Improvements in Machinery for Handling or Manipulating and Piling Coal and analogous Material.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Handling or Manipulating and
Piling Coal and analogous Material.
I, JAMES MAPES DODGE, of Clapier Street and McKean Avenue, German
town, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America, Mechanical 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 has for its object to provide improved machinery for conveying and
piling coal or analogous materials for storage purposes.
Heretofore for this purpose, two general plans have been adopted, the first being
the erection of long and substantially horizontal ways from which are suspended
large buckets that are moved back and forth, receiving and discharging loads of
coal intermittently, such ways being supported by upright framework or posts,
which remain buried in the coal to a greater or less extent for a long period, said
supports being thus subjected to the deteriorating action of moisture, sulphur etc.,
and interfering with the free use of devices for reloading the coal for shipment.
The other plan consists mainly in the use of an endless conveyor chain or rope
provided with laterally projecting flights or scrapers adapted to feed coal regularly
and continuously to the storage pile, the mechanism being supported by a pole, or
a mast and boom.
is often
By the operation of this device a substantially conical pile is formed but a pole
support is open to the objections noted above, and a boom overcomes the difficulties
only in the case of small piles as it must be inclined at an angle to the horizontal,
not greater than the angle of repose of the material to be piled and cannot
practically be made long enough and strong enough to span half of a large pile.
Furthermore, in coal piling outfits using a suspended chain and flights,
desirable to employ intervening plates to reduce the friction between the loaded
flights or scrapers and the coal over which they travel, and as these plates are
heavy and have to be carried over the yielding coal, and must be readjusted in
case the pile settles from any cause, it is desirable to provide some convenient
means of supporting an adjustable antifriction plate or series of plates interposed
between the flights or scrapers and the pile, besides rendering all parts of the
machinery accessible for oiling, repairs etc., and reducing the strain which would be
exerted on the chain if the latter was suspended between wheels.
The object of my invention is to overcome the difficulties and secure the desirable
features described above.
To enable those skilled in the art to which my invention relates, to understand
and practice the same, I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully,
referring to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a coal piling apparatus, illustrating my
invention.
Figure 2 is a top view of the same.
Figure 3 is a detailed view on a larger scale showing a cross section of a portion
of the truss structure and illustrating the relation of one of the flights or scrapers
to the supporting ways.
Figure 4 is a view illustrating a portion of a truss with another form of
conveyer; and
Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the conveyer and support, shown
in Figure 1.
C is the conveyer chain or rope, F F are flights or scrapers, W₁ is the head
wheel, or that around which the chain and flights pass at the upper end of the

page_text: conveyer, W is a wheel at the bend or angle between the horizontal and inclined
runs of the conveyer used to hold the chain down and prevent the draft strain from
lifting it away from its work, W is the tail wheel of the conveyer, around which
the chain and flights pass at the receiving end, P is the pile of coal, M and M'
are masonry supports for the lower ends of a pair of trusses, inclined in opposite
directions at or about the angle of repose of the pile and connected at their upper
or meeting ends so as to constitute the legs of a sheers structure, G being the lateral
guys to stay the sheers in an upright position, and R the rod or other connection
between the feet of the sheers to prevent further spread.
In Figure 3 the inclined ways or supports which carry the flights or scrapers
are marked S, and the attachment block, by means of which the flight is fastened
to the chain is A.. The operation will be largely understood from the above
description, and a reference to the drawings. In the present instance the material
is fed to the horizontal portion at any convenient point between W³ and W, and
after it leaves the level at W it is carried up by the lower run of the conveyer and
discharged onto the pile at its various stages of formation.
In handling coal which has large lumps, and where the friction between the
loaded flights or scrapers, and the coal over which they travel would be excessive
it is desirable to use an adjustable intervening plate (or series of plates) to over-
come the friction, and the construction of the truss furnishes supports for such a
plate and also for the conveyer flights as will be seen in Figure 3 where the plate
is represented at I, and is carried by ledges or angle iron projections a provided
on the truss for the purpose.
The form in which I prefer to make this plate and the means for adjusting it,
I have fully described in the Specification of another Application filed by me
simultaneously herewith.
This plate may be briefly described as a steel ribbon or belt which is as shown in
Figure 5 wound around a drum bat or near the foot of the truss along which the
conveying machinery travels, and is arranged to be drawn up towards the upper
end of the conveyer as the formation of the pile progresses, the ribbon being sup-
ported on the ledges a in the truss framework, as described above, and adjustable
lengthwise of the leg of the sheers so as to form an advancing point of discharge to
suit the requirements of the growing pile.
To make all parts accessible for oiling and repairing I attach to the side of the
truss and about on a level with the conveying machinery a walk or stairway, with
a light hand rail, at the outside.
Of the two runs of chains or flights the lower or carrying run is sustained by the
side supporting ways SS thus overcoming the strain which would result from the
suspension of a long stretch of chain and flights between the upper and lower
wheels. The space between the lower ends of the side plates S provides for the
discharge of the coal, when the latter has been carried up to the top of the
adjustable bottom plate I, or to the apex of the pile, when said bottom plate is
not used. The upper run of chain and flights is returned on guide strips G² as
shown in Figure 1, or on idlers placed near enough together to prevent the strain
of such long stretches.
The truss structure furnishes a support for these idlers when used, so that they
do not require to be suspended by ropes or cables under great tension as has been
necessary heretofore.
In Figure 1, I have shown my piling device as used in connection with a hori-
zontal conveyer, and it is evident that the horizontal portion could be extended to
any desired distance, or dispensed with altogether without affecting my invention,
and it is also plain that the driving power may be applied either at W₁ or W3 as
the circumstances of the case may suggest.
The sheer legs are preferably provided with masonry supports, and the feet are
preferably held from further separation by a tie rod R or other connection running
under the pile and insulated from the effects of moisture, sulphur, etc., in any well
known manner and the two legs of the truss are hinged at the apex, as a matter of

page_text: convenience in construction and erection, but it is evident that various modi-
fications of such details of arrangement may be adopted without departing from my
invention.
I have shown my device as applied to the style of coal handling machinery
which I have used most frequently, namely that which employs an endless chain
or cable provided with transverse flights or scrapers, but it is evident that I can
use any other form of continuous conveyer, for instance a screw conveyer, as shown
in Figure 4, supported at proper intervals by bearings suitably attached to the
truss structure.
The form illustrated in the drawing utilizes but one leg of the sheers, but if
circumstances should make it desirable to use both legs, this modified form would,
of course, come within the spirit of my invention, and, if desired, the sheers may
be composed of more than two legs.
I have not considered it necessary to illustrate the various uses which could be
made of my device.
In the claims I use the words "continuous-forward-feed-conveyer" to distinguish
the conveyer used by me from conveyers which carry a load to the pile and return
for a new load before another load is discharged onto the pile, such for instance as
a single bucket which reciprocates between the point of loading and the point of
discharge or piling.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
First. In an apparatus for piling coal or analogous material, a sheer structure
composed of legs arranged in respect to each other, at or about the angle of repose
of the material to be piled, and also arranged to span the pile to be formed, with a
continuous-forward-feed conveyer carried by said sheer structure and adapted to
form the pile under the sheer, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second. In an apparatus for piling coal, or analogous material, a conveyer
support inclined at or about the angle of repose of the material to be piled, and
fixed in this position, an endless conveyer travelling on said support and provided
with flights, the lower run of the conveyer being the elevating one, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
Third. The combination of a conveyer support extending upwards at or about
the angle of repose of the material to be piled, a movable bottom for varying the
point of discharge, and a continuous-forward-feed conveyer for carrying the material
up the inclined plane to the said discharge point, substantially as and for the
purposes hereinbefore described.
Fourth. In an apparatus for piling coal or analogous material, a stationary
sheer structure composed of legs fixed in respect to each other at or about the
angle of repose of the material to be piled, and also arranged to span the pile to be
formed, masonry supports upon which the lower ends of the legs are fixed and a
continuous-forward-feed-conveyer carried by said sheer structure, and adapted to
form the pile under the sheers, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Fifth. The combination of an inclined supporting structure with a continuous-
forward-feed conveyer supported throughout the length of its elevating portion by
said structure, the latter having an open bottom to permit of the discharge of
material from the elevating portion of the conveyer at advancing points throughout
the length of the support substantially as hereinbefore described.
Sixth. The combination of the inclined supporting structure having side bearing
plates throughout its length and open at its centre for the free discharge of material,
with a continuous-forward-feed conveyer supported by the side plates throughout
the length of its elevating portion, substantially as described.
Seventh. The combination of an inclined supporting structure having side plates
and movable bottom, with a continuous-forward-feed conveyer adapted to be

page_text: supported throughout the length of its elevating portion by said structure, sub-
stantially as set forth.
Eighth. The combination of the sheers composed of legs inclined at or about
the natural angle of repose of the material to be piled, and joined at their upper
ends, with a conveyer, arranged to carry the material to be piled up one of said
legs, and means for connecting the lower parts of the legs together, substantially as
set forth.
Ninth. The combination of the sheers having legs inclined at or about the
natural angle of repose of the material to be piled, and joined at their upper ends,
an inclined plane on one of said legs, and a continuous-forward-feed conveyer for
carrying the material on this inclined plane to a point of discharge, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
Tenth. The combination of the sheers composed of legs inclined at or about the
natural angle of repose of the material to be piled, a wheel at or about the junction
of the two legs, a wheel at the base of one of said legs, an endless chain conveyer,
flights thereon, and a guide supported by the leg for the return run of the endless
chain, substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 24th day of February 1891
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.