Automatic feed device for solid fuel boiler, specifically for logs of wood

An automatic feed device for feeding logs and the like to a solid-fuel combustion chamber having a grate therein on which the fuel is burned and having a door through which fuel enters said combustion chamber to be dropped onto said grate, said device comprising storage means remote from said combustion chamber for storing fuel to be burned, carriage means for receiving successive charges of fuel from said storage means, conveyor means for moving said carriage means from said storage means to said combustion chamber, said carriage means having a cantilevered portion that carries a charge of fuel into said combustion chamber through said door to a limit position over said grate and that has means for thereafter discharging said charge of fuel therefrom to drop onto said grate, and automatic control means for detecting the state of combustion at said grate, for causing a charge of fuel in said storage means to be supplied to said carriage means, for causing said conveyor means to move said carriage means to said combustion chamber until said cantilevered portion is in said limit position, for then causing said discharging means to drop said charge of fuel from said carriage means to said grate, and for thereafter causing said conveyor means to return said carriage means to said storage means, said storage means including motor driven means for delivering successive charges of fuel to said carriage means step-by-step, said automatic control means including means for controlling the energization of said motor driven means, said conveyor means comprising a motor and said automatic control means including limit sensing means for controlling the motor of said conveyor means in response to said carriage means reaching limits of travel toward and away from said combustion chamber, respectively.