Improved Modes of Screening and Loading Hard and Soft Coals into Wagons and Vessels.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1887
Complete Left, 15th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 15th June, 1888
Improved Modes of Screening and Loading Hard and Soft Coals into
Wagons and Vessels.
I, EDWARD KOCHS, Mechanical Engineer, 14 Charlotte Street, Manchester in the
County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My first Improvement relates to the screening of ordinary coal. I construct a screen
in two parts, the upper and the lower, each of them to be, say of about equal length,
measured in the shoots. The upper part is fixed to the abutment or to the iron or beam
supports of the tipping plate above and rests with the lower end securely on brackets
fixed to timber, or iron beams of the screen. The upper part is made quite independent
of the lower. The latter however is moveable. A shaft, firmly fixed into its frame-
sides by means of cast iron centre pieces lies across and rests in, say, three pedestals
on the screen beams. Both the upper and lower parts of the screen contain screening
bars. The framesides of the lower screen are continued towards the wall of the abut-
ment to a suitable distance and bent to a certain angle so as conveniently to carry at
their ends a weight, sufficiently heavy, to balance the lower part and to keep it, when
empty, in a higher or elevated position, be it horizontal or inclined. A brake wheel
is fixed on one end of the balancing shaft or at a convenient distance and position,
having a footlever and brake at the direct command of the man or person who works
the screen and superintends the picking of the coal. Thus, when the coal has been
slid down from the upper to the lower screen, the latter is held in a firm position,
which allows the stones to be picked out of the coal. The screen can then, by releasing
of the brake be gently lowered to allow the coal to slide into the wagon. The second
part of the invention relates to the loading of soft coal. When the screen is high the
coal after passing down the shoot or shoots, enters a horizontal box, which is firmly
held in position by an outside brake wheel or by a steam cylinder and can be gently
lowered into the bottom of the truck and turned over or opened in the middle by
means of a catch to either or both sides, which can be released. And if the coal in
the tram as it comes from the pit be clean and soft, I lower the whole tram, as it is,
into the bottom of the truck by means of two wrought iron or steel bent or curved

page_text: -
bars, which hook, say into the 4 tram wheels and by releasing a catch the one bar is
loosened and allows the coal to be gently discharged. The lowering and lifting of the
tram is done by means of a steam crab engine or other motor fixed opposite to where
the tram arrives from the pit; a crane beam being fixed above with moveable or
travelling pulley and carriage. The tram, when emptying itself, is also at the same
time moved backwards, when lifted out of the wagon. When coal is to be loaded into
the hold of vessels, I erect a gantry sufficiently high to reach over the vessel which
can be moved in and out. The coal is filled from the trucks into boxes which can be
lifted up to the proper height and then lowered into the hold of the vessel and may be
let out by a self acting arrangement which comes into action when the box touches
either the bottom of the vessel or the coal which is already there. The power employed
may be either steam or hydraulic pressure.
Dated this 15th day of June 1887. (One thousand eight hundred eighty seven.)

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Modes of Screening and Loading Hard and Soft Coals into
Wagons and Vessels.
I, EDWARD KOCHS, Civil Engineer of 45 Fitzhamon Embankment, Cardiff in the
County of Glamorgan 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 :-
The Improvement hereinafter described relate chiefly to coal screens and to apparatus
especially designed for reducing the breakage of coal whilst being loaded into wagons
and into the holds of vessels. Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings
which form part of this specification, fig. 1 shewing the longitudinal vertical section
and fig. 2 the front elevation of the improved screen. I construct the shoot, on which
the coal is to be screened in two parts, the upper and the lower, or the fixed A and the
moveable B. The upper shoot is fixed to the abutment or the iron or beam supports C
of the tipping plate above and rests with the lower end securely on brackets D, fixed
to the timber or iron beams E of the screen. The upper part is made quite independent
of the lower, a swivel plate F hinged to the lower end of the fixed shoot lapping
sufficiently over the top end of the moveable one, so as to cover the space and joint
between the two. A shaft M, firmly fixed in the framesides of the latter by means of
cast iron or steel centre pieces lies across and rests in two pedestals P, P, on the
screen beams.
Both the upper and lower shoots contain screening bars. The frame-
sides G of the lower screen are continued towards the wall of the abutment to a
suitable distance and are bent so as conveniently to carry at their ends a weight H,
which is sufficiently heavy to balance the lower part and to lift it, when empty, to a
less inclined or horizontal position. A brake wheel I is fixed on one end of the
balancing shaft or at the most convenient place having a foot or hand lever of the
ordinary construction, which is at the direct command of the man or person who super-
intends the screening, picking and loading of the coal. Thus, when the coal has been
slid down from the upper to the lower screen or shoot, the latter is held in a firm
position, which allows the stones to be picked out of the coal. By releasing the brake,
the coal slides into the wagon. It will be seen, that the small coal is thoroughly
screened out on the lower screen.-The second part of my invention relates to the
loading of soft coals. I construct the shoot in one length only, K, fig. 3 and make
the balancing beam L which rests on the afore described shaft M and pedestals P
separate from the framesides of the lower screen and provide the shoot on its lower
end and on each side with rollers and pins "N" under which the balancing beam
rests. The regular and gentle lowering of the coal shoot is effected by a balance weight H
but more especially by a brake or water cylinder O, placed below the weight or also
direct under the shoot, which governs the motion in the manner of a cataract. This
cylinder is always filled above and below the piston with water, which stands in com-
munication with an adjoining tank or cylinder, taps or valves being provided to

page_text: regulate the inflow or efflux. When the coal slides down on the screen and the weight
thereby increasing, it is necessary to regulate the descend of the shoot by the valve,
so that the breaking of the coal by falling be lessened.-A further saving of breakage
of soft coals by falling into the wagon, especially when the screens are high and the
fall great, which is generally the case when the large coal wagon is placed on the low
level is effected by the arrangement of an anti-breakage apparatus, which consists of
a box or concave swivel plates suspended in front of the screen by a chain or ropes R
Fig. 4 placed over pulleys S above, into which the coal slides. This box is balanced
by a counterweight "H" and regulated by a water or cataract cylinder "O" in a
similar way as before-described. The length of the box or plates is equal to the width
of the screen and is provided at each end with a lever, which holds up the centre of
the two parts or plates during loading. By disengaging these levers the box opens
downwards and the coal discharges itself as shewn in the dotted position. The lowering
of whole trams, filled with coal not finding general application, I will pass on to the
screening and loading of coal into the holds of vessels. This is effected by means of
high pressure hydraulic engines, working on fixed or moveable gantries or cranes
erected by the sides of rivers or docks, or so called coal-staiths or tips. Fig. 5 plate II
represents a stationary coal crane, having
a jib beam "
a" hinged to and supported by
the framework. It leans over the vessel and can be moved in and out or be adjusted to
the position of the vessel or be drawn back out of its way. A box for lowering the
coal into the vessel "," is suspended by two chains or round or flat wire rope c,
laying over pulleys or sheaves at the upper end of the jib and is lifted up and lowered
by means of a hydraulic cylinder, ram and winding drums "d" placed conveniently
in the framework. The tip represented is on a high level, that is to say, the lifting
frame "e," on which the coal trucks, to be tipped, are run, is on the same level with
the railway approaches. This tipping frame is lifted for tipping in the ordinary way,
a swivel hydraulic cylinder "f" being placed under the back end and by tipping, the
truck discharges its contents into the shoot or shoots. These are constructed either
single or double, similar to those described for coal screens. The double shoot being
shown here, the upper one g" only contains screen bars. The small coal is collected
in a box ""beneath and when full it is discharged into a truck. The lower shoot is
held in a more or less horizontal position by means of a hydraulic cylinder and ram ","
the latter standing in connection with the balancing beam of the shoot by two side
rods. The water forces the ram downwards and lifts the shoot and by letting it out
the coal is discharged into the lowering box. The crane jib is lifted into a more or
less vertical position by means of another hydraulic cylinder and ram, the sheaves
being conveniently placed at the back of the framework and both the shoot, jib and
box con be lifted out of the way of the vessel, provision being made in the back of
the shoot plate of a curved slot pin and connecting bars to allow the motion inde-
pendent of the vertical hydraulic and connecting rods.-The lowering box "6" is so
constructed that the coal is discharged out of it automatically. Two or four doors l, l
having been provided one on each or on opposite sides with hinges at their upper ends,
which allow them to open the full width. They are self closing, the box being
sufficiently tapered and wider at the bottom, so that the doors lay on close. The
bottom ends of the doors are held firmly closed by a number of catches of a system
of weight levers "m," which are hinged below and well sheltered under the conical
shaped bottom of the box. A central piece ገ projecting below the latter, especially.
when the doors are closed, unites the ends of all the lovers. A bar or rod "o," in
connection with this central piece passes vertically through the box and through the
upper cross bar "p," to which the ropes or length adjusting screws for lifting and
lowering the box are attached. At this cross bar there is arranged a locking
apparatus "q" with a bolt, spring catch "," and levers which have for their object
the holding of the central bar at the notch t "in a fixed position and to prevent it
from descending and from thereby throwing the levers in too early or before the doors
are securely in their places. Now on any one of the projections of the levers below
coming in contact with the bottom of the vessel or with the coal placed there, they
instantly open all the two or four side doors and the coal forces them open to the full
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page_text: extent, while the projections become the feet upon which the box rests. The doors
cannot close until all the coal is discharged and the levers are held by the locking
apparatus above in a fixed position and cannot fall in until the box on lifting is
examined by the attendant and by his touching the levers with a hammer or by this
lever coming in contact with a side of the hatchway, then the spiral spring """ is
overcome, the bolt disengages from the notch "t" the bar descends and the box is
securely locked. The opening of the doors is shewn in the dotted lines. The inlet
plate "u "of the box is provided at the upper side with an angle or hooking iron, so
also has the front end of the coal shoot a similar provision of a hooking iron, which
has for its object to serve as an anchor to hold the box fast during the process of
filling.
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 :
1stly. The improved construction of the coal screen by which the coal is (a) more
effectually screened out than hitherto, (b) by which greater facility is given to the
superintendent for picking stones and impurities out of the coal, there being no
timber in the way and the coal being distributed as over an almost level plate, (c) by
which an improved balancing of the screen is effected by a lever and weight at the
back of and below the screen instead of above and (d) by the descent of the moveable
screen or shoot being governed by a brake wheel or also by a brake or water cylinder
acting as a cataract.
2ndly. The improved anti breakage machinery for high screens, by which an anti-
breakage box or double plate is let down and discharged into the bottom of the truck,
by means of a balance weight assisted by a brake or cataract cylinder.
3rdly. The improved machinery for loading coal into vessels by applying a shoot or
shoots as before described actuated and governed by a high pressure hydraulic cylinder
and ram placed at the back and below, the ram assisting by its downward motion as a
balanco weight.
4thly. The improved automatic coal lowering box with all the details of its peculiar
construction as described and illustrated in the foregoing.
thly. The improved way of screening out the small coal and of collecting it in a
box below the screen from which it is let into the wagon below by the opening of
sliding plates.
6thly. The lifting of the box by two parallel ropes causing thereby steadiness in the
descent of the lowering box also lastly the mode of anchoring this box to the lower
shoot during filling.
In witness whereof I the said Edward Kochs have hereunto set my hand and