Abstract 976,514. Unloading storage containers from below; screw conveyers. A. O. SMITH CORPORATION. July 27, 1961 [Aug. 1, 1960], No. 27225/61. Headings B8A and B8E. A sweep conveyer 7, which feeds material to an outlet in the base 2 of a storage structure such as a silo 1 and is at the same time swept over the base by rotation about a vertical axis, has its drive coupled to that of a fixed discharge conveyer 9 by which the material emerging from the outlet is carried away. The coupling comprises gearing within the interconnected housings 19, 62 whereby on driving the conveyer 5, e.g. by motor 6, the drive may be transmitted both to drive the conveyer 7 and also to rotate the upper housing 62 carrying the conveyer 7 with respect to the fixed lower housing 19 carrying the conveyer 5. Each of the conveyers comprises a screw and, as shown in Fig. 3, the shaft 16 of the lower screw has a splined extension within the housing 19 on which extension a collar 30 is slidably mounted, which collar terminates in gear-teeth 28. When a clutch rod 41 (Fig. 2) is suitably operated these teeth engage a gear member 29 which in turn drives a further gear element 49 about a vertical axis. The rotation of gear element 49, by engagement with bevel gear 71, drives the shaft 66 of the upper screw 65 comprising the sweep conveyer 7. The rotation of gear element 49 is also used to rotate the upper housing 62 on the lower housing. In the form shown this rotation is obtained by supporting the upper housing on an annular friction plate 76 secured to the gear element 49 and resting on the lower housing 19. In another form, Figs. 6 and 7 (not shown), a planetary gear system replaces this friction plate. U.S.A. Specifications 2,233,085 and 2,275,558 are referred to.
AN UNLOADER FOR REMOVING MATERIAL FROM A STRUCTURE AND HAVING A SWEEP CONVEYOR MEANS AND A DISCHARGE CONVEYOR MEANS WITHIN THE STRUCTURE BENEATH THE SWEEP CONVEYOR MEANS AND HAVING A PRIME MOVER COUPLED TO DRIVE THE DISCHARGE CONVEYOR MEANS, WHICH COMPRISES AN UPPER INVERTED CUP-SHAPED HOUSING AND A LOWER CUPSHAPED HOUSING DEFINING A DIVIDED TUBULAR ENCLOSURE, A GEAR TRAIN MOUNTED WITHIN THE ENCLOSURE AND HAVING AN INPUT WITHIN THE LOWER HOUSING CONNECTED TO THE DISCHARGE CONVEYOR MEANS AND AN OUTPUT WITHIN THE UPPER HOUSING CONNECTED TO THE SWEEP CONVEYOR MEANS, AND A DRIVE MEANS CENTRALLY MOUNTED WITHIN THE TUBULAR ENCLOSURE BETWEEN THE INPUT AND OUTPUT OF THE GEAR TRAIN AND FORMING A SUPPORT FOR THE GEAR TRAIN, SAID DRIVE MEANS INCLUDING AN INPUT CONNECTED TO BE DRIVEN BY THE GEAR TRAIN AND AN OUTPUT COUPLED TO THE UPPER INVERTED HOUSING.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
AN UNLOADER FOR REMOVING MATERIAL FROM A STRUCTURE AND HAVING A SWEEP CONVEYOR MEANS AND A DISCHARGE CONVEYOR MEANS WITHIN THE STRUCTURE BENEATH THE SWEEP CONVEYOR MEANS AND HAVING A PRIME MOVER COUPLED TO DRIVE THE DISCHARGE CONVEYOR MEANS, WHICH COMPRISES AN UPPER INVERTED CUP-SHAPED HOUSING AND A LOWER CUPSHAPED HOUSING DEFINING A DIVIDED TUBULAR ENCLOSURE, A GEAR TRAIN MOUNTED WITHIN THE ENCLOSURE AND HAVING AN INPUT WITHIN THE LOWER HOUSING CONNECTED TO THE DISCHARGE CONVEYOR MEANS AND AN OUTPUT WITHIN THE UPPER HOUSING CONNECTED TO THE SWEEP CONVEYOR MEANS, AND A DRIVE MEANS CENTRALLY MOUNTED WITHIN THE TUBULAR ENCLOSURE BETWEEN THE INPUT AND OUTPUT OF THE GEAR TRAIN AND FORMING A SUPPORT FOR THE GEAR TRAIN, SAID DRIVE MEANS INCLUDING AN INPUT CONNECTED TO BE DRIVEN BY THE GEAR TRAIN AND AN OUTPUT COUPLED TO THE UPPER INVERTED HOUSING.