Improvements in and relating to Dredging Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 4th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 20th Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Dredging Apparatus.
I, ANDREW BROWN, of London Works, Renfrew, in the County of Renfrew,
Engineer and Shipbuilder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The object of this invention is to treat compact material, which has been
dredged, in such a way that it can be discharged at a distance through pipes by
means of a pump.
The apparatus, by which the invention is carried into effect, consists broadly of
a cylindrical arrangement of movable cutting knives on to which the material is
dropped, the moving action of the said knives, assisted by a supply of water,
reducing the said material to such a state of pulpy consistency that it can be
discharged through pipes with a pump.
This arrangement allows compact material to be discharged in greater quantities
and more efficiently thau has heretofore been possible.
Dated this 4th day of June 1894.
AMBROSE MYALL,
2, Lancaster Place, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in and relating to Dredging Apparatus.
I, ANDREW BROWN, of London Works, Renfrew, in the County of Renfrew,
Engineer and Shipbuilder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
•
This invention relates to the construction of apparatus for treating hard and
compact material, which has been dredged, in such manner that it can be efficiently
and economically discharged at a distance through pipes by means of a pump.
The apparatus forming the subject of the invention, consists broadly of a
cylindrical arrangement of movable cutting knives, on to which the material is
dropped, the moving action of the said knives, assisted by a supply of water,
reducing the said material to such a state of pulpy consistency, that it can be
discharged as above described.
In the accompanying two sheets of drawings, which form part of this Specifi-
cation, and in which similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout;
Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of an apparatus constructed in accordance
with my invention, to deal with compact and adhesive material.
Fig. 2 is a similar view, to an enlarged scale, of a portion of the apparatus
shewn in Fig. 1, illustrating certain modifications designed for dealing with very
hard or solidified material.
Referring first to Fig. 1, the material a, which has been raised by the dredger
buckets b, or other suitable contrivances, is discharged on to a grating A, through
which it passes to an inclined shoot B, which delivers it into the upper end of an
inclined revolving cylinder C. The said cylinder is supported in a bearing c at its

page_text: lower end, and on anti-friction rollers c¹ at its upper end, and is rotated by means
of bevel gearing D, D, or other suitable means. It is formed with perforations or
meshes over its whole surface and has cutting knives E fixed within it.
Those portions of the material a, which are too large to pass through the
perforations of the cylinder, are carried round by the knives E to the upper side
of the cylinder, from which they will fall and be again raised, this action being
repeated until any pieces, which on reaching the lower end of the cylinder, are
still too large to pass through the perforations are discharged on to a grating F,
where they can be otherwise dealt with.
The water which it is necessary to mix with the material to efficiently carry out
the process, is supplied by a pump J and delivered by a pipe K. The extremity K'
of the said pipe delivers on to the grating A, a branch K² into the upper end of
the cylinder C, and a branch K³ into the centre and lower end of the said
cylinder.
The said water with those portions of the dredged material which are able to
pass, or have been sufficiently reduced in size to pass through the perforations in
the cylinder C, are delivered into a shoot or hopper G, from whence the resulting
mixture of water and dredged material is removed and delivered when required by
a pump H.
The said pump H, in addition to being in connection with the water and
dredgings in the hopper G, has a connection (not shewn in the drawing) for the
purpose of providing a supply of water to it in the event of the material depositing
in a solid mass at the lower end of the hopper next the pump.
A connection may also be made between the said pump H and the pipe K, the
said connection being provided with a regulating valve controlled by the motion of
the said pump, and so arranged that in the event of the punip becoming over-
charged with material the said valve is automatically opened and closed to regulate
an auxiliary supply of water to the pump H, as required.
The modified arrangement, shewn in Fig. 2, is designed for the reduction of
hard and solid materials, which cannot be dealt with by the apparatus shewn in
Fig. 1. In this case a shaft S is placed inside the cylinder C on its axial line, as
shewn, and is furnished with a set of sleeves or liners L, fixed on it and so formed,
as to allow a set of heavy cutting and breaking knives M to hang loosely thereon.
The cylinder C, being revolved as already described with reference to Fig. 1,
the material which does not pass through the meshes of the cylinder is carried
round as before mentioned by the knives E, and thereby comes in contact with
the knives M. Should the resistance of the said knives, M not be sufficient to
break or cut the material, they are carried round by it and on reaching the top
fall down and strike the material lying in the lower side of the cylinder. The
knives M being independent of each other are free to act separately, according
to the nature and distribution of the material in the cylinder.
The shaft S with its knives M, may be so arranged that it may be placed in or
removed from the cylinder, according as the nature of the material to be dealt with
may require.
In the arrangement shewn in Fig. 1, the cylinder C, and pumps H and J are all
driven independently. The motive power for this purpose may be obtained from
either the propelling or dredging engines of the dredger, or independent engines
may be provided on the vessel, as may be found most suitable.
The main advantages of my apparatus consist in its non-liability to breakage,
the low motor power required to deal with large quantities of hard material, and
the fact that by its means compact material can be discharged at a distance in
greater quantities and more efficiently than has heretofore been possible.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim, is :-
1. In dredging apparatus, the combination of a perforated revolving cylinder,

page_text: cutting knives fixed to the internal periphery of said cylinder and means for
supplying water to said cylinder, all substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth.
2. In dredging apparatus, the combination of a perforated revolving cylinder,
cutting knives fixed to the internal periphery of said cylinder, cutting knives
suspended from a shaft within said cylinder and means for supplying water to said
cylinder, all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
J
3. In dredging apparatus the combination of a grating A, a shoot B, a perforated
revolving cylinder C, knives E, a grating F, a hopper G, a pump H, a pump
and pipes K, K', K2, K³, all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth,
with reference to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In dredging apparatus of the class described, the combination with a
cylinder C, having knives E, of a shaft S, having sleeves L and suspended cutting
knives M, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth with reference' to
Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of March 1895.
AMBROSE MYALL,
2, Lancaster Place, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.