IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND TRANSPORTING EARTH
Year: 1889

page_text: I, HOWARD ADAMS CARSON of 21 Hamilton Street in the City of Boston in the
County of Suffolks and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND TRANSPORTING EARTH," and in what manner the same
s to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:
My invention relates to that class of apparatus employed for raising and moving
earth and other material in which buckets are filled at the place from which it is
desired to move the material, then raised and caused to travel to the place where it is
desired to dump their load; and the invention consists in certain details of construc-
tion hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings :-
Fig. 1, represents a side elevation of an apparatus for raising and moving earth
embodying my invention.
Fig. 2, is a side view of a portion of the track and gear drawn on a larger scale.
Fig. 3, is a plan or top view of the same.
Fig. 4, is an end view of the same.
Fig. 5, is a vertical transverse section taken on line x, x, of Fig. 2.
The frame of the apparatus consists of standards A, A, provided at their lower end
with small wheels B, that run on a track C. The standards are connected together at
their lower ends by stringers D, and are connected across the top by cross-beams E,
that carry two longitudinal stringers F, and to the cross-beams E, is hung by bolts G,
a beam H, which forms a track for the travellers to run upon, or if desired the truck
may be hung from the stringers F.
The travellers each consist of four hangers 1, (two on each side of the track), to
the upper end of which are secured short spindles, upon which are mounted wheels J,
and to the lower end of the hangers I, are secured bearings K, in which are mounted
short pieces of shaft L, which are connected together by short pieces of shafting L',
and universal joints M, thus making one continual shaft but with joints so that it can
pass round curves.
To each of the shafts L, and between the bearings K, I rigidly secure drums N,

page_text: provided on each side with a flange, and a ratchet wheel P, and to the innder side of
the bearings K, 1 secure pawls Q, (see Fig. 5,) which take into the teeth of the
ratchet wheels P.
To each of the drums N, is secured one end of a rope R, and to the other end of the
rope is usually secured a bucket or receptacle S.
On one end of the shaft L, is mounted a bevelled gear wheel T, that is in gear with
a bevelled gear wheel U, mounted upon a short cross-shaft V, that runs in
bearings W, hung from the track H, by means of hangers I, and wheels J, the two
wheels T, U, being held in contact with each other by means of straps or stays X,
secured to the bearings K, K, at one end, the shaft V, passing through the other end
as shown. Upon the shaft V, is also mounted the main winding drum Y, to which
the end of the winding rope Z, is secured, the other end being connected to a drum a,
that is driven by a small engine b. The shaft V, is provided with sleeves or ring
buffers m, in that part that comes into contact with the counter buffers as hereinaftor
described.
To the stringers F, aro secured counter buffers d, by means of bolts e, upon which
they are free to turn; and to the stringors F, are also secured compression braces f,
against which the counter buffers d, rest when pulled to the right. These compression
braces are stiffened by braces g, as shown.
To the upper end of the counter buffers are secured short levers h, to each of which
a cord or rope j, is secured. k, is a tail rope which at one end is secured to the
traveller farthest from the engine, then is lead by means of grooved pulleys to a
drum, driven from the engine 6.
The operation is as follows:-
The train of travelling drums being brought over the place from which it is desired
to move the earth or similar material, (the counter buffers d, nearost to the train
having been previously lowered), the train is drawn back until the sleeves on the
shaft V, are in contact with the counter buffers d, and the winding rope Z, is then
drawn so that the pawls Q, can be thrown out of contact with the ratchet wheels P,
and the buckets freely descend by their own weight. The pawls are then again
thrown into contact with the ratchet wheels.
When the buckets have been filled the engine b, is started and winds the rope Z,
onto the drum a, and off of the drum Y, thereby causing the latter to revolve which
through shaft V, and bevelled gears U, T, imparts a rotary motion to the shaft L, and
with it the drums N, thereby winding the rope R, upon them and raising the
buckets S, to the desired beight when the motion of the winding drum a, is stopped
and is left free to unwind. The tubs are prevented from descending by the pawls Q.
The train is then drawn back by the tail rope k, to the point where it is desired to
dump the load. When the buckets are emptied the train is drawn back by means of
the winding rope Z, and the oporation is repeated.
Although in the drawing I have shown three buckets, it is obvious that moro may
be employed or only one as may be required. And more than one track and train of
buckets and travellers may be employed side by side upon the same framing.
I have described the buckets and travellers as carrying their load from the engine,
but if desired they can be carried toward the engine by reversing the action above
described and properly manipulating the counter buffers.
The counter buffers not in use are hold up out of the way as shown atď.
Although in the foregoing description the shafts L, L, are described as being
connected by universal joints so as to pass round curves, it is obvious that when the
apparatus is to be used on a nearly straight track other joints or a straight shaft
without joints may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In an apparatus for raising and moving earth or other material; a train of
drums N, attached to a continuous shaft adapted to travel and hung from the rail H,

page_text: in combination with the ratchet wheels P, and pawls Q, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
2. In an apparatus for raising and moving earth or other material, a train of drums
adapted to travel secured to short shafts mounted in bearings hung from the track, in
combination with short shafts connected to the shafts of the drums by universal joints
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. In an apparatus for raising and moving earth or other material a train of
drums N, adapted to travel secured to shafts L, mounted in bearings K, hung from
the track H, in combination with shafts L³, connected to the shafts L, by universal
joints M, bevelled gears T, U shaft B, driving dram Y, and rope' Z, substantially as
shown and described.
4. The ring buffers m, in combination with the shaft V, carrying the driving
drum Y, and bevelled gear U, and the counter buffers d, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
5. A train of drums mounted upon a shaft, and supported in bearings hung from
the track in combination with bevelled gears T, U, driving drum Y, and rope Z,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
6. In combination with a movable frame supporting a train of drums secured to a
shaft mounted in bearings hung from the track, said shaft consisting of sections
secured together by universal joints and driven by bevelled gears from a counter shaft
which is driven by a rope passing around a drum on said shaft, substantially as shown
and described.
7. In combination with a movable framo supporting a track, a train of drums
secured to a shaft mounted in bearings hung from the track, and driven by bevelled
gear from a counter shaft which is driven by a rope passing around a drum on said
shaft, substantially as shown and described.
Boston, Mass., U.S.A., 9th February 1889.