The Mechanical Handling and Storing of Material

THE MECHANICAL HANDLING OF MATERIAL 156. In this type the balancing of the conveyor is effected by means of a powerful volute sorino- which is compressed and released by one of the cranks and connecting H b rods, instead of being coupled to one half of the conveyor. This acts as an accumulator, re- ceiving and storing the surplus energy of the conveyor at its back- ward movement, and giving it up again as soon as the crank has passed the dead centre, •S where it is utilised to (n pull the conveyor back against the springs. > The Zimmer con- ’S veyor can be used to 's work partly in one direc- £ tion andpartlyin another direction, by reversing 'S the incline of the spring J legs, and by joining the « segments of the troughs S at the junction by a > flexible coupling. o The load can be fed into or withdrawn g ■ s from these conveyors at any number of points o without cessation of 1-0 . work. The material nJ § travels at the rate of 40 to 70 ft. per minute «5 when the conveyor is 'I driven at 300 to 370 revs, per minute, but the best speed is 300 to 350 revs. The coupling be- tween the trough and the connecting rod is not rigid, but two strong volute springs are placed on either side of the attachment. This is for the purpose of allowing the trough itself to exceed the stroke of the crank by a fraction of an inch on either side, and as the radius of the crank is in most cases less than % in., the total travel of the trough with each revolution of the crank is but little more than in-