Car Loading Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 14th Oct.. 1899
Car Loading Apparatus.
A communication from abroad by GEORGE W. DECKER, of Newport, Jackson
County, Arkansas, United States of America, Manufacturer.
I, JOHN CORRY FELL, of the Firm of Fell and James, of 1, Queen Victoria
Street, in the City of London, Chartered Patent Agent, 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:
My invention relates to an apparatus for loading railway cars, and the chief
object of my improvement is to provide a loading apparatus which can be used
for loading all the cars of a train, while itself remaining stationary on the main
track.
I attain that object and other secondary objects by mechanism, whose preferred
form is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,―
Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus embodying my improvements, with
the roof removed and parts broken away;
Fig. 2 is in part a side elevation of the apparatus, with the roof supports
the observer omitted, and in part a vertical longitudinal section of the 100f;
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus, with the front incline, herein-
after described, removed;
Fig. 4 is a detailed side elevation of the portion of the rear incline, shown
broken away in Fig. 2;
Fig. 5 is a detailed plan view on an enlarged scale of said front incline;
Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section on line 6-6, Fig. 5;
Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of a detail;
Fig.
is an isometric projection on an enlarged scale of another detail;
Fig. 9 is a detailed view of a cross-section on line 9-9, Fig. 2;
Fig. 10 is a similar view on line 10-10, Fig. 2;
Fig. 11 is a detailed view of a vertical cross-section on line 11-11, Figs. 1
and 2;
Fig. 12 is an enlarged detailed view of brake mechanism;
Fig. 13 is a view of a detail; and
.
Fig. 14 is an inverted plan view of a part of the apparatus, with parts broken
away and parts above the bolsters omitted.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
A A (Figs. 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7) represent the rails of an ordinary stationary
railway track, upon which my apparatus is designed to run, and on which it is
adapted to stand while being used for loading cars.
BB (Figs. 2 and 3) are four wheeled, car trucks of a common type, upon
which the body of my apparatus is shown supported. The form of the trucks
is immaterial and it is not material how many wheels are used so long as the
The
apparatus is properly supported by them and they are adapted to carry it.
wheels C of the trucks shown are designed to run upon the rails of the stationary
track; they are of ordinary form, but may advantageously be made of smaller

page_text: diameter than ordinary freight car wheels, so as to enable the horizontal portion
of the portable track hereinafter described, to be carried lower than would other-
wise be practicable.
D (Figs. 3, 8 and 14) and D¹ (Fig. 14) are body bolsters, which rest upon
the trucks B. The form of body bolster shown is not essential, but has been
devised for use in my apparatus and is very desirable by reason of its great
strength. Its construction is shown clearly in Fig. 8 of the drawings, in which d
and represent channel beams, arranged edgewise with their flanges de turned
inwards. The top of the bolster is preferably formed of a plate 3 shown riveted
to the upper flanges of said beams and resting thereon; and its bottom is prefer-
ably formed of a plate driveted to the under side of the lower flanges of said
beams. The bolsters 1) are connected together in the form of my apparatus
illustrated, primarily, by a pair of rails E extending from one to the other and
resting upon their respective plates ³, to which they are preferably attached.
From each end of the bolster ]) an upright or post F preferably extends
upwards, which is preferably formed of a piece of channel iron or other metal
of suitable size arranged with its flanges extending outward and is preferably
attached to the adjacent end of the bolster by means of a pair of gusset plates G
which are preferably riveted to the bolster on opposite sides thereof, and to the
flanges of the beam F substantially as shown in Fig. 8. These gusset plates
preferably extend outwards beyond the uprights F and are preferably bent as
shown so as to form guides H (Figs. 2, 3, 8) for the reception of spuds which
will be hereinafter described. The adjacent gusset plates G may be formed
integral if desired of one piece, so bent as to form the guide H and the bracing
portions shown.
The bolster D (Fig. 14) supports a pair of uprights F¹ preferably only differ-
ing from the uprights Fin being shorter than the latter uprights. They are
preferably secured to the bolster D¹ by gusset plates G¹ (Fig. 14) riveted thereto
and preferably only differing from the gusset plates G in not extending out
beyond the uprights so as to form guides.
At a height above the rails E sufficient to permit logging cars or such other
cars as may be intended to be loaded by the apparatus to pass without obstruction
beneath the cross-beams thereby supported, side sills I are attached to the up-
right F and F. The side sills I are preferably secured to the uprights F and F
by means of gusset plates I¹ riveted to both uprights and said sills.
From the side sills I uprights F2 depend, one on each side of the apparatus,
whose upper ends are secured to the side sills by means of gusset plates I sub-
stantially as the uprights F and F¹ are secured to said sills. The lower ends
of the uprights are connected by a bolster D2 (Fig. 14) preferably substan-
tially like the bolsters D) and 1¹, which preferably extends beneath the rails E
about midway between the bolsters D) and D' and assists in supporting said
rails. The lower ends of the uprights F2 are prevented from swinging longi-
tudinally and assisted in supporting the bolster De by means of angle bars J,
Fig. 14 whose upper ends are attached to the side sills I and whose lower ends
are attached to the bolsters D2.
The side sills I are shown connected by end sills K and K and a cross piece
and supporting longitudinal beams K³ and cross pieces K, K5 and Ko, intended
to support a portion of the apparatus hereinafter described; but the form of
this supporting frame is immaterial. The apparatus is shown provided with a
roof L, supported upon posts L' rising from the side sills I (Figs. 1 and 2), but
it forms no part of my improvement.
At its front end, my apparatus is preferably provided with an incline M
adapted, when lowered, to connect the front ends of the rails E with rails A of
a stationary track upon which the apparatus is standing.
The incline M is preferably hinged to the apparatus so as to allow its outer
end to be raised and lowered, and the preferred form of the front incline M is
shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 6. In that form an inclinable section of track is formed

page_text: of two pairs of rails M1 and M2, the members of each pair being spaced apart in
a suitable manner and the abutting ends of the two pairs being connected
together by suitable hinge joints m or equivalents, adapted to allow the outer
end of the section containing the rails M² to sink low enough to form an angle
with the rails M¹ of the inner section when it is necessary, in order to enable
the outer ends of the rails M2 to come in contact with the main track, or approach
them close enough for practical purposes.
The inner ends of the rails Mare preferably connected to the front ends of
the rails E by means of ordinary hinges m', and near their lower ends they are
connected by a cross tie M³, which rests upon the rails A of the main track when
the incline is lowered, and is preferably provided on its under side with a pair
of anchors m³ projecting downward and adapted to extend down on the inner
sides of opposite rails A and prevent the tie M³ from moving crosswise.
In order to enable the incline to fit the main track, especially at curves, it
is desirable to connect the rails M¹ to the cross tie M³ so as to allow them some
lateral play and this may be done by securing each rail M¹ to a plate m³ by
bolts m or otherwise, and connecting each plate m³ to the cross tie M³ by means
of a bolt m5 passing through a slot me in the plate, and a corresponding slot m
in the tie M³, from which its head will prevent its escaping, as shown most
clearly in Fig. 6.
The rails M2 of the outer section of the incline M are shown connected together
by means of a cross tie M. When the apparatus is being moved from place
to place on the main track the inclines are lifted and the incline M is preferably
provided with a bridle attached to the cross ties M³ and M*, so constructed that
when lifted by means of a rope inclining inwards from above, the main strain
will come first upon the cross tie M and afterwards, as the outer end of the
incline is elevated, will be distributed more evenly between the ties M³ and M4,
the object being to prevent the outer end of the incline from swinging down-
wards too freely when the lifting is begun. The preferred device for accom-
plishing my purpose is a bridle N (Figs. 2 and 5) preferably composed of a
section of a chain or rope n whose outer end is attached to the cross tie M*,
near the middle thereof and whose inner end connects with a link n¹, from
which ropes or chains ² longer than the rope or chain n, and preferably, but
not necessarily, about three times as long, extend towards opposite extremities
of the tie M³, to which tie they are preferably connected, substantially as
indicated in said Fig. 5.
The rear of the apparatus is provided with an incline O (Figs. 2, 4, 7) prefer-
ably having a pair of rails O' arranged to form a track and preferably having
their inner ends connected with the rear ends of the rails E by means of hinge
joints o, of any suitable form.
Their outer ends are preferably connected by means of a cross tie o³, to which
they are shown attached, and which preferably rests upon the rails A beneath
the incline, when the latter is in its lowest position. Its ends o¹ o preferably
project beyond the sides of the incline far enough to permit ropes 02 for elevating
the incline O, to be attached thereto far enough out to prevent cars passing
over the incline, from coming in contact with them.
Near the outer end of each rail O' I preferably attach an anchor o³ adapted
to extend down on the inner side of the rail A, upon which the rail 0¹ rests
when in its lowest position, but any other suitable means for securing this same
result may be substituted therefor.
The mechanism for doing the work of loading is preferably carried above the
track formed by the rails E, upon the superstructure supported by the uprights F
and F.
P(Figs. 1, 2, 3,) represents a derrick, whose boom P¹ is preferably composed of a
5 pair of channel beams p (Figs. 3, 9, 10) arranged edgewise with a space between them
and with their webs inward, and connected together by means of top plates p¹ and
bottom plates 2 and a heel plate P² preferably secured to their respective flanges 7.3.

page_text: The heel plate P2 is preferably formed of a channel piece arranged with its
flanges p extending downward, substantially as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 10.
It is intended to catch the heel of a log or beam when the latter, after being
caught between the inner end and its center of gravity is lifted, while parallel
with the boom 1" until its heel strikes the plate P2 between its flanges. After-
wards it may be swung around, and laid in the proper position on a car. A
suitable position for the log or beam while being swung is shown in Fig. 2.
The lower end of the boom 1', is pivotally supported at P3 in the usual manner
and carries a swinging circle 14 provided with an annular flange p³. The boom
is preferably turned by means of a rope Q (Figs. 1 and 2). One end g, of this
rope, preferably extends first over a sheave Q, then back over a sheave Q², then
forward and over a double sheave Q and thence back to a point q', where it is
made fast. The other end q² of the rope Q passes back and around the sheave Q³,
and thence forward again to a point q³ where it is made fast. The sheave Q³
is pivoted in a fork Qattached to the piston rod Q of a reciprocating engine Q6
of common form.
The swinging motion of the boom P₁ can be stopped at any desired point by
applying a brake to the flange 2 of the swinging circle P. The brake S
(Figs. 1, and 12), is the form of brake preferred and preferably consists of a
pair of tongs, whose jaws s are arranged, one above, and the other below the
Hange p³, as shown most clearly in Fig. 12, between the lower arms s', an
eccentric S¹ is arranged, whose shaft s turns in bearings and s and is provided
with a levers, to which a lever S2, fulcrumed at 6, is pivotally attached so that
when the outer end s of said lever is depressed the eccentric S₁ will be caused
to turn a fraction of a revolution, and force the arms s¹, of said brake apart and
thus cause its jaws s, to grip the flange p³.
The outer end of the boom P is preferably supported, and elevated and lowered,
by means of a rope T shown passing from a winding drum T over a sheave Ti
hanging from an A-frame U, thence over a sheave T3 secured to the boom P¹, by
means of an arm T, with which said sheave is pivotally connected. It then
passes back over a sheave T5 pivotally connected to an arm u, whose inner end
is pivotally connected at u¹ to the frame U, and then passes back to the arm T
to whose outer end it is attached. But though the arrangement described is
considered the best other means of elevating and lowering the boom may be
substituted for those shown as will be obvious.
•
The logs, beams and other articles handled by the apparatus may be raised
and lowered by any suitable arrangement of tackle. The one shown is however
considered the best. In it a rope V (Figures 1 and 2) whose inner end is
attached to the winding drum V₁ passes forward beneath a sheave v, then up
through the swinging circle and over a sheave V2 supported by the boom P' and
only shown in Figure 2 then through an opening through said boom then
over the sheave 2 of a tackle V3 suspended from the outer end of the boom P,
thence through the running block and under its sheave 3, thence up to the
boom P, to which it is attached at . From the block va rope v or other
suitable means for attaching the article to be lifted to said block, extends down-
ward. When the apparatus is to be moved the rope is attached to the ring n
of the bridle N of the front incline M, and the latter's outer end is elevated
by causing the drum V to rotate. It is shown in an elevated position in dotted
lines in Figure 2.
W represents a winding drum from which a rope W1 (Figures 1, 2 and 4) is
represented as first passing forward over a sheave W2 shown supported by the
front sill K, and thence back under said sheave, and through the space E¹
between the rails E and the cross beams above them; and in Figure 4 its rear
end is shown attached to a logging car W³ at w. By winding this rope up on
its drum W any car at the back of the apparatus, to which the rope is attached
and which is not too large to pass through the space E' above the rails E can be
drawn forward up over the rear incline O thence through the apparatus on the

page_text: rails E and forward onto the incline M in position to be loaded, by means of
the derick P.
03 represents a winding drum from which the ropes 02 pass to a double
sheave from which they extend back over sheaves 05 and thence down to the
cross tie o of the rear incline O. By means of said drum 03 the incline O
can be lifted when desired. It is shown in an elevated position in dotted lines
in Figure 2.
In order to give my apparatus increased stability and also to enable it to
be readily anchored in position so as to prevent it moving longitudinally when
the means for drawing cars forward into position for loading herein before described
are used, I preferably provide my loader with a pair of spuds X (Figures 1, 2,
3 11 and 13) which move vertically in guides H and H¹ secured to the uprights F
and preferably formed in part by said uprights and their outwardly extending
flanges f. Each of said spuds is preferably provided with a shoe X' with which
it is preferably connected by means of a bolt X2 having an eye at each end
arranged at right angles to each other, through the upper eye a bolt a passes
and secures the bolt X² to the spud X and through the opposite eye za bolt a³
passes and connects the bolt X to the shoe X. The shoe X is thus made
inclinable so as to enable it to find a firm bearing on unlevel ground and to
prevent its sinking far in soft ground, I prefer to make it larger in horizontal
cross section than the spud X. The spuds X are preferably adapted to be raised
and lowered separately so as to enable them to be properly adjusted as circum-
stances may require. The means which I prefer to use for elevating them is
illustrated in the drawings in which X3 (Figure 11) represents a rack and X
(Figs. 1 and 11) a toothed pinion which preferably extends through a suitable
slot in the upright F by which the spud is supported. The pinion is preferably
secured to a shaft a³ turning in bearings at, and having attached to its rear end
a worm gear 5, which meshes in with a worm a Fig. 3 running loosely upon
a shaft X except when made fast thereto by a clutch X which may be of any
common form. The shaft X carries both of said worms and preferably also
the winding drum 02 herein before mentioned, which preferably runs loose
therein except when made fast by means of a clutch 06 which may be of any
suitable form.
The winding drums T and W are preferably arranged loose on a shaft Wo
turning in bearings w. The drum T is preferably made fast to said shaft by a
clutch w when desired and the drum W may be made fast by a clutch w² both
of which may be of common form. The drum V₁ is preferably loose on its
shaft V and may be secured thereto by a suitable clutch V7 of common form.
Y (Figs. 1 & 2) represents a steam engine of common form having a driving
shaft provided with a pinion y which meshes in with a gear Y attached to
the shaft V6 which in turn meshes with the gear Y attached to the shaft W³.
The shaft W3 preferably also has attached thereto a sprocket wheel Y₁
from which a chain y is shown extending to a sprocket wheel Y attached
to the shaft X. The apparatus may be propelled by power derived from
the engine Y by suitable mechanism of which a desirable form is shown
In that form a loose sprocket wheel Yo (Figure 1) is camed by the shaft W3 which
may be made fast by means of a clutch having a lever y³ fulcrumed at y³.
From the wheel Yo a sprocket chain y' (Figure 2 and 14) extends to a sprocket
wheel Y attached to a shaft y7 supported in bearings y. The shaft y' also
carries sprocket wheels Y8 and Yo and from the former a sprocket chain y
extends to a wheel Y10 attached to the shaft c¹ of the wheels C and from the
wheel Y a similar chain runs to the sprocket wheel Y" of the shaft connecting
a pair of the wheels C of the rear truck.
By making my apparatus self propelling it is enabled to draw a train of empty
cars to the place where they are to be loaded and then by means of the herein-
before described apparatus by means of which it is enabled to draw cars through,
it can, after its inclines are lowered first draw the train through it from front

page_text: to rear until the front car is beneath the derrick P in position to be loaded, and
after loading said car the train can be drawn forward until the second car is in
position and so on until the entire train is loaded and ready to be taken to the
saw mill by a locomotive. Where a train of empty cars are brought to the
apparatus by a locomotive, the train is preferably backed through the apparatus
over the incline M the rails E and incline O until the front car is in position
to be loaded and thereafter either can be left to the loader or drawn forward
by the locomotive a car length at a time until all are loaded. In Figures 2
and 3 a boiler Z and water tank Zare shown but form no part of my, invention.
In describing my invention I have specified the mechanical forms which I
prefer to use, but as will be obvious those forms may be greatly varied, and
other equivalent forms of mechanism may be substituted for those shown with-
out departing from the substance of my invention which I desire to be under-
stood as claiming. It will also be obvious that though my apparatus works
most perfectly when all the parts described or equivalents are used yet many of
those parts may be entirely omitted and no equivalents used and good results
still secured by reason of the presence of other features of my invention which
are retained. I therefore do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to
the entire combination described in my specification but desire to cover all novel
features and sub combinations separately as well as when combined together.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The combination of a fixed railway track and a car thereon carrying a
section of track, and means for connecting said section of track with said fixed
track, by forming an incline extending from one to the other.
2. The combination of a fixed railway track and a car thereon carrying a
section of track and means for connecting both ends of said section of track with
said fixed track, by forming inclines extending from the main track to the section
of the track carried by the car.
3. The combination of a car carrying a section of railway track; and means
for forming inclines extending down from said section of track, at each end
thereof, to connect said section of track with a stationary track.
4. The combination of a car carrying a section of railway track and an incline
having a hinge joint between its ends and adapted to connect said section of track
with a main track.
5. The combination of a car carrying a section of track, means for forming
an incline extending from said section of track down to a main track and con-
necting them, and a derrick carried by said car, provided with a heel holder.
6. The combination in a derrick of a boom and a heel holder attached thereto
for catching the heel of logs or beams lifted by the apparatus.
7. In a derrick boom the combination of a pair of channel beams arranged
back to back, and plates above and below the beams attached to their flanges
and connecting the beams together.
8. The combination in a car loading apparatus of a section of railway track
carried by the car; means for connecting each end of said section of track with
a main track by forming inclines leading from one to the other; and means
carried by said apparatus, for drawing cars up to and over the section of track
carried by the apparatus.
-
9. The combination in a car loading apparatus of a section of railway track
carried by the apparatus; means for forming inclines connecting said section of
track with a main track, and means for propelling the apparatus upon a main
track.
10. The combination in a car loading apparatus carrying a section of railway
track, and means for connecting it with a main track, of two supporting trucks,
each having a pair of wheels connected by an axle, a source of power carried

page_text: by the apparatus and means for transmitting motion therefrom to said axles
and thence to the wheels connected thereby.
11. The combination in a car loading apparatus of a car, a section of railway
track carried by the car; means for connecting said section of track with a main
track; a pair of spuds, one on each side, and means for raising and lowering
said spuds.
12. The combination in a car loading apparatus of a car, a section of railway
track carried by the car; means for connecting said section of track with a main
track; a pair of spuds carried by the car; means for raising and lowering said
spuds; and means for drawing cars up over the section of track carried by
said apparatus.
13. În a car loading apparatus a car; a spud having a shoe connected with
its lower end by means permitting it to be inclined; means connecting the car
and spud; and means for elevating and lowering the spud.
14. The combination in a car loading apparatus of a car, a section of railway
track carried by the car; means for connecting each end of said section of track
with a main track; a pair of spuds, and means for elevating and lowering each
of said spuds independently.
15. The combination in a car loading apparatus of a stationary track, a car
loading apparatus upon said track, carrying a section of track, and inclines for
connecting said section of track with the main track, one of said inclines being
jointed between its ends.
16. The combination in a car loading apparatus of a car carrying a section
of railway track; and inclines for connecting said section of track with a main
track, one of said inclines containing two sections of railway track hinged to
each other, and said incline being provided with a support between its ends.
17. The combination in a car loading apparatus of a car carrying a section
of railway track and an incline for connecting said section of track with a
main track, said incline containing two sections of track hinged together and
the rails of each section being connected together by a cross piece adapted to
rest upon the rails of a main track and assist to support the incline when in
its lowest position.
18. The combination in a car loading apparatus of a car, a section of railway
track, carried by the car; and an incline for connecting said section of track' with
a main track, and containing four sections of rails, two on each side, connected
by hinged joints, cross pieces connecting each pair of rails near their respective
outer ends, and a bridle for lifting the outer end of the incline which brings
the strain first upon the outer section thereof and substantially divides it between
the outer and inner section.
19. In a loading apparatus, the incline M having sections of rails M¹ and Ma
connected by hinged joints; the cross pieces M3 and M the bridle N having
the parts n and n² and the ring n¹.
20. The combination in a loading apparatus of a derrick having a swing
circle, and a brake which bears upon said circle when applied.
21. The combination of a swinging circle having a flange 25 and a brake S
having jaws s adapted to grip said flange, and means for operating said brake
substantially as described.
22. In a loading apparatus the body bolster D composed of channel beams
arranged on edge with their webs on the outside, and top and bottom plates
riveted to the flanges of said beams.
23. The combination of a spud carrying a rack, a worm a toothed pinion for
operating the rack and means for transmitting power from the worm to the
pinion.
24. The combination of a spud carrying a rack, and provided at its lower end
with a shoe guides for said spud; and a toothed pinion for operating said rack
the downward extension of the rack below the pinion when its shoe is in its
lowest position being shorter than the distance from the spud shoe to the lower-

page_text: most guide of said spud so that the pinion will run out of mesh with the rack
before the shoe reaches the guide.
25. The combination of a bolster formed of channel beams and top and bottom
plates; an upright formed of a channel beam; and gusset plates connecting the
bolster and upright.
26. The combination of the shafts V6, W3 and X5, the winding drums thereon,
the clutches for making said drums fast to said shafts; means for transmitting
motion to said shafts, means for transmitting motion from one of said shafts
to driving wheels; and means for transmitting motion from the shaft X 5 to
means for anchoring the apparatus substantially as described.
Dated this 20th day of March 1899.
FELL & JAMES,
Agents for the Applicant.