Patent GB-558181-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for loading and unloading wheeled vehicles
IPC: E21F13/06
Filed: 1942-02-10
Abstract: 558,181. Loading and unloading vehicles. BRITISH ROPEWAY ENGINEERING CO., Ltd., SHIELDS, H. F. H., and GROSSMITH, G. W. Feb. 10, 1942, Nos. 1765 and 2609. [Class 78 (iv)] Apparatus for loading and unloading vehicles running on a track comprises in one machine also running on the track a wagon tippler for unloading and a drag-scraper for loading and unloading. Vehicles to be unloaded are run on to the machine and are tipped to form a heap at the side of the machine, this heap being then stocked farther away by means of the drag scraper ; vehicles to be loaded are run on to the machine and are filled from the' stock heap by means of the drag scraper. In the construction shown, a framework 10 is mounted on bogie wheels 20, 22 travelling on a standard track 24 and carries a rotary tippler 30 and the winches for operating a drag-scraper 48 co-operating with a trough or ramp 50 universally-mounted at 52 on the framework. The rotary tippler is carried by a truck 32 mounted on bogies 27 running on the track 24 and comprises a cradle 36 having arms 33 which can roll on tracks 71 on the truck from the upright position shown in Fig. 3 to the two tilted positions shown in Fig. 4. The truck is provided with rails 38 in alignment with hinged ramp rails 40, 42 registering with the rails 24, so that a wagon on the rails 24 can be run up on to the truck and then be tipped in the tippler. The tipping cradle is rotated by means of ropes 57, 157 attached thereto at 59 and passing over pulleys 61, 63, 65, 67 to a winch 69. As the cradle begins to tip a wagonholding bar 39 carried by a pair of arms 41, which are pivoted at 43 to the cradle and are controlled by counterweight ropes 45, is moved to make contact with the top of the wagon and hold it on to the rails 38. The ropes 45 pass over pulleys 47 to a lever 49, 51 pivoted at 53 and carrying a counterweight 55. The wagon is tipped to form a heap 73 which may be stocked out by the drag-scraper to form a dump 75. The drag-scraper comprises a bucket 48, Fig. 1b, that can be hauled to and fro by means of an outhaul rope 90 and an inhaul rope 82. These ropes pass round pulleys 62 on a ballasted truck 64 and round pulleys 86, 96, to two drums 74, 76 of a winch 72. The pulley 96 is movable parallel to the rails 24 to alter the position of the rope 90 so that the bucket can work over the entire length of the dump 75. When forming the dump 75. the coal ramp 50 is raised as shown in Fig. 4. When an empty wagon on the truck 32 is to be loaded from the dump the ramp 50 is lowered and the bucket 48 is operated to drag coal up the ramp until it falls through an opening 54 and into the wagon. The ramp is universally-pivoted at 52 to the framework 10 and is supported by ropes 142 from a jib 134 pivoted at 136 so that it can be swung in a horizontal plane. Wheels 138 on the jib run on a curved track 140. The ramp is raised and lowered by an electric motor, or manual gear may be used. The jib can be slewed either manually or by power. The machine as a whole may be hauled along the track 24 by means of a capstan 130 on the machine and a rope 233 led off to either end to a fixed point. The machine, instead of travelling along the rails 24 may travel on one of these rails and on a third rail, or may travel on separate rails of wider or narrower gauge than the rails 24.