US2059660A - Ore loading machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 3, 1936. B. R. SHEETS I 2,059,660

ORE LOADING MACHINE Filed Sept. 9, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet l llll" ATTORNEY.

Nov. 3, 1936. B. R. H T 2,059,660

ORE LOADING MACHINE Filed Sept. 9, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 a JD 4. 30

uu x4975 up}? u 34v U3 6' 7 MENTOR.

Fig 4. Barionfii 5738616 1936- B. R. SHEETS ,0

' ORE LOADING MACHINE Filed Sept. 9, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 v INVENTOR.

Barton f2 6 F LDVo 3, 1936. SHEETS 2,059,660

ORE LOADING MACHINE Filed Sept. 9, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 49 'INVENTOR.

50 /4 47 50 Bantam/ZS/zeeia I BY ATTORNEY.

NQV. 3, 1936. R SHEETS 2,059,660

ORE LOADING MACHINE Filed Sept. 9, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Barton/i. Sheets ATTORNEY.

-. loader may be moved to its several functioning gitudinally through the center of the loading 7 ing motor for th'eshovel.

the shovel in its loading posit on.

movement from 'place to place within a mine Patented i Nov. .3, 1 936 s PATENT. OFFICE oar: noannvo' mom Barton 3.. Sheets, Denver, 6010., assignor Gardner-Denver Company, Denver, 0010., a

corporation of Delaware v Application September 9,1935, Serial No. 39,684

5' Claims. (or 214-132) My invention relates to improvements in me- Figure 4 is a sectional chanical loaders and is more particularly direct- 4-4 of Figure 3. ed to that type of machine adapted for loading Figure 5 is a top plan view of the main truck material, such as mine muck, in cars. upon which the shovel'mechanism is mounted.

The main object of the invention is to provide Figure 6 is a side elevation'of Figure 5 with a loader having a shovel mounted upon a. rockcertain parts broken away to disclose structural ing support, said support being moved to and details and particularly the location oi! the drivfro inhorizontally disposed guideways, and dur- 'ing motor for the truck.

ing such movement said rocking support causing Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but showa swinging action of the shovel within a limited ing the truck as viewed .irom the opposite side area and without undue strain to the mec'haniand disclosing particularly the driving gears for cal parts of the unit. the tractiomwheelsr Another object 01 the invention is to provide Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line a loaderiilight in structure, compact and positive 88 of Figure 3. in its operation; and of such a size that it might Figure 9 is a"diagrammatic view showing the 15 be used in underground work, permitting its position occupied by the shovel in the act of I loading and the position assumed during its travel to its dumping position. v

Figure 10 isa similar view showing the shovel in its dumping'position and also the position 20 occupied by the shovel during the period of its travel. Q

Figure 11 is-a detailed view showing the manner oi mounting the rotatable shaft controlling the movement of the shovel. i

Figures 12 and 13 indicate diagrammatically Y the positions. which the shovel may occupy with respect to the main truck, and

Figure 14 is a detailed viejw showing the trip mechanism operated by the shovel when approaching its dumping position.

Briefly, the invention hereinabout to be 'described is directed to a loading or mucking machine designed particularly for use in mine work and it naturally follows that such a machine must. be small and compactin its structure and positive in its operation. a

The mucker as a unit includes a truck mounted upon suitable traction elements operating upon the usual narrow gauge mine track. Mounted ,'upon this truck is a body structure rotatable abouta verticalaxis and provided with the necessary controlling elements and driving'vmeans for I moving a scoop shovel to a loading position and from the loading position to a dumping position, 46

- the dumping position being somewhat elevated 1 from the loading position. The movement of i the shovel from one position to the other being permitted within a limited head room.

The unit as a whole includes suitable motive means, preferably of a type operated by com pressed air, whereby the unit is propelled back and forth upon'its track, together with a, second motive means for operating the shovel inde- UNI-TED STATE view taken on the line without dismantling.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism wherein the shovel oi the positions within a limited area and such movements being under the control of the operator at all times. v

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanical loadelmounted upon a traction truck and so positionedkthereupon as to permit lateral swing of the shovel in combination with a longitudinal swing.

Another object of the invention is to provide means controlled by the shovel during its swinging movement to interrupt the flow of operating fluid to the shovel operating motor and such means being operated at a period prior to the dumping action.

Another object of the invention lies in the pro-' vision of means for initially returning the shovel from its dumping position to such a point in its movement that its return to its loading position may be completed by gravity.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the hereinafter specification when considered in view of the accompanying drawings, in which a a I Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken ion-- unit showing certain/ parts thereof elevation.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1 as viewed from the operator's side of the unit, showing certain parts of the structure broken away-in orderto disclose more elearly the operat- Figure -3 is a top'plan vie of Figure 1 with pendently oi the truck-movement. The unit is constructed in such a manner as to provide a positive guide for the shovel during its movement from one position to the other, together with a positive locking element for maintaining the shovel at any point within its operating limits. Certain automatic means have been providedfor controlling the flow of air to the shovel operating means and for insuring the positive return of the shovel subsequent to its dumping period.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout, the numeral l4 indicates in general a truck member upon whicha rotatable shovel supporting structure is mounted, the same being referred to and described more fully hereinafter. The truck element is composed of a casting having a rectangular flat top face with depending legs 15 at its front and rear portions. The mid portion of the casting is substantially U shaped as shown in Figure 6, receiving therein a driving motor I5 mounted upon brackets l1 fixed as at 18 to portions of the de-' axles 20 having keyed to the outer ends of each traction wheels 2| adapted for rail engagement.

As shown in Figure 7 one side of the truck casting I4 has detachably secured thereto a suitable gear housing'22 within which gears 23 and 24 are mounted for rotation upon stub shafts flxed to the casing. These gears mesh with a drive gear 25 keyed to the main shaft of the motor [6.

The gears 23 and 24 positioned within the. housing further mesh with larger gears 28 and 21 keyed to the axles 28. With this structure it will be apparent that upon operation of the driving motor the axles 28. will be caused to rotate,. thus aflording the means for imparting driving force to the traction wheels.

To control the flow of fluid passing to the driving motor I8 a reversing valve 28 is provided,.the details of which may be of any desired structure, but preferably one in which the controlling element may be operated by remote control through the medium of a flexible connection 29, connected to a control handle 38 pivotally mounted on the operator's side of a rotatable structure hereinafter described.

From the above it will be evident that upon the proper control of the valve 28 the truck as a unit maybe caused to move in any desired direction longitudinally of itstrack.

Operating fluid for the driving motor 15, preferably compressed air, is supplied through a flexible conduit 3| which is connected to an angular nipple 32 fixed within one end of a cored passageway 33 extending transversely through the mainportion of the truck casting. The opposite end in the main supply line may exceed that desirable. for efilcient operation of the motors and by the proper adjustment of the pressure regulator the pressure of the operating fluid may be'reduced .as

desired. a l

Passing from the pressure regulator" 31 is a flexible conduit 38 which leads to a suitable T 39, one leg of which is screwed within a second cored passageway 40 extending transversely of the front end of the truck casting. Between the ends of this cored passageway 48 is positioned a vertical extending pipe. 4| from which fluid may be conducted for a purpose hereinafter set forth. The other outlet from the T 39 has fixed thereto a nipple 42 to which is connected afie'xible conduit 43 leading to the standing portion which encases the spindle 45 and supports the several bearing elements 43 positioned between the spindle and the base plate.

i The plate 41 has fixed adjacent its longitudinal edges upstanding side boards 48 and 48, while. its end portions are open permitting through one the movement of the operating shovel. and at the other free access to the shovel operating means.

- Positioned upon the base plate 41 and adjacent the inner face of each side board are longitudinally extending racks 50 the active face of each being cut on an incline as shown in Figure 8 permitting muck and the like which might accumulate thereupon to fall down upon the base plate. In order to further maintain these racks free of falling ore, particularly muck, there is positioned between each rack and the adjacent side board a perforated pipe 5| through which 'jets of fluid are discharged at such an angle. as

to blow the accumulated debris there'ofl. These pipes 5| are connected to a common pipe 52 which leads to the exhaust side of a reversible valve, controlling the flow of fluid to a motor hereinafter described. Thus it will be seen that during the period that the motor is operating the exhaust therefrom is utilized to maintain the racks 50 clean. I I

Each side board has detachably secured thereto upon its inner face and approximately midway of its height, a longitudinal elongated guide element 53,having upper and lower bearing surfaces between which a rolling hub 54 is positioned.

gear segments 55 which are cut and shaped so as to intermesh with' the stationary racks 58 fixed upon the base plate. From the structure just set forth it will be observed that the segments 55, are supported solely by the guide elements 53 and merely engage the racks 58 to insure a rolling movement of the segments during their movement within the guide elements 53 in a manner hereinafter described.

Each gear segment 55 has detachably positioned thereupon'an outwardly projecting arm 56 and these arms form a support for a suitable shovel 51. In order to maintain the gear segments 55 The hubs 54 are formed upon adjacent faces of in their proper spaced relation to each other there is, in combination with the shovel 51, a tie bar 88 fixed to the rear ends of the projecting armsassh'ownat 59.

To move the gear elements longitudinally of the'racks 50 there is provided a suitable operating motor, and whileit may be of any desired typ one operated by pressure fluid is most preferred. Such a inotor is indicated at 88 and is mounted in any convenient manner'to the rear end of the base plate 41. The motor 68 is similar to the driving motor i6 and includes a reversible valve 82 to which suitable operating means is connected.- Motive fluid for the motor is conveyed through a flexible conduit 63, one end of which is connected to the upstanding pipe 4| fixed to the truck casting,vwhile the other end is connected to the reversible valve.

formed in the base plate 41 and concentrically with the spindle 45, thus permitting movement of the base plate with respect to the truck.

casting.

As illustrated in Figure 8 the drive shaft of the motor has keyed thereto a sprocket gear 6|. Positionedover the motor is a horizontallydisposed driven shaft mounted in suitable ball bearings 66 resiliently'supported in bracket elements 6'! fixed to the inner faces of the side boards. The shaft 65 has keyed thereupon a sprocket gear 88 to which power from the sprocket gear 6| fixed'to the shaft of the'motor is transmitted by a chain 69.

' The driven shaft 65 has keyed adjacent each side wall a flanged wheel 18 upon which acable or chain II is adapted to be wound, one end of each chain ll being secured to the hub portion of the wheel 10 while its other end is secured as at 12 to the furthermost portion of the gear segment 55. The opposite end of the gear segment has on its inner face an enlargement-.13 having formed in its periphery a groove 14 into which the chain 'Il might fall when the shovel has been lowered to its loading position. Attention is particularly called to this structure inasmuch as the manner of connecting the cables to the gear elements permits increased leverage to the liftin action of the shovel at a period when it is most desirable.

To control the directional rotation of the motor 68, through the valve 62, there is mounted upon the baseplate a shaft 15 adapted to, be oscillated by an operating lever 16 which is keyed to one endofthe shaft and lies parallel with the outer face of one of the side boards. Theupper end of the lever is guided in its movement by a suitable quadrant As shown in Figures 2 and 14 the shaft 15 is provided with outwardly extending arms I8 and l9 the former being connected, through the medium of a. suitable link 80, to the reversible valve 62.. -With this structure it will adjacent gear segment. The result of this structure being that during that period when the shovel is approaching its dumping position, the enlarged portion 13 carried by the segment depresses the arm I8, oscillating the shaft and The pipe 4| 7 extends through an,elongated curved slot 64 through the valve 62 cutting of! the. supply of motive fluid passing to the motor. Upon the interruption of the flow of operating fluid the shovel continues in its swinging motion to its dumping position, until its supporting arms engage shock absorbing springs 82 positioned upon a bar 88 extending horizontally betweenthe side boards of the structure. Inasmuch as the shovel in approaching its dumping position is moving rather rapidly when it is stopped abruptly by the shock absorbing springs 82 the contents of the shovel are thrown outwardly.

After the'bucket has assumed the dumping position as shown by dotted lines" in Figural and the contents thereof have been discharged,v

the hand. lever 18, controlling the valve 62, is accordingly moved to permit motive fluid to enter the motor in a reverse direction, causing themotor to rotate accordingly whereupon the tension to the cables is relieved permitting the shovel to drop by. gravity to its loading position-as indicated in full lines in Figure 1. To insure the initial movement of the bucket from its dumpa ing position there is fixed upon the horizontally disposed shaft 65 a curved arm '84 which upon rotary movement of the shaft contacts one of the supporting arms of the shovel and moves the shovel back beyond its perpendicular line so that its weight together with that of its supportin structure will insure its return to its leading position.

When the shovel has.returned to its loadin I position and during its period of loading, the

truck casting l4 at its front end carries a curved bearing block 85 against which the rear end of the shovel may abut when in its'loading position. If desirable, the rear end of the shovel may be provided with a bearing element 86. Thus it will be evident that all strain incident to the loadin action, particularly when that action'is in a horizontal line, is absorbed by the bearing block, thus giving a direct push to the shovel and at the-same time forming a rigid support therefor. Further- .more, the shovel may be moved progressively into the pile of'material by movement of the truck upon the track.

Should the material inwhich the shovel is working extend beyond the forward line of track ;view there is provided upon the truck casting ii an upstanding lug 81 which projects through a curved slot 88 formed in the base plate of the shovel supporting structure. The ends of this slot 88 are adapted to abut the lug 81 limitingthe swing of the shovel within the confines of the usual mine tunnel.

Positioned upon the side 'of the truck casting corresponding to that side'upon which the operator would stand when operatingthe severalcontrol levers, there is provided a suitable platform 89 supported by the motor supporting bracket l1, previously referred to. This platform 88 is of such a width and length as to provide asuitable standing place for the operator during the movement of the truck upon the track, and at such periods as when operating the unit within confined quarters. I

The rear end of the truck casting I 4 has fixed centrally thereof by suitable studs 90 a connecting element 9| to which the coupling link 82 o:

an ore. car, not shown, may be connected. This connecting element includes a plate having 'formed integral therewith a plurality of outstanding spaced fingers 93 having aligned openings in their end portions which receive therein a locking pin 94 which is inserted through the openings after the coupling link 92 of theore car has been inserted' between any two adjacent fingers. Fixed to the rear end of the truck casting l4 ,and at each corner thereof is an angle bar 95 "erving merely as a bumper element protecting the unit from damage when ore cars are assuming their place behind the unit.

As disclosed in Figure 4 the upper face of the truck casting I4 has projecting outwardly therefrom a finger portion 96 corresponding to a like finger portion 91 formed integral with the base plate 41. When the baseplate 41 and the structure carried thereby is in longitudinal alignment with the truck casting l4, these two outwardly extending fingers fall one over the other and as each finger is provided with an opening a suitable'bolt or the like may be dropped there through to hold the two elements in alignment.

This is particularly desirable when moving the 'This clutch permits movement of the unit upon its track at periods when compressed air is being supplied the motor. I

Having thus described in detailthe structure of the unit as a whole, the following is a description of its operation.

The machine is advanced into a pile of mate'- rial by the driving motor IS with the shovel lowered as shown in the full line position in Figure l. Advancement of the machine continues until the shovel is filled with material, and should necessity arise where a digging action is essential to the filling of the sho'vel, the shovel lifting motor 60 may be momentarily operated causing the drums 10 carried by the horizontally rotating shaft, to revolve, winding thereupon the shovel lifting cables or chains H; thus giving a digging movement 'to the shovel. When.the shovel is filled, motive fluid is supplied'the shovel actuating motor, causing a continued rotation of the shaft and the winding drums carried thereby, the

result being'that theshovel supporting rockers,

the stationary racks 50, thus givinga rocking action as well as a. straight pull action, the result being that the shovel-is elevated as its operating means is drawn backwardly toward the end of its supporting frame. This action continues until the shovel reaches approximately its dump- I ing position, whereupon the operator cuts off the supply ,of motive fluid to the operating motor, permitting the shovel to dump by its own momentum, and during such action the supporting elements therefor strike the shock absorbingspiings 82 positioned upon the rear end of the super structure. The inertia caused by this action throws the material from the bucket into the ore car which is coupled to the unit. Ordinarily when the motive fluid is cut off from the shovel operating motor the recoil of the springs is suflicient to start the return of the dipper by gravity to its loading position. However, should this recoil fail, there is provided upon the horizontally disposed driven shaft 65 the kicker element 8 which during the rotation of .the driven shaft engages one of the shovel supporting arms and moves the shovel back to a position slightly beyond its perpendicular line, thus permitting the shovel to drop by gravity to its loading position. The machine is then ready to repeat its cycle of operation. During the periodof operation just described, should the operator fail to cut off the supply of motive fluid to the operating motor prior to the shovel dumping its contents, automatic means as set forth in Figure 14 is provided and this merely includes a lever fixed to an oscillating shaft, the lever being struck by the rolling segment and depressed, during which movement the valve 62 is automatically closed.

From the structure it will be observed that the dipper may be moved from one side of the truck to the other, as more definitely shown in Figures 12 and 13 in the drawings. This movement of the shovel permits the scooping up of material lying outside of the pathin which the unit as a whole travels. It is, of course, under-- stood that movement of the unit to and from its .work is accomplished by the driving motor l6 and that this force may be utilizedat some periods in loading the shov during its loading period truck casting.

It is quite apparent that the foregoing description merely amplifies the structure shown in the accompanying drawings, and it is, of course, understood that one embodiment of the invention is disclosed. The structural details which have been shown are more or less minor to the essence of the invention'which lies in the provision of a rolling element supported in a fixed position, and during the movement of the rolling element the ars directly upon the other.

What I claim is: I

l 1. In a machine of the class described the combination of a motive propelled truck and a carriage pivotally mounted thereupon, guide elements carried by the carriage, segments supported by the guideelements and movable longitudinally of the carriage, motive means for moving said segments, a shovel fixed to the segments, elements carried bythe carriage and engageable with the segments for imparting a rocking movement to the segments and the shovel carried thereby, said shovel during such movement swinging upwardly over the carriage from a loading position to an elevated dumping position, means for automatically interrupting the operation of the motive means prior to the shovel assuming its dumping position,

scoop shovel is thrown from one position to anmanual means for changing the directional rota-.

tion of the motor, and a cam element operated by the motor and engageable with the shovel forinitially moving the same from its dumping position to such a point in its travel where it is returned to its loading position by gravity.

2. In a shoveling and loading machine, the combination of a truck and-a carriage mounted thereupon and movable about a vertical axis, a

inasmuch as the shovel shovel movably mounted upon the carriage and adapted to move thereover from its loading to its.

dumping positions, motive means for propelling the truck, a second motive means for moving the shovel, manually controlled elements mounted upon the carriage and moving therewith for effecting control of both motive means, automatic means operated by the shovel for stopping one of said motive means, and one of said. motive means when thrown in reverse operating an element for moving the shovel from its dumping position to a point whereby it will return to its loading position by gravity. 1

3. In a shoveling and loading machine the combination of a carriage and a shovel movably mounted thereon and adapted to swing from a loading position to a dumping position, reversible motor means for moving the shovel from one position to the other, means rotated by the motor means during the movement of the shovel, the last said means when rotating in one direction moving the shovel from a dumping position to a point in its return travel whereby it will be returned to its loading position by gravity.

4. In a shoveling and loading machine the combination of a carriage and a shovelmounted functioning position to another, reversible motor means for moving the shovel to its several positions, controlling means for the motor, an element movable by the motor means, and said erement when movable in one direction engaging thereon, said shovel adapted to move from one the shovel to move the same from a dumping poment movable by the motor meanS and said element engaging the shovel when in the dumping position to initially start the same upon its return to its loading position.

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