Improvements in and relating to Air-locks or Gates for Caissons or Air-confining Vessels.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Air-locks or Gates for Caissons or
Air-confining Vessels.
I, WILLIAM COCKBURN BARR, of Number 234 Eleventh Street, Jersey City,
in the County of Hudson, State of New Jersey, United States of America,
Manufacturer, and a citizen of the United States of America, 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 contemplates certain new and useful improvements in air locks for
caissons and the like.
The object of the invention is to simplify and cheapen the cost of construction
by substituting for the upper gate usually employed in an air-lock of this character,
a removable gate or cover which will be securely locked in position and which will
be removed when the bucket or receptacle is raised or elevated.
The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in
the claims..
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an air-lock constructed in accordance
with my present invention.
Figure 2 is a sectional detail view showing the cover or upper gate raised.
Figure 3 is a plan view.
Referring to the drawing, A designates the cylinder of a caisson (not shown),
having a portion a of slightly increased diameter, and an upper extension a¹.
a is the lower gate designed to be seated against the lower end of extension a', the
same. being operated in any suitable manner, but preferably by compressed air
adı ted into a cylinder, shown in Figure 1, the piston movable in said cylinder
bei.connected to a rotary shaft upon which this gate is mounted. The bucket is
designated b, and the rope b' is connected to the bail 62 of said bucket. On this
rope, near its point of connection with the bail, is a block or shackle 6. The upper
extension a' of the cylinder is of sufficient length to accommodate the bucket when
loca. d above the lower gate.
B is the upper gate or cover for closing the upper end of the cylinder to prevent
escape of air when the lower gate is opened. This cover is of concavo-convex form
and its peripheral flange C is designed to fit snug on a flange d surrounding the
upper end of the extension a'. This latter flange has a rubber facing d' consisting
of a strip of rubber fitted in a groove in said flange. In the flange C of the cover
are open-ended slots à designed to accommodate nutted bolts D pivoted at their
lower ends to lugs d on the exterior of extension a'. After these series of pivoted
bolts are inserted in their respective slots the nuts e on said bolts are screwed down,
thus firmly binding the cover in position. To remove the cover the nuts on the bolts
are loosened and the latter are turned downward, swinging on their pivots. In the
centre of the cover is a hole or opening and a stuffing box E in line therewith
through which the rope is passed.
In practice, after the loaded bucket has been elevated into the cylindrical
extension and the lower gate is closed against its seat, the nutted bolts are all
loosened and removed from engagement with the cover, and the bucket being
further elevated the block or shackle 63 upon coming in contact with the under side
of the cover will completely elevate the same from its position on the cylindrical
extension. After the bucket has been emptied of its contents and is replaced

page_text: within the extension of the cylinder the cover is returned to its seat and then firmly
secured by the series of nutted bolts. Thus it will be seen that the upper gate or
cover is entirely removed along with the removal of the bucket and is repositioned
after the bucket is returned to the cylindrical extension.
The advantages of my invention are apparent. It will be seen that I have
provided extremely simple and inexpensive means for closing the upper end of the
cylinder of a caisson when the lower gate is opened and that said cover being
removable with the bucket is capable of easy manipulation. The nutted bolts are
capable of easy operation and by means thereof the cover can be quickly secured or
loosened.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I dec' re that what I
claim is:-
1. An air-lock for caissons, comprising a cylinder having an int.
and an upper gate or cover removably secured to the upper end c.
set forth..
or lower gate
id cylinder, as
or lower gate,
id cylinder, and
2. An air-lock for caissons, comprising a cylinder having an inner
au upper removable gate or cover for closing the upper end of
means for securing said cover to said cylinder, substantially as se
3. In an air-lock for caissons, the combination with a cylinder !
lower gate, and a bucket and a rope therefor movable in s
removable cover for the upper end of said cylinder having a hole!
which said rope is passed, substantially as and for the purpose se
4. In an air-lock for caissons, the combination with the cylin
or lower gate, and a bucket and a rope therefor movable i
a removable cover for the upper end of said cylinder having a
said rope is passed, and means connected to said cylinder desig.
cover for removably securing the latter, substantially as set forth.
rth.
g an inner or
linder, of a
"ein through
on inner
der, of
6h which
engage said
5. In an air-lock for caissons, the combination with the cylinder naving an inner
or lower gate, a bucket and a rope therefor movable in said cylinder, and a block
or shackle on said rope adjacent to said bucket, of a cover removably secured on
the upper end of said cylinder and having a hole therein thro
is passed, said block or shackle being designed to engage said
of said bucket, as and for the purpose stated.
6. An air-lock for caissons, comprising a cylinder having an
an inner or lower gate designed to fit against the lower end o
a bucket and rope therefor movable in said cylinder, and a cover
to the upper end of said extension and designed to be remov
elevation of said bucket beyond said extension, substantially
which said rope
in the removal
extension and
xtension, and
rably secured
.efrom by the
forth.
and a bucket and
7. In an air-lock for caissons having a cylindrical extensi
rope therefor, a cover designed to close the upper end of said extension, saul cover
having a series of peripheral slots, and nutted bolts secured to said extension and
designed to be extended through said slots, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination with the cylinder having an upper extension, and an inner
or lower gate, and a bucket and rope therefor, of a cover for the upper end of said
extension having a peripheral flange provided with a series of open-ended slots, a
seat for said Hange surrounding the upper end of said extension, and a series
of nutted bolts pivoted to the exterior of said extension and designed to be
extended through said slots for holding said cover against its seat, substantially as
set forth.
Dated this 29th day of September 1896.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.