Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Loading and Stowing Coal and like Cargoes on Board Ship.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 19th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Loading and Stowing Coal
and like Cargoes on Board Ship.
I, JAMES SPENCER of 316 Paisley Road in the City of Glasgow, Shipowner,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :--
This invention has for its object to prevent coal or other like cargoes when being
discharged into the holds of ships or vessels from being compacted and the lumps
broken up and to ensure a more even and open distribution of the material at and
around the bottom of the main hatch. To that end the main hatch is closed or
decked at the level of the main or other deck below the upper deck and the flooring
of the hatch extends for a distance of some feet fore and aft. Into the hatch there
is inserted a A-shaped chute the ridge of which is rested upon the combings at the
sides of the hatch whilst the base is rested upon planks within the hatchway the
lower parts of the chute being stayed together to maintain them in position on
the planks the width between which is adjustable according to the length of the
hatch whilst the upper ends of the chute are hinged or jointed to the ridge piece.
Each side of the chute is made in two parts one of which is capable of sliding or
telescoping upon the other to enable the breadth of the entire A-shaped chute to be
adjusted according to the breadth of the hatch and the outer edge of each section
has a flange or side made on it the better to confine the coal whilst being discharged
into the hold.
The coal when emptied from the wagon or bucket passes down the sides of
the A-shaped chute on to the floor of the hatch (a comparatively shorter
distance. than usual) and the pieces distribute themselves to the ends fore and
aft of the said floor in tumbling over which the pieces fall on to cradles composed
of a number of boards laid side by side and supported upon straps of metal the ends
of which are turned upwards and have sling chains or ropes connected to them and
by which the cradles are supported in position. These cradles fore and aft which
are at a lower level than the floor of the main hatch have each two or more supple-
mentary cradles at a lower level still also fore and aft so that before each individual
quantity of coal reaches the bottom of the hold it is sub-divided and loosely
distributed and the lessening of the drop has also the effect of diminishing breakage
of lumps..
In stowing the coal shifting boards are or may be used and the hold is ventilated
through the upper deck at any desired number of points.
Dated this Eighteenth day of February 1892.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Loading and Stowing Coal
and like Cargoes on Board Ship.
I, JAMES SPENCER of 316 Paisley Road in the City of Glasgow, Shipowner,
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 to prevent coal or other like cargoes when being
discharged into the holds of ships or vessels from being compacted and the lumps

page_text: broken up and to ensure a more even and open distribution of the material through-
out the cargo more especially in the hatchways.
The invention is illustrated by the two accompanying sheets of drawings
Figure 1 Sheet 1 being a part deck view and Figure 2 a part vertical section of a
vessel shewing the improved apparatus in position whilst the several figures on
Sheet 2. shew the apparatus in detail and to a larger scale. As seen by Figures 1
and 2 Sheet 1 the main hatch A of the vessel has a floor or deck B at the level of
the main or other deck below the upper deck which flooring extends for a distance
of some feet fore and aft. Into the hatch there is inserted a A-shaped chute C the
ridge D of which is rested upon the combings E at the sides of the hatch whilst the
base is rested upon the flooring B or upon planks within the hatchway the lower
parts of the chute as more clearly shewn by the side elevation Figure 1 Sheet 2
being stayed together at F to maintain them in position on the floor or on the
planks the width of the base of the chute being adjustable according to the length
of the hatch. The upper ends of each side of the chute are hinged or jointed to
the ridge piece D and each side of the chute is made in two parts one of which is
capable of sliding or telescoping upon the other to enable the breadth of the entire
A-shaped chute to be adjusted according to the breadth of the hatch.
Figure 2 Sheet 2 illustrates in plan and Figure 3 in cross section the two
portions of one side of the chute the part C¹ being capable of sliding or telescoping
over the part C and each section being strengthened by flat and angle iron bars
whilst the outer edge of both sections has a flange or side G made on it the better
to confine the coal whilst being discharged into the hold. The coal when emptied
from the wagon or bucket passes down the sides of the A-shaped chute C on to the
floor B of the hatch (a comparatively shorter distance than usual) and the pieces
distribute themselves to the ends fore and aft of the said floor in falling over which
the pieces are received on cradles H composed as shewn iu plan by Figure 4 in
longitudinal section by Figure 5 and in cross section by Figure 6 Sheet 2 of a
number of boards laid side by side and supported upon T-shaped straps H¹ of metal
the ends of which are turned upwards and have sling chains or ropes I connected
to them and by which the cradles are suspended in position. The boards are or
may be covered or surfaced with sheet metal for protection or instead of using
wood in the construction each cradle may be made entirely of metal of channel
section as indicated at the left hand side of Figure 1 and as shewn in plan and cross
sections by Figures 7 and 8 respectively Sheet 2 the various sections having
preferably provisions as at J for hooking or buckling them together. The cradles
fore and aft are inclined in series downwards from the floor B of the hatch to the
bottom of the vessel so that before each individual quantity of coal reaches the
bottom of the hold it is subdivided and loosely distributed and the lessening of
the drop has also the effect of diminishing breakage of lumps.
In stowing the coal, shifting boards are or may be used and the hold is ventilated
through the upper deck at any desired number of points.
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 :-
The construction of apparatus hereinbefore described with reference to the
drawings annexed and consisting of the adjustable chute C intermediate landing or
floor B and cradles H for loading and stowing coal and other cargoes on board ship
as set forth.
Dated this Seventeenth day of November 1892.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.