Non-shearing metering dispenser for shell loading machines

• US 4,022,353 A
• Filed: 11/28/1975
• Issued: 05/10/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Raci Acquisition Corporation
• Original Assignee: Remington Arms Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Hamlin, Robert N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reeves, Robert B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Handren, Frederick R.
• Application Number:
  US05/635,897
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 222/345, 222/346, 222/347, 222/349, 222/351, 222/361, 222/362, 222/276, 222/330
• US Class Current: 222/276
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/18 for fluent solid material

Abstract

A dispenser for metering predetermined charges of shot or other particulate material by means of a slidable charging plate, incorporates a shear slide device which prevents shot that become trapped between a supply hopper and the charging plate from either jamming the charging plate or being sheared into irregular pieces. The device also withholds the trapped shot from the metered charge, and thereby increases the uniformity of the quantities metered.

Claims

1. A dispenser for metering discrete predetermined volumes of particulate material, comprising, in combination:

supply hopper means for containing particulate material, said supply hopper means having an outlet opening communicating with a lower surface thereof;

means forming an upper surface confronting said lower surface and spaced beneath said supply hopper means, said upper surface being interrupted by a discharge port spaced laterally away from said outlet opening;

charging plate means for metering and dispensing material from said supply hopper to said discharge port, said charging plate means being located between said supply hopper and said upper surface-forming means or reciprocating movement relative thereto;

said charging plate means being formed with a trap chamber of predeterminded volume extending therethrough, and being reciprocably movable between a first position in which said trap chamber is aligned beneath said outlet opening for receiving a charge of particulate material therefrom, and a second postion in which said trap chamber is aligned above said discharge port for delivering said charge thereto;

and shear slide means for preventing shearing of said particulate material, said shear slide means being interposed between said supply hopper and said charging plate means and supported for reciprocating movement, in directions parallel to said movements of said charging plate means, between a normal position and retracted position, said shear slide means having a lip portion receivable between and cooperable with said outlet opening and said trap chamber to define a loading passage therewith when said shear slide means is in said normal position and said charging plate means is in said first position;

said shear slide means and said charging plate means being formed with surfaces closely mating with said lower and upper surfaces for preventing said particulate material from escaping therebetween during reciprocating movements thereof;

together with means yieldingly biasing said shear slide means to remain in said normal position stationary with respect to said supply hopper means during movement of said charging plate means from said first to said second positions;

said shear slide means being constructed and arranged for movement toward said retracted positions by interference with particulate material trapped between said trap chamber and said lip portion during occlusion of said loading passage by movement of said charging plate means from said first to said second position thereof, and for retaining the trapped material until returned to said normal position by said biasing means during return movement of said charging plate means towards said first positions thereof.

2. A dispenser as recited in claim 1, said lip portion being aligned flush with the wall of said outlet opening in said normal position of said shear slide means, said supply hopper and shear slide means including stop means for limiting displacement by said biasing means of said lip portion at said normal position.

3. a dispenser as recited in claim 1, said lower surface of said supply hopper and said closely-mating surfaces of said shear slide means and charging plate means being parallel planar surfaces.

4. A dispenser as recited in claim 3, said parallel planar surfaces extending substantially horizontally.

5. A dispenser as recited in claim 3, said upper surface being a planar surface parallel to said lower surface and said closely-mating surfaces, and supporting said charging plate for reciprocation.

9. A dispenser as recited in claim 2 in which said selected one comprises said charging plate means, said recess extends in said charging plate means in the direction from said second toward said first positions of said charging plate means, and said biasing means urges said shear slide means to remain stationary with respect to said charging plate means.

10. A dispenser as recited in claim 9, in which said fixed path of reciprocating movement of said charging plate means is inclined downwardly from said first toward said second positions thereof.

6. A dispenser for metering discrete predetermined volumes of particulate material, comprising, in combination:

supply hopper means for containing particulate material, said supply hopper means having first and second spaced-apart outlet opening communicating with a lower surface thereof;

delivery means forming an upper surface confronting said lower surface and spaced beneath said supply hopper means, said upper surface being interrupted by a discharge port aligned and centered between said outlet openings;

charging plate means for metering and dispensing material from said supply hopper to said discharge port, said charging plate means being located between said supply means and said delivery means, and mounted for reciprocating linear movement parallel to said lower and upper surfaces;

said charging plate means being formed with first and second trap chambers of predetermined volumes extending therethrough and spaced apart half the distance between said outlet openings, said charging plate means being mounted for reciprocating linear movement between a first position in which said first trap chamber is aligned beneath said first outlet opening and receiving a charge of particulate material therefrom and said second trap chamber is aligned above said discharge port for delivering a charge of particulate material thereto, and a second position in which said first trap chamber is aligned above said discharge port and said second trap chamber is aligned beneath said second outlet opening;

and a pair of shear slide means for preventing shearing of said particulate material, said shear slide means being interposed between said supply hopper means and said charging plate means and supported for independent reciprocating linear movement parallel to said movement of said charging plate means, each between a normal position and a retracted position, together with means yieldingly biasing each of said shear slide means toward said normal position thereof;

each of said shear slide means having a lip portion each respectively receivable between and cooperable with a different one of said outlet opening and a different one of said trap chambers to define a loading passage therewith when the corresponding shear slide means is in said normal position and the corresponding outlet opening and trap chamber are aligned with one another;

said shear slide means and said charging plate means being formed with surfaces closely mating with said lower surface for preventing said particulate material from escaping therebetween during reciprocating movements thereof;

each of said shear slide means being constructed and arranged for movement toward said retracted position thereof by interference with particulate material trapped against said lip portion thereof during occlusion of the corresponding one of said loading passages by movement of said charging plate means between said first and said second positions thereof, and for retaining the trapped material until returned to said normal position thereof by said biasing means by a reverse movement of said charging plate means.

7. A dispenser for metering discrete predetermined volumes of particulate material, comprising, in combination:

supply hopper means for containing particulate material, said supply hopper means having a downwardly-directed outlet opening and including means for feeding particulate material to said outlet opening for delivery by gravity;

delivery means forming a discharge port spaced laterally from and below said outlet opening for receiving and delivering particulate material by gravity;

charging plate means for metering and dispensing material from said supply hopper to said discharge port, said charging plate means being interposed between said supply means and delivery means and supported for reciprocating linear movement relative thereto in a fixed path with a horizontal component of direction between first and second positions, said charging plate means being formed with a trap chamber extending therethrough with a vertical component of direction, said trap chamber aligned beneath said outlet opening in said first position to define a loading passage therewith, and being located above said discharge port in said second position;

a selected one of said supply hopper means and said charging plate means being formed with a recess communicating with said loading passage and extending therefrom along said fixed path in the opposite direction to the relative movement of said selected one with respect to the unselected one of said supply hopper means and said charging plate means as said charging plate means moves from said first to said second position;

and shear slide means for preventing shearing of said particulate material, said shear slide means being interposed between said supply hopper means and said charging plate means and received in said recess, said shear slide means being formed with a lip portion, and with upper and lower surfaces respectively closely mating with said supply hopper means and said charging plate means to prevent the escape of particulatematerial therebetween, said shear slide means being slidable in said recess for reversible linear movement in a fixed path parallel to said path of movement of said charging plate means, to and from a terminal position in which said lip portion is flush with said loading passage in said first position of said charging plate means;

means yieldingly biasing said shear slide means to remain in a normal position stationary with respect to said selected one of said supply means and said charging plate means during reciprocating movements of the latter;

said shear slide means being constructed and arranged to be displaced from said normal position along said fixed path thereof by interference with any particular material trapped between said shear slide means and said unselected one of said supply means and said charging plate means during movement of said charging plate means from said first toward said second position thereof, and to retain said material trapped until said shear slide means is restored to said terminal position thereof by said biasing means upon a return movement of said charging plate means from said second toward said first position thereof.

8. A dispenser as recited in claim 7, in which said selected one comprises said supply hopper means, said recess extends in said supply hopper means in the direction from said first toward said second positions of said charging plate means, and said biasing means urges said shear slide means to remain stationary with respect to said supply hopper means.