Improvements in the Construction of Conveyors.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd July. 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Apr., 1892-Accepted, 7th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Conveyors.
I ALEXANDER THOMPSON of the Elevator and Conveyor Works Hollinwood
Oldham in the County of Lancaster Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of apparatus known
as "conveyors" consisting principally of a metallic spiral or screw revolving inside
a trough, and employed for conveying grain or seed or flour or other dry goods or
materials from one part of a mill or other building to another or from one machine
to another, the objects of the invention being to facilitate and improve the con-
struction, to increase the speed of delivery and to adapt the same to the conveyance
of small seeds or other like granular substances for which the conveyors as at
present constructed are not advantageously applicable.
In the first place, instead of employing a single continuous spiral or an open coil
or worm as hitherto I employ two or more spirals or worms fixed to the same
central tube or shaft, whereby I am enabled to place the spirals or worms at a
more acute angle and thus obtain a quicker conveyance or delivery of the seed,
grain, or other articles or materials, and still keep the propelling surfaces as
close to each other as when a single spiral or worm is employed.
Secondly in open coils or spirals I improve the radial arms which connect the
coil or spiral to the central shaft by forming the same with a curved shoulder
which fits against and supports the under side of the coil or spiral thereby holding
the same much more rigidly and securely and enabling it to be fixed to the arm by
one bolt or rivet only to each arm if preferred.
Thirdly in constructing the troughs in which the spiral or worm revolves I form
the top rins and the bands which support the trough of an angle or L-shaped
section so that they can be securely bolted together in convenient lengths and con-
nected by bolts passing through the flanges so as to form a rigid frame.
The rims and bands may be advantageously made of malleable cast iron or steel,
the body of the trough itself being of sheet iron or steel rivetted thereto.
In some cases (especially for conveying seeds flour or other goods in a more or
less damp state) I prefer to place a packing of asbestos or other suitable material
between the two flanges before bolting one section or length of trough onto another,
so as to make a damp proof joint.
Dated this 2nd day of July 1891
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Conveyors.
I ALEXANDER THOMPSON of the Elevator and Conveyor Works Hollinwood,
Oldham in the County of Lancaster Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
O 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 relates to improvements in the construction of apparatus known as
"conveyors" consisting principally of a metallic spiral or screw revolving inside a
trough, and employed for conveying grain or seed, or flour or other goods or
5 material from one part of a mill or other building to another, or from one machine

page_text: to another, the objects of the invention being to facilitate and improve the con-
struction, to increase the speed of delivery, and to adapt the same to the conveyance
of small seeds and other like granular substances for which the conveyors as at
present constructed are not advantageously applicable.
The nature of my said invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference to
the sheet of drawings hereunto annexed and the following description thereof.
Fig. 1 on the drawing shows an elevation of one of my improved conveyors with
the trough or casing shown in section.
Fig. 2 is an end view and Fig. 3 a transverse section of the same and Figs. 4
and 5 are detached vertical sections on a larger scale of the arms which support
the spirals or worms.
In the first place instead of employing a single continuous spiral, or an open coil
or worm as hitherto, I employ two (or more) spirals or worms a and b Fig. 1 fixed
(as shewn) or cast on to the same central tube or shaft c whereby I am enabled to
- place the spirals or worms at a more acute angle than hitherto and thus obtain a
quicker conveyance or delivery of the grain, seed or other articles or material, and
still keep the propelling surfaces thereof as close to each other as when a single
spiral or worm is employed.
Secondly in open coils or spirals like that shown, or in single spirals, 1 improve
the radial armis d which connect the coils or spirals a and b to the central shaft c
by forming the same with a crank as shown at Figs. 1 and 4 or a curved shoulder
as shown at Fig. 5 which fits against and supports the under side of the coil or
spiral blade a, b thereby holding the same much more rigidly and securely, and
enabling it to be fixed to the arm by one bolt or rivet only to each arm, although
two may be used if preferred as shown on the drawing.
Thirdly in constructing the troughs in which the spiral or worm revolves I form
the top rims e and the curved bands which support the troughs of an angle or
L-shaped section (see Figs. 1 and 3) so that they can be securely bolted together in
convenient lengths, and connected by bolts passing through the flanges so as to
form a rigid frame. The rims e and bands f may be advantageously made of
malleable cast iron or steel, the body of the trough itself being of sheet iron or
steel rivetted or otherwise fixed thereto, the ends preferably overlapping as shown
by the dotted lines in Fig. 3.
I prefer to make the conveyor of sections in convenient lengths, that is, the
worm and shaft complete, as well as the trough, so that the shaft ends may be
coupled together as required and supported at intervals by hangers i as shown at
Figs. 1 and 3 so that any required number of sections can be added on and con-
nected to the first or driving section, and removed or disconnected readily as may
be required.
It will be evident that although I have shown my invention on the drawings as
applied to a continuous spiral or worm only, it is equally applicable to spirals or
worms made of sections rivetted together, or of detached sections or blades and
known as paddle worms.'
66
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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 :-
First. The construction of "conveyors" of two or more spirals or worms of one
central shaft whereby the speed of delivery can be increased without placing the
propelling surfaces further apart than in ordinary single worms.
Secondly. Making the arms which support the spiral or propelling blades of
conveyors and connect them to the central tube or shaft with a crank or with a
projecting shoulder against which the under side of the spiral or propelling blade
Trests.
Thirdly. Constructing the top rims and the bands which support the troughs.or
casings of conveyors of angle or L-shaped section iron or steel so that they can be

page_text: securely bolted together and the sheet iron or steel body rivetted or otherwise
attached thereto.
Fourthly. I claim the general novel construction and arrangement of the
conveyor and its trough or casing whereby it can be conveniently fitted together in
lengths and readily disconnected substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
set forth and illustrated by the drawings annexed.
Dated this 1st day of Auril 1892.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.