Improvements in Elevators and Conveyors.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 25th June, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Elevators and Conveyors.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the
County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
(a communication to me from Thomas Alva Edison, of Llewellyn Park, in the
County of Essex and State of New Jersey, in the United States of America,
Inventor,) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement: —
The object in view is to produce an elevator or conveyor which will be capable
of a high speed and of carrying a heavy load, which will be economical in the
employment of power, and in which there will be a minimum wear.
In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side view of a dumping elevator.
Fig. 2, a top view.
Fig. 3, a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4, a vertical section of a portion of one bucket, etc.
Fig. 5, a cross section through one of the clamps.
Fig. 6, a sectional view through the rim of one of the driving pulleys.
Fig. 7, a top view of the safety catch.
Fig. 8, a side elevation of a portion of a swinging bucket conveyor.
Fig. 9, a plan view on a larger scale of a portion of Fig. 8.
Fig. 10, a longitudinal sectional view of a flight conveyor.
Fig. 11, a cross section thereof, the dotted line 10-10 indicating the section
of Fig. 10.
Figs. 12 and 13, a plan view and longitudinal section respectively, of a
scraper and bucket conveyor.
combined
Referring to Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, A represents one of the sets of endless wire
ropes, each set being composed of four ropes, and B are the buckets. Two stub
shafts a,
b, project from each end of each bucket and pass through loops c, d.
These loops are carried by the clamps C, D, each composed of two plates extending
across the four ropes, one inside and the other outside, and held by bolts which
pass through both plates and through the loops. The ropes adjacent to the
clamps may be covered with a sheet of fibre to prevent wear. The grooves in
the clamps engaging the ropes are rounded (see Fig. 5) so as not to cut the ropes,
and the bearing surfaces of said clamps for engagement with the driving pulleys
are convexed. A convenient convexity for said bearing surfaces is to make them
of a radius equal approximately to one-ninth of the radius of the driving pulleys.
The loops c are circular and fit the pins a closely, while the loops d are elongated
to permit the necessary longitudinal movement on the pins in passing around
the driving pulleys. At one end of the elevator, the endless ropes pass over
smooth-faced pulleys E. These pulleys are of cast iron and are faced with soft
iron plates f secured by bolts g. The clamps CD, which are preferably of mild
steel, engaging the peripheries of these driving pulleys, serve to propel the ropes.
The pulleys E are mounted upon a shaft F, on which is a gear wheel G meshing
with the pinion h on driving shaft H. The shaft H carries a gear wheel i meshing
031

page_text: with the pinion on shaft I. The shaft I, carries two smooth-faced friction
drums jj, and an intermediate ratchet wheel k. Two pawls engage the teeth
of the ratchet wheel and are mounted on loosely supported sleeves m, m³, from
which project arms nn carrying friction shoes engaging the drums jj. When
the elevator is running in the proper direction, the arms nu are carried upwardly,
elevating the pawls from the ratchets, but in the event of the elevator reversing
its movement, the arms nn, will be moved downwards to engage the pawls
with the ratchets to prevent such movement.
The endless ropes pass over bottom pulleys, J carried by rods K and sliding
thereon to tighten the endless ropes: Between the end pulleys are rails L, upon
which run wheels M supported on the ends of the bucket pins. The ends of the
bucket pins (see Fig. 4) are provided with caps N, having flanges o at
their inner ends, and against these flanges the wheels rotate. is the bushing.
Plates secured by bolts r prevent lateral movement of the wheels M. Said
plates are notched to allow oil to run into the bearings. The hub of each wheel M
is covered by an oil-cup 0 screwing over the hub and covering plates q, oil being
introduced through a hole closed by a screw plug s. A steel pint projects
through the flange on the cap N into the space between the cap and wheel, which
pin being stationary, the rotation of the wheel will cause it to keep any dust
which may accumulate in said space in motion, whereby the proper lubrication
of the wheels will be effected.
In Figs. 8 and 9 A and B are the two sets each of two endless ropes.
C, D, E, F, are the clamps, and through E, F, pass shafts G, upon which the
U-shaped buckets H are swung. The shafts G carry wheels I; J, secured in place
by collars. An oil-cup L is screwed to the hub of each wheel. At the ends of
the conveyor, the ropes pass over smooth pulleys M faced with soft iron plates,
with which the clamps C, D, E, F, engage to drive the ropes. The buckets are
dumped by an inclined friction surface N, which rolls them over and discharges
their contents into a chute O. The wheels I J ride upon supporting rails P.
Referring to Figs. 10 and 11, A represents a set of endless wire ropes. The
flights B are carried by these ropes by clamps C. These clamps engage with
and are driven by smooth-faced pulleys. Upon some of the clamps are mounted
lubricated wheels E, riding on rails GG. At the bottom of the conveyor are
upper rails H. M represents a trough in which the flights work and along which
the material will be moved by said flights.
Referring to Figs. 12 and 13, the arrangement of the wire ropes, clamps, wheels,
rails and driving pulleys may be as before described. The buckets A are trough-
like, and each has an opening a in the lower end of the forward face, so that
material carried by the buckets will flow out upon a platform and fall through
the openings b. The material accumulated on the platform B closes the openings a
and automatically regulates the flow, whereby the buckets will deposit the
material only in the openings b. Manifestly the power required to operate these
buckets will be less than with a simple flight conveyor of the same capacity.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. An elevator or conveyor composed of two or more endless wire ropes, a
number of clamps secured to said ropes and working on the peripheries of smooth-
faced driving wheels, and elevator or conveyor buckets or flights carried by some
or all of said clamps, substantially as set forth.
2. An elevator or conveyor composed of two or more endless wire ropes, a
number of clamps secured to said ropes and working on the peripheries of
smooth-faced driving wheels, elevator or conveyor buckets or flights carried by
some or all of said clamps, and means for tightening said ropes, substantially as
set forth.

page_text: 3. An elevator or conveyor provided with two or more sets of endless wire ropes
between which the buckets are supported, a number of clamps secured to said
ropes and having convexed bearing surfaces, and smooth-faced pulleys over which
said ropes run and with the peripheries of which the said clamps engage, sub-
stantially as set forth.
4. A scraper and bucket conveyor provided with two or more sets of endless
wire ropes, a number of clamps secured to said ropes, smooth-faced pulleys for
driving said clamps, and buckets having openings in their bottoms, substantially
as set forth.
Dated this 12th day of Anvil 1808
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.