Improvements in and relating to Endless Band and similar Elevators.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th June, 1899-Accepted, 22nd July, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Endless Band and similar Elevators.
We, KARL KIONKA, of Ohlaner Stadtgraben 21, Book Keeper, and FRITZ
ASCHMOTAT, of Rosenthaler-strasse, 12A, Ship's Carpenter, both of Breslau, in
the German Empire, 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: -
These improvements relate to endless band and similar elevators such as are
used for raising grain, and their objects are to so construct and arrange the
buckets that they may be closed or collapsed after they have discharged their
contents and thus pass through the grain or the like without any unnecessary
resistance, and so that they may be re-opened at any desired point below the
surface of the grain and thus again fill themselves.
The accompanying drawings to which we will hereinafter refer illustrate how
this invention may be carried into effect.
Figure 1 shews the improved elevator in side elevation.
Figure 2 represents it in horizontal cross section.
Figure 3 is a front view of part of the elevator, one of the buckets being shewn
in the collapsed or folded condition.
Figures 4 and 5 are end views of a bucket in the opened and closed position3
respectively.
Figure 6 is a representation of a horizontal section through an open bucket,
and Figure 7 is a similar section taken through a closed bucket.
Figure 7 illustrates the cam or similar device by means of which the buckets
inay be re-opened from their closed positions.
As will be seen on referring to the drawings each bucket a is provided with
a movable front plate or wall band with movable end plates c.
Each front plate
is capable of folding up against the back plate of its bucket, and is hinged or
pivotted at g and has attached to it or to its pivot an arm e the outer end of
which is furnished with a bowl or friction roller f. The end plates are hinged
at their inner edges and at or near those edges are provided with angle irons
or projections d. When the plate b is folded up against the back of the bucket
it comes into contact with these projections and moves them until the end plates c
assume the position illustrated in Figure 7. The bucket is now closed and can
pass through the grain with very little resistance.
Angular motion is imparted to the plate b by means of the attached arm e the
end of which or the bowl on the end of which engages with a guide or cam
groove h secured to the elevator framing, as shown in Figure 1.
At the point i
on the descending side of the elevator the groove or channel is inclined inwards.
When a bucket reaches this point the end of its arm e which is engaged with the
groove also moves inwards with the result that the bucket is closed or collapsed.
At the point on the ascending side of the elevator the groove inclines outwards,
and the arm of a closed bucket reaching this point also moves outwards and the
bucket is opened.
By the employment of these devices a bucket may be opened and charged at

page_text: a distance of only a few inches below the surface of the material to be elevated.
There is thus a considerable saving of power.
As the height of the grain or like material varies or fluctuates it is desirable
to so form and arrange the part k of the cam groove that it may have its position
altered. To accomplish this the part is separate from and movable upon the
straight parts of the groove or channel h, and is furnished with means or devices
by which it can be raised or lowered. In the form shown the edge of the part
is formed with or as a rack engaging with which is a pinion secured to a hand
wheel mounted upon the frame of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is: -
1. An elevator bucket adapted to close after it has discharged its contents and
to re-open and re-charge itself within a short distance of the surface of the grain
or other material, constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described
and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In an endless band elevator, the combination of a bucket having a movable
front plate and movable end plates with a guide or cam groove within which is
engaged the end of an arm attached to the front plate of the bucket, all con-
structed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described and as
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. In an endless band elevator, a guide or cam groove formed with a movable
part, constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and as
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
4. An endless band elevator provided with collapsible buckets and means or
devices for closing and opening the buckets at desired points, all constructed
and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.