Patent GB-191217855-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Machines for Charging and Discharging Gas Retorts.
Inventor: LAKE WILLIAM EDWARD
IPC: C10B31/06
Filed: 1912-08-01
Granted: 1913-07-31
Abstract: 17,855. Lake, W. E., [Riter-Conley Manufacturing Co.]. Aug. 1. Charging and discharging.-Comprises modifications in discharging-chargers of the kind in which a longitudinally-divided charging- scoop acts also as a ram to eject the fuel from the retort, the scoop being mounted on screws so that it can be adjusted to suit the level of the retort being charged. The machine comprises a framework 1 mounted on wheels 2 operated from an electric motor 4 through a shaft 6 with a universal joint 7, and worm and bevel gearing 8, 10. The charging and discharging mechanism is mounted on a carriage track 31 suspended from nuts 29, within which work vertical screwed shafts 17 adapted to be rotated to raise and lower the device to suit the various levels of the retorts. The screws are operated simultaneously from a motor 21 through spur, worm, and bevel gearing, and to ensure flexibility single or double universal joints as 25', 28 are interposed in the various shafts. The nuts 29 in which the screws work are attached to the girders carrying the carriage track by ball-and-socket joints. The carriage 63 carrying the scoops 46 is mounted on wheels 48, 49 running on rails on the track 31, and is operated from the motor 50 through gearing 52, a slipping clutch, and a screwed shaft 51. The clutch, which is interposed to allow independent rotation of the motor when the carriage meets an excessive resistance is constructed, as shown in Fig. 12, with a plate 60 gripped between plates 55, 59 owing to the pressure exerted by a dished spring 58. The plate 60 is formed with cork friction surfaces and is keyed to the screwed shaft. The pressure on the plate can be varied by screwing up the cover-plate 56. The charging-scoop comprises two pairs of trough-shaped members a, b, Fig. 8, of which the outer members a are carried by hollow shafts 62, Fig. 9, mounted rotatably on the carriage, while the inner sections are carried by shafts 64 within the hollow shafts 62. The shafts 62 are geared together, and are operated by a gear-wheel slidably mounted on the squared shaft 66 running the length of the carriage track. This shaft is driven from a motor 67, Fig. 1, through spur and worm gearing, a crank, a floating rack 76, and a pinion 77. The sections b carried by the shafts 64 are operated from the shafts 62 by suitably arranged tappets. Coal is fed to the scoops from a hopper, the discharge being controlled by hinged doors 87, 88, Fig. 16, at its base, and doors at the lower end of the telescopic shoot 107. The doors 87 are operated simultaneously from a motor 89, Fig. 1, through gearing, a crank arm 96, connecting-rod 97, and intermeshing toothed quadrants 98, 99 on the shafts 100 of the doors. The quadrants have cam surfaces 101 which operate levers 103 on the shafts 104 of the lower doors 88. The amount of opening of these doors is controlled by adjusting the cam rollers 102 in the levers 103. The coal passes from the hopper to a telescopic shoot 107, the lower end of which is controlled by interconnected doors operated from a hand-lever through connecting-rods and intermeshing quadrants. In connexion with each motor is provided a solenoid - controlled braking - device which is brought into operation when the current is cut off. The trollies 5 for picking up the current can be lowered from the supply mains by a hand-rod 216, counterweighted lever 217, and a tappet 219, which depresses the lever 220 and the trollies. The wiring arrangements for a three-phase current are described at length in the Specification. In connexion with the motor 4 for travelling the whole machine, the circuits provide for (a) a direct and reverse drive, with high and low speeds on each, according as an extra resistance is included in the armature circuit or not, and (b) an automaticallyoperated switch for breaking the circuit when the scoops are in a retort. The hoisting-motor has a single speed direct and reverse drive and is controlled by automatically-operated switches which break the circuit (a) when the carriage track has reached either its extreme uppermost or lowermost position, (b) when the doors at the lower end of the telescopic shoot are closed, and (e) when the scoops are in the retorts. The scoop carriage motor has both direct and reverse drives and is controlled by a switch operated by a solenoid, the circuit through which is completed by a hand-operated switch. In its travel the carriage automatically operates switches which (a) cut off the current to the motor near the end of the travel of the carriage (b) complete a circuit through the scoop motor when the carriage has reached the extreme forward limit of its stroke, the circuit being broken again when the coal has been dumped in the retort, (c) complete and afterwards break circuits for the operation of the carriage motor on the'reverse drive, and (d) reverse the scoops at the rearward limit of the stroke. Hand-operated switches are provided so that both the motors 50, 67 can be reversed independently of the automatic switches. The motor 89 for operating the hopper doors is controlled by a hand-operated switch which completes a circuit through a solenoid for operating a main motor switch. The circuit through the solenoid is maintained and broken after a determined time by a rotary switch.