Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Plural filling means – Alternating
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-18
2001-01-30
Douglas, Steven O. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Plural filling means
Alternating
C141S129000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179021
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to loading systems used for loading a fluid-like substance, such as crushed coal or other particulate material or liquids, into transport receptacles, such as intermediary dump cars designed to load railroad cars, and is more particularly concerned with such a loading system wherein the intent is to increase the loading capacity of conventional load outs where the railroad cars are pulled, pushed or dropped under the load point thus leaving empty a substantial portion of the space available for parking empty railroad cars. With a system using the herein-described invention, the cars can be parked and loaded while stationary providing the added benefit of increased load out capacity without concern as to whether the track is straight or curved. In addition, the position of the load point or points is of no particular concern with the herein-described invention. Furthermore, the system is concerned with the loading of a fluid-like substance that is gravitationally directed into a plurality of receptacles for transport.
In my U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,839,565, 5,098,248 and 4,988,253 wherein machines are described which increase load out capacity through the negotiating of curvature, there are depicted load points which are movable and overall reversible. These machines depend upon the use of a belt for the transport of material whereas the invention described herein, also reversible, can be utilized unhindered by belting that must be contained and propelled about substantially the length of the loading machine. Although the invention described herein could be used with the machines of the referenced patents, these machines are mentioned here primarily as examples of belt carrying machines with movable load points. A movable load point, not necessarily associated with the machines of the referenced patents, may be desirable wherein the invention described herein remains under the load point for a greater period of time so as to more greatly fill the receptacles moving therebelow without decreasing the receptacle speed.
To load the aforementioned intermediary dump cars, for example, without shutting off the flow of material and avoiding the dropping of that material into the spacing defined between the two intermediary dump cars, the invention described herein is positioned in registry with the segment or space existing between the intermediary dump cars or receptacles to interrupt or divert the material falling downwardly so that the material is prevented from falling into the spacing by the divider mechanism and thus forced into one or the other or both receptacles or dump cars.
In a gondola-including machine described in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,462, there exists overlay between gondolas provided for by each gondola. This, too, prevents spillage between gondolas or receptacles. In the invention described herein, the advantage is that gondolas or receptacles can be built without the need of overlay into each gondola or receptacle thereby resulting in tremendous cost savings when dealing with a great number of gondolas or receptacles.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved means or system for loading open-topped receptacles with particulate material which is gravitationally directed toward the receptacles from a source or sources.
One more object of the present invention is to provide such a means or system of reduced complexity and increased flexibility for increasing load out capacity.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a means or system which increases the speed and efficiency with which a plurality of spaced, open-topped receptacles can be loaded.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a new and improved means or system which enables spaced, open-topped receptacles to be loaded from a load source or sources while the receptacles are in motion.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a means or system that allows complete flexibility of dumping destination or destinations while at the same time being uncomplicated in construction yet effective in operation.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a movable divider whose size can be adjusted for use, perhaps, with complicated loading environments.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention resides in a material transfer system for loading a pair of spaced receptacles with a material capable of gravitationally flowing toward the receptacles from a source and wherein the material which is gravitationally directed toward the receptacles moves along a path between the source and the receptacles which has a segment through which the material falls downwardly. In addition, the spaced receptacles to be loaded define a spacing therebetween which is movable into vertical registry with the segment of the material flow path through which the material falls downwardly.
The transfer system includes an elongated support frame mounted adjacent the receptacles and a divider mechanism providing two downwardly-directed flow-directing surfaces which are joined together at an apex and which diverge from one another as paths are traced along the flow-directing surfaces. Each flow-directing surface terminates at a discharge end from which material which falls upon the flow-directing surfaces is permitted to fall therefrom and move toward one of the receptacles to be loaded. The system also includes means for mounting the divider mechanism along the support frame for movement along the length thereof and into and out of a position at which the divider mechanism spans and thereby covers the spacing defined between the two receptacles. Means are also included for moving the divider mechanism along the length of the support frame and into a position at which the divider mechanism is positionable in vertical registry with the segment of the material path through which the material falls downwardly so that when the spacing defined between the receptacles is moved in vertical registry with the segment of the material flow path through which the material falls downwardly, the divider mechanism is positionable in registry with the segment of the material flow path through which the material falls downwardly so that the material is prevented from falling into the spacing by the divider mechanism.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3002637 (1961-10-01), Miller
patent: 3139997 (1964-07-01), Merritt et al.
patent: 3842994 (1974-10-01), Theurer et al.
patent: 4678015 (1987-07-01), Raque et al.
patent: 5098248 (1992-03-01), McFall
patent: 5353850 (1994-10-01), Ueda et al.
Douglas Steven O.
McKee Michael E.
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