Improvements in Spoon Dredgers Worked by Hand or other Power.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 13th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 20th Jan., 1894
Improvements in Spoon Dredgers Worked by Hand or other Power.
WILLIAM SWALES Shoreham, Sussex Contractor do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the better working of dredgers or excavators of
the spoon class and is intended to save labor & cost in working & to obtain better
results.
It consists in the use of a spoon or bucket of particular construction in com-
bination with a pole fitted to it somewhat in the usual way and a lever or derrick
hinged upon suitable uprights. The whole being so arranged that the action of the
chain or rope used for hauling in the bucket or spoon shall also raise it & secure it
in a convenient position that the contents of the same can be discharged into
suitable shoots, and this release shall be caused by the tension upon the hauling
chain or rope being slacked to a sufficient extent. Having now described the
nature of the invention I will proceed to set forth one way of carrying the same
into practice. Upon a barge, hopper or suitable platform and at a convenient
portion of its length I arrange two or more uprights side by side & at a sufficient
distance from each other to allow of the bucket or spoon passing between if
required and across the top I place a transverse piece having about midway a
wheel over which the hauling chain or rope passes. Between these uprights I
arrange a lever or derrick hinged to swing in a plane with the hauling chain or
rope and so that when in an upright position it shall almost correspond vertically
with the fixed uprights and there may be more than one point of hinging this
derrick to allow for various depths to be dredged and on the upper end of this
derrick I arrange one or more projecting horns to take the weight of the bucket
when the derrick is upright. I also arrange two wheels between which the hauling
chain or rope is threaded before it is secured to the bottom of the bucket.
The bucket or spoon, which may be of iron or other suitable material, is
arranged with a hinged bottom to which the hauling chain is secured in a suitable
manner & has also a pole somewhat of the usual form and of convenient length &
hinged to the bucket and at its end furthest from the bucket this pole is arranged
to pass through an adjustable clutch which is capable of allowing the pole to slide
in it or secure it at any desired point for dredging. This clutch being arranged to
hinge upon a rod at right angles to the pole & this rod is of suitable length to
allow of sufficient lateral movement to shift the position of the bucket from time
to time when required. The action of the whole arrangement is as follows. The
spoon or bucket is lowered & pulled to convenient position for dredging by a rope
or chain passing over the end of the hopper or platform and with it the lever or
derrick swings downwards and by the radius it describes carrying the bucket clear
of the shoots & when the spoon is dredging the derrick is by a suitable chain held
in an inverted position and from this point the wheels on the end of the derrick
form the place from which the horizontal pull of the hauling chain or rope to the
bucket commences. The hauling chain being now drawn in the action being to
draw the spoon along the ground gathering it up as it progresses until it reaches
the derrick, the pole meanwhile sliding in the before named clutch & being hinged
to the bucket allows of its horizontal movement, as soon as the bucket reaches the
derrick the securing chain to the derrick is released and the continued action of
the hauling chain causes it to lift again & and as before carrying the bucket clear
of the shoots & hoisting it over them the weight of the bucket & contents being

page_text: carried on the projecting horn or horns on the derrick which from their movement
pass under a bow on the bucket. The hauling chain or rope is then slacked & the
bottom of the bucket opens automatically and the contents drop into the shoots,
the pole as before during the movement of the bucket sliding in the clutch. To
allow of the hinge of the pole to the bucket being fastened when required I arrange
a suitable wedge sliding upon the pole passing into a socket in a part fixed to the
bucket. While this wedge is in position the bucket is fixed to the pole and the point
at which this wedge is withdrawn is determined by the length of a rope or chain
fixed to the barge or platform so that when the pole has slid a greater distance
than the length of the chain the wedge is withdrawn & the hinge left free or this
may be done by hand. I also arrange a suitable chain or rope to the bucket or
spoon to draw the same outwards to a sufficient distance to commence dredging at
each lift. And also a chain or other arrangement to hold the swinging derrick in
any required position while the spoon is being hauled in. In the case of a barge
or hopper being used the well would be open at one end of the ship to allow of the
spoon passing to any required distance outside. I may also use any number of
similarly arranged buckets or spoons side by side or in other convenient positions.
Dated this 13th day of April 1893.
WILLIAM SWALES.
Improvements in Spoon Dredgers Worked by Hand or other Power.
WILLIAM SWALES Contractor Shoreham Sussex 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 has for its object the better working of dredgers or excavators
of the spoon class and is intended to save labor & cost in working & to obtain
better results, and consists in the use of a spoon bucket of particular construction
in combination with a pole fitted to it somewhat in the usual way and a lever or
derrick hinged upon a suitable upright frame the whole being so arranged that the
action of the chain or rope used for hauling in the bucket or spoon shall also raise it
& secure it in a convenient position that the spoil or contents of same can be
discharged into suitable shoots or otherwise disposed of and that the release of the
spoil shall be caused by the tension upon the hauling chain or rope being slacked
& causing the hinged bottom of the spoon or bucket to fall by the weight of the
spoil in the same & so discharge into the shoots or where required.
I will now proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed which set out the
method I prefer in carrying my said invention into practice.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation shewing the general arrangement of the machine when
the bucket has discharged into the shoots & is about to be again lowered for. the
purpose of dredging.
Fig. 2 shews the position of the bucket when lowered & about to commence
its cut.
Fig. 3 is an end elevation shewing the arrangement of the fixed uprights & frame
& the hinged frame or derrick.
A is a suitable barge or platform which has a well or opening arranged to
allow of the bucket & pole passing down through it. Upon this I place an
upright frame B having a wheel C placed about its centre.
A frame D of
suitable arrangement & working upon a hinge or hinges E & having two wheels
about the centre on its top side marked F. G. also having two or more projecting
horns H is placed within the frame B. I is the spoon or dredging bucket. J is a
pole hinged to the same. K is a wedge arranged to slide upon a bar fixed to the
pole J. L is a clutch capable of radiating in a plane with the pole & bucket &
also capable of holding or allowing the pole J to slide in the same.
M are shoots

page_text: arranged in any convenient manner. N is a winch worked by hand or in any
convenient manner. is a davit or cathead. P is a catch to retain the frame D
when in position Fig. 1. Q is a similar catch for holding the frame D when in
position Fig. 2. R is the hauling line or chain & passing over the wheel C
& between the wheels F. G. S. is the bottom of the bucket hinged at W and to
which the hauling line or chain is attached. T is a link or bridle for holding the
bucket suspended & through a suitable hole in which the hauling line or chain
passes. U is a line or chain passing over the sheave V in the cathead O to haul
back the bucket I. The action of the whole is as follows. The catch P being
released the hauling line or chain R is slacked out & the frame D together with
the bucket I falls, radiating from the point E the pole J meanwhile sliding in the
clutch L. The frame is allowed to fall until it is secured by the catch Qas
shewn Fig. 2. The bucket I is then hauled back as far as required by the
line U. When this has been done the clutch L is tightened and the wedge K is
allowed to fall into position, holding the pole & the bucket rigid together. The
hauling line or chain is now wound in by the winch N & the bucket is drawn
towards the frame D, being thus filled or partly filled with spoil. As soon as the
bucket reaches the frame D the catch Q & the clutch L are released & the
continued hauling in of the line or chain R raises the frame D & in the radius
this describes catches the bridle of the bucket upon the horns or projections H
the pole as before sliding in the clutch L. The wedge K may at any suitable
period be withdrawn, allowing the bucket to assume a vertical or nearly vertical
position. As soon as the frame D is fully hoisted up the catch P holds it in
position & the hauling line or chain being slacked out allows the hinged bottom of
the bucket to fall downwards and discharge the spoil into the shoots.
I sometimes arrange the frame D with one or more hinges to suit when dredging
in shallow water & I sometimes work the bucket herein described with a suitable
jib or crane instead of the frame D. The bucket bottom may be hinged at any
convenient point of its circumference instead of at W.
Having now particularly described & 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. The combination of the various parts substantially as herein described for the
purpose of dredging or digging.
2. The use of a dredging spoon or bucket having a hinged bottom as described.
3. The use of a pole with a wedge working as described & hinged to the bucket.
Dated this 11th day of November 1893.
WILLIAM SWALES.