The Mechanical Handling and Storing of Material

6i4 THE MECHANICAL HANDLING OE MATERIAL the usual skidder bar, has a projection on the carrying link which answers the same purpose. The buckets are 24 in. pitch, and the upper terminal is 24 in. and the lower 16 in. in diameter. The swinging support of the elevator is shown in Fig. 865. The two main bearings a a are secured to the framing of the carriage. They support a hollow spindle b and keyed upon this are the two flanges c c which carry the elevator; also keyed to the spindle is the segment of a worm wheel e which controls the inclined position of the elevator. The driving spindle passes through the hollow one and is geared, as shown, on to the upper terminal. The incline is altered by a Fig. 863. Cross Section of Elevator shown in Figs. 861 and 862. hand lever and a ratchet on the worm spindle. For handling coke from the heaps in gaswork yards many simple and useful appliances are made. They are often fitted with a short recipro- cating or revolving sieve to separate the breeze, and also occasionally with a coke breaker. Figs. 866 and 867 show the outline of such a f--------------------------rffo- Fig. 864. Detail of Elevator Bucket. machine by Stotz. The carriage is on ordinary cast- iron wheels and therefore independent of rails, and can be moved to any spot in a level yard within reach of the electric mains. The coke is shovelled into the hopper extension of the elevator well which has a bar screen to prevent pieces too large from entering. The motor, geared to the elevator and screen, also gives motion to the carriage when necessary. The rest of the arrangement is sufficiently clear from the diagram; these appliances are generally used for retailing coke from gasworks. Loading Salt into Railway Trucks.-—Such loading devices may be used for all materials in bulk which are to be loaded into closed railway trucks, and are exceedingly useful labour savers, and very inexpensive in first cost; they consist of a large oblique tapered shoot which terminates into a worm conveyor Z, Fig. 868. The worm is driven by an electro- motor fixed to the back end of the worm casing, and moves therefore with the worm. The movements are in both horizon- Fig. 865. Pivoted Support of Elevator shown in Figs. 861 tai and vertical direction, so that and 862. all parts of the railway truck may be reached sufficiently to fill the truck without any hand labour. A 10-ton truck can be filled with this device in seven to eight minutes. The salt is conveyed by a worm to hopper k, from which it is admitted to the loader by an inlet valve. Portable Band Conveyor.—The Robins Conveying Belt Co., as well as other specialists in belt conveyors, build a portable band conveyor, self-contained, with a motor attached, in a light steel frame. The motor may be for steam, pneumatic, or electric power. One of the terminals is fitted with tightening gear and the whole frame is mounted on wheels, so that it can readily be put into position wherever it may be