An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Packing or Loading Blocks of Artificial Fuel, Bricks, or similar articles upon Wagons, Trolleys, or the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 26th June, 1893-Accepted, 24th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Packing or Loading
Blocks of Artificial Fuel, Bricks, or similar articles upon
Wagons, Trolleys, or the like.
I THOMAS OLIVER DIXON of 68 Walter Road, Swansea in the County of
Glamorgan Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention is intended to provide a means for automatically or otherwise
delivering upon wagons, trolleys or the like, blocks of fuel, bricks or other articles
and particularly such as are delivered from a press so that several tiers or courses
of blocks or bricks may be packed or.loaded upon (say) the trolley as they issue
from the press or are taken from a stack or pile.
In carrying out my invention in connection with a press for artificial fuel I
provide the well known continuous band or belt upon which the blocks are delivered
from the press and the pullies carrying such band are so supported and arranged
that the spindle of the pulley wheel at the extremity of the band or belt may
carry a wheel gearing into another on the end of a shaft working in suitable
bearings and taking its motion from and gearing with certain other machinery
hereafter described or other suitable means for working the continuous belt, be
employed provided that the blocks or bricks are delivered from the continuous belt
with the desired regularity.
The blocks or bricks on issuing from the press (or being placed on the belt from
stock) are arranged so many in a row or group, according to the size of the trolley
and with a space between each row or group regulated as to extent by the action
of the apparatus or they may follow continuously if desired. The trolleys can be
so arranged that one or more may be loaded in turn and in such a manner that
they are raised from their normal level before loading and lowered the height of a
row of blocks or bricks as each tier or course is completed until when the full load
or number of tiers is packed upon it, it rests again at its normal or rail level and
is pushed away.
The trollies may be wheeled on the usual rails over a hydraulic or other elevator
which is set in motion by any well known method of connecting to and working
such machinery from the main or other shafting and in such a manner that when
the trolley is raised to the level of the belt it is lowered at intervals of certain
time and distance regulated according to the action of the press and consequent
feed of the blocks. I support over the space to be occupied by each trolley and
flush with the top of the same when in position to be loaded and when empty,
metal guides, say, of angle iron on which slide trays so that on loading the first
tier of blocks the tray shall be just over and almost touching the top or platform
of the trolley and so that the edge shall be just below the level of the band or belt
carrying forward the blocks or bricks to be packed or loaded on to the trolley.
The tray is slightly wider than each row of blocks and is reciprocated by a long
lever actuated from two cams on main shaft which is driven by toothed or other
gearing.
The blocks may be fed on to tray by any suitable method but I prefer to feed
on to tray by a rotary pusher having as many arms as blocks in each row with an
interval between two of the arms corresponding to the travel of the tray. The
tray moves forward on the completion of each row and after every revolution of
the rotary pusher. The last move pushing the first row against a movable stop
(which stop is put down by a cam on one side of the main cam wheels) suitable

page_text: •
guides over tray keeping the blocks well together. The stop is then lifted and a
stop at the other side of bricks on table comes down at the moment the tray is
withdrawn.
A cogged wheel on the rotary pusher gears into the wheel before described and
which in turn gears into the wheel on the spindle of the band pulley.
The trolley is raised, lowered and turned in the following manner :
Two hydraulic cylinders are connected together and a valve or cock placed
between them. In each of these cylinders works a hydraulic ram a volume of
water between them setting them in motion when required. At the upper end of
one ram is fixed a turntable on which is placed the trolley to be loaded, this turn-
table being actiuated when required either by hand or machine to give the blocks
on trolley a necessary bond. At the upper end of the other ram is a weight
sufficient to overcome the weight of trolley and friction when it is required to raise
the trolley and slight enough to be forced upwards by the trolley descending with
one tier loaded. Thus on the completion of each tier and each time the tray is
withdrawn the valve or cock is opened by a cam working from the main shaft (the
depth to which the trolley is lowered being the depth of block) and regulated by
catches and detents in the counter-weight ram.
. I may employ other methods of raising and lowering the trolly and in one
modification.
Directly the tray is withdrawn a stop catch is knocked out of the catch wheel
on table supporting screw and the table runs down by its own weight and moves
turn a catch engaging the wheel again. When the full number of tiers have
been loaded on to trolley, two catches are knocked out and the table runs up after
the loaded trolley has been changed for an empty one.
In applying this to bricks if the friction between tray and brick proves too
great the usual brick boards may be used over tray or as a tray and in combination
with a cutting table; and in this case the sliding tray must be made wider as the
supporting screw of the table causes the trolley to be lowered and revolved at the
same time so that clearance for the blocks has to be allowed for.
I may also in some cases push or kick the blocks or bricks directly from the
continuous band upon the tray over the trolley, the pusher or kicker being actuated
from the main shaft and working at regular intervals being geared into the rest of
the apparatus so as to act automatically therewith.
In some presses the continuous band may not be employed in which case the
blocks would be kicked from the press table and picked up by the rotary pusher
and pushed on to tray.
Dated this 23rd day of August 1892.
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Packing or Loading
Blocks of Artificial Fuel, Bricks, or similar articles upon
Wagons, Trolleys, or the like.
I THOMAS OLIVER DIXON of 68 Walter Road, Swansea, in the County of
Glamorgan, 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 is intended, to provide a means for automatically or otherwise
delivering upon wagons, trolleys or the like blocks of fuel, bricks or other articles,
and particularly such as are delivered from a press so that several tiers or courses
of blocks or bricks may be packed or loaded upon the trolley, wagon or the like
as they issue from the press. or are taken from a stack or pile:
In carrying out my invention in connection with a press for artificial fuel, I

page_text: provide the well known continuous band upon which the bricks or blocks are
delivered from the press and conveyed to the wagon or trolley and in order. to
particularly describe and ascertain the nature and operation of my invention I
have caused to be attached to this Specification a sheet of drawings whereon
Figure 1 represents an end view and Figure 2 a plan of the apparatus.
The blocks a are delivered from the press on to the continuous band or belt A
running over pulleys a¹ upon the axle a² of which is also mounted a toothed
wheel gearing through an idle wheel into another toothed wheel c mounted on
shaft in suitable bearings. Motion is given to the wheel c by bevel or other
gearing or different means may be employed provided that the blocks or bricks are
delivered from the continuous belt with the desired regularity.
The blocks or bricks a on issuing from the press (or being placed on the belt
from stock) are arranged so many in a row or group according to the size of the
trolley B and with a space between each row or group regulated as to extent by
the action of the apparatus or they may follow continuously if desired. The
trolleys B can be so arranged that one or more may be loaded in turn and in such
a manner that they are raised from their normal level before loading and lowered
the height of a row of blocks or bricks as each tier or course is completed as
hereafter described until when the full load or number of tiers is packed upon the
trolley, it rests again at its normal or rail level and may be moved away.
The trolley B may be wheeled on the usual rails situated above and in connection
with a hydraulic elevator C operated from the main or other shafting as described
hereafter and in such a manner that when the trolley is raised to the level of the
belt it is lowered at certain intervals of time and distance regulated according to
the action of the press and consequent feed of the blocks. Over the space to be
occupied by each trolley and flush with the top of the same when in position to be
loaded and when empty are placed metal guides D preferably of angle iron on
which slide trays E so that on loading the first tier of blocks the tray shall be
just over and almost touching the top or platform of the trolley B and so that the
edge shall be just below the level of the blocks or bricks about to. be packed or
loaded on to the trolley. The tray E is slightly wider than each row of blocks
and is reciprocated by a long lever G actuated from two cams H on main shaft [
which is driven by toothed or other gearing J.
The blocks a may be fed on to tray E by any suitable method but I prefer to
feed on to tray by a rotary pusher K having as many arms L as blocks in cach
row with an interval M between two of the arms corresponding to the travel of
tray. The tray E moves forward through a distance equal to the length of one
block on the completion of each row and after every revolution of the rotary
pusher, the last move pushing the first row against a movable stop N (which is put
down by a cam O). Thus, starting from its withdrawn position, the tray E would
be required to move forward over the trolley B through the space of one block's
length, or the width of a row of blocks, and then remain stationary until a fresh
row of blocks has been pushed upon it, then moving forward again through the
space of another block's length, or width of row, then rest whilst another row of
blocks has been pushed on to the tray and alongside the former row and so on
until the tray E be full when the first formed row will have arrived at stop N
which is then raised by cam O and a stop at the opposite end alongside the last
formed row lowered when the tray may be withdrawn leaving the blocks on the
trolley (or on the top of the previously packed layer resting thereon).
The table and trolley are then turned together through a quarter of a revolution
being lowered at the same time equivalent to the depth of a layer or tier of blocks,
and the operation of loading is again proceeded with as before.
The trolley is raised, lowered and turned in the following manner :
Two hydraulic cylinders C C are connected together by a pipe Qwith valve
or cock placed between them. In each cylinder works a hydraulic ram a volume
of water between them causing them to be set in motion when required. At the
upper end of one ram is fixed a turntable R on which is placed the trolley B to be

page_text: loaded, this turntable being given a quarter turn on the completion of each tier
either by hand or machine to give the blocks a necessary bond. At the upper end
of the other ram is a weight S-sufficient to overcome the weight of the unloaded
trolley and friction when it is required to raise the trolley and slight enough to be
forced upwards by the trolley descending with one tier loaded. On the completion
of each tier and cach time the tray is withdrawn the valve or cock P is opened by
a cam working from the main shaft (the depth to which the trolley is lowered
being depth of block) and regulated by catches or detents and indents engaging
with the counterweight ram or counterweight S.
] may employ other methods of raising and lowering the trolley and in one
modification, instead of using hydraulic cylinders I place beneath the moving
table a cylinder bored with a spiral groove of large pitch (somewhat in the same
manner as a gun barrel) in which projections on the rod supporting the table may
engage and cause the same to revolve a quarter of a revolution while making a
descent equal to the height of one block. On the tray being withdrawn a stop
catch becomes disengaged from the ratchet or catch wheel situated beneath and
rigid with the table causing the latter to run down by its own weight and move a
quarter of a circle a second catch engaging the wheel again. When the full
number of tiers have been loaded on the trolley, the two catches are knocked aside
and the table, by the action of a spring in cylinder or by counterweights, runs up
after the loaded trolley has been exchanged for an-empty one.
If it is found when bricks are being stacked thus that the friction between tray
and bricks is too great, the usual sanded brick boards may be used upon or in
place of the tray already described and in combination with a cutting table, the
tray being made sufficiently wide to allow clearance for the blocks while
descending and rotating simultaneously.
In some cases the blocks or bricks may be kicked or pushed directly from the
continuous band upon the tray over the trolley, the pusher or kicker being
actuated from the main shaft and working and working at regular intervals
automatically. Also in some presses the continuous band may not be employed
in which case the blocks would be kicked from the press table and picked up
by the rotary pusher and pushed on' to the tray.
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
1. The apparatus for packing or loading blocks of artificial fuel, bricks or
similar articles upon wagons, trolleys or the like; consisting of a table supported on
a hydraulic ram or other elevator above which may be placed a trolley whereon
blocks are delivered by a rotary pusher acting in connection with an endless band
said table being capable of revolving or partially revolving when lowered after
the completion of each tier of blocks as and for the purposes described and sub-
stantially as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus for loading or packing blocks of artificial fuel, bricks, or
similar articles, such as described in the foregoing. Specification the use of two-
stops or stop boards working automatically by means of cams attached to the
shafting of the machinery substantially as described and illustrated.
3. In apparatus for loading or packing blocks, bricks and the like the
employment of two hydraulic cylinders C, one ram supporting the table and
the other a balance weight for the purpose of raising the trolley or its equivalent
to its required height before being loaded, the whole regulated at intervals by an
automatic valve or cock substantially as described and illustrated.
4. In apparatus for packing or loading blocks of artificial fuel,, bricks or the
like, the alternative means for raising, lowering, and turning, the table consisting
of a hollow cylinder grooved spirally for the purpose of causing the table and
trolley to revolve on its descent thus giving the necessary tie or bond to the blocks,
in combination with a ratchet or catch wheel and catches operated automatically

page_text: on the withdrawal of the tray substantially as hereinbefore described and as
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 26th day of June 1893.
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
17 & 18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.