US616688A - Conveyer - Google Patents

Description

' Patented Dec. 27, |898. F. H. RICHARDS- No. s|e,sas.

C0 N V EY E E.

(Application led Apr. 9, 1898.)

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CONVEYER.

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Patented Dec. 27, |898.

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CUNVEYER.

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` Patented Dec. 27, |898. F. H. RICHARDS.

CONVEYER.

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' where there is but a small amount of space rions angles inl-order to avoid obstructions or` 1 Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and conveyer system is required which has a must be avoided and in which these projec- .provide a conveyer which can follow a tori UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS II. RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

vconi/Evian.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters IPatent No. 616,688, dated December 27, 1898. l

l Application tiled April 9, 1898. Serial No. 677,044. (N0 model-i To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS 1I. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of useful Improvements in Conveyers, of whic the following is a specification.

This invention relates to conveyers; and it has for its main object the-provision of animproved apparatus for transporting material from place to place in buildings or localities available for the installation and operation of the conveyer o r where by the irregular nature of the path to be followed by the conveyer a greater flexibility of action and can be more readily adapted to the peculiar features of its surroundings than apparatus of this type as heretofore constructed. l

The present system is peculiarly adapted for use in buildings where the conveyer is to travel from one story to another or under and around irregular projections from the walls or ceilings ot' rooms where there is but little space and short turns must be made at vato ascend or descend to adifferentlevel. Such a system as this is especially useful in buildings where-projecting walls, stairways, exposed piping, and other similar obstructions tions and fixtures compel the employment of a conveyer which can change the direction of its movement readily in a small space without interfering with the operation thereof. Hence the main object of this invention is to tuousor zigzag path in a building, mine, or other locality Without `disturbing the many projecting objects usuali-y found in such places.

One of the main features of this invention is the employment of a conveyer in which a driving member or cable of any suitable type veying elements in such a manner that the latter are free to move transversely tothe path of travel of vthe cable without disturbing the position or movement of the cable itself, the preferred construction being one in which the conveying elements'are journaled v the cable until it is desired to discharge the contained material. Ordinarilya continuous conveying member, preferably in the 'form of a flexible band'or belt,will be suspended from the cable by han gers or similar members, journaled thereon and free to move transversely to theE cable independently relatively to each other, thus permitting th`e conveying member to be shifted out of its normal path of movement in a plane transverse to such planeof travel at any desired point or points therein without disturbing the remainder of said conveying member or belt. Thus it will beseen that during the travel of this continuous conveying-belt it may be shifted transversely of the driving-cable and have a twisting or tipping movement imparted thereto to discharge .or empty the contents of a certain portion or element of the whole conveying-belt without disturbing the contents of the remainder of the conveying member.

In connection with this improved conveying apparatus I makeuse of suitable defiect-` ing means for shifting successiveconveying elements or successive portions of the conveying member or belt transversely out of' their normal path of travel at determined points in the movement of the driving-cable for the purpose of emptying successive p0rtions of the total load-carrier by the conveyer and discharging such portions at a suitable point or point-s in the 'length of the conveyer. A conveyer of this type may be employed to advantage for 'transporting coal, grain, or similar material from a receiving-point to one or more storage-bins or othery points of deposit, at which points or bins may be located suitable deflecting or discharging devices by means of which the several moving elements or sections of the conveyer may be tipped up and their contents discharged into the bin or bins or at such point of deposit.,` Ordinarily in filling orl loading a storage-bin a series of deiiecting or discharging devices will be employed, and these devices may be shifted suc# -cessively into position to discharge material from the conveyer at dierent points in the movement Aof the latter, these discharging devices being preferably so operated as to fill loo a storage-bin 'from the rear toward the frontl thereof when the discharging devices are set by hand, thus rendering it unnecessary for the attendant to climb over a mass of material. The discharging devices may be set for operation and thrown out of action successively as the material accumulates in the bin, and when the latter is completely filled all of them will usually be thrown out of the path of the conveyer.'

For the purpose of transferring material from one level toanother, as from the basement to an upper floor of a building, or vice versa, I make use of elevating mechanism by means of which the conveyer may be carried up or down a suitable incline with the beltsupporting hangers pendent from the cable substantially in a vertical position, and hence without interfering. with the normal transporting action of the apparatus. This elevating mechanism will comprise, usually, a series of cable-supporlingpulleys or sheaves so arranged that the several elements or sections of the conveying member will remain `the construction of the detlectingdevices,

suspended in substantially the manner just described and will retain their loads while not interfering with the driving action of the cable or the rotary movements of the driving-sheaves. The manner in which my improved conveying devices coact withthis elevating mechanism is radically diierent from the operation which would result if the ordinary conveyer-buckets moving in the plane of the driving-sheaves were employed, as in that case the material carried by the buckets would be discharged, while'in this case the conveyer proper moves in a plane transversetothe plane of rotation of the sheaves.

Other features of thisinvention relating to the elevating mechanism, and various parts of the apparatus will be described mre fully hereinafter in detail..

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specication, Figure l is a yplan of a building, illustrating my improved conveyer system in use in a basement and on the ground-floor of the building. Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of the conveyer system at the right of the line 2 2, Fig.

1, looking toward the right in said' iigure, as lindicated by one of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a plan of a portion of the system shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of the portion of theconveyer system at the right of the line 2 2, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the other arrow in said view. Fig. 5 is a plan of the driving mechanism and a portion of the conveyer shown in Fig. 4'. Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan of one of the deiiecting or discharging devices in operative relation with the conveyer. Fig. 7 is a-side elevation of the same; Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional end elevation of the discharging device shown in Fig. 7 and illustrates different positions of successive hangers between the normal and the discharging position of the con veyer. Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional detail of a portion of this discharging device. Fig. 10 is an enlarged side elevation of the elevating mechanism between the basement and the ground- Yfioor of the building. Fig. 11 isaplan of the same. Figs. 12 and 13 are details showing different positions of one of the deflecting or load-discharging devices. Figs. 14 and 15 are respectively a plan and a side elevation of a take-np mechanism for one of the sheaves around which the conveyer passes. Figs. 16 and 17 are details of the deilecting-bar and coacting devices, the views being taken at right angles to each other. Fig. 18 is an enlarged detail of a port-ion of the cable, showing the manner in which the bearing members for the hangers are inserted among the strands of the cable. Figs. 19 and 2() are respectively a side elevation and a sectional end elevation of a portion of the conveyer,illustrating the cable, the hanger, and the conveyer belt. Figs. 21 and 22 are details of the bearing member on which a hanger is to be supported. Figs. 23 and 24; are details of a collar or strap coacting with the bearing membersjust described. Figs. 25 and 26 are details of the roll-carryin g stud between'thehaugerand the collar; and Fig. 27 is a perspective detail illustrating the connection between the outer end of the hanger and the outer edge of the couveyer-belt. l Similar characters designate like parts in al the figures of the drawings.

l My improved conveyer apparatus may be operated from any suitable source of power and loaded 'at any desired point. In the construction illustrated in` the drawings of this application I have shown an electromotor,

such as M, receiving current from any suitable source of energy, such as e, the movement of the armature-shaft being transmitted by a belt, such as 2, Figs. 4 and 5, and a worm-shaft 3, carrying a pair of Worms 4 and 4.', meshing, respectively, with large 4wormgears 5 and 5', secured, respectively, to driving-shafts 6 and 6', located one above the other and journaled in suitable bearings on the framework A. Ata point slightly in advance of the driving mechanism just described the conveyer passes around a substantially horizontal sheave or pulley 7 to the loading-point. (Shown clearly in Figs. 1, 2, and 4.)'

Obviously the material to be transported may be delivered in any suitable manner to the conveyer at the loading-point; but as it is desirable to ascertain the exact amount of coal or other material transported and stored by the conveying apparatus I prefer to employ in connection therewith an automatic registering weighing-.machine substantially of the typeshown and described in prior patents granted to me-such, for example, as Patent No. 548,840, granted October 29, 1895- one of which weighing-machines is indicated in a general way by W and is located at the IIO loading-point of the conveyor to receive niaterial from a suitable chute or hopper II. As the loads are weighed, registered, and delivered Afrom the weighing mechanism W they are discharged into a suitablechute, such as 1l', from which the material passes into the conveyor-belt. From the weighing-machine at the loading-point the conveyor travelsup a slight incline, which in the construction shown. herein is about three degrees, but might be considerably more, of course. At the proper point the conveyor passes around the sheaves or pulleys of a suitable elevating mechanism, (designated in a general way by.

E,) which mechanism carries the conveyer up to the first floor above the basement and into a storage bin orroom, (indicated in a general way by 13,) where the conveycr may be caused to discharge its load, so as to fill said bin. It will be noticed that at this point I have provided a series of defiecting or discharging devices (indicated in a general way' by d) controlling collectively the entire area of this compartment. From this point the conveyor may pass to a lowering mechanism E', similar to the mechanism shown at E, which will carry the conveyor down to the basement vagain and around suitable pulleys or sheaves to a-boiler-room B", where a certain portion of the material may be discharged into a hopper h and'onto the floor of the boiler-room, another deflecting or discharging device (indicated by d) being employed for this purpose. From the boiler-room the conveyer may pass around suitable sheaves or pulleys through the basement to apoint remote from the boiler-room and into another storage room or bin, such as B", substantially similar to that shown at B, where another series of de- ,.flecting or discharging devices d may control the filling of the storage room or bin substantially in the manner before set forth.

Alll of the deflecting or discharging devices herein described may, if desired, be sbifta'ble from an operative to an inoperative position; but at least one of them-and preferably the last one of the series indicated by d-should either be fixed permanently in an operative position for tipping the conveyer-belt and discharging the load, or else it should be left permanently in an operative adjusted position, so that the eonveyer will always 4return to the starting-point unloaded.

It will be obvious, of course, thatwhile I have described my improved conveying apparatus for storing coal at dierent points and on different levels of a building and for furnishing a supply to the boiler-room it may be employed for many other purposes than for transporting coal and on various kinds of properties, so long as the essential features thereof, hereinafter to be described in detail, are retained; but in all cases the system is peculiarly adapted for conveying material in localities and under conditions where existing types of conveying apparatus could not be used successfully.

My improved conveyor is designated in a general way by C, and in the preferred form thereof will be an endless carrier of substantially the same construction throughout. It may comprise a plurality of elements all connected with one another and forming successive portions of the whole eonveyer, and the i different parts of these elements or sections may be so formed that corresponding members of the conveyer will be interchangeable with one another.

The conveyor comprises two essential features, one of which is the Adriving member, which may be in the form of a continuous member or cable, preferably flexible and of any suitable type, while the other is the conveying member proper and is supported by the cable. The cable may be of the type indicated herein by c, while the conveying member proper may be made up of a series of sections movable transversely to each other relatively to the direction of travel of the conveyer, some of the sections being movable in this manner, while other sections of the convvveyer maintain their normal path of travel.

The provision of a conveyer in which one or more and preferablyall of the sections thereof, and especially the sections of a continuous belt eonveyer, are movable independentlytransversely of the direction in'which the conveyor travels normally is one of the principal features of my present improvements. For the purpose of providing for this independent transverse movement of each section of element of the conveyer these sections are preferably pivotally supported by the cable c in such a manner as to turn freely with respect thereto while traveling with the cable longitudinally of the latter.

In the construction illustrated herein the con veyer elements, and hence the continuous conveying member, are suspended from the cable by hangers having journal connections withsuch cable or rope. Usually a series of substantially equidistant hangers pendent from the cable Will support the conveying member proper, which may advantageously be a exible belt or band of canvas, (indicated herein by c) This canvas belt is secured to its supporting members or hangers in such a manner as to be quite slack and leave considerable space to permit straightening out of the canvas of the several sections in going around pulleys, turning sharp angles, dre.4 ,y l Y The bearing members by which the conveying member or belt proper is supported will usually be of the type shown in detail in Figs.l 18 to 22, inclusive, and the manner `in which these bearing-'members are combined with the cable will be apparent. Each bearing member is designated in a general Way by 20, and is substantially a metallic pulley having portions of the sides thereof cut away to form discontinuous circumferential journal-surfaces 20 with intermediate seats 20", extending substantially lengthwise ofthe ca- IIC blc and preferably spirally to receive the separate strands ofV the rope, which strands of course will `servo to hohl the bearing member in place. p Inthis case the cable employed is a lnultistrand.cable or rope and has a central strand or core' and fourspirally-wound outer strands 25', which seat themselves in the four spiral grooves 20" on each bearing member. At the sides of the j ournal-s u rfaces 20' llanges, such as 20"', may employed for the purpose of retaining in proper positions the belt-supporting member to be journaled thereon. Of course the core-strand 25 has removedthcrefrom at intervals sections of sufficient length to permit insertion of one of the bearing members 20 between the ends of the strands, it being obvious thatthe ends of the divided core-strand will serve to retain .the bearing member in its proper position 'I prefer to employ the type of inserted bearing member which I have just described, as I deem this a desirable'form of bearing for the purpose.

The several conveyer elements or sections which are supported bythe cable are intended, as before stated, to be capable of movement independently of one anothertransversely to the cable, although of course the conveyeror belt proper may be continuous provided it has sufficient flexibility to ad mit ot being tipped or twisted at different points in the length thereof for discharging mateterial therefrom without disturbing` the normal travel of other portions of the conveyer. Indeed, so long as these relative transverse movements of different portions of the conveying member or belt are obtainable the pivoting or journaling of the conveyer-supports on the cable is of minor importance; but in order to permit the utmost freedom of 7 movement of the different parts I deem it desirable to journal the different conveyer supports or hangers on the bearing members her'einbefore described. These supports or hangers may be of any suitable construction; but in this case each support, which is designated in a general way by S, comprises a plurality of parts, one of which will usually be a collar or strap encircling'the journalsurfaces of the bearing member 20 4and held in place by the ilanges 20. This collar is designated in a general way by 30 and is illustrated in detail in Figs. 28 and 24;. It is preferably of the divided type,and the piv-l oted ends thereof are brought together and riveted in place in this case between the forked ends 3l' of a stud 3l, to which the hanger proper isfsecured. This stud also has a journal-surface on which an antifrictionroll 32 may turn freely.

The hanger proper may be of any suitable construction, but in this case will preferably be secured to the stud 3l and will have a lateral hanger-arm extending away from the cable and the stud 31, and will also have an oppositely-extending bowed supporting-arm for carrying the canvas conveyer-belt. This hanger is therefore substantially in the form of a hook, the hanger-arm of which is oblique to the stud 3l and is indicated by 35, while the supporting arm, which is bowed, as just stated, to receive the conveyer-belt, is represented by 36. Between its side edges the belt c may be secured to the hangers at intervalsl by rivets, as clearly shown in Fig. 20, while the edges of the belt may be reinforced by hemming over small ropes 37 and 37.', suitable split pins, such as 38, being passed through proper openings in the two arms of the hanger at the junction of such arms to retain one edge of the belt in place', while the other is located by inserting the rope 37' in the'forked end 36' of the bowed arm-36.

Although the bearing connection between the hanger and the cable will be suiiicient to permit proper transverse movement of the several conveyer elements, yet I deem it desirable to make provision for considerable freedom of movement at the point where the hanger propel' is connected to the stud 3l.` IIence I have shown in Fig 20 a stud'having a tapering lower end 3l, while the bearing portion S5 ot' the arm 35 is flared out, as indicated at 35", to permit the hangers to maintain a substantially vertical position when the conveyer is traveling up or down a considerable incline.A The hanger may be connected to the stud in any suitable manner, as by a split pin 39.

The parts hereinbefore described constitute all of the elements which make up the conveyer proper, and it will be noted that not only are corresponding parts interchangeable, but that any part'or any section depending f rom the cable may be removed readi-ly and replacedwithout taking the whole con- IOO IIO

veyer apart. Of course new bearing members may also be inserted in place readily when the old ones become worn.

For the purpose of supporting the conveyer I` make use of a plurality of pulleys and sheaves of different sizes, large sheaves, such as 40, being employed at each point where the conveyer goes around a curve or turn. Smaller pulleys in sets of two each and indicated by 45 are disposed at intervals in thelength of the conveyer, one' on each side of the cable c, as clearly shown, for example, in Fig. 4. These pulleys 45 may be supported in any suitable manner-as, for example, by wall platesand brackets substantially of the type shown in Figs. 6, V7, and 8. Here the wall-plate, -such as 46, may be secured to a suitable support or projection and may carry a stud or boltv 47, supporting a two-armed pulley-carrier- 48 for rotation on said bolt, this carrier being maintained in place by a 616,688 f it nut 49. The two arms 48' of this carrier are substantially similar in construction, and each may haveat its outer end means for supporting a pulley. In this case each has a journal-bearing 48", in which is mounted a spindle' 50, (see Fig. 8,) held in place by a check-n ut 51, screwed onto the upper threaded end of the spindle, the lower end ot' said spindle having a collar 50' for retaining the pulley 45 in place. A cap, such as 52, may be screwed onto the lower threaded side of the hub 455011 the pulley 45, and the upper side of this hub may be received in the bear` ing'48, as will bebbyious from Fig. 8.

For the purpose of supplying. oil to thejou rnals the spindle 50 may have an oil-channel 50" extending for a portion of its distano/e through the body of the spindle and terminating at the upper side of the latter in an opening communicating with a corresponding opening in the check-nut 51, which openl ing'will be `closed by an oil-cap 5,3,4 while for the'other portion of its length the oil-conduit may wind around the periphery of the spindle.

It will be noticed that owing to the manner in which the pulleys of each pair are disposed in the construction illustrated in the drawings the cable c is su pported at substantially all points in its circumference except at the under side thereof, there being only suiicient space between the flanges ofthe pulleys for permitting the upper portions of the hangers to pass between them.

-A s to the large sheaves or pulleys-40, which support the cable at the bends or turns, all of these may be substantially similar in construction, each bein gin the nature of aflanged pulley ofthe usual construction, except that or interdental spaces.

the lower fiange 40' (see Figs. 14 and 15) is very much wider than the upper one and is notched or recessed at regular intervals to form a sprocket-wheel having a circuit of projecting members or teeth with intermediate The teeth 40" are of such length that the hangers of the conveyer will work between the teeth and be suspended in the interdental spaces of the pulley as the cable and the conveyer elements travel around the pulley.I

and which is also illustrated adjacent to the elevating mechanism E, Fig. l, I prefer to make use of a take-'up device for maintainingthe proper tension on the cable c at all times. This take-up device may be of any approved type; but'in the construction shown the sheave 40 is journaled in a shaft-hanger,

lsuch as 60, havin g a pai r of parallel internallycable, as may be desired.

In connection with the particularly large l sheave 40 that is shown in Figs. 14 and 15' gear-Wheel,such as 65,manipulated bya wheel, such as 66.. When this ha'nd-wh'l'i turned in the one direction or the other, of course the adjustable'hanger 60 will travel along the feed-screws t0 loosen or tighten the The deflecting or discharging devices by means of which the conveyer elements or sections are shifted sidewise or tipped to discharge the contents .thereof are illustrated clearly in detail in Figs. 6 to 9', 12 and 13, and 16 and 17, and in all-of" these 'views said devices are shown in connection with the cable-` supporting pul1eys45 and their wall-brackets or hangers.'

In the construction illustrated each deflecting or discharging device for-elevatingI the conveyer-sections consists, essentially,of a delectin g member and supporting means therefor, movable in a curvilinear path, this latter being preferably aswinging frame supported for oscillation between one of the brackets or hangers 48 and a somewhat similar hanger or bracket 78, carrying a single pulley 75, disposed above the cable c, so as to keep the lat- 48 and.,78 have projecting therefrom integral members, such as 49 and 79, toothed, as at-49' and 79', to form segmental resistance gears IOC or racks, adapted to mesh with pinions, such as 80 and 80 and 81 and 81', secured to the ends of long spindles 82 and 83, journaled at their opposite ends in swinging slides, such as 84 and 84', supported by and oscillatory on the guides or racks just described.

The guide-rack and coacting parts supported lby the hanger 48 are indicated in Fig. 8, while those which are supported by the hanger 78 are shown in detail in Figs. 9, 12, and 13.

For the purpose of`maintaining the swinging members or slides 84 and 84' in place I may make user also of antifriction-rolls, such as 85, which travel on the smooth under sides of the racks 49 and 79 and are journaled on4 an arm 86 with bosses 86', through which passes av threaded clamping-rod 87, substantially T-shaped and threaded at its inner end, which may be screwed into a correspondinglythreaded opening ina shoe 88, carried by the spindle 83. This shoe is mounted loosely on the spindle, and when the clamping-rod 87 is tightened it will be obvious that the spindle 83'Will be held, and hence the pinion 81', secured thereto, will be locked in engagement with the teeth of the rack 7 9.

The deecting member proper, which forms the principal element of the defiecting devicel opposite ends to corresponding ends of the curved slides 84 and 84 and is so shaped and.

placed as to give the conveyer-belt substantially a quarter-twist when the bar is in its operative position. (See Figs. 6, 7, and 8.)

The elevating mechanism (illustrated at AE and E', Fig. 1) by means of which material is raisedA or lowered from one iloortoanother is illustrated in detail in Figs. 10 and 11, and consists, essentially, of a series o f sheaves or pulleys disposed in a spiral having a gradual rise from one end to the other thereof. Preferably these sheaves will be carried by trussed beams orfarms supported in some suitable manner-as, for instance, by means of columns 100 and 100' between the floors. All of the respective sheaves, beams, and truss-rods or stay-rods are substantially similar in construction, and a description of one of each will suffice lfor all. The beams or arms are indicated by 101, and each is in the nature of a bracket-arm having a sliding connection with its respective supporting-post, a clampscrew, such as 102, being employed for securing it in place. At its outer end each of these arms has a journal-bearin g for the reception of the stud of a sheave 103, which sheave is supported for rotation at the proper inclination,.the bracket being of such construction and having its journal-bearing 101 at such an angle as to locate the sheave in the proper plane. These sheaves are substantially similar in every way to those shown at 40 at the several points where the direction of movement of the conveyer is changed, and each has a wide toothed lower iiange 103', forming substantially a sprocket-wheel, and also serving to support the cable and the conveying member suspended therefrom; In addition to beingl supported on and clamped to oneot` the posts or pillars 100 and 100' each bracketarm 101 is also trussed to the opposite post, in this case by means ot' a truss-rod, such as 104, extending from a point near the outer end of the bracket-arm over to the opposite post or column and preferably-in a direction at an inclination to the horizontal, all of which will be obvious from an inspection of Figs. 10 and Y11. 1

It should be understood, of course, that while this elevating mechanism is a simple and desirable one to employ in connection with my improved conveyer yet the details thereof might be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It will be noticed that at all points in the travel thereof until the last deficcting device d" is passed the several parts of the conveyer maintain either their' normal carrying posi tions or else are not tilted more than about ninety degrees; but just before returning to the loading-point the normal. movement of the conveyer may be reversed as it passes around the driving-wheel on the shaft 6. This pulley maybe substantially of the ordinary type, as indicated by 105, as may also the driving pulley or wheel 105'; but each of these pulleys should carry on its shaft some means for enabling the conveyer to pass around the pulleys properly without interfering with the movements of adjacent parts. Hence I have illustrated herein a pair of supporting members, such as 106 and 100", in pocarrying-cable, of a plurality of directly-conv nected conveying elements journaled there- 'on at xed points in the length thereof for oscillation `independently of eachv other transversely to the direction of movement ofthe cable.` Y

2. In a conveyer, the combination, with a carrying-cable, of a plurality of hangers jou rnaled thereon for oscillationV transversely to the direction of movement of the cable, and a continuous conveying member carried by said hangers.

3. In a conveyer, the' combination, with a carrying-cable, of a plurality of hangers journaled thereon for oscillation transversely to the direction of movement of the cable, and a flexible conveying member carried by said hangers.

4. In a conveyer, the combination, with a carrying-cable, of a plurality of hangersjournaled thereon foroscillation transversely to ICO IOS

IIC

IIS

the direction of movement of the cable, and A y an oppositely-extending supporting-arm, and a conveyer-belt carried by said supportingarms.

7. A conveyer comprisinga continuous ca ble and a continuous conveying member supported by the cable and shiftable at different points therein transversely to the, normal path ofthe conveying member.,y j

8. A conveyer comprising a continuous cable and a continuous conveying member normally pendent from the cable and shiftable at diierentpoints therein transversely to the normal path of the conveying member.

9. A conveyer comprising a continuous ca ble and a flexible conveying-belt normallyn pendent from the cable and shiftable at different points therein transverselyto the normal path of said belt.

' `10. The combination, with acarrying-cable and with a conveyingl element` journaled thereon at a fixed point in the length thereof for movement in a determined path, of defleeting means for shifting said conveying element in a plane transverse to its plane of travel at a determined point in its movement.

11. The combination, with a carrying-cable and with a pivoted conveying element journaled thereon at a fixed point in the length thereof for movement in a determined path, of deflecting means for swinging said conveying element in a plane transverse to its planeet travel at a determined point in its 12.- The combination, with a carrying-'cable and with a continuous conveying member supported thereby for travel in a determined path, of defiecting means for shifting a portion ofv said conveying member in a plane transverse to itsy plane of travel at a de termined point in its movement.

- 13. The combination, with a carrying-cablel and with a continuous lieXible oonveyer-belt suspended therefrom for travel ina determined path, of deflectingy means for twisting a portion of said belt transversely out of its normal path at a determined point in the travel of the latter.

14. The combination, with a carrying-cable and with a suspended conveying element journaled thereon 'at a fixed point in the length thereof for movementin a determined path, of elevating discharging means for'raising and emptying said conveying element in a plane transverse to its piane of travel at a determined point in its movement. I 15. The combination,'with a carrying-cable and with a continuous conveying member suspended therefrom in a normal conveying position, of elevating discharging means for raising and emptying a portion of said conveying member at a determined point in the travel ofthe latter.

16. The combination, with'a carrying-cable andwith a continuous conveying member suspended therefrom in a normal conveying position for oscillation thereabout, of elevating discharging means for oscillating-a portion of vsaid carryingmember to a discharging' position at a determined point irfthe travel of the latter.

17. The combination, with a carrying-cable andwith a continuousconveying member supported thereby for travel in a determined path, of deflecting means shiftable into and supported thereby for travelin a determined path, ofI settable deecting means shiftable into and out of an operative position and normally operative for shifting a portion of .said conveying member transverselyat a determined point inthe travel of the latter, and holding means for securing said 'detlecting means in its set position.

19. The combinatiomwith a carryingcable and with a continuous conveying member supported thereby for travel in a determined path, of separately-settable deiiecting devices located at different points in the travel of the conveying member and operative for shifting diiferent portions of the latter transversely out of its normal path of travel.,

20. The combination, with a carrying-cable and with a conveying element journaled thereon at a fixed point inthe length thereof for movement in a determined path, of a deflecting-bar for 4shifting said conveying element in a plane transverse to its plane of travel at a determined point in its movement.

21. rlhe combination, Withka carrying-cable and with a conveying element journaled thereon at a xed point inthe length thereof for movement in a determined path, of a de- 'lecting-bar having a cam-face for shifting said conveyingv element in a plane transverse Ato its plane of travel at a determined point in'its movement.

22. The combination, with a carrying-cable andwith a conveying element journaled thereon at a fixed point in the length thereof for movement in a determined path, of a defiecting device adjustable about-said cable and operative for shifting said conveying element in a plane transverse toits plane of travel at a determi-ned point in its movement.

23. The combination, Witha carrying-cable and with a conveying element supported thereby for movement in a determined path, of a deflecting deviceV adjustable in an arc concentric with the axis of said cable and operative for oscillating said conveying element in a plane transverse to its plane of travel at a determined point in its movement.

24. The combination, with a carrying-cable and with a conveying element supported thereby for movement in a determined path, of supporting means movable in a curvilinear path, and a deecting member 'carried by said 8' l erases supporting means and operative for shifting ,saidconv'eyin'g element transversely at a determined pointin the movement of the latter.

. 25. The combination, with a carrying-cable and with a conveying element supported thereby for movement in a determined path, of curved guides concentric with the axisof said cable; slides carried by said guides; and deilecting means carried by said slides and operative for shifting said conveying element transversely at a determined point in the movement of the latter.

26. The combination, -with a carrying-cable and with a conveying.`ele1nent lsupported thereby for movement in a determined path, of curved racks concentric with the axis of said cable; slides carried by said racks; pin- `ions on said slides; ,and deflecting mean-s carried by said slides and operative for shifting said conveying element transversely at a determinedpoint in the movement of the latter.

27. The combination, with a carrying-cable and with a conveying element supported thereby for movement in a determined path, of curved racks concentric with the axis of said cable; slides carried by said racks; pini ions on said slides; Alocking means for holding the pinions in engagement with the racks; and deilecting means carried by said slides and operative for shiftin g said conveying element transversely at a determined point in the movement of the latter. ,e

28. The combinatiomwith a carrying-cable and with a conveying element 'supported thereby for movement in a determined path, of curved racks concentric with the axis of vsaid cable, and a swinging frame supported Asmooth circumferential journal-surface, and

each having also stop-Han ges atopposite sides of such journal-surface.

30. In a conveyer, the combination, with a Inultistrand carrying-cable, of a series of separate bearing members inserted among the strands of the cable at different points in the length of the latter and grooved substantially lengthwise 4of the cable and each having a Vcirctunferential journal-surface with stopfaces' at opposite ends thereof, and conveying elements journaled on said bearing members between said stop-faces. .f

31. In a conveyor, the combination, with a multistrand carrying-cable, of a series of separate bearing members linsert-*eil'among the strands of the cable at di-iferent points in the length of the latter and grooved substantially .'-lengthwise of the cable and each having a circumferential journal-surface with stopfaces at opposite ends thereof; collars encircling the journal-surfaces of said bearing members and located between said stop-faces; and conveying elements supported by said collars'. v

32. `In a conveyer,the combination, with a multistrand carrying-cable, ofa series of separate bearing members inserted 'among the strands of the cable at diierent points in the length of the latter and Vgrooved substantially lengthwise of the cable and each having a circumferential journal-surface with stopfaces at oppositeends thereof; divided co1- lars encircling the journal-surfaces of said bearing members and located between said stop-faces and conveying elements supported by said collars.

' 33. In a conveyer, the combination, with a y multistrand carrying-cable, o f a series of separate bearing members inserted among the strands of the cableV at diierentV points in the length of' the latter and each having a cir-` of a continuous conveying member shit'table v at different points in the length thereof transverselyto thedirection of travel of the cable without disturbing the relative positions of the cable and the remainder of the conveying member, to thereby discharge portions of the load carried at dierent points in the length of the conveying member, while the remainder of the load at the other points in the length of said conveyingmember is not discharged at such time.

35. The combination, with a continuous carrying-cable, and with material-containing conveying elements pendent therefrom, of means for imparting a traveling movement IIO to, and elevating, the cable, said means einl bodying 'movable cable supporting and ele vating means disposed in a spiral path. y 36. The combination, with a continuous carrying-cable, and with material-containing conveying elements pendent therefrom, of means for imparting a traveling movement to, and elevating, the cable, said means embodying a series of rotary cable supporting and elevating sheaves disposed in a spiral path. FRANCIS H. RICHARDS.

lvitnesses: f

F. \N. CHASE, JOHN O. SEIFERT.

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