Improvements in Grain Chutes and similar Conduits.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1898
.COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Grain Chutes and similar Conduits.
I, FRED KUSER, of 407, East 55th Street, in the City, County, and State of
New York, United States of America, Machinist, 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 improvements in grain chutes, and similar conduits
for transmitting grain, sand, plaster, and other materials, either under the action
of gravity or when propelled by air blasts or otherwise. When angles occur in
such conduits as they have been heretofore constructed, the impact of the trans-
mitted material against the wall or walls of the conduit by which the change in
direction is secured, speedily wears them away, and after a time cuts a hole
entirely through them. To avoid this the conduits at such angles have heretofore
been reinforced in some manner, sometimes by lining them at those places with
a plate of metal
of special hardness and weight, and sometimes
by
inserting at the angles a section of the conduit made of much heavier
or thicker material than the other parts, for the purpose of resisting the wear
longer. These expedients have been somewhat expensive, and in any event
merely delay the necessity for repairs.
By my invention the conduits are freed from any more wear at the angles than
at other places; indeed, they have not so much wear as the straight portions;
and I also supply means whereby they may be opened at such angles for clearing
The drawing
out any objectionable matter that may at any time occur in them.
hereof illustrates an elevation; partly in section, of an elevator head and a grain
or similar chute connecting with it.
A, B and C illustrate three sections of the chute. A and C being shown as
inclined, and B as vertical and connecting with A and C so as to produce the
two angles at D and E. At each of these places the upper sections of the chute
respectively are extended somewhat beyond the point of intersection with them
of the adjacent section, thus forming pockets or receptacles, F and G, so located
and arranged that the transmitted material which first passed through the chute
will fill up the pockets until it attains a height which may be approximately
represented by the lines H and I respectively; and when the pockets are thus
filled, it is evident that the material thereafter passing through the chute will
cushion or strike against that already in the pockets, and that all the impact
thereof will be taken up or neutralized by it as a sort of buffer and none of the
wear will come upon the conduit, and that, consequently, instead of there being
so much as 19
excessive wear at the angles, they are protected against even
applied to the straight portions. With some classes of material as, for instance
grain, fermentation or other undesirable changes may occur, after a lapse of
time, in the quantity thereof held in the pockets, also nails, stones and other im-
purities will be caught and held in these pockets, particularly since by their
weight they force themselves into the material already in the pockets and are
there permanently held. This separation of injurious impurities is a valuable

page_text: feature of my invention. In order that such impurities may be emptied from the
pockets, I prefer to close their ends by removable caps J, which may be attached
to the pockets in any preferred manner, as, for instance, by latches as shown at K
or by a bayonet joint lock as shown K'; any other preferred means may be
employed.
At L I show one of my pockets applied at the elevator head. Its purpose and
operation are the same as those located in the chute proper.
It will be understood that the conduits may be of any size, shape and material,
and used for transmitting any substance adapted to such means; and that the
details of construction shown may be considerably departed from, and still the
essential features of the improvement be present and particularly that when
any agency except gravity is employed to propel the material, that then the
pockets will or may be differently arranged; the essence of the invention being
to so dispose the pocket or pockets at the intersection of adjoining portions of
the conduit which lie at an angle relative to each other and at the end of the
section through which the material first passes, so that in its transit it shall
first fill the pockets, and that thereafter the contents of the pockets shall act as
a buffer to take the wear of the succeeding material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A continuous closed chute for transmitting grain or like material, com-
posed of sections which lie at angles relative to each other, a pocket adapted to
catch and hold some of the material and located intermediate and just beyond the
intersection of such continuous angling sections and at the end of the section
through which the material first passes, and a removable cap for closing or
opening said pocket and adapted to be removed without disturbing the chute,
for the purposes set forth.
2. A continuous closed chute for transmitting grain or like material, composed
of a plurality of sections, each succeeding section connecting with the side of the
preceding one some distance above its end, the projecting end of the preceding
section being closed to form a pocket adapted to catch and hold some of the
material, said pocket being disconnected from any chute except at its upper end,
there being also an unobstructed passage way for the material over that which is
held in the pocket, for the purposes set forth.
3. In an apparatus for holding and conveying grain and similar material a
pocket so located and arranged that it shall catch and hold a portion of the
material which first passes through the apparatus so that it shall act as a buffer
for the material which subsequently passes for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 6th day of September 1898.
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
Rooms 221-225, Birkbeck Bank Chambers,
Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.