handling of the material entering the drumis concerned, this is the same as' in the apparatus of my aforesaid Patent No. 2,227,749. In other words, when the drum is turned through an angle of one hundred eighty degrees from the position indicated in Fig. 6, the mouth or entrance to thersame registers. with the lower opening l0 in the stationary shell Y or casing 9 and with the upper end of the in-f clined discharge passage or chute 6.. After the drum has dumped its charge, a further turning movement of one hundred eighty degrees brings it back into the receiving position where it is ready to receive another load.

From the chutev6, the material flows into the. bucket 31 of a suitable hoist, when the latter is down.

I have provided a suitable drive means and a controlling system therefor to permit the cage to be turned through a single revolution, so as to dump the load of a car therein and then re-' turn the car to its upright position; andthen to cause the drum to rotate and'deposit theY load or charge into the discharge chute and again return to its receiving'position; and toprevent the operation of the drum except when the bucket in the hoist apparatus is in positionl to receive materiali flowing -down throughv the. discharge chute.

Both the drum andthe cage are driven by the motor B; the motor being of the reversible type so that when it turns in one direction itoper@ ates the cage, while the drum is turned when the ,motor is reversed. 1- In `the I arrangement 3 shown. rthe drum is provided with long trunnions wneei 42|, are two ratchet wheeista and: 45; the' ratchet wheel 44 being loose on the shaft and` the other being keyed to the shaft, as indicated at 46 in Fig. l0. The ratchet wheel, 44, as-bestshownA in Fig. 10, is secured tothe large gear wheel 4l by screws 41. Also loose on the shaft section' 39 is a pan-shaped housing 48 that-hasaV heavy hub 49rwhich serves asone element of a coupling D between the member 48 andl the shaft of the motor. Mounted within the hous` ing 48' are two spring-pressed vpawls- 50 and 5l cooperating with the ratchets 44 and 45, respectively. Consequently, when the motor isrturned inone direction, namely the clockwise direc-v tion in Fig. 8, the paWl 502 drivesA the ratchet Wheel. 44 and thelarge gear wheeld-l, so that turning of the: cage results. motor, the pawl which previously rode idly over the ratchet wheel` 45, drives the latter ratchet wheel and, therefore, the material transferring drumb and airv lock.

I have provided. a control system for the motor so that, upon starting the latter, it turnsthe cage through a complete revolution and then stops; thus causing a filled car within the cage to be turned over so as to dump its contents, and then to be returned to an upright position. Then, upon reversing. the motor, the drum, into which the load has just been dumped, is turned through a complete revolution; thus allowing-` the contents to be spilledA from the drum into the chute 6 and into the bucket 31 of the hoisting apparatus, after which the drum is restored to the material-receivingY position and the motor stops. This control system is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 5. Referring to the diagram, 52 represents the handle and movable member of a double-throw switch having two stationary contacts 54 and 55, with eitherl ofV which the movable switch element .may be engaged. Normally, the movable switch member stands in an idle position, clear of both of the contact pieces. 56 and 51 are the lines for supplying current for energizing the motor. One of these lines is connected directly to a terminal on the motor while the other is connected to a terminal 59 on the main switch, which terminal is connected to the movable switch member. The stationary contact piece 54.-.of the main switch is connected to a contact finger 60 by means of a wire-6 l. This contact nger rides on theperiphery of a ring G2 of conducting material which, as will be hereinafter explained, is fastened to and rotates with the large gear wheel 4I. A second contact nger 64 engages the ring 62'v and is connected by a wire 55rto a second Upon reversing the fixed to the drum so as to rotate therewith. Another contact finger' 68 engages withV the ring. 61v and is connected to a third terminal on the motor through a wire 69. Consequently, when the switch handle is swung toward the left in Fig. 5, so as toclose the circuitk at the stationary contact 55, the motor is energized but in a manner to cause it to turn in the reverse direction; thereby causing the material-transferring drum to be rotated.

The line or wire 69 contains a normally-open switch 58 which is held closed by the bucket 31l as long as the latter is. at the bottom of theV shaft. Therefore', while this switch does not prevent the operation of the motor for turning the cage, it prevents the motor from turning the drum except when the bucket is in position to receive material discharged by the drum.

It is desiredthat the motor stop whenever the cage or the drum, as the case may be, has been turned through a complete revolution. I accomplish this by providing means to keep the motor circuit closed fo-r the necessary number of revolutions of the motor, after the main switch.

has been closed momentarily and then openedy again. To this end I have provided automatic switches which, in the arrangement shown, include the rings `of conducting material 52 and 51. Located below each of these rings is a rocking device including a contact finger 1E); these rocking devices being biased in some suitable manner, as, for example, by providing them with counter-weights 1l, so that normally they are out of engagement with their respective. rings. Each of the rocker devices is also provided with aY projecting arm 12 adapted to underlie and en.- gage with the periphery of a ring beside and concentric with the corresponding ring of conducting material. These additional rings are indicated at 1d and 15. In the periphery of each. of the rings 14 and 15 is a notch 16. The parts are so proportioned that when the free ends of the arm 12 register with the notches 16, the rocker devices move angularly in the direction to carry their. contact fingers 1i) away from the correspondingY rings 52V and B1. However, upon turningthe rings far enough to carry the notches clear of the ends'of, the arms 12, the arms must' ride on the unmutilated portions of the peripheriesof the rings 14 and 15, thereby pressing their contact fingers 19 against the rings 62 and ii?, respectively. It will be seen thatvone of the contact Ingers 10 is connected to the terminal 59 l by a wire 11, while the other is also connected to this same terminal by a wire` 1S. Therefore, when either of the Contact fingers 1G is engaged with its ring of conducting material, a motor circuit is established inclependentiy Vof the main switch. The parts are so proportioned in the actual machine or apparatus that the automatic switch of which the ring 52 forms a part, is open whenever the cage-is in its normal posi*- tion oi' rest, as indicated in Fig. 6, whereas the other automatic switch, including the ring 61, isv

open whenever the drumis in its material-ref:

ceiving position, as indicated in Fig. 6. With this arrangement, upon swinging the handle of' the main switch toward the right in 5, the cir? cuit of the motor is momentarily ciosed through the main switch. As soon as the cage has rotated far enough to cause the arm i?! of the automatic switch to ride out of the notch 16Y and upon lthe unmutilated periphery of the ring 1'4, a new circuit for the motor is estabiished', and

the operator may then open the main switch. The motor continues to run until the cage has made a complete revolution, so as toA permit the arm 12 of the corresponding automatic vswitch again to drop into the notch 16 andthereby cause this switch to open the motor circuit.

After the cage has made .a complete revolution and the now-empty car has been restored to an upright position, the operator simply swings the switch handle toward the left, as viewedin Fig. 5, and, after the motor has again started, but in the reverse direction, again opens the switch. In the meantime, the second of the automatic switches has established a motor circuit independent of the main switch, so that the motor continues to run until the drum has been turned through a complete revolution; the motor then stopping automatically.

The mechanical construction of the automatic switch apparatuses is best shown in Figs. '7 and 10. It will be seen that the metal ring 62 forms a rim for a ring 19 of insulating material and of considerable radial width. The rings 14 and 19 are secured to the large gear wheel 4l by means of bolts 80. Likewise, the ring 61 surrounds and forms a rim on a disk 8| of insulating material which, in turn, is provided with a hub 82 xed upon the trunnion er shaft section 38 of the drum unit. The ring 15 is shown as taking the form of a second disk of insulating material which is secured to the disk 8l by bolts 89. The ro-cker members of the automatic switches are mounted in the bottom of the pit 5 on'suitable pedestals 95, each of the counter-weights being pivotally supported upon its pedestal by a pivot pin 86. It will be seen that the elements and 12 are offset with respect to each other in the direction of the length of the pivotal axis, so that each underlies the ring or disk with which it cooperates.

The contact fingers 59, 515, B6 and 63 are mounted, in any suitable manner, in the pit in operative relation to the rings 62 and 61, as best shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

Anysuitable couplings may be providedbetween cars, as long as they afford the freedom of relativemovements required for cars operated in trains around curves and on grades, provided that each car is adapted to revolve about a longitudinal axis which registers with the axis of the cage when the car is positioned in the cage.l In Figs. l2 to 14 I have illustrated a simple type of coupling which is satisfactory for my purpose. This coupling comprises a bar 31 of the proper length, shaped at each end into the form of a ball 88, together with socket members 89, one of which is adapted to be attached to each end of the under-frame or chassis of each car. Each socket member comprises simply a casting more or less U-shaped in cross section and having in the front end a slot 90 of approximately the same width as the diameter of the bar 81 extending down from the top thereof. The space within the casting, inwardly from the opening in the front, is made wide enough to permit the ball at one end of the bar to enterthe same while the body portionof the bar passes down through the slot; and the surface immediately behind the wall in which the slot occurs is preferably shaped, as indicated at 9|, to the same spherical curvature as that of the ball, so as to provide the ball with a good bearing seat and produce a satisfactory ball and socket joint between the c ar and the bar. The edges bounding the slot at the top and at the bottom are ared in the outward direction so as to provide ample room for the bar to swing, Vnot only up and down, butr also sidewise, while the ball simply turns in its seat or socket.

Suitable means must be provided to hold each end of the bar in the sockets of two cars which are being connected by the bar. In the arrange-` ment shown, the side walls of the socket are extended upwardly far enough at the front or outer end to permit them to be provided with registering transverse bores just above the bar when the latter is in place. The bar can then be held from being lifted out of its seat or socket by inserting a suitable pin or dog in the bores. In the arrangement shown, one side of the socket member is thickened in the outward direction to provide an elongated cylindrical casing 92 registering with the bore 94 in that side of the casting. The outer or free end of the casing 92 contains a central opening 95 smaller in diameter than the main bore. A rod 96 extends through the opening 94 and through the interior of the casing92. On the inner end of the rod is an enlarged section 91 which is a sliding t in the bores 94 and which is longer than the width of the slot 90. Within the casing, surrounding the rod, and bearing at one end against the outer end wall of the casing and at the other end against the shoulder formed by the enlarged part 91, is a compression spring 98 which acts constantly in a direction to force the part or plunger 91 into its locking position illustrated in Fig. 13. When it is desired to uncouple, the rod is simply pulled until the free end of the plunger or locking dog hasv been drawn entirely across and is clear of the slot 90, whereupon the coupling bar may be swung up so as to lift the ball out of the socket. The rod 96 may be of any desired length, and its outer, free end may be provided with a handle or handheld 99 to be grasped by the operator. If it be desired to limit the inward movement of the rod, so as to stop it when the plunger portion or locking element thereof has reached the desired position, a shoulder that may take any form as, for example, that of a pin' |00, may be located on the rod for engagement with the end of the casing 92 when the plunger or locking element reaches its locking position.

It will thus be seen that IV have produced a simple and novel apparatus or system for rapidly overturning each loaded car of a train when it reaches an unloading station, to empty it, without requiring it to be uncoupled from the other cars in the train; and that -this may be done in any situation, Whether underground or above ground. It will also be seen that I have made it possible, through the mere manipulation of a master switch, to empty a carin a tunnel or the like; deliver its contents to a pointY outside of the tunnel; and automatically restore the car to service conditions; all without permitting any appreciable amount of compressed air to escape from the tunnel during the process. It will further be seen that I have made it impossible to discharge material into the shaft for the hoisting apparatus unless the bucket or other'receiving member of a conveying apparatus be in `proper position to receive the material; although cars may be emptied into the air lock unit regardless of the condition in Vwhich the hoisting apparatus happens to be. It will additionally be seen that, aside from these broader aspects of the present invention, I have created a number of novel, useful details such as the car coupler, the structure .and-material `transfer unit.

It shoud be noted that :although I have referred to Vthe driving -means for the apparatus simply as a motor, this designation is intended to includesuch'speed reduction igearing as may be needed to translate the high lspeedfof a motor into thelowspeeds at-whichthe cage and drum must run; such vgearing beingeither .withinthe motor Acasing or in a separate casing. Also, since that partof therotatingelementof the combined air- Vlock and Vmaterial 'transferring unit that receives the dumped load -is simply a pot or bucket having trunnions, the word drumis-used as designating -either this member, alone, orin combination with the -cylindrical member that provides an veffectiveair seal.

While I have illustrated `and described .with particularity onlya single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

l. An unloading apparatus comprising a movable combined air-lock and material transferring unit, a holder mounted above said unit for rotation about a horizontal axis and adapted to receive a car to be unloaded and dump its contents into said unit through a rotation of the holder, a motor, means to cause the motor to turn said holder, means to cause the motor to operate, said air-lock and material-transferring unit, a manually operable element having two working positions, and controlling devices to cause the rst of the aforesaid means to become active when said element is placed in one Working position and the other means to become active when said element is placed in the other working position.

2. An unloading apparauts comprising a movable combined air-lock and material transferring unit, a holder mounted above said unit for rotation about a horizontal axis and adapted to receive a car to be unloaded and dump its contents into said unit through a rotation of the holder, a motor, means to cause the motor to turn said holder through a complete revolution or to operate said air-lock and material transferring unit through a complete cycle from a receiving position through a discharge position and back to the receiving position, and a manually operable controller to determine which of said means shall operate at any given time.

3. An unloading apparatus comprising a movable combined air lock and material-transferring unit, a movable holder above said unit to receive a car to be emptied and turn it over to empty its contents into said air-lock and materialtransferring unit, a motor, drive mechanism between said motor and said holder to operate the latter when the motor runs in one direction, other drive means to operate said unit when the motor is reversed, and means to cause the motor to run alternately in opposite directions.

4. An unloading apparatus comprising a movable combined air-lock and material transferring unit, a movable holder above said unit to receive a car to be emptied and turn it over to empty its contents into said air-lock and material transferring unit, a motor, drive mechanism between said motor and said holder to operate the latter when the motor runs in one direction, other drive means to operate said unit when the motor is reversed, a source of electric current, a manually-operable switch to connect said motor to `said source for either forward or reverse-operation, and means associated with the said unit and with said holder to keep'the motor running independently of said switch, after having been started by the latter, until the holder or the said unit, as thecase may be, has completed a cycle of operations.

5. An apparatus for disposing material, comprising a material-transferring unit containing a horizontal rotatable .drum adapted'to receive material in one angular positionand lto discharge the material in another angular position, a holder for a car to be dumped positioned above the said unit and rotatable about a horizontal axis, a gear wheel to turnsaid holder, .a ratchet wheel xed to said `gear Wheel, a second, oppositelyfacing ratchet wheel fixed to the-drum; a rotary driving member, and oppositely-disposed pawls carried by said member each of which .operates on oneof said ratchets, whereby the turning of the driving member in one direction causes it to drive said holder and the turning of the driving member in the opposite direction causes it to drive said material-transferring unit.

6. An apparatus for disposing material, comprising a material transferring unit containing a horizontal rotatable drum adapted to receive material in one angular position and to discharge the material in another angular position, a holder for a car to be dumped positioned above the said unit and rotatable about a horizontal axis, a gear wheel to turn said holder, a ratchet Wheel fixed to said gear wheel, a second, oppositely facing ratchetwheel iixedv to the drum; a motor-driven shaft, and oppositely-disposed pawls carried by said shaft each of which operates on one of said ratchets, whereby the turning of the shaft in one direction causes it to drive said holder and the turning of the shaft in the opposite direction causes it to drive said material-transferring unit, a master switch for the motor, and automatic switches operated in unison with said holder and said unit to cause the motor to run for predetermined periods after having been started by the momentary closing of the switch.

7. A combined air-lock and material transferring apparatus comprising a horizontal cylindrical casing closed at the ends and having top and bottom openings of considerable angular Width, a horizontal cylindrical drum positioned and rotatable in said casing and having an opening adapted to register with either of the aforesaid openings, said drum being somewhat smaller in diameter than the internal diameter of the casing and having its ends closed by the end walls of the casing, external fianges on the ends of the drum bridging the gap between the latter and the Surrounding cylindrical Wall of the casing, a packing ring surrounding the drum beside each flange, and means to clamp each ring to the adjacent fiange and expand it radially against the cylindrical wall of the casing.

8. A combined air lock and material transferring apparatus comprising a horizontal cylindrical casing closed at the ends and having top and bottom openings of considerable angular width, a horizontal cylindrical drum positioned and rotatable in said casing and having an opening adapted to register with either of the aforesaid openings, said drum being somewhat smaller in diameter than the internal diameter of the casing and having its ends closed by the end wallsV of the casing, external ilanges on the ends of the drum bridging the gap between the latter and the surrounding cylindrical wall of the casing, a packing ring surrounding the drum beside each flange, means to clamp each ring to the adjacent flange and expand it radially against the cylindrical Wall of the casing, longitudinal ribs distributed about and fixed to the periphery of the drum, a loose clamping strip beside each rib, a packing strip between each rib and the correslponding clamping strip, and means to draw each rib and the co-operating clamping strip together to hold the intervening packing strip and eX- pand it radially into engagement with the cylindrical Wall of the casing.

9. A combinedgair-lock and material transferring unit comprising a horizontal stationary cylindrical casing closed at the ends by end Walls and having in the top and bottom long openings of considerable angular width, a rotatable cylindrical open-ended member tted into and rotatable in said casing and having an opening adapted to register with either of the openings in the casing, an open-top receptacle 'xed within said rotatablemember with its mouth coincident with the opening in that member, and trunnions extending from said receptacle through said end Walls.

10. A combined air-lock and material transferring unit comprising a horizontal stationary cylindrical casing closed at the ends by end walls and having in the top and bottom long openings of considerable angular Width, a rotatable cylindrical open-ended member fitted into and rotatable in said casing and having an opening adapted to register with either of the openings in the casing, an open-top receptacle xed Within said rotatable member with its mouth coincident with the opening in that member, trunnions extending from said receptacle through said end Walls, and a counterweight on one of said trunnions to balance the rotatable structure.

SETH M. GOQDER.

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