US919003A - Automatic catch-hook and release for dredge-buckets. - Google Patents

Description

M. HAHN & G. MAYER. AUTOMATIC CATCH HOOK AND RELEASE FOR DREDGE BUOKETS,

I APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1908.

919,003, Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI 1.

ml: NURRIS rzr'lrcs m, wlsnmaron, n. c.

M. HAHN &G. MAYER. AUTOMATIC CATCH HOOK AND RELEASE FOR DRIEDGE BUCKETS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1908.

91 9,003. Patented Apr. 20, '1909. 2 SHEETS-SHBET 2 g KB MICHAEL HAHN AND GEORGE MAYER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC CATCH-HOOK AND RELEASE FOR DREDGE-BUCKETS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Application filed. August 24, 1908. Serial No. 450,039. 7

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MICHAEL HAHN and GEORGE MAYER, both citizens of the United States, and residents of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Catch-Hooks and Releases for Dredge-Buckets, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

Our invention relates to an automatic catch hook and release for dredge-buckets, our object being to provide simple, inexpensive mechanism for automatically engaging a catch hook on a portion of a dredge-bucket of the ordinary clam shell type, and to provide means whereby said catch is released in order that the dredge-bucket may be lowered.

To the above purposes, our invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, whichwill be hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the traveling carriage such as is ordinarily used in connection with a hoisting dredge, and which carriage is equipped with our improved catch hook and release; Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail section showing the lever which controls the action of the catch hook; Fig. 4 is a detail section showing the catch hook in elevation, and dotted lines showing the different positions assumed by said hook.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings :1 designates the traveling carriage of an ordinary hoisting dredge, which is mounted in the usual manner upon small traction Wheels 2, and which travel upon inclined tracks 3; and the movement of said carriage is accomplished by the usual cables 4L operating on drums forming a p0rtion of the hoisting machinery.

The mating halves of the dredge-bucket 5, which is of the usual clam shell type, are hinged upon a rod 6, and connected to said rod are the dredge-bucket hoisting cables 7, which are arranged in pairs and which 013-) erate over sheaves 8 journaled in the carriage 1.

Rigidly fixed to the side walls of the carriage 1, between the pairs of wheels 2 and sheaves 8, is a pair of vertically disposed plates 9, and formed integral with the inner faces thereof are inwardly projecting flanges or brackets 10; and seated on each flange or bracket is a pair of expansive COll springs 11.

Arranged to slide vertically against the inner face of each plate 9 is a block 12; and formed integral with the top of each block is a pair of outwardly projecting flanges 13, which rest upon the upper ends of the corresponding coil springs 11.

A horizontally disposed shaft 14 has its ends seated in the blocks 12, and loosely mounted on said shaft 1 1- is a hub 15, in the edge of which is formed a notch 16; and formed integral with said hub is a depending arm 17, the lower end of which is formed into a hook l8.

Loosely journaled on the shaft 14 is the upper end of a lever 19, the lower end of which curves slightly to one side, as designated by 20; and formed integral with the extreme upper end of this lever 19 is a laterally projecting lug 21.

A shaft 22 has its ends journaled in the plates 9, which shaft is positioned above and to one side of the shaft 1i; and fixed on said shaft is a depending pawl 23, the point of which is adapted to engage in the notch 16 formed in the hub 15.

Fixed on the shaft 22, adjacent the pawl 23, is an arm 24:, on the outer end of which is fixed a weight 24?, and this weighted arm is so disposed as that its normal tendency is to throw the point of the pawl 23 into the notch 16.

Fixed in any suitable manner to the shaft 22 is a plate 25, in which is formed a rectangular opening 26; and arranged to slide vertically in grooves formed in the sides of this plate is a secondary plate 27, in the center of which is formed an opening 28, of such size as to readily receive the lug 21.

The operation is as follows: When the dredge-bucket is being hoisted to the carriage, the various parts of the device occupy the positions as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, with by the action of the hoisting cables 7, the rod 6 strikes against the curved lower end 20 of the lever 19; and swings said lever slightly to one side, which action causes the point of the lug 21 to bear against the upper end of the sliding plate 27; and, asaresult, said plate, together with the plate 25, is shifted slightly toward the right hand, (as viewed in Fig. this action necessarily rocks the shaft 22, thus elevating the weighted arm 2st, and throwing the point .of the pawl 23 out of the notch 16. This movement frees the arm 1'? and the same instantly swings by gravity into a vertical position, with the hook 18 immediately beneath he rod (3; and as the hoisting cables T slacken after stoppage, the entire weight of the dredge-bucket and its contents is transferred to the hook 1S and arm 17; and as said arm is carried by the shaft 14, the same, together with the blocks 12, will be pulled downward a short distance, which action compresses the springs 11. As the lever 19 is thus moved downward, the point of the lug 21 rides over the face on the top portion of the sliding plate 27; and from thence into the opening 28 formed in said plate; and, as this action takes place, the plates 27 and 25 will swing toward the upper end of the lever 19, owing to the tendency of the weighted arm 2% to rotate the shaft 22, and thus the point of the pawl is swung into position immediately above the notch 16 formed in the hub 15. The traveling carriage 1 carrying the dredge-bucket 5 is now drawn along the inclined track to the point where the bucket is to be discharged; and after the discharging operation takes place, the carriage is allowed to descend along the inclined track to the point immediately above the sand or other material which is being hoisted, or carried away, by the dredge-bucket. The operator in charge of the hoisting machinery now tightens the hoisting cables 7 slightly, or to such a degree as to raise the rod 6 out of the hook 18 and relieve the pressure on the coil springs 11; and, as this action takes place, the point of the lug 21 moves vertically relative the plate 27, andv in bearing against the upper portion of said plate, above the opening 28 therein, will cause said plate to slide vertically in the plate 25 until the point of said lug travels out of the opening 28, after which the sliding plate 27 will drop back by gravity to its normal position, with its upper portion bearing against the lug 21. its the shaft 1%, and parts carried thereby, move upward when the weight on the springs 11 is relieved, the point of the pawl 23 will engage in the notch 16 formed in the hub 15; and, as this vertical movement is continued, the hook 18 on the lower end of the arm 17 will be swung to one side, (as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4,) thus freeing the rod 6, and 1 the dredge-bucket is now free to be lowered to the point where it is filled.

An apparatus of our improved construction is simple in construction, entirely automatic in all its operations, and is applicable for all forms of dredge-buckets which are raised and lowered when engaged upon a traveling carriage.

lVe claim l. The combination with a dredge-bucket and the traveling carriage for supporting and moving the same, of a hook pivotally arranged in the traveling carriage and adapted to engage a portion of the dredgebucket, a pawl pivotally arranged in the carriage and adapted to engage a portion of the hook for normally holding the same out of engagement with the bucket, and means actuated by the bucket for moving the pawl out of engagement with the hook.

2. T ie combination with a dredge-bucket and the traveling carriage for supporting and moving the same, of a hook pivotally arranged in the traveling carriage and adapted to engage a iortion of the dredgebucket, a pawl pivotally arranged in the carriage and adapted to engage a portion of the hook for normally holding the same out of engagement with the bucket, and a gravity lever suspended from the carriage and adapted to be engaged by the dredge bucket for releasing the pawl from the hook.

3. The combination with a dredge-bucket and the traveling carriage supporting the same, of a spring held shaft arranged for vertical movement in the carriage, a hook depending from said shaft, a gravity pawl adapted to engage the hook to normally hold the same out of engagement with the dredge-bucket and a gravity lever depending from the shaft and adapted to release the pawl from the hook when said lever is engaged by the upwardly moving bucket.

-l. The combination with a dredge-bucket and the traveling carriage supporting the same, of a spring held shaft arranged for vertical movement in the carriage, a hook depending from said shaft, a gravity pawl adapted to engage the hook to normally hold the same out of engagement with the dredge-bucket, a gravity lever depending from the shaft and adapted to release the pawl from the hook when said lever is engaged by the upwardly moving bucket, and means whereby the point of the pawl is automatically reengaged with the hook as the bucket moves downward.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MICHAEL HAHN. GEORGE MAYER. Witnesses EDWARD E. LONGAN, E. "L. WALLACE.

Images