Feed bucket for programmed delivery system
OwnerHarvey Z. Foxinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An overhead track construction is provided including clam-type buckets supported from the track for guided movement therealong. The track extends past predetermined feeding stations into which material contained within the buckets is to be released and each of the buckets includes latch structure for releasably retaining the bucket halves thereof in closed positions. Each of the feeding locations includes track mounted latch release structure inoperative to release the latches of the buckets moving therepast in one direction but operative to engage and release the latches of the buckets moving therepast in the opposite direction.
Claims18
A clam bucket construction including a longitudinal central axis and a pair of opposite side bucket halves opening toward each other and including upper and lower portions, means pivotally joining adjacent upper portions together for relative inverse swinging of said bucket halves between open positions with their lower portions laterally spaced apart and closed positions with their lower portions swung toward each other, releasable latch means operatively associated with said bucket halves and operable to automatically move said bucket halves toward each other and retain said bucket halves in said closed positions when said bucket halves are shifted from said open positions to at least predetermined partially closed positions.
A bucket construction including a pair of opposite side bucket halves opened toward each other along an upstanding plane and having upper and lower portions, means relatively pivotally joining adjacent upper portions of said bucket halves for relative inverse swinging of said bucket halves between open positions with their lower portions laterally spaced apart and closed positions with their lower portions swung toward each other, said bucket halves being gravity biased toward said closed positions, releasable latch means operatively associated with said bucket halves and operable to automatically move said bucket halves further toward and retain said bucket halves in said closed positions upon movement of said bucket halves from said open position to predetermined partially closed positions, said latch means being inoperative to move said bucket halves toward said closed positions when said bucket halves are disposed between said open positions and said predetermined partially closed positions.
The method of dispensing, at a remote location, fluent material from a clam-type bucket of the type including releasable latch means releasably retaining the halves of said bucket closed against opening thereof by the weight of the fluent material in said bucket;
- said method including providing a support track extending toward and past said location, providing reversible drive means for selectively intermittently driving said bucket along said track, providing a latch operator on said track at said remote location inoperative to release said latch means upon movement of said bucket therepast in one direction along said track and operative to engage and release said latch means upon movement of said bucket therepast in the opposite direction, initially driving said bucket in said one direction along said track past said remote location, terminating movement of said bucket along said track, and thereafter driving said bucket along said track in said opposite direction past said location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.