IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING VESSELS, AND TRANSPORTING SACKS, CASKS, AND OTHER PACKAGES OR PARCELS, FROM ONE LANDING PLACE OR STAGE MA " PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Wallis, of Basingstoke, in the County of
Hants, Corn and Coal Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING VESSELS, AND TRANSPORTING SACKS,
CASKS, AND OTHER PACKAGES OR PARCELS, FROM ONE LANDING PLACE OR STAGE
MA
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Wallis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th December 1862.
I, RICHARD WALLIS, of Basingstoke, in the County of Hants, Corn and
Coal Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING VESSELS, AND TRANS-
PORTING SACKS, CASKS, AND OTHER PACKAGES OR PARCELS, FROM ONE LANDING
PLACE OB STAGE TO ANOTHER, OR TO,OR FROM ONE WAREHOUSE TO ANOTHER," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of improvements in apparatus or mechanism whereby
goods, merchandize, minerals, and various articles in sacks, casks, or packages,
may be moved from one place to another by causing the same to be drawn by
bauling ropes or other equivalents across suitable strong ropes, or bands, or

page_text: chains, stretched or extended between two places. For these purposes there
is at the one place, for instance, a landing stage, a strong upright framing or post;
around this framing or post is passed a strong rope or band, or it might be a
chain, there being either a recess formed in the post or framing, or a suitable
stop or guide employed to prevent the rope or band or chain from slipping
downwards. The rope, -band, or chain thus placed is passed on either side of
the post or upright described, to the warehouse or other place to which it is
desired to transport the goods, minerals, or articles, where the ends are each
made fast to eyes formed to receive them in screw bolts which pass through a
strong beam in the warehouse or other building or structure, and the nuts are
screwed on to their screw bolts until the ropes, or bands, or chains are tightened
up so as to draw them as nearly as possible into straight lines; or such tightening
may be accomplished by other means. Thus a double line of rope, band, or
chain is formed, extending across the intervening space from one place to
another along which the goods, minerals, or articles to be transported are
caused to travel in the following manner:-Two spring catches or hooks
mounted on suitable carriages with pullies, are placed upon the ropes, bands,
or chains, so stretched across that the rollers, of each of such carriages rest
and travel across to and fro upon the upper surface of the double line
of rope or band or chain. These carriages are arranged in respect to each
other in such manner that the one is at the starting point, whether a landing
stage, or platform, or otherwise, while the other is at the warehouse or other
place or point of delivery, so that when the two carriages are put in motion in
manner hereafter explained, they will pass each other on their respective lines
midway of the course over which they have to travel. The carriages it is pre-
ferred, should be each formed of two strong cheeks or plates of metal, between
which at their upper portions the pullies work, and pendant therefrom at their
lower portions are the spring catches or hooks upon which the goods or
packages or sacks to be carried are suspended. To the fore and hind ends of
each of such carriages is an eye or opening to which is attached one end of a
hauling rope, the other end of the rope passing around a pulley working on a
fixed axis situated a little above that part of the upright post, framing, or
support at the landing stage where the wire, rope, or band or supporting chains
are first passed, then on to one of the eyes of the other travelling carriage. To
the other eye
of this last named carriage is attached another similar hauling
rope which passes thence around a pulley (whose axis is carried by suitable
framing situated in the warehouse or other place of delivery), and thence to the
other eye of the carriage first named; thus the two hauling ropes and carriages
form an endless band passed around the pulley carried by the landing stage,

page_text: and that at the warehouse or delivery stage or place. The two carriages are
caused to travel to and fro between the landing stage and the warehouse, the
load being alternately carried by the one and then by the other; when the
load is to be carried from a place that is higher than that at which it is to be
delivered, then the pulley of the hauling ropes at the starting end may be
freed from its axis by means of a clutch, and the load having been pushed off
the stage at that end may be allowed to travel down its course on its rope or
chain, and it will by its momentum bring up the other course, the other carriage
to carry down the next load. Suitable mechanism is employed whereby a
steam engine or other power is caused to work the load in either direction.
It consists by preference of double conical clutch and friction surfaces, whereby
the delivery pulley of the hauling ropes is caused to start in either direction or
remain stationary as desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Wallis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd June 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
WALLIS, of Basingtoke, in the County of Hants, Corn and Coal Merchant,.
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year,
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Richard Wallis, Her special licence that I, the said
Richard Wallis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Richard Wallis, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all.
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING VESSELS, AND
TRANSPORTING SACKS, CASES, AND OTHER PACKAGES OR PARCELS FROM ONE LANDING
PLACE OR STAGE TO ANOTHER, OR TO OR FROM ONE WAREHOUSE TO ANOTHER,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Wallis, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain

page_text: the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Wallis, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing and to
the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention consists of improvements in apparatus or mechanism whereby
goods, merchandize, minerals, and various articles in sacks, casks, or packages,
may be moved from one place to another by causing the same to be drawn by
hauling ropes or other equivalents across suitable strong ropes, or bands, or
chains, stretched or extended between two places. For these purposes there is at
the one place, for instance, a landing stage, a strong upright framing or post;
around this framing or post is passed a strong rope or band, or it might be a
chain, there being either a recess formed in the post or framing, or a suitable
stop or guide employed to prevent the rope, or band, or chain from slipping
downwards. The rope, band, or chain thus placed is passed on either side-of
the post or upright described, to the warehouse or other place to which it is
desired to transport the goods, minerals, or articles, where the ends are each
made fast to eyes formed to receive them in screw bolts, which pass through a
strong beam in the warehouse or other building or structure, and the nuts are
screwed on to their screw bolts until the ropes, or bands, or chains are
tightened up so as to draw them as nearly as possible into straight lines; or such
tightening may be accomplished by other means. Thus a double line of rope,
band, or chain is formed, extending across the intervening space from one
place to another along which the goods, minerals, or articles to be transported
are caused to travel in the following manner :-Two spring catches or hooks
mounted on suitable carriages with pullies are placed upon the ropes, bands,
or chains, so stretched across that the rollers of each of such carriages rest and
travel across to and fro upon the upper surface of the double line of rope, or
band, or chain. These carriages are arranged in respect to each other in such
manner that the one is at the starting point, whether a landing stage, or
platform, or otherwise, while the other is at the warehouse, or other place or
point of delivery, so that when the two carriages are put in motion in manner
hereafter explained, they will pass each other on their respective lines midway
of the course over which they have to travel. The carriages, it is preferred,
should be each formed of two strong cheeks or plates of metal, between which

page_text: at their upper portions the pullies work, and, pendent therefrom at their
lower portions, are the spring catches or hooks upon which the goods, or
packages, or sacks to be carried are suspended. To the fore and hind ends of
each of such carriages is an eye or opening to which is attached one end of a
hauling rope, the other end of the rope passing around a pulley working in a
fixed axis situated a little above that part of the upright post, framing, or
support at the landing stage, where the wire rope or band supporting the
chains is first passed, then on to one of the eyes of the other travelling
carriage. To the other eye of this last-named carriage is attached another
similar hauling rope, which passes thence around a pulley (whose axis is
carried by suitable framing situated in the warehouse or other place of
delivery), and thence to the other eye of the carriage first named; thus the
two hauling ropes and carriages form an endless band passed around the pulley
carried by the landing stage, and that of the warehouse or delivery stage or
place. The two carriages are caused to travel to and fro between the landing
stage and the warehouse, the load being alternately carried by the one and
then by the other. When the load is to be carried from a place that is
higher than that at which it is to be delivered, then the pulley of the hauling
ropes at the starting end may be freed from its axis by means of a clutch, and
the load having been pushed of the stage at that end may be allowed to travel.
down its course on its rope or chain, and it will by its momentum bring up on
the other course the other carriage to carry down the next load. Suitable
mechanism is employed whereby a steam engine or other power is caused to
work the load in either direction. It consists by preference of double conical'
clutch and friction surfaces, whereby the delivery pulley of the hauling ropes
is caused to start in either direction or remain stationary, as desired.
On the accompanying Drawing is shown one arrangement for carrying my
Invention into practice.
Figure 1 shews a general elevation of the arrangement; Figure 2 shews a
plan of the same; Figure 3 shews an enlarged side elevation of the top of the
framing, carrying the stretched ropes and hauling ropes, as also of one of the
carriages; Figure 4 shews an enlarged end elevation of the top of the
framing, with the saddle for the stretched wire ropes and pulley for the
hauling ropes; Figure 5 shews an enlarged side elevation of the arrangement
for fixing the stretched ropes inside the storehouse, as also of the mechanism
for working the hauling ropes; and Figure 6 shews a back view of the
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the
same.
Figures.
In the arrangement here represented my improved apparatus is employed

page_text: for transporting sacks of grain, or casks, or packages of other materials from
the vessel A, situated alongside the wharf B, to the top floor of the store-
house or mills C, in such a manner that such conveying of the sacks of grain
in now way interferes with the traffic which may take place upon the inter-
vening wharf B. For this purpose a strong framing D, with a landing stage
or platform W, is erected upon the wharf wall, and is made of such a height
as to allow sufficient headway between the bottom of the sack E and the
ground line of the wharf for the requirements of the traffic on the latter. This
framing is provided with a suitably formed casting d at top for forming a
saddle, round which the stretched wire rope F, F, is laid, and for receiving
the pulley G round which the hauling rope H passes.. The wire rope F, F¹,
having been laid round the saddle on the framing D, each end of the same is
passed across to the storehouse C, where they enter through the door or
window c, and are made fast to two eye bolts I, I¹; these pass through the
strong framing J, and are screwed up by means of nutsj, j', until the wire
rope is stretched as taut as may be required, so as to form the ways upon
which the carriages K, K¹, for transporting the sacks E or other objects from
the vessel to the storehouse, or vice versâ, run. These carriages are formed of
two side cheeks a, a, fixed together in any suitable manner, and carrying the
grooved rollers or pulleys b, b, which run upon the stretched rope F, F¹. To
either end of each carriage a link is fixed, to which links are fastened the
ends of the hauling ropes H, H', in the following manner :-Each rope H, H',
is made equal in length to the other, such length corresponding to the distance
the carriages have to travel. One end of the rope H is fastened to the link d
of the carriage K; it is then passed round the pulley G on the framing D,
and the other end is fastened to the corresponding end of the carriage K¹. One
end of the rope H' is fastened to the link d of the carriage K, it is then passed
round the pulley M carried by the framing J inside the storehouse, and the
other end is made fast to the corresponding end of the carriage K¹. Thus it
will be seen that the two ropes H, H', attached to the carriages as described,
will be equivalent to an endless rope, and that when the one carriage K is at
the landing stage, the other will be inside the storehouse. To the bottom of
the carriages are attached spring catches or hooks to which the sacks E are
attached, and consisting of the link e, the lever f, and the hook 9; these are
so arranged that when the sack is hung upon the hook g, and this latter is
raised into the position shown in full lines, with its end passing into the slot of
the lever f, it cannot fall down into the position shewn in dotted lines, and
thus release the sack, until the lever f as been raised from off it by pulling
the rope
h attached to the other end of the lever, which is effected when the

page_text: sack has arrived at its destination. A spring i is provided, if necessary, to
prevent the lever f from rising off the end of the hook g, except when pulled
by the rope. Motion in one direction or the other is communicated to the
hauling ropes and carriages in the following manner :-A shaft N, carried by:
the framing J inside the storehouse, is provided with a drum O, through which
it receives rotary motion in the direction of the arrow from any suitable source
of motive power.
It carries, furthermore, two bevil wheels P, P¹, running
loose upon it, but capable of being made alternately to revolve with it by
means of the conical friction clutches Q, Q'; these being for this purpose
alternately put in and out of gear with the bevil wheels by the arrangement of.
links and levers R, R', and S, in a manner well understood, and requiring no:
further explanation. A third bevil wheel T, always in gear with both the
bevil wheels P, P', is fixed upon the upright spindle U, upon the lower end of:
which is placed the pulley M, before mentioned, round which the hauling.
rope H passes, either only once, as shewn, or several times, if more friction be
required to transmit the power. The pulley M is, in the arrangement shewn,
not made fast upon the spindle U, but is carried round by the same by means
of a sliding clutch u, worked by the lever V, which clutch is, under circum-
stances to be described hereafter, thrown out of gear, so that the pulley M
can revolve loose upon the spindle U.
The operation of transporting the sacks of grain or other material from the
vessel A to the storehouse C will now take place as follows:-The sack will,
in the first instance, be raised from the vessel A on to the platform W by
means of a derrick X, or any other suitable arrangement; it is then attached
to the hook of the carriage K by the attendant, and the clutch Q being put
in gear with the wheel P, the pulley M is caused to revolve in the required
direction for bringing the carriage K along the stretched wire rope F, and
into the storehouse, where the sack is liberated from the hook of the carriage,
as before described. During this time the carriage K' has passed from the
storehouse down the wire rope F¹ to the landing stage or platform W, where a
sack of grain is attached to it; the clutch Q is then put out of gear, and the
clutch Q' is put in gear, whereby the pulley M is caused to revolve in the
reverse direction to what it did before, and consequently brings the car-
riage K¹ with its sack up the stretched rope F¹ and into the warehouse.. The
carriage K will at the same time have passed down to the landing stage, and
thus, by alternately reversing the motion of the hauling ropes, the carriages
will be caused to transport.the sacks continuously from the landing stage to
the warehouse upon the one course or the other. If, instead of bringing the
sacks or other objects from the vessel A to the storehouse C, the reverse be

page_text: required, and the incline of the stretched wire ropes be sufficient, then, by
throwing the clutch u out gear with the pulley M, the weight of a sack or
other object attached to one of the carriages will cause the latter to run down
the stretched rope to the landing stage without the aid of any other motive
power than that of gravity, and will thereby also bring up the other empty
carriage. The sacks may be removed from the top floor to the lower floors
of the warehouse, and vice versa, by any well-known arrangement of boists;
or in some cases separate driving gear may be provided on each floor, and the
stretched ropes F, F¹, be shifted from one floor to the other, as required. Or
the driving gear may be applied to the pulley G at the landing stage instead
of to the pulley M in the storehouse.
It will be evident that in certain cases where the distance from the
locality whence the goods are to be transported to the locality to which they
are to be conveyed is too great to allow of the same being crossed by one
single line of ropes or chains unsupported, intermediate points of support or
stations at certain distances may be provided with a separate set of carriages
placed upon each span, and these carriages may either all be connected, so as
to form one continuous chain, and be caused to travel backwards and forwards
by one and the same apparatus situated at one of the end stations, or each
set of carriages may have its separate hauling rope, and a separate moving
apparatus at each station. In either case, as the carriage with the sack or
other object attached arrived at one station, the sack would be removed by the
attendant stationed there, and would be attached by him to the carriage on
the next span, and so on, till the sack or other object arrived at its destina-
tion. By this means goods might be readily transported considerable distances
across inaccessible or bad ground with comparative case.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the best means I am
acquainted with of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do
not limit myself to the particular application of my Invention, as herein-before
described with reference to the accompanying Drawing, as it is obvious that
the Invention may be applied with advantage under various other circum-
stances for transporting goods of various descriptions from one locality to
another; thus it may be employed with advantage for conveying sheaves of
corn or other agricultural produce from the locality where it is stacked or
stored to a thrashing machine or other apparatus that is required to act upon
the agricultural produce; or for conveying the straw from the thrashing
machine to wherever it requires to be stacked or stored; nor do I limit
myself to the manner of attaching the stretched ropes, the construction of the
carriages and disengaging tackle, and the manner of arranging the mechanism

page_text: for causing the hauling ropes and carriages to travel backwards and forwards,
as they may be variously modified without departing from the nature of my
Invention; nor do I claim the arrangement of such mechanism otherwise than
in combination with the arrangement of stretched ropes, upon which carriages
or their equivalents are made to travel backwards and forwards by means of
hauling ropes; but what I claim is, the construction and employment of appa-
ratus for loading and unloading vessels, and transporting goods, merchandize,
minerals, agricultural produce, and other substances in sacks, casks, and other
packages or parcels from one locality to another in which a rope, band, or chain,
or ropes, bands, or chains, or their equivalents is or are stretched or extended
from the one locality to the other, upon which rope, band, or chain one or more
carriages or their equivalents to which the sacks or other objects to be
transported are attached, is or are drawn along alternately in reverse direc-
tions by means of one or more hauling ropes, bands, or chains, or their
equivalents, attached to the said carriage or carriages, and receiving the
requisite motion by means of any suitable mechanism or contrivance.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Wallis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
RICHARD WALLIS. (L.S.)