Scrap charging bucket

Claim 1

A MECHANISM FOR LOCKING AND RELEASING MULTIPLE LEAVES WHICH FORM THE BOTTOM OF A BUCKET FOR DISCHARGING SCRAP DOWNWARDLY THROUGH A FURNACE OPENING AND WHICH BUCKET HAS A LOCKING CHAIN FOR SURROUNDING THE LOWER ENDS OF THE LEAVES WHEN THEY ARE IN A CLOSED POSITION, AND WHEREON A LIFTING BAIL IS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO TRUNNIONS PROJECTING FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE BUCKET FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN DOWN AND UPRIGHT POSITIONS, WHICH MECHANISM COMPRISES A PIVOTED LEVER CARRIED BY ONE BOTTOM LEAF OF THE BUCKET, SAID PIVOTED LEVER HAVING AT ONE END THEREOF AT LEAST ONE PIN-LIKE ELEMENT ADAPTED TO RELEASBLY HOLD THE CHAIN IN POSITION AROUND THE LEAVES WHEN THE LEAVES ARE IN THEIR CLOSED POSITION, SAID PIVOTED LEVER HAVING A HANDLE PORTION AT ITS OPPOSITE END FOR MANUAL MOVEMENT TO A CHAIN LOCKING POSITION, A STOP MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID BOTTOM LEAF AND COOPERATING WITH SAID PIVOTED LEVER FOR LOCKING SAID LEVER IN ITS CHAIN-LOCKING POSITION, AND MEANS OPERATED BY THE LIFTING BAIL WHEN THE BAIL IS MOVED FROM ITS DOWN POSITION TO ITS UPRIGHT POSITION FOR MOVING SAID STOP MEANS FROM A LEVER LOCKING POSITION TO A LEVER RELEASING POSITION.