The Mechanical Handling and Storing of Material

VIBRATING OR RECIPROCATING TROUGH CONVEYORS 115 The work of conveyors on this principle is not limited to a horizontal direction, as they can equally well be used for conveying material up and down inclines. They may be worked in a standing or hanging position, the conveyor in the latter case being suspended by its spring legs from the structure above. The success of this conveyor is largely due to its simplicity and to the small driving power required, especially when it is fitted with the balanced drive, as in such a case half the spring legs are always in tension while the other half are relaxed, so that the power which has been stored in half the legs is utilised for tightening the other half immediately the crank has passed its dead centre. The following tables give the capacity of this conveyor in tons of coal and coke per hour for different sized troughs :—- Capacity of Zimmer Conveyor for Coal Width of Trough in Inches. 12 11 16 20 24 36 48 60 72 Trough 4 in. deep - Tons. 6-7 Tons. 7-8 Tons. 8-9 Tons. 10-12 Tons. 13 15 Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. „ 6 „ 9-10 12-13 13-15 16-18 18-20 30-32 35-40 45-50 50-60 ,, 8 „ 25-30 35-40 50-60 60-70 70-80 Capacity of Zimmer Conveyor for Coke Width of Trough in Inches. 12 14 16 20 24 36 48 60 72 Trough 4 in. deep - Tons. 3J-4 Tons. 4-5 Tons. 5-6 Tons. 6-8 Tons. 8-10 Tons. 10-13 Tons. 16-19 Tons. 19-22 Tons. 22-26 ,, 6 ,, 12-14 16-19 24-28 28-33 33-39 „ 8 ,, 16-19 22-26 33-39 39-46 46-53 The capacities given in the tables are for conveyors in a horizontal position. An incline of only 5 per cent, downwards will increase the capacity with some materials up to 10 per cent., while an incline upwards will reduce the capacity accordingly. The driving power required may be judged from the following example. A Zimmer conveyor 100 ft. long, conveying a load of 50 tons per hour, will require 8'75 H.P. The advantages of this conveyor are that it will convey any kind of material in large or small pieces, and cause next to no breakage to even the most friable material on account of its gentle action. By the use of ordinary slides in the bottom of the trough, the material can be withdrawn at any number of points. There are but few parts, and fewer still to get out of order, whilst a special feature is the absence of a multiplicity c5f bearings and travelling gear. This conveyor is used for a variety of purposes, a few of which are herewith illustrated and described.