Improvements in Facilitating the Trimming of Grain Lighters and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1894
COMI LEIE DI DUIFICATION.
Improvements in Facilitating the Trimming of Grain Lighters and
the like.
I, WILLIAM LITTLEJOHN PHILIP of Melksham in the County of Wilts,
Engineer, 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 relates to improvements in facilitating the trimming of grain
lighters and the like.
My invention consists in lining or partially lining lighters and other floating vessels,
carrying grain, seed, or other bulk cargoes, with a large cloth or cloths made of
some strong material and serving, to all intents and purposes, as a huge sack; the
said cloth or cloths being fixed at their inner and outer portions or edges and so
arranged that by means of suitable appliances, two sides or more can be raised and
be brought into an inclined position so that the material within the embrace of the
cloth or cloths is precipitated towards the centre or other desired part of the
lighter, with a view to facilitate the emptying of the cargo without the necessity of
shovelling or sweeping up.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the drawing hereunto annexed, which represents a
cross-section of a lighter with my invention applied thereto.
a. a are the cloths, the inner sides or edges of which are firmly secured at bb to
the flooring of the lighter while the outer portions are secured to the sides of the
lighter at hand to hinged flaps c. c. These hinged flaps may consist of hinges
fixed at suitable points along the inside of the lighter, those on each side being
connected together by a bar c' of any suitable cross-section. It will be seen that
the whole face of these flaps is covered with the canvas or other material
composing the cloths a. a. The flaps may be operated by any suitable means such
as cords, chains, or the like d which pass to appropriate winding devices e.
After as much of the grain or other cargo that will run without mechanical aid
has gravitated towards the centre or other required part of the lighter, the hinged
flaps c. c are gradually raised by the winding devices (which may be worked by
mechanical or hydraulic means) until the cloths a. a. are brought into the position
indicated on the left hand side of the figure. All the grain or other material which
was previously unable to run will now gravitate towards the centre of the lighter
without further assistance, whence it can be removed in any desired and suitable
manner.
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 :-
1. Facilitating the trimming of lighters and the like by means of a suitable
lining so arranged that the sides thereof can, at the required times, be caused to
assume an inclined position substantially as and for the purpose herein before
described.
2. Facilitating the trimming of lighters and the like by means of a lining
consisting of a cloth or cloths having their inner portions secured to the flooring
and their outer portions to the sides of the lighter, said outer portions being also
attached to hinged flaps that are capable of being operated by suitable means so as
to cause the cloth or cloths to assume their inclined position, substantially as
hereinbefore described and shewn.

page_text: 3. My improvements in facilitating the trimming of grain lighters and the like,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn by the annexed drawing.
Dated the 15th day of November 1893.
WM., MELLERSH-JACKSON,
75, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant...