US3162264A - Muffling device on pneumatically driven material handling machine - Google Patents

Description

22,1964 E HENDRICKSON ETAL 3,162,264

MUFFLING DEVICE ON PNEUMATICALLY DRIVEN MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE Filed April 22, 1963 FIG. 2

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FIG INVENTOR5 DONALD E. HENDRICKSON JAMES D. BROWN BY Jw/QJM ATTDRNEY United States Patent 3 162,264 MUFFLING DEVlCiE N PNEUMATICALLY DRIVEN MATERIAL HANDLING MACHINE Donald E. Hendrickson and James I). Brown, Salt Lake City, Utah, assignors to The Eimeo Corporation, Salt Lake City, Utah, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 274,755 2 (Ilaims. (Cl. 181-36) This invention relates generally to pneumatically operated devices and in particular to improved ways and means for muliling the exhaust from pneumatic motors driving such devices.

In mining operations, extensive use is made of the socalled mucking machine in which there is provided a vehicle having a lower deck overlain by an upper deck which in turn carries a loading bucket and necessary structures for raising and lowering the bucket between loading and discharge positions. To enhance operation, the upper deck is rotatable about a vertical axis while the lower deck remains immovable with respect to the vehicle.

Such devices are usually employed underground or in other close areas which confine dust and noise, both of which are deleterious .to efiicient operation. This is so, because pneumatic-motor exhaust, especially when confined, is irritating to the ear; and dust is a problem because it inevitably works into the ball races of the turnable bearing between upper and lower decks thus necessitating frequent interruption for lubrication.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide in such pneumatically operated vehicles improved ways and means for mufiling the air exhaust which ways and means are easily effected at low initial cost and maintained without attention or operating cost.

A further particular object is the provision of means for lubricating the turntable bearings concomittantly with mutiiing of the motor exhaust.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and carried into eifect, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and the description thereof all of which are offered by way of example only and are not to be taken as limiting the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims rather than by any preceding description.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a wheel mounted loader embodying the invention, certain parts being cutaway and others shown in section for purposes of clarity.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the turntable employed in a loader of FIG. 1, certain elements being shown in elevation for clarity.

In the drawings there is shown a loading machine generally designated comprising essentially a wheeled vehicle 11 which serves as the primary base or support and carries the bucket operating and supporting section 12 which is in turn mounted on the vehicle 11 in a manner to be rotatable about a vertical axis.

\ The loader is equipped with a bucket 13 mounted on arms 14 which are movable between the lowered loading position as shown and an elevated discharge position, such motion being accomplished by means of tension applied in known fashion to chain 16.

3,162,264 Patented Dec. 22, 1964 A lower support or deck 17 is fixedly carried by the vehicle and this in turn supports an overlying upper support or deck 18. In order to enable side to side rotation of the upper deck (and associated bucket 13 and arms 14) a large bearing 19 and centrally located king pin 21 are provided.

As is usual, the vehicle is powered by an air motor 22 controlled by a suitable valve 23 and control handle 24 for forward and reverse timing. Elevation of the bucket for discharge is effected by means of a second air motor 26, a portion of which is shown in FIG. 1, controlled by a suitable lever 27 which actuates a similar valve. Air is supplied to both motors by means of a common inlet 28 and discharges therefrom as a pulsating exhaust.

In accordance with the invention, exhaust gases from the motors are mufiied by passing them through the chamber 29 defined by the area Within the periphery of the bearing assembly 19 and the lower and the upper decks (17 and 18) of the loader. The enlarged chamber accommodates expansion of the gases and dampens the pulsing exhaust. The expanded and dampened gases then pass outwardly between the ball races 31 of the bearing assembly.

In air motors, exhaust gases carry a quantity of entrained oil and this deposits on the bearing members including the balls 32 thus lubricating these elements. At the same time, the gases sweep away dust or grit particles that may otherwise creep into the ball races from the outside.

As shown in the drawings, the exhaust port of motor 22 is covered by cap 34 to which is attached a conducting conduit 36 leading through a port 37 in the deck 17 thereby providing direct communication between the air motor exhaust and the chamber 29.

In the case of the upper air motor, the exhaust port 38 connects to a conduit 29 which leads through an intermediate chamber 41 that normally houses a centering mechanism, (details of which are not discussed here) thence through a port 42 into the chamber 29.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the mufliing system of the present invention is extremely simple and is readily adaptable to use on any existing loader of the type under discussion or of any other type employing turntables having enlarged chambers such as chamber 29.

Actual studies have shown the noise suppression to be on'the order of 80%; and the arrangement takes care of of the lubricating needs of the turntable and king pin. It will be seen, then, that the present invention satisfiies important needs and does so with little expense and without the addition of moving parts or any equipment needing attention or maintenance.

Although the invention has been described with particular reference to the air exhausted from the motor, it will be appreciated that air by-passing the motor, or otherwise passingthrough the valve, may be similarly muflied.

We claim:

1. Mufliing means for an industrial structure of the type including a base support, a first deck fixed on said base support, a second deck overlying said first deck, industrial tools carried by said second deck and exhaustproducing motor means associated with said industrial structure, said mutfling means comprising a gas-permeable bearing means between said decks enabling relative motion of said decks, said bearing means defining the sidewalls and said decks defining the top and bottom of a plenum space between said decks, and conduit means interconnecting the exhaust of said motor means with the interior of said plenum space for conducting exhaust gases into said plenum space for eventual discharge through said bearing means.

2. Muffiing means for a mucking machine of the type including a base vehicle, a first deck fixed on said vehicle, a second deck overlying said first deck, a bucket and as.- sociated supporting structure carried by said second deck and exhaust-producing motor means for operating said bucket, said mufiiing means comprising a gas-permeable bearing means between said decks enabling relative motion of said overlying second deck Withrespect to said first deck, said bearing means defining the sidewalls and said decks defining the top and bottom of a plenum space between said decks, and conduit means interconnecting the exhaust of said motor means with the interior of said plenum space for conducting exhaust gases into said plenum space for eventual discharge through said bearing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,136,315 Pettit Nov. 8, 1938 2,946,315 Doeden July 26, 1960 2,950,775 Zwayer Aug. 30, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 669,533 Great Britain Apr. 2, 1952

Claims (1)

1. MUFFLING MEANS FOR AN INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A BASE SUPPORT, A FIRST DECK FIXED ON SAID BASE SUPPORT, A SECOND DECK OVERLYING SAID FIRST DECK, INDUSTRIAL TOOLS CARRIED BY SAID SECOND DECK AND EXHAUSTPRODUCING MOTOR MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE, SAID MUFFLING MEANS COMPRISING A GAS-PERMEABLE BEARING MEANS BETWEEN SAID DECKS ENABLING RELATIVE MOTION OF SAID DECKS, SAID BEARING MEANS DEFINING THE SIDEWALLS AND SAID DECKS DEFINING THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF A PLENUM SPACE BETWEEN SAID DECKS, AND CONDUIT MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE EXHAUST OF SAID MOTOR MEANS WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID PLENUM SPACE FOR CONDUCTING EXHAUST GASES INTO SAID PLENUM SPACE FOR EVENTUAL DISCHARGE THROUGH SAID BEARING MEANS.

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