Improvements in Endless Chain Conveyors for Coal and other Materials.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Aug., 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Endless Chain Conveyors for Coal and other
Materials.
I, CHARLES WALLACE HUNT, of Barker Street, West New Brighton, in the
State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to that class of conveyors in which the buckets are
pivotted and hang by gravity between endless chains that are supported by and
are moved over tracks that are either level, or inclined, or vertical.
The novel features of these improvements relate to the endless chains that are
each made double so that the supporting wheels or rollers are between the links,
and such links have the axles of the wheels serving also as the joint pins of the
links, and the strain or tension on the chain links is taken upon the axles at each
side of each wheel or roller. The links being double are connected together in
pairs, and the axles pass across from one chain to the other so as to form cross
bars connecting the chains, and the buckets are in the quadrangular openings
between the chains and axle cross bars.
The buckets are pivotally connected to the chains so as to hang therefrom by
gravity, and on arriving at the place of discharge the buckets are tipped, to empty
their contents, by coming into contact successively with a stationary stop that
turns the buckets up vertically in which position they clear the stop and are at
liberty to pass on.
The pivotal bearings of the buckets are preferably separable with movable
closures, so that any bucket can be disconnected for repairs, or otherwise, without
taking the chain apart.
When the tracks over which the chain of buckets travels have short curves it is
preferable to make the double links sufficiently short to admit of the use of four
such links to cach bucket, the chains being composed of links extending from the
axle cross bars to the respective pivots of the buckets, there being rollers or
supports resting on the tracks in line with the pivots as well as on the axle cross
bars.
In vessels and other places where the space for the endless chain elevator is
contracted, sliding blocks upon the chains may be employed in place of the
rollers or wheels, and the tracks are channel or [shaped bars supported by
timbers or hangers.
In some cases the pivots for the buckets are in the form of bars or rods passing
centrally across the buckets, and when such rods would be obstructions, the pivots
are fastened upon and project from the sides of the buckets, and when the short links
are used in the chain the pivots of the buckets are either in line with, or else they
form the axles for, the wheels or supports, or else the pivots and axles are as nearly
in line as the attachments of such pivots and axles to the chain links will permit.
Dated this 10th day of November 1891
ERNEST DE PASS,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham.
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Endless Chain Conveyors for Coal and other
Materials.
I, CHARLES WALLACE HUNT of Barker Street, West New Brighton, in the
State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, that is to say :—
These improvements relate to that class of conveyors in which the buckets are
pivoted and hang by gravity between endless chains that are supported by and
are moved over tracks that are either level, or inclined, or vertical.
The novel features of these improvements relate to the endless chains that are
each made double, so that the supporting wheels or rolls are between the links, and
such links have the axles of the wheels as the joint pins of the plate links, and the
strain or tension on the chain links is taken upon the axles at each side of each
wheel or roll. The links being double are connected together in pairs, and the
axles pass across from one chain to the other so to form cross bars that connect
the chains, and the buckets are in the quadrangular openings between the chains
and axles cross bars.
The buckets are pivotally connected to the chains so as to hang therefrom by
gravity, and on arriving at the place of discharge the buckets are tipped to empty
their contents by coming into contact successively with a stationary stop that turns
the buckets up vertically, and then the bucket clears the stop and passes on.
The pivotal bearings of the buckets are preferably separable with movable
closures, so that any bucket can be disconnected for repairs, or otherwise, without
taking the chain apart.
When the tracks over which the chain of buckets travel have short curves, it is
preferable to make the double links sufficiently short to use four such links to each
bucket, the chains being composed of links extending from the axle cross bars to
the respective pivots of the buckets, there being rollers or supports resting on the
tracks on line with the pivots as well as on the axle cross bars.
In vessels and other places where the space for the endless chain elevator is
contracted, sliding blocks upon the chains may be employed in place of the
rolls or wheels, and the tracks are channel or shaped bars supported by timbers
or hangers.
In some cases the pivots for the buckets are in the form of bars or rods passing
centrally across the buckets, and when such rods would be obstructions, the pivots
are fastened upon and project from the sides of the buckets, and when the short
links are used in the chain the pivots of the buckets are either in line with or else
they form the axles for the wheels or supports, or else the pivots and axles are as
nearly in line as the attachments of such pivots and axles to the chain links will
permit.
In the drawings,
Fig. is a plan view and Fig. 2 is an elevation of the conveyor with the links
extending from one cross axle to the other.
Fig. 3 is a plan and Fig. 4 an elevation of the conveyor with the links extending
from the cross shafts or axles to the pivots, so as to use shorter links for tracks
that have more abrupt curves.
Fig. 5 is a sectional view of one roller, track and pivot.
Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view of the roller and pivot in a modified form.
Fig. 7 is a plan view of the double links with the pivot adjacent to the inter-
mediate wheel and axle.
Fig. 8 is an elevation and Fig. 9 a plan view, of the tipping device for the cars.

page_text: Fig. 10 is a partial plan view, and Figs. 11 and 12 are vertical sectional views of
the supporting tracks with slides.
Fig. 13 is a side view of one of the buckets, and Fig. 14 is a detached view of
the slide in a modified form.
The endless chains A are preferably made with double sets of links, as represented
in Figs. 1 and 3, and the buckets B are of any suitable shape, such as shown in
Figs. 2, 4 and 13, or in Figs. 8 and 9, and the pivots C support the buckets and
connect them with the chain, and the tracks D are stationary for the endless chain
conveyor to be drawn along upon the same.
In Fig. 1 the endless chains are represented as made with links extending from
one cross shaft or axle E to the other, such cross shafts or axles being intermediate
to the buckets, and the links are joined up in pairs by cross rivets and thimbles 2,
and the wheels F, or rolls, run upon the tracks D, and the links of the endless
chain are at each side of each wheel, so that the tension of the chain does not tend
to bend the cross shafts or axles, because the bearings are at both sides of each
wheel or roller, and the parts can be made much stronger and of lighter weight by
this construction than in the chain conveyors that have heretofore been made.
In Figs. 3 and 4 the buckets and endless chains are made in the manner before
described, only the links are shorter, so that intermediate wheels F may be
used in the line of the pivots C, or nearly so, in order that shorter links may be
made use of and the chain thereby adapted to tracks that have more abrupt curves,
and the supports are closer to the pivots.
In Fig. 5 the pivot is represented as forming the axle for the intermediate
wheel F and it also serves as a pin for joining the links of the chain together. In
this case it is preferable to support the pivot at its connection with the bucket by a
projecting plate or socket 3 riveted to the bucket.
In Fig. 6 the pivot C is represented as riveted to one link of the chain and
extending into the socket 3. upon the bucket, and in this case the axle 4 for the
wheel Fis separate from the pivot.
In Fig. 7 the axle 4 for the wheel F¹ is as close to the pivot C as convenient,
but not in line with the same, and the pivot C is represented as projecting from one
of the links of the chain as in Fig. 6.
In Fig. 1 the pivots C are represented in the form of bars crossing the buckets,
but the pivots may be separate, as seen in Fig. 3, in order that the buckets may be
unobstructed for the reception of ore, coal, or other material.
The buckets B and endless chain A represented in Figs. 8 and 9, also show a
modification in the manner of connecting the buckets, so that either bucket can be
separated from.the chains without disconnecting the parts of the chains themselves;
with this object in view, the open bearings G receive the pivots C, and such
open bearings allow for the bucket being lifted off the pivots after withdrawing a
pin, or other movable closure, 5, for the open bearing of the bucket.
The open bearings G are represented in Figs. 8 and 9 as riveted upon the ends
of the bucket B; they may be however fastened or fitted in any convenient manner,
and they are also represented as extended downward and forward to form the
stops 6 which come into contact with the stationary stop H upon the track, or at
any convenient or desired place where the bucket is to be tipped for its discharge,
and such stop 6 coming into contact with the stationary stop H detains that part 6
of the stop, and as the pivots of the bucket move forward the bucket is swung
into a vertical position as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8 for the discharge of
the contents, and after the stop 6 clears the stationary stop H, the bucket swings
back into its normal position by gravity.
In warehouses, vessels, and other places, the space for the conveyor is frequently
contracted so that there is not room enough for the rollers or wheels F. In such
cases make use of slides I connected with the pivots of the buckets, or the cross
axles of the chain, and the tracks are in the form of slide ways D', within which
the slides I travel, as represented in Fig. 11, or when the slide way D' has a
projecting rib, as shown in Fig. 12, the slides I may be grooved upon their outer

page_text: "
faces to slide upon the slide ways, and it is preferable to incline or taper the ends
of the slides, so that they will not become obstructed in their movements along the
slide-ways, and these slides may be double as represented in Fig. 14, so as to form
two shoes connected together by the cross axle or pivot and standing in opposite
directions, so that either one slides freely upon the bearing surface of the
slide-way.
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. The combination with the buckets and tracks in a conveying apparatus,
of chains, each of which is made of double links at opposite sides of the wheels
or" rollers to form the bearings for the rolls and their cross shafts or axles,
substantially as set forth."
Second. The combination with the buckets and tracks' in a chain conveying
apparatus, of two chains one at each side, wheels or rolls between the links of the
chains, cross shafts passing through the links of the chain and forming axles for
the wheels or rolls, and intermediate wheels or rolls in line, or nearly so, with the
pivots of the buckets, substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination with the buckets and tracks in an endless chain
conveyor, of chains inade of double links united together in pairs, cross shafts
uniting the links and forming the axles for the rollers or wheels, and pivots
projecting from the buckets and uniting the links of the chains and forming the
axles for the intermediate wheels or rolls, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The combination, with the chains and tracks or supports in a chain
conveyor, of buckets, pivots upon which the buckets are supported, and open
bearings for the pivots with movable closures whereby 'the buckets can be removed
without disconnecting the parts of the chains, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The combination with the chains and buckets in an endless chain con-
- veyor, of stops extending forward and downward, and a stationary stop with which
the stop on the bucket comes in contact to tip the bucket and discharge the
contents, substantially as set forth.
Sixth. The combination with the buckets and chains in an endless chain con-
veyor, of slides and slide-ways for supporting the buckets and chains, substantially
as set forth.
1009
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.