Improvements in Conveying Apparatus for Grain, Coal and other Matters.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Conveying Apparatus for Grain, Coal and other
Matters.
I, PETER BUTLER BRADLEY, of Hingham, County of Plymouth, State of
Massachusetts, one of the United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to conveying apparatus and has for its object the produc-
tion of a conveyor in which certain deficiencies of existing types shall be rectified,
attention being paid more particularly to the provision for increased facility of
loading and perfect retention of the load throughout the run up to the desired point
of discharge, with greater adaptability for installation in diverse situations, by
reason of flexibility in structural arrangement and economy of the material
necessary in construction.
Of existing conveyors, the pan type offers the greatest advantages for loading,
but is the least retentive, even when provided with partitions, discharge of the load
following closely for example upon transition from an upright portion of the
run to a horizontal portion, and but little relief has resulted from narrowing the
mouth of the bucket to retain the load, necessitating the provision of wheels or
track offsets, about which the pan is carried to effect discharge, and in any event
discharge at desired points is not easy of accomplishment with the pan type.
On the other hand, conveyors in which reliance is had upon gravity buckets
to carry the load, are of great utility so far as the control of discharge of the load
is concerned, but it has been considered advisable to bridge the spaces between
the buckets and this has been accomplished by devices which have hampered or
rendered impossible normal freedom of the bucket to swing when loaded, a capa-
bility especially desirable in passing curves.
The novel technical problem solved by my present invention is the provision
in a conveyor, of a series of gravity buckets arranged to be unhampered throughout
a considerable portion of the run, and means to turn the buckets out of normal
position, for loading and discharge, attention being paid also to provision for
continuity in the conveyor.
In the preferred embodiment of my invention selected for description, a number
of pan sections are assembled to form a continuous conveyor, the articulation of
which may be, and preferably is, accomplished in a manner usual in the construc-
tion of conveyors of the pan type, the pans being arranged respectively to receive
at their forward ends the rear end of the pan member immediately preceding in
each case.
Within the articulated pan formed thus, is arranged to operate a series of swing-
ing members, moveable with the pan and so related thereto as to cooperate with
the pan to receive and carry the load at portions of the run.
As a simple and convenient method of securing the cooperation of the pan and
swinging members the latter may be mounted pivotally directly in the sides of

page_text: the pan, though I do not limit myself to such positive connection between the
pan and swinging members.
I will now proceed to describe the operation of my novel apparatus in an
installation where by the requirements of the situation, loading is to be effected
at a lower portion of the run, and discharge at an upper portion, and for this reason
the pan is turned inwardly to receive the load, although my invention, as will be
readily understood, is by no means restricted to inward presentation of the pan
and swinging members since I am the first so far as I am aware to combine in a
single conveyor, pan and swinging elements cooperating to produce a unitary
result, however these elements may be presented to meet the exigencies of a
particular installation.
In operation therefore, in the instance selected, the load is delivered from a
suitable device, into the upturned pan, in which the pivotted swinging members
may rest with their lips down against the pan bottoms, and their own bottoms
turned rearwardly.
As the loaded portion of the pan begins to turn up the lower corner, the load
hitherto resting upon the pan bottom, begins to settle back and finds an easy
entrance into the buckets over their lips until, even before a true vertical shall
have been reached the load will have been transferred wholly to the buckets.
The reverse curve at the upper corner of the run, finds the load accordingly in
the buckets or swinging members, ready upon the change of direction of the con-
veyor to assume, under the force of gravity, a normal depending position to retain
the load, and this may continue up to the desired point of discharge which dis-
charge may be effected by turning the buckets sufficiently out of normal position
by the use of any suitable device.
The buckets may and preferably will have projections or lugs, with friction
rollers preferably to facilitate tripping of the buckets for discharge, and if desired,
an additional guard rail at the upper curve may be provided to ensure outward
swing of the buckets as they round the curve, though the force of gravity will
be sufficient normally to overcome any slight cramping between pan and bucket.
The buckets will preferably be arranged to approach the loading point always
in the abnormal position already described, and to effect this, suitable positioning
means may be provided, as for example a rail, cooperating with the projections.
It will be found convenient, when the full capacity of the conveyor is to be
utilized, to provide each pan section with a swinging member, and I consider a
favorable situation for the axial line of the pivotal connections to lie between the
center of gravity of each bucket and its mouth, preferably closely adjacent the
latter, slightly to the rear of the middle of the pan section, and so far removed
from the bottom of the pan as to permit the bucket to assume freely a position
where the inner edge or lip of the bucket lies snugly adjacent the bottom of the
pan section.
To promote stability in this position, I prefer to construct this lip of the bucket
so that it will lie in substantial parallelism with the pan bottom, avoiding thus any
interspace for the lodgement of material, but leaving the bucket free to swing away
from the pan-bottom, as has been described herein before. This form of construc-
tion answers admirably to limit the range of movement of the bucket, and hold
its mouth in proper position to receive the load from the pan, but any construction
suitable for this purpose may be adopted.
The connection of the articulated' conveyor sections, and the operation of the
conveyor as a whole, may be accomplished by any suitable means, but I consider
the use of an endless carrier consisting of a cable as offering great advantages along
the line of flexibility in operation and adaptability to the varying requirements
of diverse installations.
The number of cables used to form the carrier may be varied as desired, and
found suitable, and I may use a pair parallel with the bottoms of the pan sections,
to which latter the connection with the cable may be made as one convenient form
of joining up the conveyor as a whole.

page_text: Any suitable attachment may be used, whether integral with the pan section, or
other conveyor member, or separate, and secured by suitable fastening means, as
bolts, while the attachment may be secured to the cable by a clamping block and
fastening bolts, in well known fashion, the attachment having also extensions,
integral if desired and found convenient, to serve as journals for wheels or equiva-
lent guiding means cooperating with tracks, or the like directing or supporting
devices, the contour and situation of which will be governed by the requirements
of the installation.
The carrier and guiding devices may be arranged in any suitable relation but
preferably in approximately the same plane, in order to keep the line of draft near
the region of support.
So also some change may be made in the position of the conveyor members proper
relatively to the carrier, though prefer to mount them at some distance from
the latter, since by so doing I secure ample clearance between the pan and cable,
the need for which developes particularly in passing around curves.
Motive power may be derived from any suitable source, and communicated to
the conveyor in any suitable manner, as by a driving sprocket, engaging opera-
tively with the attachments in well known fashion.
The advantages of operation presented by a conveyor of few parts and simple
construction, affording absolute facility for continuous loading, and permitting
perfect retention and control of the load up to the point of discharge, will be
obvious to those skilled in the art.
Improvements in Conveying Apparatus for Grain, Coal and other
Matters.
I, PETER BUTLER BRADLEY, of Hingham, County of Plymouth, State of
Massachusetts, one of the United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to conveying apparatus and has for its object the produc-
tion of a conveyor in which certain deficiencies of existing types shall be rectified,
attention being paid more particularly to the provision for increased facility of
loading and perfect retention of the load throughout the run up to the desired point
of discharge, with greater adaptability for installation in diverse situations, by
reason of flexibility in structural arrangement and economy of the material
necessary in construction.
Of existing conveyors, the pan type offers the greatest advantages for loading,
but is the least retentive, even when provided with partitions discharge of the
load following closely for example upon transition from an upright portion of the
run to a horizontal portion, and but little relief has resulted from narrowing the
mouth of the bucket to retain the load, necessitating the provision of wheels or
track offsets, about which the pan is carried to effect discharge, and in any event
discharge at desired points is not easy of accomplishment with the pan type.
On the other hand, conveyors in which reliance is had upon gravity buckets
to carry the load, are of great utility so far as the control of discharge of the load

page_text: is concerned, but it has been considered advisable to bridge the spaces between
the buckets, and this has been accomplished by devices which have hampered or
rendered impossible normal freedom of the bucket to swing when loaded, a capa-
bility especially desirable in passing curves.
The novel technical problem solved by my present invention is the provision
in a conveyor, of a series of gravity buckets arranged to be unhampered throughout
a considerable portion of the run, and means to turn the buckets out of normal
position, for loading and discharge, attention being paid also to provision for
continuity in the conveyor. The various features of my invention will be illus-
trated and described fully in the accompanying drawings and specification, and
set forth in the claims.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a completed conveying apparatus in the
construction of which my invention has been embodied.
Fig. 2 is a similar view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the conveyor at
the bottom of Fig. 1.
Figs. 3 and 4 are views in front elevation and plan respectively of the conveyor
sections illustrated in Fig. 2, and
Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of a single detached bucket and pan section of the
preferred type.
In the preferred embodiment of my invention selected for description and illus-
trated in the drawings, a number of pan sections or elements A are shown
assembled to form a continuous conveyor, the articulation of which may be, and
preferably is, accomplished in a manner usual in the construction of conveyors
of the pan type, in this instance the pans being illustrated as of a simple form,
having each a bottom a from which rise sides a¹, integral with the bottom or joined
thereto in any suitable manner, and arranged respectively to receive at their for-
ward ends the rear end of the pan member immediately preceding in each case.
Within the articulated pan conveying-device formed thus, is arranged to operate
a series of swinging members B, movable with the pan conveying-device and so
related thereto as to co-operate with the pan conveying-device to receive and carry
the load at portions of the run.
I have illustrated this series of swinging members as composed in this instance
of a well known type of bucket, with straight sides b, curved bottom 61, divergent
lips 62, 63 and wide open mouth, and as a simple and convenient method of securing
the co-operation of the pan conveying-device and swinging members I have shown
the latter as mounted pivotally directly in the sides of the pan conveying device,
though I do not limit myself to such positive connection between the pan conveying-
device and swinging members, nor to the contour and details of construction of
either, illustrated and to be described hereinafter.
When connected positively, as above indicated, it will be found convenient,
when the full capacity of the conveyor is to be utilized, to provide each pan section
with a swinging member, and I consider a favourable situation for the axial line
of the pivotal connections c, to lie between the centre of gravity of each bucket
and its mouth, preferably closely adjacent the latter, slightly to the rear of the
middle of the pan section, and so far removed from the bottom of the pan as to
permit the bucket to assume freely the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and best
seen in the latter, where the inner edge or lip 62 of the bucket lies snugly adja-
cent the bottom a of the pan section.
To promote stability in this position, I prefer to construct this lip of the bucket
so that it will lie in substantial parallelism with the pan bottom, avoiding thus any
interspace for the lodgement of material, but leaving the bucket free to swing away
from the pan-bottom, as will be described more fully later. This form of construc-
tion answers admirably to limit the range of movement of the bucket, and hold
its mouth in proper position to receive the load from the pan, but any construction
suitable for this purpose may be adopted.
The form of the pivotal connection may be varied as desired and found suitable,

page_text: designating in this instance a headed pivot pin passing through a reinforcing
bearing plate c¹ (see Fig. 5) on the pan side, and provided with a cotter pin 2.
The connection of the articulated conveyor sections, and the operation of the
conveyor as a whole, may be accomplished by any suitablé means, but I consider
the use of an endless carrier consisting of a cable as offering great advantages along
the line of flexibility in operation and adaptability to the varying requirements
of diverse installations, so I have illustrated its application to my preferred form
of structure, and lay stress on the novel arrangement presented, as an important
feature of my invention.
The number of cables D used to form the carrier may be varied as desired, and
found suitable, and I have shown a pair parallel with the bottoms of the pan
sections, to which latter the connections with the cable may be made as one con-
venient form of joining up the conveyor as a whole.
Any suitable attachment E may be used, whether integral with the pan section,
or other conveyor member, or separate, as illustrated, and secured by suitable
fastening means, as the bolts e, see Fig. 3 the attachment in this instance being
secured to the cable by a clamping block e¹ and fastening bolts e², in well-known
fashion, the attachment having also extensions e 3 integral if desired and found
convenient, to serve as journals for wheels or equivalent guiding means F co-
operating with tracks, or the like directing or supporting devices H, H', the con-
tour and situation of which will be governed by the requirements of the installation.
The carrier D and guiding devices F may be arranged in any suitable relation
but preferably as shown in approximately the same plane, in order to keep the
line of draught near the region of support.
So also some change may be made in the position of the conveyor members proper
relatively to the carrier, though I prefer to mount them at some distance from
the latter, since by so doing I secure ample clearance between the pan and cable,
the need for which developes particularly in passing around curves.
Motive power may be derived from any suitable source, not shown, and com-
municated to the conveyor in any suitable manner, as by the driving sprocket K,
engaging operatively with the attachments E in well known fashion.
I will now proceed to describe the operation of my novel apparatus as illustrated
in an installation where, by the requirements of the situation, loading is to be
effected at a lower portion of the run, and discharge at an upper portion, and for
this reason the pan is turned inwardly to receive the load, although my invention,
as will be readily understood, is by no means restricted to inward presentation of
the pan and swinging members, since I am the first so far as I am aware to com-
bine in a single conveyor, pan and swinging elements co-operating to produce a
unitary result, however these elements may be presented to meet the exigencies of
a particular installation.
In operation therefor, in the instance illustrated, the load is delivered from a
suitable device, as the hooded chute M, into the upturned pan A, in which the
pivoted swinging members B rest as shown in Fig. 2, with their lips 62 down
against the pan bottoms a, and their own bottoms turned rearwardly, the conveyor
travelling in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1.
As the loaded portion of the pan begins to turn up the lower right hand corner,
the load, hitherto resting upon the pan bottom, begins to settle back and finds
an easy entrance into the buckets B over their lips 62 until, even before a true
vertical shall have been reached the load will have been transferred wholly to
the buckets.
The reverse curve at the upper right hand corner of Fig. 1, finds the load
accordingly in the buckets or swinging members B, ready upon the change of
direction of the conveyor to assume, under the force of gravity, a normal depending
position to retain the load, and this may continue up to the desired point of dis-
charge, which discharge may be effected by turning the buckets sufficiently out
cf normal position by the use of any suitable device, as the adjustable cam N,
provided with a support n and controlling lever n¹.

page_text: The buckets may and preferably will have projections or lugs 64,
with friction rollers b, preferably (see Figs. 2 to 5) to co-operate
with the cam and facilitate tripping of the buckets for discharge,
and if desired, an additional guard rail h, at the upper left hand curve, may be
provided to ensure outward swing of the buckets as they round the curve, though
the force of gravity will be sufficient normally to overcome any slight cramping
between pan and bucket.
'
The buckets will preferably be arranged to approach the loading point M
always in the abnormal position illustrated in Fig. 1, and to affect this, suitable
positioning means may be provided, the rail H³ serving this purpose in the instance
illustrated, co-operating with the projections 64 in a manner. which will be under-
stood readily from the drawing.
The advantages of operation presented by a conveyor of few parts and simple
construction, affording absolute facility for continuous loading, and permitting
perfect retention and control of the load up to the point of discharge, 'will be
obvious to those skilled in the art, and their existence in the apparatus disclosed
herein will be perfectly apparent upon inspection of the drawings in connection
with the specification.
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: -
1. In a conveyor, the combination with a pan conveying-device, of a CO-
operating series of gravity buckets, substantially as described.
2. In a conveyor, the combination of pan and swinging members, co-operating
to carry the load, substantially as described.
3. The combination in a conveyor, of a series of gravity buckets, and a pan
conveying-device, movable together and arranged respectively to carry the whole
load, each at a different part of the run, substantially as described.
4. In a conveyor, a pan conveying-device, and a co-operating series of gravity
buckets, movable with, and arranged to receive the load from, said pan conveying-
device, intermediate the points of loading and discharge of said conveyor, sub-
stantially as described.
5. A conveyor comprising a pan conveying-device and a co-operating series
of gravity buckets, adapted and arranged respectively, the former to receive the
load primarily and to transfer it to the latter, and the latter to receive from said
pan conveying-device the load and carry it to the point of discharge, substantially
as described.
6. The combination in a conveyor, with a pan conveying-device, of a series of
gravity buckets carried by said pan and co-operating therewith to carry the load,
substantially as described.
7. The combination in a conveyor, with a pan conveying-device, of a series of
gravity buckets mounted pivotally thereon, substantially as described.
8. The combination in a conveyor, with a pan conveying-device, of a series of
gravity buckets supported pivotally within, and from the sides of, said pan con-
veying-device, substantially as described.
9. Conveying apparatus comprising an endless carrier provided with, and to
operate, a pan conveying-device combined with a series of gravity buckets, sub-
.stantially as described.
10. Conveying apparatus comprising an endless cable provided with, and to
operate, a pan conveying-device combined with a series of gravity buckets, sub-
stantially as described.
11. In a conveyor, a pan section provided with a co-operating gravity bucket,
substantially as described.
12. In a conveyor, an articulated pan conveying-device having a plurality of
elements or members, and gravity buckets co-operating with said members.

page_text: 13. In a conveyor, an articulated pan conveying-device having a plurality of
elements or members, and gravity buckets, one for and co-operating with each of
said members.
14. A conveyor member comprising a pan section, a gravity bucket thereon,
rotatable about an axis near its mouth, said axis passing through the sides of said
section at a region suitable to permit partial entry of said bucket therewithin,
substantially as described.
15. In a conveyor, a pan conveying-device, combined with a gravity bucket,
and means to cause presentation of said bucket in abnormal position for loading
and discharge, substantially as described.
16. In a conveyor, a pan conveying-device, combined with a gravity bucket so
related and arranged with respect to said pan conveying-device as to present a lip
adjacent the bottom of said pan conveying-device to receive the load therefrom,
substantially as described.
17. A conveyor member comprising a pan section combined with a gravity
bucket and having an attachment provided with guiding means, substantially
as described.
18. Conveying apparatus, comprising combined pan and gravity bucket
members, an endless carrier, directing devices, attachments intermediate said
members and carrier, and guiding means for said members, co-operating with
said directing devices, substantially as described.
19. Conveying apparatus comprising combined pan and gravity bucket
members, an endless operating cable, directing rails, and attachments, inter-
mediate said members and cable, and provided with guide wheels co-operating
with said rails, substantially as described.
20. A conveyor, comprising combined pan and gravity bucket members;
directing devices therefor; and means to ensure freedom of said buckets
to assume normal position upon change of direction of said conveyor, substantially
as described.
21. Conveying apparatus; comprising loading means; a pan conveying-device,
presented to be loaded therefrom at a lower portion of its run; gravity buckets
movable with said pan and arranged with their mouths presented forwardly to
receive the load shifting within said pan as it assumes an upright position, said
buckets being free to assume a normal depending position as said pan doubles upon
itself in passing to the upper horizontal portion of its run; and means to turn
said buckets out of normal position to discharge the same, substantially as
described.
22. In a conveyor; an endless carrier provided with a series of gravity buckets;
and means to turn said buckets out of normal position for loading and discharge,
substantially as described.
Uoted the 24th dow of November 1898
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.