Improved Conveyor and Bucket Apparatus for Moving Coal, Grain, or other Matters.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1896-Accepted, 21st Nov., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Conveyor and Bucket Apparatus for Moving Coal, Grain,
or other Matters.
I PETER BUTLER BRADLEY of 1 Sillmore Terrace, Tappan Street, Brookline,
County of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, in the United States of America,
Manufacturer, 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 the production of a novel and improved conveyor
and bucket therefor, the invention being particularly adapted for use in connection
with endless conveyors for handling coal, grain and the like.
One part of my invention consists in pivotally mounting the bucket or a part
thereof to swing about an axis substantially parallel with the direction of travel of
the bucket as distinguished from the customary mounting of buckets to swing
about axes at right angles to the direction of travel of the buckets.
My invention also comprehends a series of multipart separable buckets with
means for automatically opening the same to discharge the load.
Another feature of my invention consists in the use of a guide rail to act upon
the bucket as the latter passes it, and move the said bucket or a part thereof to
open the same for the discharge of its contents, there being preferably two of these
guides when a two-part separable bucket is used, the two guides acting respectively
upon and to more the two parts of the bucket.
Conveyers have heretofore been constructed in which each bucket is provided
with an overlapping flange or lip which overreaches the edge of the next adjacent
bucket, and acts to prevent loss of material between the buckets, but in the use of
buckets so equipped, it has been found necessary to tip the buckets when rounding
the wheels or guides at the ends of the runs in order that the necessary changing
positions of the buckets can take place.
My invention comprehends a swinging or pivotally mounted overlapping device
which when necessary changes its position sufficiently to permit the buckets to
swing past each other in rounding the ends of the runs, thereby making it
unnecessary to tip or change the positions of the buckets themselves.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1, in side elevation, partial-section, shows a sufficient portion of a conveyer
embodying my invention to enable the same to be understood."
Fig. 2, an enlarged cross sectional detail, the section being taken on the dotted
line X-X, Fig. 1;
Fig. 3, a top or plan view of the carrying frame Fig. 2;
Fig. 4, a detail showing in plan view the preferred arrangement of openings
guides for the buckets; and
Fig. 5, a view showing in side elevation a modified embodiment of my
invention; and
Fig. 6, a detail illustrating another modification to be described.
In the particular embodiment of my invention herein selected for illustration and
shown in the drawings, A, A, are a series of uprights or supports to which are
secured the tracks or runs a, a.
In each of the end supports A, only one of which is herein shown, is mounted
upon a suitable shaft or pivot b, the carrying or driving wheel b', preferably made
as a sprocket wheel to receive the pivots 6, which serve as joints connecting the
links of the sprocket chain carrying or connecting the several buckets.

page_text: There are two of these wheels b' at each end of the run, one wheel for each of
the two lines of sprocket chains, the buckets being suspended between the chains
and passing between the wheels, as will be described.
The pivots joining the links of the chain, as herein constructed also serve as
pivots upon which the bucket frames C are loosely mounted, said bucket frames
preferably, see Fig. 3, being rectangular in shape.
Each bucket frame C has mounted upon it preferably four carrying wheels c, c,
there being as herein shown, two such carrying wheels at each of two opposite sides
of the frame, arranged to travel upon the upper sides of the tracks or runs a, a, and
support the frames while in transit.
To the ends of these bucket frames C, that is, to the members of the frames
which stand at right angles to the direction of travel of the buckets, are hinged or
pivoted the members or parts d, d, of the buckets D, said parts d, d, being thus
adapted to swing for opening and closing about pivots, the axes of which stand
substantially parallel with the direction of travel of the buckets, instead of at
right angles thereto as has been the heretofore usual custom.
These bucket parts d, d, are shaped to come together and form a complete open
top bucket when in their lowermost positions and are adapted to swing outwardly
at their bottoms, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 2, to deposit their contents.
One great advantage derived from the mounting of the buckets on pivots the
axes of which stand substantially parallel with the direction of travel of the
buckets, is that the buckets are thereby prevented from oscillating while in transit,
as they are apt to and usually do when mounted to swing about axes at right
angles to the direction of travel, for the buckets are rarely if ever subjected to any
force or action tending to swing them laterally, that is, transversely to the
direction of travel, whereas when mounted to swing about axes at right angles to
the direction of travel, the changing position of the buckets in rising and falling
tends to give them oscillating movements which are at times very objectional.
To open and close these buckets at the proper times I have herein provided
below the lowermost run or track a, suitable tracks or rails e, upon which may run
the wheels or rollers e' on brackets 2 bolted to a frame or carriage e carrying the
curved guides or guide rails e shaped as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4.
The bucket parts or members d, d, are provided at their undersides, as shown,
with suitable rollers d', which during the travel of the buckets, strike at the proper
times the diverging and upwardly curving guides e, which cause the said rollers to
swing the bucket parts d, d, apart and upwardly, as in dotted lines Fig. 2, for
dumping, the parts at once gravitating to their former closed positions after the
high points of these guides are passed.
By mounting the carriage upon wheels, as shown, these opening guides e* may
be shifted along the conveyer into any desired position at which the buckets are to
be opened and closed, and by varying the length of the high portions of the guides,
the period during which the buckets are maintained open may be varied as
desired.
In the preferred embodiment of my invention I provide the carriage e with a
suitable hopper f, into and through which the contents of the several buckets are
deposited, and which may be and preferably is provided with a suitable gate f¹ by
which it may be closed to cause the hopper to receive and hold the contents of
several of the buckets when necessary in shifting the guides or otherwise.
Assuming the buckets to be filled, and in motion, it is impossible to shift the
carriage e and its guides in the direction opposite the travel of the filled buckets
without opening the same successively and depositing their contents and for this
purpose the hopper is provided with means for closing its outlet, as described.
To avoid this, however, I have in the present instance provided a second pair of
rails e, arranged below the rails e, upon which the carriage normally runs, and have
provided the rails e with hinged sections e, shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, so that
when it is desired to shift the carriage and guides these hinged sections e, may

page_text: drop, to thereby run the carriage upon the lower pair of rails, along which it may
be shifted without in any way acting upon the rollers of the bucket, thereby
preventing opening of the buckets during shifting of the carriage.
Gravity is usually sufficient to close the buckets after they have been once
opened, although suitable devices may be employed to assist gravity in its action
if found necessary, such for instance as illustrated in Fig. 6, where I have shown a
holding or closing guide or rail mounted above one or each of the guides or rails e*
which hold the rollers on the buckets in contact with the guides or rails e* and acts
to positively close the buckets when the downward run begins.
In Fig. 1, g is a suitable curved guide to assist in holding the buckets in position
as they approach the upper level, and it will be understood that usual guides may
be provided to direct the movements of the buckets at any point in their travel as
is now commonly done.
Certain features of my invention, for example, the movable over-lapping devices
and guides for opening the buckets and dumping the load are applicable to buckets
of other form and construction, even though said buckets be hung on transverse
pivots, such as is shown in Fig. 5, where the buckets are represented as comprising
two members h, h, pivoted at to a suitable frame, the axes of the pivots h²,
however, standing at right angles to the direction of travel of the buckets.
In the construction shown the buckets are connected by an endless rope instead
of a chain as in the former figs. of the drawing, and the two parts of the bucket
are so connected, as by the toothed sectors 63, to cause simultaneous opening or
closing of the parts when either one is positively moved for opening or closing.
One of the parts is shown provided with a roller h' which rides upon the guide or
guides to cause opening or separation of the parts, as described.
The only differences between the construction Fig. 5 and that of Fig 1, in the
latter the bucket parts swing about axes parallel with the direction of travel of the
buckets, and in the former the bucket parts swing about axes at right angles to
the travel of the buckets.
To close the space between two adjacent buckets, to enable a continuous feed to
be used without loss of any of the material between the buckets, I have herein
provided the latter with suitable overlapping devices m, each of which is movably
connected, preferably by pivot, with the bucket at one side the space which it is
designed to close.
For example, in the embodiment of my invention shown each overlapping
device m, shown as a roller or other convex surface device, is pivotally mounted
in a pair of arms m', themselves pivotally or swingingly mounted upou the bucket
or bucket frame.
When the buckets round the wheels at the end of the runs, each bucket in
rising above the edge of the adjacent bucket lifts or pushes back the overlapping
device, the latter dropping by gravity to its original position as soon as the buckets
have assumed their original or normal positions.
To facilitate this upward and backward movement I prefer to slot the arms m¹
for the reception of the roller pivots, whereby the rollers may have a movement
towards and from the pivots of said arms or rollers as well as movements about
their own axes.
So far as known to me, I am the first to construct a bucket to open and close,
that is, move for dumping and receiving about an axis or axes parallel with the
direction of travel of the bucket, so that my invention in this regard is not limited
to any particular construction of device.
I am also the first so far as I am aware to provide overlapping devices which
are movably attached to the buckets at one of their sides to enable them to rise
and fall or move as may be necessary to enable the buckets to round the ends of
the runs without requiring tipping of the buckets themselves so that this part of
my invention also is not limited to any particular device or means for mounting
the same.

page_text: 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
In improved conveyor and bucket apparatus for moving coal, grain, or other
matters.
1. A plurality of connected multi-part buckets the parts of which have relative
opening and closing movements about axes lying in the direction of the line of
travel of the buckets.
2. In an apparatus of the class described, a bucket frame provided at opposite
sides with carrying wheels, a bucket in said frame and having opening and closing
movements about axes substantially at right angles with the axes of said carrying
wheels.
3. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of connected multi-part buckets,
the parts of which are separable in a direction transverse to the direction of travel
of the buckets, and means to act upon the moving buckets to successively open
the same.
4. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of connected multi-part
buckets, the parts of which are separable in a direction transverse to the direction
of travel of the buckets, and one or more opening guides to act upon and
successively open said buckets.
5. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of connected buckets,
constructed to be moved for discharging, about axes substantially parallel with
the direction of travel of said buckets, and one or more guides to act upon and
successively move for discharging the travelling buckets.
6. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of bucket frames, carrying
wheels at opposite sides of each frame two-part buckets arranged in the respective
frames, the parts of each frame arranged to swing one with relation to the other
about axes at substantially right angles to the axes of the carrying wheels for
said buckets, and guides arranged to separate the parts of the moving buckets.
7. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of connected buckets, over-
lapping devices closing the openings between adjacent buckets and movably
connected with the buckets at one of the sides of the openings which they are
arranged to close.
8. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of buckets, and overlapping
devices pivotally mounted on said buckets.
9. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of buckets, swinging
arms on said buckets and overlapping devices mounted on said swinging arms.
10. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of connected buckets, a
travelling discharge hopper for the same, and a bucket opening device connected
to and movable with said travelling hopper.
11. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of connected multi-part
buckets, the parts of each being adapted to separate in a direction transverse to the
direction of travel of the buckets, a movable carriage, bucket opening guides
mounted thereon and a support for said carriage along which the latter may be
moved in the direction of travel of the buckets into any desired position.
12. In an apparatus of the class described a series of connected buckets, a track,
a travelling carriage arranged thereon, means on said travelling carriage to cause
movement of the buckets to discharge their contents, a drop track for said carriage
and means to direet the latter from one to another of its tracks.
13. In a conveying apparatus, a series of buckets each pivoted in the direction
of its line of travel within a moving frame, whereby oscillation of said buckets in
said direction is avoided.
14. In a conveying apparatus, a travelling frame and a divided bucket, the parts
whereof are pivoted in said frame parallel with the line of travel.
15. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of connected buckets,
respectively provided with one or more movable parts to swing about axes

page_text: parallel with the direction of travel of the buckets to effect discharge of the
latter.
16. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of connected buckets, each
having an opening movement for discharging about pivots whose axes are-
substantially parallel with the line of travel of the buckets.
17. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of connected multi-part.
buckets separable in a direction transverse to the line of travel of the buckets and
normally actuated by gravity and held thereby in position closing the bucket, and
means to act upon the moving buckets and successively open the same for discharge.
against the gravity tendency to close them.
18. In an apparatus of the class described, a bucket, an overlapping device, one
or more carry arms therefor pivotally mounted upon the said bucket, said arms
being slotted to provide for a sliding movement of the same relatively to their
pivots.
19. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of connected buckets.
adapted to open and close about pivots, the axes of which are substantially parallel
with the line of travel of the buckets, and overlapping devices covering the spaces
between adjacent buckets and swingingly mounted upon the buckets carrying-
the same.
20. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of connected buckets
restrained against oscillation in the direction of travel of the buckets, and over-
lapping devices closing the spaces between adjacent buckets and swingingly mounted
upon the buckets carrying the same.
21. In a conveyor, a bucket, an overlapping device mounted thereupon and
adapted to travel therewith, said overlapping device being movable relatively to.
said bucket, to enable the latter to freely round curves in the run.
22. In a conveyor, a bucket, a guard, and a support therefor adapted to swing
relatively to said bucket, said guard being also moveable towards and from the
fulerum of said support.
23. In a conveyor, a bucket frame, a bucket therein, and a convex surfaced
guard movably mounted on a swinging support on said frame to overlap one end.
thereof and cover the space between it and the end of the adjacent frame.
24. In a conveyor, a series of connected frames, supporting wheels or rolls on
the frames, a bucket attached to each frame and a guard rotatably mounted in.
arms jointed at the centre of the frame, and movable towards and from the fulcra
of said arms to overlap one end of its frame and cover the space between it and the
frame of the adjacent bucket.
▸
25. A bucket or carrier for endless conveyors, comprising a frame, supporting
wheels therefor, a bucket suspended in the frame, and a guard roll pivotally-
connected to a swinging support on the frame and adapted to normally project.
beyond one end of the frame.
26. In an endless conveyor, a series of pivotally suspended buckets, connections.
between the buckets, each bucket having at one end a guard roll pivotally
mounted in a swinging support to overlap the space between adjacent buckets.
27. In a conveyor, an endless cable, a series of frames suspended therefrom, a
two-part separable bucket pivotally mounted in each frame, a projecting flauge at
the ends of the frames, and a guard roll for each bucket, mounted in a swinging
support, and adapted to normally rest ou the end flanges of adjacent frames and cover
the space between them.
28. In a conveyor, a bucket, a guard, a support adapted to swing relatively to
and movable with said bucket and in which said guard is rotatably mounted.
29. In a conveyor, a bucket, a support swingingly mounted on the bucket, a guard
rotatably mounted in said support, and a slot in the latter to permit movement of
said guard towards and from the fulcrum of said support.
30. In a conveyor, a bucket, a support movably mounted thereupon, and a guard.
movably mounted in the said movable support or supports.

page_text: 31. In a conveyor, a bucket, a guard to swing about a fulcrum on said bucket
or its frame, said guard being also movable towards and from its said fulcrum.
Dated the 29th day of July 1896.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.