Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Union Oil Company of California

Delwin E Cobb

Richard E Livesay

Orrin A Stemler

Gerald P Simmons

Michael A Roussin

Chien-Cheng J Shih

George J Jackson

Nathan Gutman

Charles F Griswold

Scott A Rodibaugh

Maurice E Young

A method for forming a terraced structure in the upper surface of a particulate solid bed, typically oil shale, moving upward through an upflow retort and removing particulate solids from the upper surface, which includes rotating a scraping means comprising a shaft having a plurality of scrapers secured thereto arranged in a vertically spaced-apart relationship and in a radially outwardly-stepped relationship relative to a vertical axis of the shaft.

Method and apparatus for removing solids from an upwardly moving bed

Apparatus for the mixing and cooling of hot, particulate matter, such as hot, retorted oil shale, comprises a plurality of enclosed, vertically spaced apart, converging vessels through which the material to be mixed and cooled is flowed. At least the lowermost vessel is configured for a packed bed flow of the material and has mounted therein, on a vertical drive shaft, a mixer blade assembly having a plurality of similar mixing blades which are upwardly inclined at an angle, A.sub.1, of between about 30.degree. and about 75.degree. and preferably within about .+-.15.degree. of the sidewall angle of the vessels. The blades are mounted so as to have an angle of attack, A.sub.2, relative to the rotational direction of travel, of between about 20.degree. and about 60.degree.. A constant angle of attack along each mixing blade is assured by making the angle, A.sub.3, between the blade leading edge and the blade base to be related to the blade inclination and attack angles in accordance with the relationship:

Mixing and cooling apparatus for hot, particulate matter

A recoil damper (10) for a reciprocating member (12) mounted in a housing (24) includes a annular ring (38,138) mounted adjacent a shoulder (28) formed on the reciprocation member, the annular ring (38,138) mounted in a viscous fluid interior of the housing. The annular ring (38,138) cooperates with the shoulder (28) of the reciprocating member (12) to allow a relatively free flow of the viscous fluid around the shoulder (28) upon motion of the reciprocating member (12) in one direction and to restrict flow of the viscous fluid around the shoulder (28) upon motion of the reciprocating member (12) in the other opposite direction.

Recoil damper for a reciprocating member

Gear pump having fluid deaeration capability

PCT No. PCT/US79/01087 Sec. 371 Date Dec. 13, 1979 Sec. 102(e) Date Dec. 13, 1979 PCT Filed Dec. 13, 1979 An impactor (10) having a fracturing portion (11) including a crank (12) and a force transferring structure (13). The force transferring structure (13) is hammered as a result of rotation of the crank (12) by a hammer (14) rotatably mounted to the crank for concurrent revolution about the crank axis (16) and rotation about a hammer axis (24). The hammer is rotated in synchronization with the crank to move a contacting portion (20) of the hammer reciprocatively toward and from the force transfer structure (13) with contact between the hammer and force transfer structure being free of rolling movement therebetween.

Impacting rock breaker

A gear pump (10) has a pair of intermeshing gears (12,14) located in a corresponding pair of intersecting cavities (16,18) in a housing (20), and air bleed passages (60) are defined in the housing (20) for passing entrained air collected in the fluid at the tooth roots (42) of the gears (12,14) as a result of centrifugal force away from a preselected region (61,62) of each of the gear cavities (16,18). Preferably, a pair of arcuate air bleed passages (64) are formed in the housing (20) and are located in a trailing portion (62) of the preselected region, and a pair of grooves (70) transmit pressure from a discharge opening (48) back to the tooth roots (42) to positively encourage movement of fluid with entrained air toward the arcuate air bleed passages (64).

An improved ripper assembly (10) wherein a ripper shank (19) is mounted to the beam (11) of a tractor by a clevis pin (22) so as to minimize side forces acting on the shank pin (25). The vertical axis of the clevis pin may be aligned with the distal end (34) of the ripper tip (21) and the horizontal axis (24) of the shank pivot pin (25). The impact surfaces (28,29) of the impacting mechanism (18) and shank (19) preferably define a plane of abutment in which lies a radius (30) from the horizontal shank pivot pin axis (24). This plane is further preferably accurately perpendicular to the ripper tip axis (31) extending perpendicularly to the radius (30). The arrangement provides a free pivoting action of the ripper assembly about the vertical axis of the clevis pin so as to effectively minimize side loads for improved extended life of the ripper assembly (10).

Clevis-mounted impact ripper

A pump has three gears disposed in three cavities of a housing, with the first and second gears being connected and the second and third gears being connected. A pressurized fluid source is connected to the housing for rotating the gears, whereupon fluid is drained into and expelled from housing through a plurality of passages therein.

Fluid driven pump

A cooling system for cooling the cutting edge of an impact type ripper tip includes a source of liquid coolant under pressure and conduit means for supplying the coolant to a spray head mounted below and behind the ripper tip in a position to distribute liquid coolant to the lower surface of the tip behind the cutting edge. The spray head is detachably mounted directly behind the ripper tip and projects downward beyond the lower surface of the tip.

Cooling system for rock ripper tip

A lubricating and damping system for mechanisms which undergo large changes in orientation during operation is disclosed. The system includes a scavenge compartment built into the housing of the system and a plurality of scavenge pumps mounted within the housing having separate inlets so located that at least one of the inlets is submerged within the lubricating oil regardless of the orientation of the housing with the oil picked up by the scavenge pumps delivered through deaeration means and into a collection tank. A lubrication pump draws the oil from the collection tank and supplies it for lubrication of the mechanism and for the damping means of the system.

Hydraulic system for rock breaker

An earth working apparatus having a ripper for loosening earth and the like. An impact member is associated with the ripper to provide a cushioned transfer of impact force for improved earth working operation.

Impact means for ripper

An impact rock breaker includes detachable mounting means and latching means operative for mounting the rock breaker on the stick of a backhoe or excavator adjacent the bucket such that the rock breaker can be pivoted to a nonoperative position latched to the stick out of the way of the bucket to permit normal operation of the bucket and an operative position pivoted to and latched to the bucket for movement with the bucket for normal operation of the rock breaker.

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Delwin E Cobb