Vehicle loading apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A method for loading vehicles with flowable solids comprising the steps of advancing a vehicle to a loading station, detecting the advancement of the vehicle with a first sensing means and utilizing an output of the first sensing means to initiate lowering of a second sensing means and a coordinated load level sensor while the vehicle is stopped, detecting the top edge of the vehicle to be loaded by operation of the second sensing means and thereby stopping the descent of the second sensing means and said load level sensor with the load level sensor positioned at the proper elevation to regulate the load level in the vehicle, substantially simultaneously delivering flowable solids into the load receiving body of the vehicle in a first loading position of the vehicle, sensing the desired level of said flowable solids in the vehicle with said load level sensor and thereby terminating the delivery of said solids, advancing the vehicle to a second loading position and thereby allowing said load level sensor to return to its previous non-sensing position thereby again effecting delivery of said flowable solids into the vehicle at the second loading position, repeating the incremental loading of the vehicle at additional loading positions until the vehicle is fully loaded to a proper level and advancing the vehicle from the last loading position beyond the first sensing means whereby the operation of the latter causes the returning of the second sensing means and said load level sensor to their original elevated positions.
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Abstract
Vehicles to be loaded are advanced to a loading station beneath a material supply source. A first sensing means senses the presence of a vehicle and activates a signal device to alert the driver to stop at the loading position or terminates the operation of automatic means for advancing the vehicle. An overhead second sensing means and an associated flowable solids load level sensor are lowered until the second sensing means detects the top of the vehicle load-receiving body. Flowable solids are released from the overhead source and the discharge of material continues until the load level sensor is displaced by the first load increment reaching a desired level, at which point an output of the load level sensor terminates the release of material from the overhead source and activates signals means whereby the vehicle is advanced sufficiently to cause the load level sensor to return to a normal non-sensing position, at which point a second increment of the load is released from the overhead source unitl the level of the second load increment is sufficient to cause another displacement of the load level sensor. Incremental repositioning of the second sensing means and load level sensor is automaticaly obtained in cases where the load-receiving body of the vehicle is tapered or uneven in height.
14 Citations
19 Claims
- 1. A method for loading vehicles with flowable solids comprising the steps of advancing a vehicle to a loading station, detecting the advancement of the vehicle with a first sensing means and utilizing an output of the first sensing means to initiate lowering of a second sensing means and a coordinated load level sensor while the vehicle is stopped, detecting the top edge of the vehicle to be loaded by operation of the second sensing means and thereby stopping the descent of the second sensing means and said load level sensor with the load level sensor positioned at the proper elevation to regulate the load level in the vehicle, substantially simultaneously delivering flowable solids into the load receiving body of the vehicle in a first loading position of the vehicle, sensing the desired level of said flowable solids in the vehicle with said load level sensor and thereby terminating the delivery of said solids, advancing the vehicle to a second loading position and thereby allowing said load level sensor to return to its previous non-sensing position thereby again effecting delivery of said flowable solids into the vehicle at the second loading position, repeating the incremental loading of the vehicle at additional loading positions until the vehicle is fully loaded to a proper level and advancing the vehicle from the last loading position beyond the first sensing means whereby the operation of the latter causes the returning of the second sensing means and said load level sensor to their original elevated positions.
- 7. A method for loading open top vehicles in succession with flowable solids from an overhead source of such solids comprising advancing each vehicle to a loading station below said overhead source and in so doing detecting the presence of the vehicle at the loading station, stopping the vehicle, and lowering a vehicle load level sensor, detecting the top edge of the vehicle body while lowering said sensor and thereby stopping said lowering with the sensor positioned properly relative to the vehicle to regulate the load level therein, delivering flowable solids from said overhead source into the top of the stopped vehicle and continuing the delivery until the level of solids in the vehicle displaces the load level sensor, and then terminating said delivery, and advancing the vehicle sufficiently to allow the load level sensor to return to a non-sensing position separated from the solids in the vehicle, and again delivering said solids from said overhead source until the load level sensor is again displaced.
- 10. Apparatus for loading vehicles with flowable solids comprising a supply source of said solids at a vehicle loading station, a first detector means adjacent the loading station to detect the presence of a vehicle entering the loading station, a second detector means and a coordinated vehicle load level sensor, means to lower and to raise the second detector means and said load level sensor in unison responsive to the operation of the first detector means, and means responding to the operation of the second detector means when the latter detects the top of a vehicle body to be loaded at the loading station to terminate the lowering of the second detector means with the load level sensor with the sensor at a proper elevation to regulate the level of flowable solids in said vehicle body and to initiate delivery of flowable solids from said supply source to said vehicle body.
Specification