Patent GB-775767-A (GB)
Title: Conveyor systems
Inventor: CHAMBERLAIN WILLIAM HEDGER
IPC: B65G47/26
Filed: 1954-04-28
Abstract: 775,767. Mixing appliances. CHAMBERLAIN & SONS, Ltd., W. W. April 12, 1955 [April 28, 1954], No. 12388/54. Class 86 [Also in Groups XVIII and XXX] In a system wherein containers 3 are moved by a chain 1 around a closed track 9 and are stopped in turn at each of three filling and uniting stations and at a dumping station (see Group XXX), the first station consists of a hopper 35 into which a weighed quantity of solid material placed in a pan 39 carried by a pivoted arm 40 is delivered by upward swinging of the arm by a compressed air cylinder 42, an oscillating sieve 49, a flexible extension 37 of the hopper communicating with a head 36 which is'successively lowered into and raised from each container automatically as it stops at the station by a compressed air cylinder 64, and a hollow perforated ring 57 within the head 36 which is supplied with a mixture of liquids and which sprays the liquids through the perforations 58 on to the falling material within the head. The supply of a main liquid is by a valve controlled by a cylinder 106, Fig. 9, while the second liquid is pumped from a tank to join the main stream in a pipe 59 leading to the ring 57 by a pump 108. The head 36 in its upper position closes a switch 99 which enables a circuit to be completed by an arriving container (see Group XXX) to forward it into position below the head. As the container comes into position a shoe 16 carried by it depresses a roller 95, rotating a rod 93 which, through a push rod 97, closes a switch 98. This causes energization of solenoids 117 and 119, opening valve 120 to admit air to cylinder 42. for swinging the arm 40, and opening valve 118 to admit air to cylinder 64 for lowering the head and also air to a cylinder 124 whose piston rod 125 communicates with a dash pot 125, to cause slow descent of a catch 126 which operates in turn switches 127-129. The first switch prepares for the forwarding of a following container (see Group XXX), switch 128 energizes solenoid 131, reversing valve 120 to lower the arm 40, and switch 129 energizes solenoid 132, reversing valve 118 to raise the head 36. While, the head was lowered, it closed a switch 102 which, through an adjustable electronic timer 121 and solenoid-operated valve 123, caused a predetermined amount of liquids to be supplied to the ring 57 by operation of the cylinders 106 and 108. Each of the second and third stations comprises a well 136 containing liquid into which a scoop pivoted on the end of a rod 147 is lowered by operation of a cylinder 142 through a cable 144, and a rotary mixer consisting of a set of vanes 157 rotated through gearing 160 by a motor 161. The gearing 160 includes a socket 197 for a contra-rotating vane assembly, if desired, or may be adapted to drive contra-rotating blades which are co-axial. The mixer is carried by pairs of parallel links 163, 164 from a stand 156, the former being counterweighted and raised and lowered by a cylinder 169. The upper links carry a lug 173 which closes a switch 172 in the raised position, this switch performing the same function as switch 99 at the first station and enabling a container to be forwarded into position whereby shoe 16 closes a switch 175, energizing solenoid 178 to open valve 179 admitting air to cylinder 142 to cause scoop 149 to be raised until a catch 150 engages an abutment 154 to tip the contents via a shoot 155 into the container and admitting air to cylinders 180 and 190. The piston rod of the latter communicates with a dash pot 191 to cause the slow descent of a catch 188 while the former contains oil which passes slowly into the cylinder 169 to lower the mixer at a controlled rate. As the mixer is lowered motor 161 is energized by a mercury switch 166 on one of the links 163 to rotate the vanes in one direction. As the catch 188 descends, it successively actuates a reversing switch 183 to reverse the motor 161, a switch 193 which is equivalent to the switch 127 at the first station, and a switch 194 which energizes solenoid 196, reversing valve 179 and returning the scoop and mixed to their original positions.