Patent US3929219A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3929219A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Reciprocating variable speed material transfer conveyor system
Assignee: Dravo Corp
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Filing: 1974-03-27
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Granted: 1975-12-30
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Expires: 1994-03-27
Abstract
Abstract The depth and pattern of material deposited across the width of a receiving conveyor from a shuttle conveyor, the discharge end of which moves transversely across the receiving conveyor, while the shuttle conveyor is supplied with material from a fixed substantially constant supply is accomplished by mounting the shuttle conveyor on a carriage to effect its reciprocation while the shuttle conveyor is driven at a constant speed forward relative to the ground and fixed source of supply, but at a variable speed relative to the carriage depending on whether the carriage is moving toward or away from the receiving conveyor. This is effected by differentially controlling the speed of the shuttle conveyor relative to the carriage according to the speed and direction of movement of the carriage.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald B Malcolm
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 01:03
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G69/00; B65G69/04; B65G69/0408; F; F27; F27D; F27D3/00; F27D3/0033; F27D2003/0001; F27D2003/0006; F27D2003/0034; F27D2003/0063
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A shuttle conveyor arranged to receive material from a fixed point of supply and discharge the same from one end onto a receiving means across which said end travels comprising: a. a carriage; b. a single endless belt conveyor unit fixed on the carriage with upper and lower runs of fixed length and with a roller at each end around which the belt passes, the belt being arranged to receive material directly from said fixed point of supply, one end of the unit being the material discharge end and it projects beyond one end of the carriage a distance equal to that width of the receiving means across which it travels; c. means for reciprocating the carriage; and d. means responsive to the speed and direction of travel of the carriage for driving the conveyor belt at a variable speed relative to the carriage in such manner that its speed relative to the point of supply and the ground is constant.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
A shuttle conveyor arranged to receive material from a fixed point of supply and discharge the same from one end onto a receiving means across which said end travels comprising: a. a carriage; b. a single endless belt conveyor unit fixed on the carriage with upper and lower runs of fixed length and with a roller at each end around which the belt passes, the belt being arranged to receive material directly from said fixed point of supply, one end of the unit being the material discharge end and it projects beyond one end of the carriage a distance equal to that width of the receiving means across which it travels; c. means for reciprocating the carriage; and d. means responsive to the speed and direction of travel of the carriage for driving the conveyor belt at a variable speed relative to the carriage in such manner that its speed relative to the point of supply and the ground is constant.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
207 words
A shuttle conveyor arranged to receive material directly from a fixed supply point and discharge the material from one end onto a receiving means across which it travels comprising: a. a carriage; b. a single endless belt conveyor unit with upper and lower runs of effective fixed length during operation, said conveyor belt unit being fixed on the carriage with one end constituting a material discharge end projecting over the receiving means, the upper run of the belt conveyor being arranged to receive material directly from the fixed supply point; c. means for reciprocating the carriage toward and away from the receiving means but with the discharge end of the belt conveyor being always positioned to move back and forth over the receiving means with the back and forth travel of the carriage; d. conveyor drive means adjusted to drive the conveyor at a predetermined speed when the carriage is stationary; and e. variable drive on the conveyor unit for operating the belt and other means responsive to the movement of the carriage to decrease the speed of the conveyor relative to the carriage when the carriage is advancing toward the receiving means and increasing said speed when the carriage is moving away from the receiving means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
207 words
A shuttle conveyor arranged to receive material directly from a fixed supply point and discharge the material from one end onto a receiving means across which it travels comprising: a. a carriage; b. a single endless belt conveyor unit with upper and lower runs of effective fixed length during operation, said conveyor belt unit being fixed on the carriage with one end constituting a material discharge end projecting over the receiving means, the upper run of the belt conveyor being arranged to receive material directly from the fixed supply point; c. means for reciprocating the carriage toward and away from the receiving means but with the discharge end of the belt conveyor being always positioned to move back and forth over the receiving means with the back and forth travel of the carriage; d. conveyor drive means adjusted to drive the conveyor at a predetermined speed when the carriage is stationary; and e. variable drive on the conveyor unit for operating the belt and other means responsive to the movement of the carriage to decrease the speed of the conveyor relative to the carriage when the carriage is advancing toward the receiving means and increasing said speed when the carriage is moving away from the receiving means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A shuttle conveyor as defined in claim 2 wherein said last-named means is arranged to maintain the speed of the conveyor relative to the fixed supply point at the predetermined speed at which it is adjusted to operate when the carriage is stationary.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
A shuttle conveyor as defined in claim 2 wherein the last-named means is arranged to vary the speed of said conveyor relative to the carriage in such manner that the speed of travel of the conveyor relative to the fixed point of supply of the material is substantially constant.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
341 words
A system for transferring pellets or other material discharging in a subdtantially continuous stream from a fixed point and loading them onto a continuously moving receiving conveyor in successive diagonal swaths across the receiving conveyor comprising: a. a reciprocable carriage at one side of the receiving conveyor movable in a direction transverse to the length of the receiving conveyor through a cycle between a far side of said conveyor remote from the carriage to a near side and return, b. a shuttle conveyor belt mounted entirely on the carriage comprising an endless belt extending in the direction parallel with the direction of travel of the carriage with upper and lower runs of constant fixed length and having a discharge end which is carried back and forth across the receiving conveyor by the reciprocable carriage, said shuttle conveyor also extending at all times in a position under said fixed point of supply where it receives material from said fixed source of supply: c. means for driving said shuttle conveyor belt at predetermined speed relative to the ground when the carriage is stationary with means responsive to conveyor movement to change the speed of the shuttle conveyor relative to the carriage in such manner that with the carriage moving toward or away from the receiving conveyor the speed of the shuttle belt relatively to the ground will be the same as when the carriage is stationary, and d. means for reciprocating the carriage through a complete cycle in a time interval approximately equal to the time required by the receiving conveyor to move a distance equal to the width of a swath of material deposited by the shuttle conveyor on the receiving conveyor in moving from adjacent the far edge of the receiving conveyor to its limit of travel toward the near side with the return travel of the shuttle conveyor and carriage being sufficiently fast that substantially no material is intended to be discharged on the receiving conveyor in the portion of the return travel from the near to the far edge.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
341 words
A system for transferring pellets or other material discharging in a subdtantially continuous stream from a fixed point and loading them onto a continuously moving receiving conveyor in successive diagonal swaths across the receiving conveyor comprising: a. a reciprocable carriage at one side of the receiving conveyor movable in a direction transverse to the length of the receiving conveyor through a cycle between a far side of said conveyor remote from the carriage to a near side and return, b. a shuttle conveyor belt mounted entirely on the carriage comprising an endless belt extending in the direction parallel with the direction of travel of the carriage with upper and lower runs of constant fixed length and having a discharge end which is carried back and forth across the receiving conveyor by the reciprocable carriage, said shuttle conveyor also extending at all times in a position under said fixed point of supply where it receives material from said fixed source of supply: c. means for driving said shuttle conveyor belt at predetermined speed relative to the ground when the carriage is stationary with means responsive to conveyor movement to change the speed of the shuttle conveyor relative to the carriage in such manner that with the carriage moving toward or away from the receiving conveyor the speed of the shuttle belt relatively to the ground will be the same as when the carriage is stationary, and d. means for reciprocating the carriage through a complete cycle in a time interval approximately equal to the time required by the receiving conveyor to move a distance equal to the width of a swath of material deposited by the shuttle conveyor on the receiving conveyor in moving from adjacent the far edge of the receiving conveyor to its limit of travel toward the near side with the return travel of the shuttle conveyor and carriage being sufficiently fast that substantially no material is intended to be discharged on the receiving conveyor in the portion of the return travel from the near to the far edge.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
205 words
A shuttle conveyor arranged to receive material directly from a fixed supply point and discharge the material from one end onto a receiving means across which it travels comprising: a. a carriage; b. a single endless conveyor belt unit having a roller at each end and an endless belt with top and bottom runs of fixed length entIrely mounted on the carriage with the top thereof extending beneath the said fixed supply point and a pulley at one end extending at all times over the receiving means; c. means for reciprocating the carriage toward and away from the receiving means; d. conveyor means adjusted to drive the conveyor at a predetermined speed when the carriage is stationary; and e. variable speed drive means on the conveyor unit for operating the belt and other means responsive to the movement of the carriage to decrease the speed of the conveyor relative to the carriage when the carriage is advancing toward the receiving means and increasing said speed when the carriage is moving away from the receiving means, wherein said other means is a differential speed varying means comprising an element on the carriage cooperating with fixed means on the ground with respect to which the carriage moves.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
205 words
A shuttle conveyor arranged to receive material directly from a fixed supply point and discharge the material from one end onto a receiving means across which it travels comprising: a. a carriage; b. a single endless conveyor belt unit having a roller at each end and an endless belt with top and bottom runs of fixed length entIrely mounted on the carriage with the top thereof extending beneath the said fixed supply point and a pulley at one end extending at all times over the receiving means; c. means for reciprocating the carriage toward and away from the receiving means; d. conveyor means adjusted to drive the conveyor at a predetermined speed when the carriage is stationary; and e. variable speed drive means on the conveyor unit for operating the belt and other means responsive to the movement of the carriage to decrease the speed of the conveyor relative to the carriage when the carriage is advancing toward the receiving means and increasing said speed when the carriage is moving away from the receiving means, wherein said other means is a differential speed varying means comprising an element on the carriage cooperating with fixed means on the ground with respect to which the carriage moves.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
117 words
A shuttle conveyor as defined in claim 6 wherein the variable speed drive comprises a motor and a differential gear through which the motor tramsmits motion to the conveyor belt and means on the carriage operated by movement of the carriage relative to the ground and operatively connected with the differential gear for varying the motion transmitted from the motor through the differential gear to add to or detract from motion transmitted to the conveyor from the motor to increase the speed of the conveyor relative to the carriage when the carriage is moving in a direction away from the receiving means and decrease it when the carriage is moving in a direction toward the receiving means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
A shuttle conveyor as defined in claim 7 in which said differential and motor and the means on the carriage operated by movement of the carriage relative to the ground are arranged to keep the travel of the conveyor relative to the ground substantially constant at all times whether the carriage is moving or stationary.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
95 words
A shuttle conveyor as defined in claim 6 in which the conveyor drive means comprises a variable speed motor with control means for effecting variation of the motor speed and there is means on the carriage operated by movement of the carriage relative to the ground for operating said control means to inversely vary the motor speed when the carriage is moving in one direction and directly when the carriage is moving in the opposite direction in such manner that the speed of the conveyor in transporting material is substantially constant relative to the ground.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
205 words
A system wherein material is carried from a source at a substantially constant rate to a point of discharge at which point it is delivered onto a shuttle conveyor which has a discharge end, which shuttle conveyor is reciprocated transversely to said point of discharge and from which shuttle conveyor material is in turn discharged onto a receiving area across which the discharge end of the conveyor moves, said shuttle conveyor comprising a carriage and means for effecting reciprocation thereof relative to the ground and a single belt conveyor having upper and lower runs both of normally fixed length entirely mounted on and fixed against movement relative to the carriage along with a driving means for operating the conveyor at a predetermined speed relative to the ground when the carriage is stationary, the upper run of the belt conveyor being arranged to receive material directly to said point of discharge, and means on the carriage responsive to its movement back and forth relative to the ground for varying the speed of travel of the belt conveyor to decrease its speed relative to the carriage when the carriage is moving in one direftion and increasing its speed when the carriage is moving in the reverse direction.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
205 words
A system wherein material is carried from a source at a substantially constant rate to a point of discharge at which point it is delivered onto a shuttle conveyor which has a discharge end, which shuttle conveyor is reciprocated transversely to said point of discharge and from which shuttle conveyor material is in turn discharged onto a receiving area across which the discharge end of the conveyor moves, said shuttle conveyor comprising a carriage and means for effecting reciprocation thereof relative to the ground and a single belt conveyor having upper and lower runs both of normally fixed length entirely mounted on and fixed against movement relative to the carriage along with a driving means for operating the conveyor at a predetermined speed relative to the ground when the carriage is stationary, the upper run of the belt conveyor being arranged to receive material directly to said point of discharge, and means on the carriage responsive to its movement back and forth relative to the ground for varying the speed of travel of the belt conveyor to decrease its speed relative to the carriage when the carriage is moving in one direftion and increasing its speed when the carriage is moving in the reverse direction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
62 words
A system as defined in claim 10 wherein said means on the carriage for driving the belt conveyor at a predetermined speed when the carriage is stationary transmits its motion to the belt conveyor through a differential gear and said means on the carriage for varying the speed of the belt rElative to the carriage is operably connected with said differential gear.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system as defined in claim 10 in which said last-named means differentially varies the speed of travel of the belt of said conveyor relative to the carriage while maintaining its rate of travel constant relative to the point at which material is discharged onto it from said source.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
111 words
A system as defined in claim 12 wherein said means on the carriage for driving the belt conveyor at a predetermined speed when the carriage is stationary comprises a variable speed motor and a variable speed controller for said motor and the said means on the carriage for varying the speed of the belt conveyor to decrease its speed relative to the carriage when the carriage is moving in one direction and increase it when the carriage is moving in the other direction but maintaining its speed of travel relative to the point at which material from the source is received on it is arranged to operate said variable speed controller.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
88 words
A system as defined in claim 13 wherein the motor is an electric motor and the variable speed controller is one with ''''slow'''' and ''''fast'''' positions and with a controller means set at an intermediate position between fast and slow and the means on the carriage for varying the speed of the belt conveyor relative to the carriage is arranged to move said variable speed controller means from said intermediate position toward the slow or fast position depending on the speed and direction of travel of the carriage.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
A system as defined in claim 12 in which a hydraulic system is operated by said means on the carriage responsive to the back and forth movement of the carriage to vary the speed of travel of the conveyor belt relative to the carriage.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3184037A
Cited
US3149734A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-29 | 1979-06-30 | 1979-12-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-29 | 1983-06-30 | 1983-12-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-29 | 1987-06-30 | 1987-12-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |