Improvements in Elevating, Conveying, or Moving and otherwise Manipulating Fuel and other Material in Bulk.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 16th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 12th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Elevating, Conveying, or Moving and otherwise
Manipulating Fuel and other Material in Bulk.
I, EDWARD BENNIS of Garside House, Bolton in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the improvement of the machinery for the
automatic conveying, elevating and distribution of various materials. These
improvements are designed to increase the effectiveness of the conveyors, to
cheapen and simplify the apparatus, to lessen the friction and wear of the parts
and distribute the material when required over a given area in an effective and
efficient manner.
In constructing my improved conveyor and elevator, I use a chain composed
of lengths of wrought iron or steel, preferably exactly the same length from centre
to centre, but each alternate link composed of two pieces jointed to a single
piece.
The double part of the chain has each link bent over nearly at right angles so as
to form a scraper to carry the material along the trough.
This chain has the advantage of a centre pull with all the advantages of the old
U-chain conveyors and can be used successfully to carry along the level or as an
elevator to carry material up steep inclines and can be adapted to perform these
two services in one series of chains."
.
The weight is greatly reduced for equal strength as compared with the old
U-chain and the friction and wear is much less.
To enable the conveyor chain to work in troughs set at varying angles, I some-
times put a roller over or under as required to prevent friction at the change of
direction, but where the change is small, I cast on one or two of the trough sides,
a guide an inch or so above the top of the chain.
This method of changing the direction of the trough and the chain working
therein would be applicable to the old U-chain and some other forms, and is a
valuable part of my invention.
Sometimes it is advantageous to carry material at varying angles partially or
wholly horizontally, which cannot be done with the U-chain or any other now in
the market.
With this chain, this change of direction is secured by using the side of the
trough as the bottom and twisting the scraper part at right angles to the side so
that while equally effectually drawing the fuel, it can be continually altered in
direction, bending round corners or any other required direction. A scraper chain,
that is a chain like that in common use could have strips of iron to draw fuel along
attached to it, and could bend round corners in the same way, and this action would
be covered by my invention.
I prefer my chain first described because stronger and less liable to break, the
working parts also being much reduced.
It it usual to use chain conveyors for one purpose only, but I find that by the
use of a second trough and convenient guides, I can make the returning chain do
duty in quite as effective a manner as the chain which forms the usual mode of
conveying.
my
As an illustration of this part of invention we will
that I am fitting
suppose
a conveyor to a set of boilers to supply. fuel to stokers, drawing the fuel along in a
trough just over the hoppers of the stokers.
Instead of returning the chain just under or over the trough, I cause it to dip to
just over or under the lower part of the boilers and to pass there along another

page_text: trough into which the ash and clinker formed in furnaces falls when the fireman
draws them out of the furnace when they are automatically taken to the end
or beyond the end of the boiler, and may be raised into a cart or other
receptacle either by the same chain as already described or by an ordinary
elevator.
Another arrangement, in which I utilise the returning chain, is when, in a
building used to store fuel, I put a trough and chain to draw the fuel from such
building; I pass the chain up outside the building and in again near the top,
the returning chain being so arranged 'and placed that it will carry the fuel
delivered by the elevator along the building and so enable one conveyor to draw
the coal from below for supply and spread it above so as to keep the hopper
building full all along.
Another improved form of conveyor is one composed of rods with the, ends
turned over so as to form a link, or with the ends made to form a ball with a
suitable union attached.
On this chain, links or scrapers would be placed either wholly on one side or
with the chain in the centre to draw the fuel along, and, in certain cases, to elevate
the fuel and then draw it along.
This class of conveyor has the great advantage of going round any corner at any
angle without undue friction, so that it' can be used to elevate the fuel and then
carry it along at right angles to the elevator portion, this, of course, applies to
other material besides fuel, though this particular arrangement is most useful for
feeding boilers.
In connection with conveyor and elevator arrangements, it is frequently necessary
to break up material and reduce the size to one that can be easily handled.
For very hard material, the well known Blake crusher is the best, but, for
softer material such as lime, coal, etcetera, I employ a rotary arrangement made like
an ordinary coffee mill with the blades set at an opening angle to prevent any
sticking.
This is an important improvement and a most excellent plan, as it enables the
stock of fuel to be stirred by the shaft and fixings thereon as it passes through
the weight of fuel.
There are certain classes of material that require to be spread over floors in a
more or less perfect manner, and this has generally been done by shutes from the
elevator or the conveyor; the idea being that, as the material falls, it will jump to
the lowest place.
I use a much more effective plan, and this forms a material part of my
invention.
I prefer a wrought iron or cast iron plate revolving at constantly varying speeds
horizontally, and having ribs cast at certain angles to strike the material and send
it flying in all directions with varying force.
This is generally the best method, but I sometimes use a tube from the conveyor
through which the material drops into another tube bolted to or cast on the other
at right angles and revolving rapidly, the ends being open, the material issuing in
a stream as the distributor revolves, and the varying speed causing it
be
thrown in circles to greater or less distance covering the floor with very fair
uniformity.
Sometimes I make one of the cross tubes shorter than the other, and thus gain
2 varying throws, the short one not throwing so far as the long.
:
Another but more expensive mode, which I occasionally "adopt.. is the
following:-
I run a shaft the whole length of the building and thereon place a series of
blades revolving at high speed. In the bottom of the conveyor, holes are. cast
with moving covers, so that, as the material is carried forward; one or other. hole
opens and the material falls on each part of the distributor alternately.
In this plan, it is necessary to have the shaft made to revolve alternately, so as
to throw first to one side and then to the other.

page_text: These improvements, which will be illustrated with drawings and fully explained
in the final Specification, constitute the greatest advance made in recent times in
conveying and elevating material plant and breaking soft material.
An alternative method of distribution of material over large areas would be in
the use of a shovel or striker driven by a spring, the material falling on a plate and
being thrown from it by being struck by the striker with varying force, the shovel
revolves, by preference, round a circle and is actuated through a lever by means
of a spring and tappet or by other suitable apparatus.
"
Dated this 14th day of November 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Elevating, Conveying, or Moving and otherwise
Manipulating Fuel and other Material in Bulk.
4
I, EDWARD BENNIS of Garside House, Bolton in the County of Lancaster,
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:-
This invention has for its object improvements in automatically elevating,
conveying, distributing and otherwise manipulating various material.
These improvements are designed to increase the effectiveness of conveying
plant, to cheapen and simplify the apparatus, to lessen the friction and wear of the
parts, to distribute the material when required over a good area in an effective and
efficient manner, and to enable a class of work to be done that has hitherto been
found difficult or impossible.
My improvements will be best understood when described in connection with the
accompanying four sheets of illustrative drawings, in which
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a side view and a plan of my more usual form
of conveying or distributing chain, with drum, hereinafter fully described.
Figures 3 and 4 show varieties of the bolt by which the links of the chain are
connected together to become a length.
.
'Figures 5, 6 and 7 are respectively a plan view, a side view, and a side view of
a modified form of conveying or distributing chain, the latter view showing the
application of a directing roller E to the chain.
Figure 8 is a view of the front of a pair of boilers illustrative of how I make a
chain conveyor do double duty.
Figures 9 and 10 are respectively a side view and a plan of my ribbed or veined
spreading plate, hereinafter fully described.
In constructing my improved conveyor, I use a chain composed of links A of
wrought iron or steel, or other suitable material, with holes punched or drilled of
exactly the same length from centre to centre, but each alternate link being
composed of two pieces jointed to a single piece, or, according to circumstance, each
link of two pieces. This chain is shown on the drawing A. A.
The double part of the chain has each link bent over nearly at right angles, so
as to form a scraper to carry the material along the trough, and the chain united
together preferably by a roller D as shown on the drawings.
This roller consists of a bolt with a large head and a round nut of equal size with
the head to go on at either side, being screwed or pinned, so as to form a roller on
which the drag B presses, thus carrying the chain forward, the material being
placed in a trough of any ordinary description suitable for the work.
The material will be carried along by the action of the chain and the scrapers, and
by experience I find that much greater bulk will be carried than the mere depth of
the chain; so that a chain 21 or 2 inches deep will, I believe, carry 6, 8 or
10 inches of material according to circumstances,

page_text: This chain in action passes round the drum C C, with the drags B B fastened or
cast thereon, which drags are preferably made so that the chain passes between
them and the drag presses upon the roller D, already described, carrying forward
the chain in a much more advantageous way than by the older arrangements, as
this chain has the advantage of a central pull, thereby preventing the waving or
wave line action of the old U chain, which frequently resulted in breakdowns as
one side or the other became worn. °
Besides it retains all the advantages of the U chain, it is simpler, takes less
power to drive, weighs less and is dragged from the centre instead of from the side,
and, further, it can be used successfully as an elevator to carry material up a com-
paratively steep incline, thus performing two services in one series of chain, and, in
consequence of not bearing on the sides of the trough, the friction and wear are
considerably reduced.
To enable the conveyor chain to work in troughs set at varying angles, I some-
times put a roller E on one side of the trough so as to prevent friction at the change
of direction, but, where the change is small, I cast on one or two of the trough sides
a guide an inch or so above the top of the chain. This method of changing the
direction of the trough and the chain working therein would be applicable to the
old chain and some other forms, and is, I consider, a valuable part of my
invention.
Sometimes it is advantageous to carry material at varying angles partially or
wholly horizontally, which cannot be done with the U chain.
With my chain, the change of direction is secured by using the side of the trough
as the guide and twisting the scraper part at right angles to the side, so that, while
drawing the material in an effectual manner, it can be continually altered in
direction, bending round corners, such an arrangement is shown in Figures 5, 6
and 7 of the drawings.
When I make the chain in this manner, I bend one side of the chain right round
under the roller D, so as to form a rest to drag along the trough and not to interfere
with the action of the roller, the other end being bent over at right angles to the
side of the trough against which it works, the material being drawn along in this
case by the one arm of the chain, which chain, as before described, works against
the side of the trough for the purpose of drawing the fuel.
It is usual to use chain conveyors for one purpose only, but I find that, by the
use of a second trough and convenient guides, I can make the returning chain do
duty in quite as effectual a manner as the chain which forms the usual mode of
conveying.
As an illustration of this part of my invention, we will suppose that I am fitting
a conveyor to a set of boilers to supply fuel to stokers, drawing the fuel along in a
trough just over the hoppers of the stokers, such as the arrangement shown in
Figure 8 of the drawings. Instead of returning the chain just under or over the
trough, I cause it to dip under the level of the furnace of the boiler and pass along
at a suitable distance below another trough into which the ash and clinker formed
in the furnaces fall when the fireman draws them out of the furnace, when they are
automatically taken away by the returning chain to the end or just beyond the end
of the boiler or boilers & may be raised into a cart or other receptacle either by
the same chain, as described, or by an ordinary elevator. This is a valuable part
of my invention.
There are certain classes of material that require to be spread over floors in a
more or less perfect manner, & this has generally been done by shutes from the
elevator or the conveyor, the idea being that, as the material falls, it will jump to
the lowest places.
I use a much more effective plan, & this forms the material part of my invention:
it is shown in Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings. I prefer a wrought iron or cast
iron plate, revolving at constantly varying speeds horizontally, & having ribs or
veins cast on at certain angles to strike the material & send it flying in all directions
with varying force according to the place on which it is struck by the revolving

page_text: plate, it being manifest that the fuel struck in the centre will be projected with less
force than that struck near the edge.
This is generally the best method, but to make it more effective I sometimes
employ well known systems of increasing or decreasing the speed automatically,
such, for instance, as driving the whole from a cone, or by moving a belt along it,
or by any other suitable method of varying the speed, thus effecting the variations
& distributing the fuel or other material still more effectively.
A modification of this system which I sometimes use consists of a tube (a vertical
tube) through which the material drops into another tube bolted to or cast on the
other at right angles, and revolving rapidly, the ends being open, which thus throws
out the material, but, inasmuch as the stream of material being thrown out at any
given speed would go to about an equal distance, this method always requires to
have the varying force or speed, causing the material to be thrown in circles at
greater or less distance, covering the floor with very fair uniformity.
Sometimes I make one of the cross tubes shorter than the other, and thus gain
two varying throws, the short one not throwing so far as the long.
Another but a more expensive mode which I occasionally adopt is the
following:
I run a shaft the whole length of the building and thereon place a series of
blades revolving at high speed. In the bottom of the conveyor holes are cast with
moving covers, so that, as the material is carried forward, one or other of the holes
opens and the material falls on each part of the distributor alternately. In this
plan it is necessary to have the shaft made to revolve alternately so as to throw
first to one side and then to the other.
These improvements, illustrated with the four sheets of drawings and fully
explained as above, constitute the recent advantages made in recent times in con-
veying and elevating plant.
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:
The improvements in elevating, conveying or moving and otherwise manipu-
lating fuel and other material in bulk, consisting in providing for such purposes.
1. (a) A chain substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of
the drawings; or (6) A chain substantially as described with reference to
Figures 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings.
2. Means so that the chain will do double duty in that its returning part acts in
quite as effectual a manner as that part which forms the usual mode of conveying
substantially as described and of which an example is given in Figure 8.
3. A distributing apparatus substantially as described with reference to Figures 9
and 10 of the drawings, but I only lay claim to this fourth part for use in connection
with conveying plant really so called.
Dahi 18th dow of Contamha 1902
3
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents.