US2640629A - Fuel feeding apparatus with vibratory hopper - Google Patents

Description

June 2, 1953 H. MOD. THOMSON El AL 2,640,629

FUEL FEEDING APPARATUS wrm VIBRATORY HOPPER Filed Jan. 25. 1947 Zinoentors THOMSON (HA/P459 ERNEST MUD/E 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hue/1 Mcoozvano June 2, 1953 H. M D. THOMSON El AL 2,640,629

FUEL FEEDING APPARATUS WITH VIBRATORY HOPPER Filed Jan. 25. 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 2, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FUEL FEEDING APPARATUS WITH VIBRATORY HOPPER Application January 25, 1947, Serial No. 724,438

11 Claims. (Cl. 222-461) This invention relates to fuel feeders and more particularly to agitators for mechanical-stokers.

The present invention provides an agitator by which a hopper of a mechanical stoker is agitated so that fuel from the hopper will be fed continuously to the fuel delivery mechanism which delivers fuel to a furnace.

This invention further provides an agitator for agitating the fuel in a hopper of a mechanical stoker which agitator is actuated by the fuel delivery mechanism so as to assure proper flow of the fuel to said delivery mechanism prior to the feeding of the fuel to a furnace by said mechanism.

The invention will be understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof and in which:

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line ll of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 1 but of another embodiment of the invention.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus of the present invention comprises a hopper l having an inclined rearward wall I I, a substantially vertically extending forward wall l2 and opposite side walls l3 and I4. The hopper is open at the top thereof and also at the bottom thereby providing respectively an inlet through which fuel is introduced into the hopper and an outlet through which fuel will pass from the hopper.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, hopper III has rollers l5 and I8 adjacent the rearward wall I l and similar rollers l1 adjacent the forwardwall l2. Roller I5 is rotatably mounted in a roller support l8 which support is secured to side wall I3, while roller I6 is similarly mounted in a roller support 19 secured to side wall l4, said rollers being mounted for rotation on shafts which extend in a substantially horizontal plane. Rollers I! are rotatably mounted in supports 20 secured to opposite side walls l3 and I4 respectively. The rollers l1 and supports 20 are so mounted in relationship to said side walls that the shafts upon which the rollers rotate extend in a plane inclined to the horizontal, as shown more particularly in I! rest upon guide member 23 associated with v 2 rail 22 which guide member is substantially coextensive with the rail 22 longitudinally thereof. The rails 2| and 22 are mounted on a supporting member 24 secured to the upper portion of a hollow cylindrically-shaped ram casing 25 at the end thereof adjacent a furnace. As shown, a cylinder 26 is formed integrally with the ram casing at the end thereof opposite the end on which the supporting member 24 is secured. Supporting member 24 has a passage 24' therein in communication with the outlet at the bottom of hopper l 0 and with the interior of ram casing 25.

A ram 21 is slidably mounted within casing 25 and is secured to one end of a shaft 28 through a fitting 29. Shaft 28 at the opposite end thereof has a piston 30 mounted thereon which piston is secured to the shaft by a nut and is maintained in fluid-tight relationship with cylinder 26 by means of packing 32 and a gland nut 33. Piston 30 slidably engages the inner periphery of cylinder 26 in a fluid-tight manner. Cylinder 26 has a port 34 at one end and at one side thereof and another port 35, indicated by dot and dash lines Fig. l, at the opposite end and at the opposite side of cylinder 26.

A substantially vertically extending cam pin 36 is positioned so as to extend through the ram and the fitting 29 and project outwardly of ram casing 25 at the top and at the bottom. Pin 36 moves longitudinally of the casing 25 in a slot in the upper portion of said casing and in the slot 4| in the lower portion thereof. The casing has flat surfaces 4| at the outer periphery thereof adjacent opposite sides of the slot 40 to provide a track for rollers 31 and 38 which are mounted on opposite sides of cam pin 36 on a shaft 39 which extends transversely of said pin.

Actuating mechanism which cooperates with.

cam pin 36 and rollers 31 and 38 is mounted on the upper portion of casing 25 adjacent the lower end of inclined wall ll of hopper l0 and is adapted to act upon the hopper to move the same. The actuating mechanism comprises a rocker arm 42 having a projection 5i extending therefrom intermediate the opposite ends thereof and a roller 43 rotatably mounted at one end thereof which end normally extends into the path of movement of cam pin 36 so as to be engaged by the top of said pin to thereby actuate arm 42. The opposite end of arm 42 is loosely mounted on a shaft 44 rotatably mounted in supporting members 45 and 45 on opposite sides of slot 40. The supports 45 and 46 are secured respectively to lugs 41 and 48 on the upper part of casing 25. A cam lever 49 also is secured on shaft 44 to rotate therewith. Lever 49 has an extension t disposed above projection M on arm it. An adjusting screw 52 is mounted in projection 5i and cooperates with extension 58 so that the relationship of the arm 42 on roller 53 to cam pin S t and rollers 31 and 33 may be adjusted to regulate the extent of movement of hopper It by said actuating mechanism. As will hereinafter be fully described, roller 53 is rotatably mounted in lever 45L above extension 50 and cooperates with actuated member 5i which is secured to inclined wall ii of hopper l0.

As shown, the furnace with which the fuel feeding mechanism of the present invention is associated comprises a support .515 as shown, is the water leg of a boiler, and is adjacent wall H. of hopper it. A retort 5B is disposec beneath water leg 5t and adapted to" receive fuel from ram casing 25 by action of the ram 21. A push rod 58 is secured to the bottom of cam pin 35 and is actuated thereby so that proicctions thereon, not shown, will move fuel with in the retort.

In operation, the ram 2? is reoiprocated in a longitudinal direction within ram casing 25 by piston 38 in cylinder 26. Fluid under pressure enters port 3 3 and causes piston St to move to the. left, Fig. l, the fluid in the cylinder to the left of piston 30 flowing outwardly of the cylinder through port 3'5.

When the piston reaches the extent of. said movement to the left, valve mechanism, not shown, will interrupt the now or fluid under pressure into port 3d and permit fluid to be discharged from'said port while valve mechanism will at the same time prevent dis charge of fluid through port 35 and w ll cause fluid under pressure to enter. the cylinder ough said port. Fluid under press? re entering through port 35 will cause piston is to move to the right incylinder 26, the fluid in the cylinder to the right of piston being exhausted through port 34. This hydraulic reciprocating mechanism for actuating the ram is well-known in the art and it will be understood that rain 2? can be recipro cated by any other means known in the art as well as by the above described welleknovm hydraulic means.

' Asshown in Fig. l, the ram 2"! is positioned at the extent of its forward movement, or movement to the left of Fig. 1, and is ready for its return movement or movement to the right, Fig. 1. As the shaft 23 moves tothe right moving "therewith the ram 2? and ram pin which is guided in slots All! and M, the roller-s3! and 38 rotatably mounted on pin engage the portion of arm 42 normally in the path of movement of the pin and said rollers, while the top of the pin 36 engages roller A l. Engagement of rollers and 38 with arm i2 and of pin 3% with roller 43 causes the arm #12 to rotate in a counter-clocl-:- wise direction, Fig. l, the adjusting screw 52 which engages extension 5%] on lever to causing said lever also to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction so that the roller 53 in said lever enrelation on guide member 23 through rollers i Stoplillsecured to wall i2 and cooperating with trail 22 limits the counter-clockwise or upward movement of the hopper while stop 5i secured to .-wall I 2' and cooperating with rail 22 limits the clockwise or downwardmovement of said hopper.

As the shaft 23 and pin 33 proceed further to the right, Fig. l, the arm E2 and lever d2] con-- tinue their countei clockwise rotation until the position indicated in dot and dash lines, l, is attained, this position indicating the uppermost point to which thehopper, l9 moved.

-When thepin33emovesbeyond. dot dash position, the top of the pin and 38 pass from engagement with re 'cllers 3i and c3 and arm s2 respectively and, since support is thereby withdrawn from tliehopper, the weight of the hopper rotates lever re and arm ii in a clockwise direction. Withdrawal of the support causes the hopper to move quickly in a downward direction, rollers 45 and i6, which are mount d on the hopper, sharply engaging rail 2! when the hopper reaches the extent of its downward movement thereby jarring the fuel in the hopper causing it to become agitated and pass through the hopper outlet into passage 25 in support r thence into raincasingtli to the left o am 2'11 click. at this point of the operation eoi has been drawn to the right in 02 lg 2530;; movement of shaft 28 Upon movement cifthe shaft 28 to 7 left, Fig. l, the fuel which has been jarrediinto casing 25 and into the, path of movement of the ram 2! is moved into retort at by said ram, The top of the pin 36 and rollers ill and 3 3 engage roller is and arm :22 on its movement to the let causing the arm ii to rotate in a clockwise direction permitting the and rollers to pass under the arm and roller The extent of the rise and fall or f I controlled through adjusting screw a y turning the adjusting screw one c 'rectio'n, the arm s2 is "rotated in a clockwise directionmoving the extension 56 away from projection 56 on lever 49. The effect or" increasing the distance tween extension all and projection 5'3 i'- to increase the amount the hopper id will be'raised the actuating mechanism. because the distance between roller i3 on arm i2 and roller on lever Gfl is also increased thereby lengthening the rise of member 5 8 by the actuating mechanism and increasing the distance the hopper will'fall when the pin 36 and rollers ill and 38 pass from on gagement with roller ll-3 and arm 42. if the ad justing screw 52 is moved in the dppositef'rection, the distance the roller '53 moves up war ly is decreased since .the distance between extension 5% and projection 51 and roller 53 and roller G3 is decreased. Hopper it will be moved upwardly to a lesser extent and will, thereioreffhave a lesser distance to fall providing a less severe jolt when rollers l5 and it engage rail 21. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 3, the hopper l8, instead of being mounted on rollers as in the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, is positioned in a boot having a forward wall 63 which engages for :1 wall l2 of the hopper and extends downwardly into passage 2d of supporting me or 24. Wall 63 has a lug 6 adapted to contact the top of supporting member Mend limit movement the boot d2. Side wall 13 of hopper l0 engages a side wall '55 of boot 62 while opposite side wall it of the hopper engages an opposite side wall of the boot, not shown, which is similar to wall 65. Boot 62 has an inclined rearward wall with anextension El engaging the rearward wall H of hopper m, the rearward wall having projection 68 extending longitudinally thereof at the bottom of said wall. The pro ection 65 engages the top of supporting member 2%. Boot 521s movably mounted on supporting m .inber ill by trunnions 69 which extend outwarddy irom .the opposite side walls of the boot and are ro- -tatably mounted in bearings 10 on the top of supporting member 24. 'I'runnions 69 are posi tioned adjacent the rearward wall 66 of boot 62.

The operation of the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 3 is similar to that of the form disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2. Boot 2 and hopper l therein pivot on the trunnions 59 when actuated by the actuating mechanism. When arm 42 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction by the ram pin 36 and rollers 3'! and 38, the boot and hopper are raised by engagement of roller 53 of lever 49 with actuated member 54 on boot 62 so that the boot and hopper pivot in .a counter-clockwise direction on the trunnions 69. As the rollers 31 and 38 and pin 36 pass from engagement with roller 43 and arm 42, the weight of the hopper and boot through force of gravity causes the hopper and boot to pivot in .a clockwise direction since lever 49 and arm '42 will rotate in a clockwise direction as support is withdrawn therefrom. Projection 68 on the boot will sharply engage the top of supporting member 24 when the downward limit of move ment of the hopper and boot is reached. The sharp engagement of projection 58 with the top of supporting member 24 jars the fuel within hopper l0 causing the same to be agitated and flow from the hopper into passage 24' of the supporting member. 63 of boot 62 prevents the boot from jarring outwardly of the supporting member when the boot moves in a clockwise direction.

Since changes may be made in the forms of the invention selected for disclosure without departing from the principles thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited excepting by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

-1.- In combination with fuel feeding apparatus comprising a hopper and a fuel feeder, said hopper having a fuel outlet and the feeder comprising a horizontally reciprocal ram, said ram cooperating with the hopper outlet so as to move transversely thereof and feed the fuel away from said outlet upon movement in one direction, .a.

pivotal mounting associated with the hopper and having an axis of rotation extending in a horizontal plane and transversely to the direction of reciprocation of the ram, the relationship of the mounting and the hopper being such that the hopper will normally tend to pivot in a clockwise direction on said mounting by force of gravity, .a support cooperating with the hopper and nor- 'inally supporting the hopper against pivoting in said clockwise direction, a hopper actuator com-- Lug 64 on forward wall tion upon engagement of the cam pin with said I porting relationship during a part of the reciprocal movement of the ram and upon another part of the movement of the ram to release the hopper to return in a clockwise direction to said normal supporting position by force of gravity to engage the support abruptly thereb agitating the fuel therein. 2. In combination with fuel feeding apparatus comprising a hopper and a fuel feeder, said hopper having a fuel outlet and the feeder comprising a horizontally reciprocal ram, said ram cooperating with the hopper outlet so as to move transversely thereof and feed the fuel away from said outlet upon movement in one direction, a pivotal mounting associated with the hopper and having an axis of rotation extending in a horizontal plane and transversely to the direction of reciprocation of the ram, the relationship of the mounting and the hopper being such that the hopper will normally tend to pivot in a clockwise direction on said mounting by force of gravity, a support cooperating with the hopper and normally supporting the hopper against pivoting .in said clockwise direction, a hopper actuator comprising a cam pin movable with the ram, a pivotally mounted cam having one engaging means and other engaging means extending radially from said pivot in different directions, the one engaging means cooperating ,with said hopper, said other engaging means extending into the path of movement of the cam pin to be acted on thereby, the arrangement being such that the cam is pivoted in a counterc10ck. wise direction upon engagement of the cam pin with said other engaging means when the ram moves ina direction opposite said one direction after feeding of said fuel away from the hopper thereby causing said one engaging means to support and to move the hopper, in a counterclockwise direction on the pivotal mounting away from said normal supporting relationship during a part of the movement of the ram in said op posite direction and upon another part of the movement in said opposite direction but prior to the return movement of the ramin said one direction to release the hopper to return in a clockwise direction to said normal supporting position by force of gravity to engage the support abruptly thereby agitating the fuel therein.

3. In combination with fuel feeding apparatus comprising a hopper and a fuel feeder, said hopper having oppositely disposed walls, one of said walls being downwardly and inwardly sloping and a fuel outlet at the bottom thereof, the feeder comprising a horizontally reciprocal fuel -moving means, said feeder cooperating with the hopper outlet so as to move transversely thereof 4 and feed the fuel away from said outlet, a pivotal 'mounting associated=with the hopper andhaving an axis of rotation extending in a horizontal plane and transversely to the direction of movement of the feeder, the relationship of the .mounting and the hopper being such that the hopper will normally tend to pivot in a clockwise direction on said -mounting by force of gravity, the pivotal mounting comprising a pluextending in a horizontal plane transversely of the direction of movement of the feeder, the rail .associated With the rollers adjacent said opposite .wall acting .as a pivot for. said hopper and the rail associated with the rollers adjacent said inclined wall acting as a support to limit the movement of the hopper in a clockwise direction; a

hopper actuatorscooperating with the hopper and with the fuel feeder so as to be actuated by, said feeder during a portion of its movement, the acapanese 7 ouster beingconstructed and arranged to pivot the hopper on the pivot rail in e; counterclockwise directionupwarulyiroro and out or coo erat'ive relationship with the support, the actuator oemgin supporting: relationship witn the hopper during said portion of the movementoi the fuel feeder and out of siipporting relationship ait'er semi portion of movement of the feeder thereby permitting said hopper to move downwardly by force-of gravity and abruptly engage said support in said normal relationship.

4. In combination with mel-ieecin epparmm comprising a hopper and a tool feeder, said hop er havingoppositely dis osed walls, one of said walls being downwardly'and inwardly slopmg and a i-uel'outlet at the loot'toni the'reoi, the feeder comprising or horizontally reciprocal fuel moving means, said feeder cooperating with the hop er outlet so as to move-transversely thereof reed the fuel away from said outlet, a pivotal mounting associated with the hopper and having an axis of rotation extending in a horizontal plane and transversely to the dinectionoi movemerit" of the feeder, the relationship of the mounting and the hopper being such that the hopper will 'normall3 tend topivo't in clockwise direction onsaid mounting by tor-cc of gravity, a suppor'tcooperating with the downwardly and inwardly sloping wall or the hopper and normally supporting the hopper pivoting in said clockwise direction, a hopper actuator comprising a cam pin movable with the mm, a pivotally mounted cam having one engaging means and other engaging means extending radially from said pivot in esteem directions, the one engag ing means cooperating with said hopper, said other engagin means extending into the path of movement of the cam pin to he acted on thereby; the arrangement being such the cam is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction upon engagement of the cam with s'a'idother engaging means thereby causing said one engaging means to support and to'move thehopmr on said pivotal mounting in a counterclockwise direction away -from said normal supporting rela- 'tionship during a part of the reciprocal movemerit of the ram and upon another part of the movement of the ram to release the hopper to return in a clockwise direction to said normal support'ni position by force of gravity to engage the support abruptly thereby agitating the fuel therein.

5. In combination with fuel feeding apparatus comprising a hopper and a fuel feeder, said hopper having oppositely disposed walls, one of said walls being downwardly and inwardly'sloprug and a fuel outlet at the bottom thereof, the feeder comprising a horizontally reciprocal ram, said ra'm' cooperating with the hopper outlet so as to inove transversely thereof and feed the .fuel away from said outlet upon movement in one direction, a pivotal mounting associated with the hopper and having an axis of rotation extending ins horizontal plane and transversely to the direction of movement of the feeder, the relationship of the mounting and the hopper being such that the hopper will normally tend to pivot in aclockwise direction on said mounting by force or gravity, the pivotal mounting comprising a plurality of rollers on the hopper adjacent the lower portion or the downwardly and inwardly inclined wall and the wall opposite thereto, a rail associated with the rollers of each of said walls and extending in a horizontal plane transversely or the direction of movement of the feeder, the rail associated with the rollers ad3acent said opposite wall acting as a" pivot for said hopper and the rail associated with the rollers adjacent said inclined wall acting as a support to limit the movement of the hopper in a clockwisedirection, a hopper actuator comprising a cam pin movable with the ram, a pivctally mounted cam having one engaging means and other engaging means extending radially'from said pivot in different directions, the (incomes;- ing means cooperating with said hopper, said other engaging means extending into the path of movement of the cam pin tobe acted on thereby, the arrangement being such that the cam-is pivoted on said pivot rail in acounterclockwise direction upon engagement of the cam pin with said other engaging means thereby causing said one engaging means to support and to move the hopper on said pivot rail in a. counterclockwise direction away from said normal supporting relationship during a part of the reciprocal moveznent of the and upon another part of the movement of the ram to release the hopper to return in a clockwise direction to said normal supporting position by force of gravity to engage the support abruptly thereby agitating the fuel therein.

6. In combination with fuel feeding apparatus comprising a hopper and a incl feeder, said hop per having opposite side walls, a forward-Welland a downwardly and inwardly inclined rearward wall, the feeder comprising a horizontally m ciprocal ram, said ram cooperating with the hopper outlet so as to move transversely thereof and feed the fuel away from said" outlet upon movement in one direction, a pivotal mounting comprising trunnions associated with each or said. side walls and pivotally mounted in" a stationary base so that the hopper has pivotal movement thereon in clockwise and counterclockwise directions, a stop associated with the rearward wall to limit the counterclockwise piv otal movement or the hopper, a support cooperat ing'with the downwardly and inwardly sloping wall and normally supporting the hopper against pivoting in said clockwise direction, a hopper actuator comprising a cam pin movable with-the rain, a pivotaliy mounted cam having one enga'ging rneans and other engaging means extending radially from said pivot in diiierent directions, the one engaging means cooperating with said hopper, said other engaging means extend ing' into the path of movement or the cam pin to be acted on thereby, the arrangement being such that the cam is pivoted on the trunnions in a counterclockwise direction moon engagement of the cam pin with said other engaging means thereby causing said one engaging means to sup"- poit' and to move the hopper on said trunnicns in a counterclockwi e irection away from said normal supportin n at" nship during a par-to! the reciprocal moi it or the rum and upon another part of the ovement of the ram to release the hopper to return in a clockwise di rection to said normal supporting position by force of gravity to engage the support abruptly thereby agitating the fuel therein.

7. In combination with fuel feeding apparatus comprising a hopper and a fuel feeder, said hopper having oppositely disposed walls, one of said walls being downwardly and inwardly sloping, and a fuel outlet the bottom thereof, the feeder comprising a horizontally reciprocal ram, means for reciprocally actuating said ram, the ram cooperating with the hopper out-let so as to move from an open position at one side of said'outlet- -wherein the "ram is outof the path of flow of the fuel from the hopper through the outlet transversely thereof to a closed position at .-the. oppos ite side of the outlet wherein the r'ainfis in the path' of new of fuel from the hope per through the outlet, said ram thereby feeding fuel awayfrom the hopper outlet, the ram there after being returned to said open position by the ranrjactuatin'g me'ans', afpivotal mounting associated with the "hopper ah'dhaving an axis of rotation extending in a horizontal plane and transversely to the direction of movement of the feeder, the relationship of the mounting and the hopper being such that the hopper will nor mally tend to pivot in a clockwise direction on said mounting by force of gravity, the pivotal mounting comprising a plurality of rollers on the hopper adjacent the lower portion of the downwardly and inwardly inclined wall and the wall opposite thereto, a rail associated with the rollers of each of said walls and extending in a horizontal plane transversely of the direction of movement of the feeder, the rail associated with the rollers adjacent said opposite wall acting as a pivot for said hopper and the rail associated with the rollers adjacent said inclined wall acting as a support to limit the movement of the hopper in a clockwise direction, and a hopper actuator cooperating with the hopper and with the fuel feeder so as to be actuated by the feeder during said return movement to an open position, the actuator being constructed and arranged to pivot the hopper on the pivot rail in an upwardly direction and into supporting relationship with the actuator and out of cooperative relationship with the support, the actuator being in said supporting relationship with the hopper for a portion of said return movement of the fuel feeder and passing out of said supporting relationship at substantially the same time as the feeder reaches said open position thereby permitting the hopper to drop downwardly on the pivot rail by force of gravity and abruptly engage said support in said normal relationship.

8. In combination with fuel feeding apparatus comprising a hopper and a fuel feeder, said hopper having a fuel outlet in the lower part thereof,

the feeder comprising horizontally reciprocal fuel moving means, said feeder cooperating with the hopper outlet so as to move transversely thereof and feed the fuel away from said outlet, a pivotal mounting associated with the hopper and having an axis of rotation extending in a horizontal plane and transversely to the direction of movement of the feeder, said hopper being so mounted on the pivotal mounting as to pivot on said axis of rotation, supporting means cooperating with the hopper and supporting the hopper in a normal supporting position and against pivoting in a downward direction, and a hopper actuator comprising actuating means and actuated means, the actuating means comprising an upwardly extending projection reciprocal with said fuel moving means, the actuated means comprising a cam having a plurality of engaging means projecting therefrom, said engaging means being spaced from one another, one of said engaging means cooperating with said hopper, another engaging means extending into the path of movement of said upwardly extending projection to be acted on thereby, the arrangement being such that the cam is operated in one direction upon engagement of the projection with said other engaging means thereby causing said one engaging means said normal supporting relationship 'during'a part of the reciprocal movement of the fuel mov ing means and upon another part ofthe move-3 mentof the fuel' moving means to release the; hopper to return-in a downward direction to said; normal supporting positionby force of gravity to engage the support abruptly thereby agitating the fuel-therein."

9. The apparatus set forth in claim 8 wherein the hopper has oppositely disposed walls, one of said Walls being downwardly and inwardly sloping and wherein the relationship of the mounting and the hopper is such that the hopper will normally tend to pivot in a clockwise and downward direction on said mounting by force of gravity.

10. The apparatus set forth in claim 8 wherein the hopper has oppositely disposed walls, one of said Walls being downwardly and inwardly sloping, and a fuel outlet at the bottom thereof, the pivotal mounting comprises trunnions associated with each of said side walls and pivotally mounted in a stationary base so that the hopper has pivotal movement thereon in clockwise and counterclockwise directions, a stop is associated with the rearward wall to limit the counterclockwise pivotal movement of the hopper, the relationship of the pivotal mounting and the hopper being such that the hopper will normally tend to pivot in a clockwise and downward direction on said trunnions by force of gravity, and wherein supporting means cooperate with the downwardly and inwardly sloping walls and support the hopper in a normal supporting position against pivoting in said clockwise direction.

11. In combination with fuel feeding apparatus comprising a hopper and a fuel feeder, said hopper having a fuel outlet in the lower part thereof, the feeder comprising fuel moving means reciprocal in a horizontal plane in a fuel feeding direction and in a direction opposite thereto, said feeder cooperating with the hopper outlet so as to move transversely thereof and feed the fuel away from said outlet upon movement in said feeding direction, a pivotal mounting associated with the hopper and having an axis of rotation extending in a horizontal plane and transversely to the direction of movement of the feeder, said hopper being so mounted on the pivotal mounting as to pivot on said axis of rotation, supporting means cooperating with the hopper and supporting the hopper in a normal supporting position and against pivoting in a downward direction, and a hopper actuator comprising actuating means and actuated means, the actuating means comprising an upwardly extending projection reciprocal with said fuel moving means, the actuated means comprising a cam having a plurality of engaging means projecting therefrom, said engaging means being spaced from one another, one of said engaging means cooperating with said hopper, another engaging means extending into the path .of movement of said upwardly extending projection to be acted on thereby, the arrangement being such that the cam is operated in one direction upon engagement of the projection with said other engaging means when said fuel feeder moves in a direction opposite to its fuel feeding direction after feeding the fuel away from the hopper thereby causing said one engaging means to support and to move the hopper on said pivotal mounting in an upward direction away from said normal supporting relationship during a part of the reciprocal movement of the 1 1? fuel moving means in said direction'opposite its fuel feeding direction but prior to the return movement of the fuel moving means in its fuel feeding direction to release the hopper to return in a downwarddirection to said normal supporting position by force of gravity to engage the support abruptly thereby agitating the fuel therein.

HUGH IMQDONAJZID THOMSON. CHARLES ERNEST MU'DIE.

Number Name Date Elliott Dec. '27, 1904 Riley Nov. 30, 1920 Stewart May 4, 1937 Mackintosh Jan..1'1,1938 Bobriek et a1 Apr. 29, 1941 Stelzer et a1. Ju1y8, 1941

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