Patent GB-190103504-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Apparatus for Handling Material in Bulk.
Inventor: CLARKE PEETE BASIL
Filed: 1901-02-18
Granted: 1901-11-30
Abstract: 3504. Clarke, P. B. Feb. 18. Barges; bunkers.-Relates to a barge fitted with conveying apparatus for the purpose of receiving the material from the bunkers and discharging it into overhead shoots. Fig. 1 shows a general view of the apparatus. The material dealt with is stored in bunkers 2, with hopper-shaped bottoms closed by sliding doors 5. An endless conveyer, the guide rails only of which are shown in the Figure, runs along the bottom of the barge beneath the bunkers between rails 121, 122. At the bow this conveyer passes vertically upwards to the top of a tower-like structure 113 ; then, after a short horizontal flight, in which the discharging apparatus is placed, the conveyer descends and returns to the stern of the barge between guiderails 123, 124. In operation the doors 5 are opened as desired, to allow the material to fall into the travelling conveyer below. The buckets of the conveyer as they reach the top horizontal flight are automatically dumped into weigh-hoppers 158, 159, from which the material passes by adjustable shoots 184 to the discharging point. Figs. 7 and 9 show transverse and longitudinal sections respectively of the bottom of a hopper. The door 5 slides on projections 14. The opening and closing is effected by the partial rotation of a shaft 17 connected with the door by an arm 16 and a link 15. The motion of the door is limited by a link 210 attached to it which engages with a fixed pin 211. The shaft 17 is operated by a steam cylinder, the piston of which is connected to a crank on the shaft. The piston-rod is also fitted with a second and smaller piston which works in a cylinder of oil &c., the ends of which are connected by a pipe in which a regulating, cock is placed. The conveyer buckets 6 are carried by a chain fitted with transverse shafts 117, on the ends of which flanged wheels 120 are mounted to run between the rails 121, 122. The discharge of the hopper is facilitated by the rotation of a stirrer 20 driven from the shaft 62. As shown by Fig. 9, the ends of the buckets are flanged to bear against the transverse shafts 117 and thus leave no space between adjacent buckets. Trimming of the buckets is effected by a plate 153 which is hinged to a fixed plate 155 and is retained in a vertical position by a spring 155<b>. The sides of the bunkers are formed by flaps 9, hinged about a longitudinal axle 10, which are raised into an inclined position to facilitate the emptying of the bunkers by hydraulic rams 78, the valve gear of which is arranged in such a way that a decrease in the resistance offered to one of the rams determines a greater proportionate supply of live-water to the other. This is effected by means of an oscillating supply valve for each pair of rams, Fig. 17. The rod of this valve is fitted with a cross-arm 102, the ends of which are connected by ropes 104 passing over pulleys 107, 108 to the two ends of the flap 9. The ropes are kept taut by a weight 109. Should one end of the flap, therefore, move in advance of the other, the arm 102 is rocked and with it the rotary supply valve, to cut off partially the supply to one ram and correspondingly increase it to the other. Fig. 27 shows the upper horizontal flight of the conveyer in which the dumping takes place. The end of each bucket of the conveyer is fitted with projections 162, 163, adapted to strike against frames 160 and 161, which can be adjusted in such a way that alternate buckets only are tilted and emptied by the first frame. All the buckets are tilted by the second, but half of them only are full, thus the load is equally divided between the two shoots 156, 157, leading to the hoppers 158, 159. Below these hoppers are mounted two telescopic and pivoted shoots 182 suspended from booms 177, 178, Fig. 1, and adjusted by winches 176. To prevent the running back of the conveyer in case of a breakage, the buckets pass beneath a frame 197, Fig. 37, pivoted at 198 and held up by a pivoted hook 200 which engages during normal working with a pin 202. Pivoted to this hook is a short lever 203, the lower end of which strikes the transverse shafts 117 as they pass, and the upper end of which bears against a pin 204. Should the conveyer run back, a shaft strikes the lever 203, thus disengaging the hook 200 and allowing the frame 197 to fall into the position shown in broken lines, when the end 199 jams against and holds one of the shafts. The conveyer passes round a tensioning pulley 129, Fig. 1, mounted in bearings which can be slid backwards and forwards along guides by a nut and screw. To secure simultaneous and equal motion of the adjusting- nuts on the opposite sides of the pulley, each is fitted with a sprocket-wheel, and these sprocketwheels are connected by a chain. To reverse, or turn over, the buckets, as they pass from the discharging point to the stern of the barge, an inclined arm 194 is fixed in such a position as to strike the lateral projections on the ends of the buckets and thus upset them. A guide bar 195 keeps the buckets from tilting back again until gravity acts in such a way as to prevent it.