Angled cargo discharge gate
AssigneeEMS-Tech Inc.
InventorJohn B. Elder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A basket gate mechanism, including two opposed gate segments supported at its ends by pairs of different length arms interconnected by a mechanism to coordinate the movement of the segments which are opened and closed by a double acting hydraulic cylinder simplifying the opening and closing of the gate; a linkage device to support the gates minimizing torsional stress resulting from the gate being angled, and a pair of shear plates to control the level of the solids discharged onto the conveyor.
Claims20
An angled discharge gate mechanism for use in conjunction with a hopper having at least one bottom opening, the bottom opening having an upstream end and a downstream end, through which particulate solid material discharges onto a conveyor located beneath the opening and extending along the longitudinal axis of the opening, the conveyor moving in a downstream direction, the gate mechanism including a pair of gate segments supported at their ends by linkages attached at first ends to a supporting structure and at second ends to the gate segments, which linkages also include gate segment movement coordination means, and a hydraulic system constructed and arranged to move the gate segments to provide a discharge aperture, wherein:
- (a) the hydraulic system is constructed and arranged to locate the gate segments in a position chosen from the group consisting of fully closed, operating, and clean out;
- (b) the longitudinal axis of the gate, is located at an angle of from about 0.5° to about 5° relative to the plane defined by the conveyor;
- c) the hopper bottom opening is located at the same angle of from about 0.5° to about 5° relative to the plane defined by the conveyor;
- (d) the hopper bottom opening is trapezoidal in shape, with its wider end at the downstream end of the gate furthest from the plane defined by the conveyor;
- e) the gate discharge aperture provided between the gate segments in either the operating position or the clean out position is trapezoidal in shape, with its wider end furthest from the plane defined by the conveyor;
- and
- (f) the linkages both supporting the gate segments and coordinating the movement of the gate segments provide differential movement of the gate segment ends without imposing significant torsional stress on the gate segments.
An discharge gate mechanism for use in conjunction with a hopper having at least one bottom opening, the bottom opening having an upstream end and a downstream end, through which particulate solid material discharges onto a conveyor located beneath the opening and extending along the longitudinal axis of the opening, the conveyor moving in a downstream direction, the gate mechanism including a pair of gate segments supported at their ends by linkages attached at first ends to a supporting structure and at second ends to the gate segments, which linkages also include gate segment movement coordination means, and a hydraulic system constructed and arranged to move the gate segments to provide a discharge aperture, wherein the gate supporting linkages, coordinating means and supporting structures comprise in combination:
- a first frame means adjacent a first end of the gate aperture;
- a second frame means adjacent a second end of the gate aperture;
- a first pair of support plate means including a first member each being attached at one end to each first end of the gate segments and rotatably at the other end to spaced part locations on the first frame means;
- a second pair of support plate means including a second member each being attached at one end to each second end of the gate segments and rotatably at the other end to spaced part locations on the second frame means;
- at least one gate segment movement coordinating means comprising a first link, a second link and a third joining link, each of which links has a first end and a second end;
- and
- a support shaft;
- wherein:
- (i) the first end of the first link is rotatably attached to the first member of the first pair of support plate means;
- (ii) the second end of the first link is rotatably attached to the first end of the third joining link;
- (iii) the second end of the third joining link is rotatably to the first end of the second link;
- (iv) the second end of the second link is rotatably attached to the second member of the second pair of support plate means;
- (v) the first and second links are of substantially the same length;
- and
- (vi) the third joining link is audibly attached to the shaft by a sliding engagement means constructed and arranged to maintain the third joining linkage substantially perpendicular to the shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.