or other Places for Conveying Grain or other Materials.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 17th Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 17th Feb., 1888
or other Places for Conveying Grain or other Materials.
I, JOHN BENJAMIN STONER, of Nook Villa, 2 Ainsworth Road, West Croydon, in
the County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to automatic apparatus chiefly designed for conveying grain
from one place to another in a nearly horizontal plane.
According to my invention, I construct the said apparatus in such a manner that
the grain, which is put into troughs or other suitable receptacles, will be conveyed by
gravitation, that is to say by the weight of the said grain.
In carrying my said invention into practice I provide a continuous or endless
railway or track of the desired length and having the requisite degree of inclination
or two tracks connected at each end by a wheel. This railway or track is preferably
made with two straight portions connected by two semi-circular parts or wheels and
placed either horizontally or vertically, that is to say, with the said straight portions
either side by side or one above another.
Upon this railway or track I arrange a continuous series of trucks or other suitable
receptacles, which are coupled together by connecting rods or chains in such a manner
that they can easily run around the semi-circular parts or wheels of the railway or
track. At each end of the said railway or track, I provide a wheel or roller carried
upon an axis or pivot at right angles to the plane of the railway or track.
The said trucks are intended to be supplied with grain from a hopper or chute,
while they are travelling along the said railway, and, to prevent loss of grain, the
rear end of each truck is made to project at a suitable angle over the forward end of
the succeeding truck. These trucks are provided with suitable wheels. In some
cases, I make them with two grooved wheels on the outer side arranged to run upon
a corresponding rail and with a plain wheel on the inner side designed to run upon a
flat plate.
The bottom of each truck is made with an aperture which can be closed by a valve.
This valve preferably consists of a plate hinged at its forward end to the bottom of

page_text: the truck and arranged in combination with a pivotted spring catch which tends to
hold the valve in its closed position. This catch projects downward so that, as the
truck arrives at the place where the grain is to be deposited, the said catch will be
disengaged by impact with a stop arranged upon the railway or track in the proper
position therefor. This stop can be made adjustable, and, if desired, a series of these
stops may be employed one above each bin for the reception of the grain from the
trucks, so that whichever bin is to be filled the corresponding stop may be adjusted
to act upon the latches of the trucks. In order to close the said valve before the
truck arrives at the place where it is to be loaded, I provide in suitable positions
upon the railway or track two rollers which, as the truck passes them will come
against the valve and close the same sufficiently to cause the said catch to engage
therewith.
I sometimes so construct the apparatus that the valves will be automatically closed
and latched at the proper times by gravity.
I usually provide a fixed bar or rod or other suitable means for preventing the
valve, when opened, from falling into a perpendicular position or beyond the point
requisite for the proper discharge of the grain.
It is obvious that I may employ other means than those above described for
permitting the escape of the grain from the truck at its place of discharge and again
closing the truck ready to receive a fresh load of grain.
When the track is horizontal, the loading is effected at the upper semi-circular part
of the railway or track or near the same on one side, and the discharge is effected at
any desired point on the same side or at the lower semicircular part of the said
railway or track. The weight of the grain will therefore cause the movement of the
whole series of trucks and thus bring them consecutively under the loading hopper
or chute.
When the track is arranged vertically the loading is effected at the upper or
receiving end of the track and discharged at any desired point below the same.
It will he readily understood that my apparatus may be employed for conveying
other materials than grain, for example, flour, coal, gravel or sand. It is moreover
evident that my apparatus might be arranged horizontally and driven by steam or
other power by connecting a sprocket wheel at one end of the track with suitable
mechanism whereby it can be rotated to cause the trucks to move along the railway
or track. A brake or locking device is provided for stopping the trucks. I prefer
to provide means whereby this brake or locking device will be automatically operated
whenever the grain ceases to flow down the chute or hopper and will be automatically
taken off whenever the grain commences to flow again. The trucks are thus always
stopped while full of grain thereby keeping sufficient energy stored up to start the
trucks again when necessary, so that, whenever grain is poured through the chute or
hopper, the trucks will be automatically started.
Dated this 17th day of February 1887.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: or other Places for Conveying Grain or other Materials.
I, JOHN BENJAMIN STONER, of Nook Villa 2 Ainsworth Road, West Croydon, in
the County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to apparatus for conveying grain or other materials from one
place to another in a horizontal or nearly horizontal plane, chiefly designed for use in
granaries or warehouses.
The main object of my said invention is to utilize the weight of grain or other
material delivered into trucks or other suitable receptacles for imparting motion to
the said trucks, or receptacles, that is to say, to provide for the conveyance or
transport of the grain or other material in a continuous manner, by gravity.
My said invention comprises the employment of a continuous or endless series or
chain of trucks or other suitable receptacles arranged to travel upon an endless
railway or track of the desired length and having the requisite degree of inclination.
These trucks or receptacles are coupled together by means of links or otherwise in
such a manner that they can easily run around semi-circular parts or wheels forming
parts of the said railway or track.
I also provide at any suitable part of the said railway or track, means for auto-
matically opening the said trucks or other receptacles to discharge the grain or other
material and for again closing them.
My said invention, moreover, comprises various other improvements hereinafter
set forth.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a plan, and
Figure 2 a side elevation of one form of my improved apparatus.
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line x, a Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, and
2
Figure 5 an end elevation, both drawn to an enlarged scale, showing one of the
trucks detached.
Figure 6 is a plan, illustrating the method of coupling the trucks.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is a strong framework or structure, upon which are secured the rails B. C, C are
the trucks, which are provided with suitable wheels C adapted to rest upon the said
rails. The axles C of these wheels are utilized for coupling the trucks. For this
purpose each truck is provided at one end with two lugs (3 one at each side thereof,
and at the other end with a central lug C, through which the said axle is passed,

page_text: It will be seen that there are two straight portions of the railway or track one
above the other. At each end of these straight portions I provide a pair of wheels D
carried upon a shaft or axle D' at right angles to the plane of movement of the
trucks. These wheels D are formed with notches D' to engage with the axles C³ of
the wheels C as the trucks pass around the said wheels D.
The trucks are intended to be supplied with grain from a hopper or chute such as is
shown in dotted lines at a Figure 2, while they are travelling along the said railway
or track. To prevent loss of grain by its falling between the trucks, the rear end of
each truck is made with a flange C which projects at a suitable angle over the forward
end of the succeeding truck.
The bottom of each truck is made with an aperture which can be closed by a flap-
valve E. This valve is hinged at its forward end to a bracket E¹ which is firmly
attached to the said truck, and which extends outward therefrom so that the pivot-pin E
of the hinge is a short distance from the side of the truck; this arrangement ensures
that the valve when opened shall move entirely away from the bottom of the truck
when opened. The said valve is turned up around its edges and is so arranged that,
when closed, it will not be in close contact with the bottom of the truck; therefore
should any grain adhere to the bottom of the truck or to the valve, it will not prevent
the closing of the latter; moreover the turned up edges will prevent the escape of
grain from the truck when closed. A spring catch F is pivotted to each truck and is
adapted to engage with the valve E and retain the same in its closed position.
Above each bin in which the grain is to be deposited, I provide a hopper G through
which the grain discharged from the trucks may fall into the said bin. Above the
rear end of each of these hoppers I provide a cross-bar H which is pivotted at one
end and is connected with a lever or other suitable device whereby it may be raised
or lowered. The catches F project downward so that as each truck arrives at the
place where the grain is to be discharged, its catch F will strike the cross-bar H if
the latter is in its raised position and will thereby be disengaged from the valve E.
If desired a series of these cross-bars may be employed one above each bin for the
reception of the grain from the trucks, so that whichever bin is to be filled, the corre-
sponding cross-bar may be adjusted to act upon the catches of the trucks. If the
grain is to be delivered over the end of the track, the whole of the said cross-bars are
lowered so that the said catches will not be disengaged from the valves.
In order to close the valves before the trucks arrive at the place where they are to
be loaded, I provide a metal bar or rail I for preventing the opening of the valves
beyond the distance requisite for the proper discharge of the grain. As the trucks
move around with the wheels D, the valves E will close automatically under the action
of gravity and the catches F will again engage with the said valves.
I sometimes provide in suitable positions upon the railway or track two rollers
which, as each truck passes them will come against the valve and close the same
sufficiently to cause the said catch to engage therewith.
It is obvious however, that I may employ other means than those above described
for permitting the escape of the grain from the trucks at their place of discharge and
again closing the said trucks ready to receive a fresh load of grain.
K is a brake for stopping the trucks when desired. This brake is arranged to be
operated by hand. I prefer however, to provide means whereby the trucks will
be stopped automatically whenever the flow of the grain down the chute or hopper a
is arrested and will be automatically released whenever the grain is permitted to flow
again. The trucks are thus always stopped while full of grain, and sufficient energy
is kept stored up to start the trucks again when necessary, so that, whenever grain is
poured from the chute or hopper, the trucks will be automatically started.
This modification of my invention is illustrated in Figure 7, in which b is a door
or valve pivoted at 6¹ for closing the chute or spout a. This valve is provided with a
lever c for operating it, and the said door or valve is connected by means of a link d
with the lever K¹ of the brake K.
When the railway or track is arranged vertically, that is to say, with one of its
straight portions above the other as shown in the drawings, the loading is effected at

page_text: the upper or receiving end of the track and the grain is discharged at any desired
point below the same.
I sometimes make the track horizontal, that is to say. I arrange the two straight
portions thereof side by side, and connect them by means of semi-circular portions.
In this case the loading is effected at the upper semi-circular part of the railway or
track, or near the same, on one side, and the dischargolis effected at any desired point
on the same side, or at the lower semi-circular part of the said railway or track. The
weight of the grain will, therefore, cause the movement of the whole of the series of
trucks and thus bring them consecutively under the loading hopper or chute.
It will be readily understood that my apparatus may be employed for conveying
other materials than grain, for example, flour, coal, gravel or sand. It is moreover
evident that my apparatus might be arranged to convey the said materials in a
horizontal plane and to be driven by steam or other power. For example by fixing
a pulley on one of the shafts D₁ and connecting it with a steam engine or other
motor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood
that I claim
First. An apparatus for conveying grain or similar materials, arranged to be
operated by the weight of such materials, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second. A conveyor for grain or other materials, comprising trucks or other
receptacles arranged to travel upon a continuous or endless railway or track,
substantially as, and for the purpose, above specified.
Third. The provision of means for automatically opening and closing the trucks
or other receptacles during the movement thereof, substantially as, and for the
purpose, set forth.
Fourth. The combination of two pairs or sets of rails arranged one above the other,
and two pairs of wheels to form a continuous or endless railway or track, substantially
as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Fifth. The above described method or manner of connecting or coupling the trucks
by means of an axle provided with wheels for the purpose specified and passed through
lugs or the like on the said trucks.
Sixth. The combination, with a truck, of a flap-valve formed with turned-up edges
and connected with the said truck by a hinge-joint a short distance from the side
thereof, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Seventh. The employment of means whereby, when the flow of grain through the
delivery chute or spout is arrested, the trucks will be stopped with sufficient grain or
other material therein to start them again, and, when the grain is again permitted to
flow through the said chute or spout, the said trucks will be released, substantially as,
and for the purposes set forth.
Eighth. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings and operating
as, and for the purpose, specified.
Dated this 17th day of November 1887.
JOHN BENJAMIN STONER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.