US2510163A - Electrical control system for plural conveyer organization - Google Patents

Description

June 6, 1950 c. o. WOOD msc'mcn. cou'mor. svsmu FOR PLURAL convmm oacmxzxnon Filed Dec. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 slung (awytyns IITEIM.

3 KER couvmns ZWwm BY M ATTORNEY UTERAL June' 6, 1950 c. o. WOOD 2,510,163

smc'mcn. CONTROL svs'rsu FOR PLURAL CONVEYER ORGANIZATION- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ww'mo ATTORNE Fil ed Dec. 17, 1945 Patented June 6, 1950 ELECTRICAL CONTROL SYSTEIVI FOR PLURAL CONVEYER ORGANIZATION Claude o. WootLChicago, m, assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 17, 1945, Serial No. 635,562

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in electrical control systems for starting and stopping a plurality of conveyors, one of which discharges into the other, in a predetermined sequence.

Conveyer systems used in mines underground have heretofore utilized a plurality of main belt conveyers extending along a main entry of the mine and arranged in cascade relation with respect to each other so one will discharge into the other. with lateral belt conveyers extending along the cross entries of the mine for feeding the main line conveyers. These lateral belt conveyers in turn may be fed by room conveyers bringing the coal from the various rooms of the mine.

Various control systems have heretofore been provided for starting and stopping a series of conveyers in mines in a predetermined sequence, so a conveyer will not discharge onto another conveyer which is not in operation and cause overload of the conveyer which is stopped, and spillage of the coal, but such systems have been dependent upon contactor controls utilizing time delay relays to delay the time interval thatthe next succeeding conveyer starts. Such systems require a number of control wires which must be brought up to the cross entries to the starters for the room conveyers, for starting said conveyers,

which wires are live except when the entire conveyer system is out of operation.

Such systems, in order to operate properly, also require that the controls for one conveyer be connected with the controls for the other conveyer. The running of a number of control and main power lines to the cross entries and the connecting of the controls for the various conveyers together is not permitted by the Bureau of Mines, due to the fact that a dangerous condition might be created, which would be apt to cause an explosion.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a new and improved form of control system for starting and stopping a plurality of conveyers in a predetermined sequence, which is safe for operation in gaseous mines and minimizes the number of wires coming into the cross entries and assures that these wires will be dead except when the main conveyers of the conveyer system are in operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved form of control system for a plurality of conveyers in mines, assuring that the conveyers nearest the dischargepoint start first and stop last, and which system is controlled by the speed of travel of the next preceding conveyer so that no lateral or branch conveyer can start until the main line conveyer into which it discharges is up to speed.

These and other objects of my invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a wiring diagram illustrating one form in which my invention may be embodied;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken through a main line belt conveyer and showing a switch operated by the main line conveyer for controlling operation of a lateral conveyer;

I Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an end view with parts shown in longitudinal section in order to show the drive from the conveyer belt to the roller for driving the switch for controlling operation of the lateral conveyer;

In Figure 1 of the drawings three main belt conveyers III, II and I2 are shown. Said conveyers are arranged in cascade relation with respect to each other so that the belt I2 will discharge into the belt H, and the belt II will discharge into the belt l0, and the belt l0 may discharge into mine cars, a loading station for loading the coal onto the mine cars, or the tipple outside of the mine. A lateral conveyer I3 is shown as discharginginto the main belt conveyer III while a plurality of room conveyers l4, H are shown as being arranged to discharge into said lateral conveyer. Said room conveyers as herein shown as being shaker conveyers, but may be any other known form of conveyer for conveying coal from the working face of the mine to a cross entry. Also, more than one lateral conveyer may be provided to discharge onto the main belt conveyer, if desired.

In a like manner, a lateral conveyer i5 is arranged to discharge onto the main belt conveyer M, and a plurality of branch or room conveyers l6, iii are arranged to discharge onto said lateral conveyer. Similarly a lateral conveyer i1 is arranged to discharge onto the main belt conveyer I2 while a plurality of branch or room conveyers l8, l8 are arranged to discharge onto said lateral conveyer.

The main belt conveyers IO, N and I2 may be of any well known form but are shown in Figure 2 as being troughed belt conveyers wherein a belt l9 travels over spaced horizontal idlers 20, 20 and is troughed lby inclined idlers 2|, 2| supporting its opposite edges. Said idlers are mounted on spaced apart supporting standards indicated generally by reference character 22 and are held in spaced apart relation with respect to each other by means of spacing members 23, 23, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. In Figure 2 of the drawings a horizontal roller 24 is shown as being mounted on opposite spacing members 23, 23 between the standards 22, 22 on hearing support members 25, 25, for supporting an intenmediate portion of the belt between said inclined idler rollers. Said horizontal roller is rotatably driven by the belt 59 and is mounted on and drives a transverse shaft 26 connected with a roller switch 21. A coupling 28 connects said shaft 26 with a shaft 29 of said roller switch, for driving said switch.

The roller switch 21 is mounted on a plate 30 extending laterally from an intermediate spacing member 23. Said roller switch is herein shown as being a well known form of magnetically operated switch and is no part of my invention so need only be shown and described as to its main operating parts.

As herein shown, contacts 50, All intermediate the ends of a spring contact strip 31 are engaged with one or the other of spaced contacts M, M mounted on an insulated support 52, to complete a circuit when said switch is rotating in one direction or another. The contact strip 3? is flexed to engage a contact 48 with a contact M by means of a magnetized rotor 33 which rotates an aluminum cup id, on much the same principles as operate the needle of an automoble speedometer. Said cup is connected with the lower end of said spring contact strip by means of a rod 45. Springs 46, 45 connected with centering arms 37, 47 are provided to hold the contacts 4'0, 40 in a neutral position out of engagement with the contacts Qt, ii when the conveyer is not in operation.

Since the magnetic operating force of the aluminum cup is dependent upon speed, a contact 49 is engaged with a contact ll at and above a predetermined speed of rotation of the rotor 43. As the speed of said rotor decreases, a definite point will be reached where the spring force will overcome the magnetic force and disengage a contact 40 from a contact iii. The tension of said springs and the point at which a contact ll! will be moved to engage a contact M may be adjusted by changing the position of connecting members to, $8, connected to the free ends of said springs.

In the form of my invention shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, a roller switch 49 is driven from the main belt conveyer it and completes a circuit to a control line 50, connected with a starter for the lateral belt conveyer it, for starting said lateral belt conveyor, when said main belt conveyer gets up to speed. Another roller switch 53 is driven from said main belt conveyer Ill and completes a circuit to a control line 54, connected with a starter 55 for the main belt conveyer ll, when the belt conveyer ill gets up to speed, for starting said main belt conveyor. A roller switch 56 is driven from the main belt H and completes a circuit to a control line 51, connected with a starter 59 for the lateral belt conveyer 55, when the main belt conveyor ii gets up to speed, for starting said lateral belt conveyer. In a like manner, a roller switch 60 connects a control line 6i with a, starter 62 for the main belt l2, for starting said main belt when the belt conveyer H reaches a predetermined speed.

A roller switch 53 is also provided to complete a circuit to a control line 64! connected with a starter 65 for the lateral belt conveyer I! when the main belt conveyer l2 reaches a predetermined speed, for starting said lateral belt conveyer. Where another main belt conveyer is 4 provided to discharge into the belt conveyer l2. another roller switch may be provided to start said main belt conveyer when said belt conveyer l2 gets up to speed.

It should here be understood that the main belt conveyors, the lateral conveyers, and the shaker conveyers are driven by individual m0- tors through speed reducers in a well known manner, and that the starters for each conveyer may be of any form well known to those skilled in the art, which will automatically connect the associated motor to a main power line and cut out a resistance from said motor to start said motor. Said starters and their connections to the conveyer drive motors are no part of my present invention, so will not herein be shown or described in detail.

A starter 61 is provided to start the main belt conveyer Ill. Said starter is connected to the positive conductor 69 of a main power line. A control panel indicated generally by reference character 10 is provided to connect a control line H to'the roller switches 19, 53, 56, 6B and 63, and to connect said control line H to said starter Bl, to start the motor for the main belt conveyer It after said roller switches have been connected in the control line circuit. Said control line H connects said panel to the positive conductor 6d of the main power line through a fuse i2 and control line conductor 13. Said control line H has a plurality of emergency switches hi, it at various points along its length, for breaking the circuit to said control line and stopping the entire conveyer system in cases of emergency.

The control panel 7!! may be located in the main entry of a mine where the mine is provided with good air and may be totally enclosed in a flame-proof casing. Said control panel, as herein shown, includes a manually operated switch 15, which when closed, closes a circuit from the control line ii to an operating coil 16 of a, relay El. This will energize said coil to close contacts 18 of said relay and close a circuit from the control line H to a control line i9, leading to the roller switch 63, to connect said roller switch in the control line circuit. Closing of said relay will also close contacts 80 thereof, to close a circuit to a coil 8! of a time delay relay 82. This will energize said coil, to close contacts 83 and 8d of said time delay relay and connect the roller switch 58 with the control line it and connect a coil 85 of a time delay relay 86 with the control line H, to energize said coil and close contacts Bl and 88 of said relay. This will connect the roller switches dd and 53 with the control line H and will connect a coil 89 of a time delay relay Ell with said control line, to energize said coil and close contacts 99 of said relay. When the relay 90 closes, a circuit will be completed to a control line 92 leading into said starter. Completion of said circuit will energize the coils of the relays (not shown) of said starter to close said relays and start the motor which drives the main belt conveyer through a resistance (not shown) and out said resistance out of the circuit to said motor as said motor is started. This will connect the starter 61 with the control line H to energize said starter and start the motor for driving the main belt conveyer Ill.

The time delay relays B2, 86 and 90 are set to open at predetermined time intervals after opening of the switch 15, some shaker conveyors l8 and the lateral and main line conveyors I1 and I2 will be the first conveyers to stop and the preceding conveyers will stop in a reverse order to which they started, so a moving conveyer will never discharge into a. stationary conveyer.

When the main belt conveyer I is started in the hereinbefore described manner and said belt conveyer gets up to a predetermined speed, the contacts of the roller switch 59 will close to energize the control line 54 and the starter 55 of the main belt conveyer II, to start said belt conveyer. The contacts of the roller switch 49 will then close. The starter 55 operates in the same manner as the starter 81. The circuit to the control line 54 leading to said starter to energize the coils of the relays thereof is, however, closed upon engagement of the contacts of the roller the three main belt conveyers are started and switch 58, which is connected in the control line 14 through the relay 85. Said roller switch is set so that its contacts will close shortly after the contacts of the roller switch 58 close, so the main belt conveyer II will start before the lateral conveyer I3. When the contacts of the roller switch 4'9 are closed, the control line 50 will be energized to energize the starter 5| and start the lateral belt conveyer I9.

When the main belt conveyer II gets to a predetermined speed, the contacts of the roller switch 60 will close, to close a circuit to the control line BI and energize the starter 62, to start the main belt conveyer I2. The starter 62 is likewise similar to the starters 55 and 61 and the coils of its relays are energized by closin of the roller switch 60 which is connected in the control line through the relay 82. The roller switch 56 is set so that its contacts will close shortly after the contacts of the roller switch 60 close, to connect the conductor 51 in the control line and energize the starter 59 and start the lateral conveyer I5.

In a similar manner the roller switch 89 will complete a circuit to the control line 54 when the main belt conveyer I2 gets up to a predetermined speed, to energize the starter 65 and start the lateral conveyer I1.

When the circuit to the control line 50 is completed by the roller switch 49, a coil 94 of a contactor 95 will be energized, to close said contactor and connect starters 96, 96 for the shaker conveyers I4, I4 to the main power line 69 through a conductor 91. A separate roller switch 99 is provided for each starter 96. Said starters 96, 96 are similar to the starters B1 and 5I with the exception that they are connected directly to the main power line rather than to a control line as are said starters 61 and 5I. The coils of the relays of said starters 98, 96 are energized to complete a control circuit within said starter and complete a circuit to the motors for driving the room conveyers and cut out a resistance therefrom as said motors are started, as said roller switches 99, 99 rotate at a predetermined speed and close their contacts. Said roller switches are driven by the belt of the lateral conveyer I3 and are arranged to complete a control circuit to their associated starter 96, to start the motors for driving the shaker conveyers I4, I4 when said lateral conveyer I9 reaches a predetermined speed. Said roller switches may be so set that one branch shaker conveyer will start ahead of the next succeeding conveyer, to enable the lateral conveyer to clear itself of loose material that may be left thereon and to be evenly loaded and also to prevent heavy starting current surges. As herein shown the shaker conveyers I4, I4 are timed to start after after the lateral conveyer It has started and come up to speed.

Starters I00, I00 for the shaker conveyers I 5, I8 are connected to the main power line, when the control line circuit has been completed to the control line 51 and starter 59, by means of a contactor IOI. Said starters I00, I00 like the starters 98, 98 are directly connected to the main power line and start said shaker conveyers in a manner similar to the shaker conveyers I4,. I4 by roller switches I02, I02 arranged to complete control circuits within said starters I00, I00 from said main power line to the motors for driving said shaker conveyers, when the lateral conveyer I5 starts and reaches a predetermined speed.

In a similar manner the shaker conveyers I8, I8 are started by roller switches I09, I08 driven by the lateral conveyer I1 and completing circuits within starters I04, I04 in the same manner the control circuits to the starters 99, 99 and I02, I02 are completed for connecting the motors for said shaker conveyers in the main power line, for starting said shaker conveyers, upon the closing of a contactor I05, when the lateral belt conveyer I1 attains the required speed.

A local control switch I05 is provided for each main belt conveyer starter to permit the associated belt conveyer to be started when the mine is down and the other conveyers of the system are not in operation, in cases where it might be desired to repair the conveyer or belt without startin the rest of the conveyers in the system. In a similar manner, a local control switch I01 is provided for each lateral conveyer starter, to connect said lateral conveyer starter to the control line H independently of the main belt conveyer, to start said lateral conveyer and its associated shaker conveyers at times when the mine is down and it is desired to repair the lateral conveyers or the shaker conveyers discharging into said lateral conveyers.

A series of lights is provided to indicate when the main belt conveyers are operating and when the last lateral conveyer of the system is in operation. Said series of lights includes a light I09 at the drive end of each main belt conveyer which is connected to the starter 61 for the conveyer I0 through a conductor IIO, which will light when said conveyer is in operation. It also includes a light III at the drive end of each main belt conveyer which is connected to the starter 55 for the conveyer II through a conductor H2, which will light when said conveyer is in operation. A light II3 connected to the starter 62 through a conductor H4 is also provided at the drive end of each belt conveyer, which will light when the conveyer I2 is in operation. Lights II5 connected to a main power line H8 and arranged to light when the contactor I05 closes and the lateral conveyer I1 has been started and power is connected to the shaker conveyers I8, I8, are also provided and are adapted to light when the lateral conveyer I1 is in operation and the circuit to the shaker conveyers I8, I8 is closed. Thus if any of the aforementioned conveyers should stop, the light connected with the starter for said associated conveyer will go out, to serve as a warning, and all of the conveyers discharging into conveyer which has stopped will also stop.

It should here be noted that while the first conveyer in the line of conveyers always starts first, that when the switch 15 is opened the circuit to 7 the coil 1 of the relay II will be opened to cause the contacts of said relay to open and open the circuit to the control line I! and disconnect the roller switch 63 from the control line H to stop the lateral belt conveyer l1 and the shaker conveyers l8, ll. It will also open the circuit to the coil 8| of the time delay relay 82, the contacts of which will open after a predetermined time interval, to disconnect the roller switches 56 and I from the control line H, to stop' the shaker conveyers l6. l6, lateral belt conveyer l5, and the main belt conveyer R. It will also open a circuit to deenergize a coil of the time delay relay 86 to open said relay after a predetermined time delay interval and disconnect the roller switches 49 and SI from the control line H, to first stop the main belt conveyer II and then stop the shaker conveyers ll, i4 and the lateral conveyer It. It will also open the circuit to the coil as of the time delay relay 80, the contacts of which will open after a predetermined time interval to disconnect the starter 61 from the control line H, and stop the main belt conveyer iii.

A simplified system for controlling operation of a number of conveyers has thus been provided which is safe for operation in mines and which is so arranged that the first conveyer in the line is the first to start and the last to stop, and is also so arranged that the conveyers are started by control means dependent upon and controlled by the speed of the next preceding conveyer, so that it is never possible for one conveyer to discharge into a conveyer which is not in operation.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the construction thereof and the arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting my invention to the specific embodiment illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1.. In an explosion-proof electrical control system for controlling operation of a series of conveyers, one discharging into the other, and in cluding a plurality of main line conveyers, a separate starter for starting each of said main line conveyers, a plurality of lateral conveyers dis charging into said main line conveyers, a sep-= arate starter for starting each of said lateral con-= veyers, a main power lineconnected with each j oi. roller switches driven by said main line conveyers, certain oi said roller switches being adapted to connect the starters to the next succeeding main line conveyers to said control line and certain other of said switches being adapted to connect the starters to said first lateral conveyers to said control line when said main line conveyers into which said lateral conveyers discharge reach a predetermined speed, a control panel having a manually operated switch for connecting said panel to said control line, said control panel also including a relay for each main line conveyer, for connecting said roller switches driven by said main line conveyer to said control line upon closing of said starting switch and a relay for connecting said first main conveyer starter to said control line to start said first main line conveyer.

2. In an explosion-proof electrical control system for controlling operation oi a series or con- 8 veyers, one discharging into the other, and including a plurality of main line conveyers, a separate starter for starting each 0! said main line conveyers, a plurality of lateral conveyers discharging into said main line conveyers, a separate starter for starting each of said lateral conveyers, a main power line connected with each of said starters, a control line, and means for starting said main line and lateral conveyers in av predetermined sequence including a plurality of roller switches driven by said main line conveyers, certain 01 said roller switches being adapted to connect the starters to the next succeeding main line conveyers to said control line and certain other 01' said switches being adapted to connect the starters to said first lateral conveyers to said control line when said main line conveyers into which said lateral conveyers discharge reach a predetermined speed, a control panel having a manually operated switch for connecting said panel to said control line, said control panel also including a relay for each main line conveyer, for connecting said roller switches driven by said main line conveyer to said control line upon closing of said starting switch, and a relay for connecting said first main conveyer starter to said control line to start said first main line conveyer, said relays with the exception of the relay connecting the roller switch controlling operation of the last conveyer in the series being time delay relays so arranged -as to open at predetermined time intervals after the circuit thereto has been broken, to cause the conveyers to stop in a progressive order starting with the last conveyer.

3. In an explosion-proof electrical control system for controlling operation of a series of conveyers, one discharging into the other, and including a plurality of main line conveyors, a separate starter for starting each of said main line conveyers, a plurality of lateral conveyers discharging into said main line conveyers, a separate starter for starting each of said lateral conveyers. a main power line connected with each of said starters, a control line, and means for starting said mainline conveyers and said lateral conveyers in a-predetermined sequence including a plurality of roller switches driven by the first 01' said main line conveyers, a plurality of roller switches driven by said next succeeding main line conveyer, certain of said roller switches being adapted to connect the starters for the next succeeding main line conveyer to the control line, when said next preceding main line conveyer reaches a predetermined speed, and certain other of said roller switches being adapted to connect the starters for said associated lateral conveyers to said control line when the associated main line conveyers reach a predetermined speed, a control panel having a manually operated switch for connecting said panel to said control line, said control panel also including a relay for connecting said starter for said first main line conveyer to said control line, to start said first main line conveyer, and a separate relay for each pair of roller switches, for connecting said roller switches to said control line to start said next succeeding main line conveyers and said lateral conveyer in a predetermined order after said first main line conveyer has reached a predetermined speed.

4. In an explosion-proof electrical control system for controlling operation of a series of conveyers, one discharging into the other, and including a plurality of main line conveyers, a separate starter for starting each of said main line conveyers, a plurality of lateral conveyers dis- 9 charging into said main line conveyers, a separate starter for starting each of said lateral conveyers, a main power line connected with each of said starters, a control line, and means for starting said main line conveyer and said lateral conveyer in a predetermined sequence including a plurality of roller switches driven by the first of said main line conveyers, a plurality of roller switches driven by said next succeeding main line conveyer, certain of said roller switches being adapted to connect the starters for the next succeeding main line conveyer to the control line; when said next preceding main line conveyer reaches a predetermined speed, and certain other of said roller switches being adapted to connect the starters for said associated lateral conveyors to said control line when the associated main line conveyers reach a predetermined speed, a control panel having a manually operated switch for connecting said panel to said control line, said control panel also including a relay for connecting said starter for said first main line conveyer to said control line, to start said first main line conveyer, and a separate relay for each pair of roller 10 switches, for connecting said roller switches to said control line to start said next succeeding main line conveyers and said lateral conveyer in a predetermined 0 er after said first main line conveyer has reac ed a predetermined speed, said relays with the exception of the relay connecting the roller switch of the last conveyer in the series being time delay relays 50 arranged as to open after predetermined time intervals after the circuit thereto has been broken, to cause the conveyers to stop in a progressive order starting with the last conveyer.

CLAUDE 0. WOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,620,531 Fisher Mar. 8, 1927 2,371,956 Deea Mar. 20, 1945 2,372,130 Smith Mar. 20, 1945 2,372,131 Smith Mar. 20, 1945

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