CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM FOR HOISTING AND MOVING EARTH EXCAVATED IN TRENCHES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Howard Adams Carson, of the State of Massachusetts, of
the Republic of the United States of America, for an Invention of "CERTAIN
NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM FOR HOISTING AND MOVING
EARTH EXCAVATED IN TRENCHES."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Howard Adams Carson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th April 1880.
HOWARD ADAMS CARSON, of the State of Massachusetts, of the Republic of the
United States of America. "MACHINERY FOR HOISTING AND MOVING EARTH
EXCAVATED IN TRENCHES,"
By means of the aforesaid Invention four or any other suitable number of loaded
tubs may be hoisted in a trench, and next moved over and lengthwise of said
trench to a position for their contents to be discharged, or, in other words, for the
tubs to be "dumped."
The tubs are next returned to or near to their first positions and lowered into the
trench, or to the points from which they were originally removed; they are to be
again charged or to have others duly charged, substituted for them.
The mechanism for hoisting the tubs aids in moving them to and from the
dumping place, without in the meantime their being disconnected from their
hoisting ropes. The source of power for thus hoisting and moving the tubs will
usually be a steam engine and suitable winding drums, but where desirable animal
power may be employed.
The Invention consists mainly in a suspension railway and tub carriages
adapted thereto, and provided with rope guide wheels and with a forward draught
rope and its branches, and with a back draught rope arranged with such carriages
and the tubs thereof, all being substantially as hereinafter described and as
represented in the accompanying Drawings.
And the Invention further consists in the suspension railway and its two sets or
trains of tub carriages provided with rope guide wheels, in combination with a
forward draught and branch ropes and also with a back draught rope, all being
applied and to operate substantially as set forth.
And the Invention further consists in the combination of a latching bail, notched
plates, and certain lifting devices with the tub and its supporting bail provided with
a hook or the equivalent thereof.
And the Invention further consists in inclined tripping plates applied to the
railway supporting framework in combination with the tubs provided with the
[Pine 811

page_text: latching balls and notched plates, and supported by ropes, carriages, and a railway,
all being substantially as set forth.
And the Invention further consists in the combination of driving and branch
ropes with a series of chains and duplex hooks and their carrier or traveller, all
substantially as described and represented.
And the Invention further consists in the combination of a stop cone applied to
each branch rope with jaws adapted to the carriage thereof, and provided with
means or mechanism for moving said jaws to enable the cone to pass down between
them.
And the Invention further consists in a "Turk's head" or stop applied to the
drum rope, and to operate as and for the purpose hereinafter described, with a
perforated stop extending from the railway supporting framework.
Each of the Figures of the Drawings herein referred to is distinguished from
the others by an alphabetical character, that one marked A representing an
elevation in part of one of the tubs and its sustaining appliances. The tub
has a trunion a projecting from each of its two opposite sides to enter bearings in
a bail b; these trunions are arranged somewhat below the centre of gravity of
the tub when the latter is loaded, such being to enable the tub on being unlatched
from its bail to readily turn and discharge its load. Such bail is provided with a
hook c, upon whose neck is a slide piece that slides freely thereon.
Furthermore, there is to the said bail and tub a false or locking bail & that slides
on the bail b, and is rigidly connected with the slide d by metal straps, one of which
is shown at f. This false bail engages with or enters the notches of two notchied
plates g, fixed to the tub at opposite parts thereof. While the locking or false bail
is within the notches of the plates it will hold the tub upright or prevent it from
revolving and dumping its load. The said false bail besides its projections to enter
the notches of the plates g is furcated or adapted to span and slide on the bail b
The lifting of the false bail is effected automatically by means of two inclined
plates i, i, acting in conjunction with the slide piece d. These plates, arranged as
shown in Figure A, are hinged to plates supported by screw bolts & going up
through the railway sustaining framework, such screw bolts being furnished with
nuts as shown in Figure A.
Figure K is a top view of the two plates i, i, such being inclined somewhat
lengthwise of them to the horizon or in the direction in which the tubs are moved
along the railway. As ench tub is moved horizontally underneath the pair of
plates the slide & in passing over their upper surfaces will be raised thereby, so as
to cause the false bail e to be drawn out of engagement with the notched plates g of
the tub. On this taking place the tub by the action of gravity will be caused to
turn and discharge its load. After having passed the plates i, i, the slido & and
the false bail will drop to their normal positions in order that on the return of the
tub along the railway the slide may pass underneath the plates, which, while it
may be so passing them, will be forced upward by it, and after it may have passed
them they will drop down to their normal positions upon their support plates.
The screw bolts and their nuts afford means of adjusting the plates i, i, to
their proper altitude or positions.
In Figure B, represents a bolt or hanger having an eye to its lower part to
enable it to be applied to the hook c of the tub. This eye bolt or hanger is
fastened at or near its upper part to a wire rope m, which has fixed to it and the
hanger, in manner as shown, two chambered castings constituting a cone or conic
frustum n, from whose base there projects a lesser frustum, as represented.
Figure I is a cross section of the said cone taken at right angles to that shown
in Figure B.
66
The base serves as a bearing for the cone when resting on two jaws p, p, which
are represented also in sito in Figure C, and as "down" or closed, while in Figure B
they are shown as
up" or in an open position. These jaws and their purpose and
connection with the cone will be hereinafter explained.
Figure C is a side elevation, and Figure D an end view of one of the tub

page_text: supporting carriages constituting a prominent element of the Invention. This
carringe is furnished with a guide wheel r grooved on its periphery to receive the
supporting branch ropes m of the tubs, in manner as shown in said Figure C, and
also in Figure D. The said carriage has side plates 8, 8, in which are bored holes
for the reception of the pivots or trunions of the jaws p, p, top views of such
jaws being shown at the lower part of the group of devices styled Figure B.
A nearly rectangular hole in each of the side plates s allows the cone n to be
seen as resting on the jaws, which are provided with studs or projections w that
extend outwardly beyond one of the plates. The jaws when in their lowermost
positions rest on suitable shoulders extending from the plates. The said studs w
project beyond the side plate and over the lower arm of a right angular lever
fulcruined to the plate and jointed to a horizontal slide bar v. This slide bar v
is connected to all the levers of the several carriages of one of the trains of the
railway, in order that by pulling the bar in one direction all the levers u connected
with it may be moved so as to cause their jaws p, p, to be raised up far enough to
free them from the cones n in order to enable the tubs of the train to descend into
the trench.
It will be seen that by pulling the rope m so as to raise the cone n through the
jaws p sufficiently, they will open and fall down to their lowermost positions in
order that on the rope being slackened the cone may rest upon thein and securely
sustain the loaded tub. A piece of bent iron marked 14, in Figures C and D, is
bolted to the side plates 8, 8, and extends like a bridge from one to the other of
them. The rope m passes through this bridge, the hole for the reception of the
rope being small enough to enable the bridge to arrest the cone n when drawn up
against it. The carriage at its upper part is provided with grooved wheels q, q,
for sustaining it on the suspension railway, which is shown in the Figures Ĝ
and H.
By means of buffers x projecting from the carriage and arranged as shown
in Figures C and D, the carriage, while its load is in the act of being hoisted
is retained in position, such buffers resting at the time against suitable stationary
counter buffers adapted to the framework for supporting the track rail. Should a
sufficient space be allowed immediately over the wheel, any desirable number of
the branch ropes may pass through such space, and by suitable means be connected
with one hoisting drum or other means of operating such ropes. By thus
having a separate branch rope to the wheel of each of the carriages, their
tubes may be operated simultaneously, that is to say, they may be hoisted from
the trench, and next moved from one position to another over such by means of
one motive power or engine.
Figure E is a side elevation showing the mechanism used for connecting several
wheel or branch ropes with the drun or draught rope. Each of the several branchi
ropes at its front end is provided with an eye to receive one of a series of duplex
hooks y, y, such hooks engaging with links of several chains which are fastened
to a swivel and shackle, shown at 1 and 2; the leading draught rope being secured
to the swivel, and provided with a stop or "Turk's bead" 3, formed and arranged
upon it, as represented. This leading rope is to be supposed to be run through an
aperture in a guide rigidly attached to the supporting framework of the railway,
and by bringing up against the guide on the rope being drawn forward, such stop
or "Turk's head" stops the rope, and thus prevents any mishap that might arise
from hoisting the tubs too far upward.
There is connected with the swivel a small traveller 4 whose wheel is to run on
the same track or railway as do those of the tub carriages. This traveller sustains
the ropes, and prevents them from inconveniently sagging.
Figure F is a sectional view of the framing for supporting the suspension rail-
way track rail, represented at 5 in such Figure. On this rail the grooved wheels
9 of the tub carriages rest and revolve when the carriages are in movement. This
rail made of iron or steel is secured against a timber 7 by a strip of metal 6, and
by screw bolts, one of which is shown in said Figure F.

page_text: The track rail and its supports 6 and 7 are continuous, and should break joints
with each other. The strips 6 and 7 serving also as "fish plates" for the rails of
the track.
Clamp plates 9, 9, arranged on opposite sides of a horizontal beam and secured
thereto, and to one of the suspension bars 8 by screw bolts and nuts as shown,
admit of vertical adjustment of the track rail; the bar or stringer to which the
clamps are applied being supported by suitable truss or trestle work, which is
shown in part in Figures G and H.
The said Figure Ğ is an elevation, while Figure H is a plan showing the tub
operating mechanism in its arrangement relatively to a trench in process of
excavation for the construction of a sewer therein. For the sake of clearness many
of the details of the mechanism are not represented in said Figures, the main
elements of the mechanism being illustrated in order that the relative disposition
of them and mode of operating them may be understood.
In said Figures C and H the draft rope drums to be revolved alternately by a
steam engine suitably arranged near them are shown at 12 and 13. Two trains
of tub carriages are also shown in such Figures as supported by suspension railway
tracks, one of such trains being connected to the other by a rope 15 going around
a system 16 of leading sheaves near the next adjacent ends of the two tracks.
In the Figures G and H the division of the trench in which the excavation may
be supposed to be going on is shown at 10, the division wherein the sewer is
constructed being represented at 11. The earth excavated froin division 10 is to
be moved over and dumped into the trench division 11 and over the completed
sewer. Between the two divisions 10 and 11 there is to be supposed to be one or
moro divisions of the trench the excavation of which has been completed, and it
which the sewer is in process of being constructed.
If now we imagine the tubs A1 in division 10 to be charged and ready for
being hoisted, and that the tubs A 2 over division 11 have been dumped or caused
to discharge their loads, the subsequent operations may be thus described. On
revolving drum 12 by the engine the series of tubs A 1 will be hoisted until the
cones n of the branch ropes shown in Figure C shall have passed up between and
above their respective jaws, after which the cones are to be lowered so as to be
seated on the jaws. This having been done the drum 12 is to be set free, and
drun 13 is to be put in operation so as to wind up its lending or draught rope
whose branch ropes are connected with the tubs A2 of the train over division 1.1.
The drum 13 being thus in operation and the drum 12 being free to revolve the
train of tubs A 2 will be pulled toward and over the trench division 10, and the
tubs A 1 will in the meantime be moved towards and over division 11. On the
return of a train to division 10, and its buffers having been brought into contact
with their estopping buffers, the draught on the rope will cause the cones to be
raised to their highest positions. The bar v of the train carrying the tubs Al
should next be pulled, so as to cause the jaws p, p, of each of the tub carriages of
such train to be raised far enough to enable the cones n to pass between such jaws,
and the tubs to descend simultaneously to the bottom of the trench.
The charged tubs being dumped and the empty tubs having been removed
from their supporting branch ropes and charged tubs substituted for them, the
drum 13 is to be put in action by the engine, so as to cause the filled tubs to be
drawn up out of the trench. Both trains are then to be moved so as to transfer
that with the charged tubs to division 11 and that of the empty tubs to division 10
of the trench.
In the system and mechanism herein before described there is provided a sus-
pension track or rail on each side of the trench, and there are also two drums
to the hoisting engine. If desirable for any reason one rail may be employed in
place of two, two sets of tubs being adapted thereto, or one drum inay be employed
with two tracks. In the latter case the tub carriages on both sides of the trench
will be moved simultaneously, and some other power than the engine used for

page_text: hoisting will be employed in the rearward movement. It is also obvious that there
may be any proper number of tub carriages to each train thereof.
After the excavation in division 10 may have been completed, the whole frame-
work and operative parts are to be moved ahead the length of one division, in order
for further french excavation to be made and the earth therefrom to be transferred
rearward and dumped over a completed part of the sewer.
The principle advantages of the mechanism hereinbefore described and the mode
of working it, are,—
First. That all or nearly all the operations of excavating the earth and moving it
in the tubs are carried on within and over the trench, such being of especial value
in Streets of Cities or on side hills.
Second. That several tubs can be hoisted at once and subsequently simultaneously
be moved to the rear. Nearly all trenches must be divided by crossbraces into
sections. It is therefore of great convenience as well as economical to excavate in
several sections at once, a result attainable under this system of operation.
Third. That the necessary power for hoisting, conveying to the rear, and returning
the several tubs, can be furnished by one engine.
Fourth. That the tubs remain securely in connection with their branch ropes
from the time such tubs may leave the bottom of the excavation until they inay
return thereto, such being valuable in securing from danger or accident the men
who may be working in the trench.
Fifth. The details of the mechanism are simple, easily constructed, and not readily
liable to get out of order.
What I clain as my Invention is as follows, viz. :—
1. The suspension railway and the tub carriages adapted thereto and provided
with rope guide wheels in combination with the forward draught rope and its
branches, and with a back draught rope arranged with such carriages and the tubs
thereof, all being substantially as set forth.
2. The suspension railway and its two sets or trains of tub carriages provided
with rope guide wheels, in combination with the forward draught and branch
ropes and the back draught rope, all applied and to operate substantially as set
forth.
3. The combination of the latching baile and the notched plates 9, and the
lifting devices f, d, with the tub and its supporting bail provided with the hook c,
as set forth.
4. The tripping plates i, i, applied to the railway supporting framework in
combination with the tubs provided with the latching bails and notched plates
and supported by ropes, carriages, and a railway, all being substantially as set
forth.
5. The combination of the driving and branch ropes with the series of chains and
duplex hooks, and their carrier or traveller, as set forth.
6. The combination of the stop cone n applied to each branch rope with the
jaws 2 adapted to the carriage C thereof, and provided with means or mechanism
for operating them substantially as described, to enable the cone to pass down
between them.
7. The "Turk's head" or stop 3 applied to the drum rope and to operate as and
for the purpose described, with a perforated stop extending from the railway
supporting framework.
In witness whereof. I. the said Howard Adams Carson, have hereunto set.