Improvements in Cranes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 27th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 28th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL DI DUIFICATION.
Improvements in Cranes.
We THOMAS DRAKE HOLLICK, and FREDERICK WILLIAM HOLLICK, both of
602, Commercial Road, in the County of Middlesex, Engineers, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
Our present invention relates to that form of crane, in which a scoop or skip is
used for the purpose of raising coals or other such substances and depositing them
in any desired place.
Such cranes are ordinarily actuated by steam power, and are carried upon wheels
running upon rails so that the crane can be easily moved from place to place, and
the scoop or skip is attached to and carried by the lower end of a strong shaft or
handle which is carried by the crane in such manner that the scoop can be lowered
down to the coal or material to be raised and then drawn along so as to fill it, and
raised to the required height, the crane jib being then slewed round laterally so as
to bring the scoop over the place where the coal or other material is to be deposited,
the bottom of the scoop being opened to discharge it, and the crane jib then slewed
back and the operation repeated.
It is of great importance that the whole of the operations should be performed as
quickly, and with as little delay as possible, and our invention has for its objects
improved methods of construction and operation, by which the processes of
collecting, raising, slewing, and delivering the coal or other material, and of
bringing back the scoop to the proper position for repeating the operations are
very rapidly and easily performed, and without any loss of time.
We make the jib of an ordinary travelling and slewing crane double, that is to
say consisting of two arms arranged side by side but leaving a sufficient space
between them for the passage of the long handle or shaft of the scoop or skip.
This handle is made preferably of wood rectangular in section, and for a sufficient
part of its length it has through it a central slot from front to back. Attached to
a suitable part of the jib where the handle of the scoop passes through it we fix a
strong transverse pivot upon which turns one end of a link the other end of which is
pivotted to a friction block or brake which can fit against the inner slotted side of
the scoop handle. Another similar pivotted block or brake can fit against the outer
slotted side of the scoop handle, so that if the blocks are drawn forcibly towards each
other the slotted handle is held firmly between them, and cannot move up or down. The
outer brake block is pivotted to the end of a bar (which preferably passes through
a hole in the inner block so as to guide it) and the inner end of the bar is jointed to
a lever, the centre of the joint being (when the blocks are drawn together so as to
grip the slotted handle) as nearly as possible coincident with the centre of the
transverse pivot first described which carries the link to which the inner brake
block is attached.
In this position therefore the slottted handle carrying the scoop can swing round
upon the pivots which carry the blocks, without slackening the grip of the latter or
allowing the handle and scoop to rise or fall.
The lever upon which the inner end of the bar carrying the outer block is jointed
turns upon a centre fixed to the jib of the crane, and is actuated by a longer lever
turning upon the same centre and worked preferably by means of a chain or rope
attached to it, and passing over a pulley fixed in a suitable position and thence
down to a lever operated by the foot of the attendant who is driving the crane.
By this method of arrangement the action of the brake blocks is not injuriously
affected by the varying angle of the jib.
The apparatus works as follows:-The scoop having been drawn along through
the coal or other material by a hoisting chain from the end of the jib and hoisted

page_text: until the handle is nearly horizontal, the crane is slewed round and the bottom of
the scoop is opened and the contents fall out into the proper place. The crane is
then slewed back and the scoop is lowered rapidly, so that the scoop swings back
as far as possible and is then lowered into the proper position to recommence the
series of operations. The brake blocks are preferably made of considerable weight,
so as to aid the swinging back of the scoop. Or, separate weights may be used for
the same purpose.
It is sometimes desirable, when the empty scoop has swung back on its pivots as
far as possible as described to hold it back temporarily until the crane has been
slewed into the proper position for scooping before it is allowed to descend. For
this purpose we fix a bar or guide at the lower end of the jib, and a corresponding
catch upon the scoop, so that when the latter has swung back as far as it will go,
the driver allows the scoop to descend until the catch has caught behind the upper
end of the fixed guide, where it remains held. When required the driver continues
the lowering and the catch slides down behind the guide bar to the end of the latter
and the scoop then falls to the ground.
Upon or adjoining the guide bar may be arranged a stop by which the door or
bottom of the scoop is automatically closed when it has reached its most backward
position.
The scoop is provided with a spring catch by which the door or bottom is held
closed, the catch being released by pulling a rope for the purpose of emptying the
scoop. This rope is preferably carried over a pulley upon the jib, near the
transverse pivot which carries the brake block bars. The mouth of the scoop may
be made bell-mouthed at the bottom or sides or both.
Instead of the slotted handle of the scoop passing through the jib of the crane,
it may be arranged to work by the side of the jib. We preferably make the bottom
of the scoop somewhat inclined, so that the closing of the door is ensured.
We make the front or open end of the scoop preferably inclined somewhat back
at its upper part so that its edge more readily enters and collects the coal or other
material, and we make its lower side curved or semi-circular in transverse section.
Dated this 24th day of March 1892.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cranes.
We, THOMAS DRAKE HOLLICK, and FREDERICK WILLIAM HOLLICK, both
of 602, Commercial Road, in the County of Middlesex, Engineers, 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 and accompanying drawing that is to say :-
Our present invention relates to that form of crane in which a scoop or skip is
used for the purpose of raising coals or other such substances and depositing them
in any required place.
Such cranes are ordinarily actuated by steam power, and are carried upon wheels
running upon rails so that the crane can be easily moved from place to place, and
the scoop or skip is attached to and carried by the lower end of a strong shaft or
handle which is carried by the crane in such manner that the scoop can be lowered
down to the coal or material to be raised, and then drawn along so as to fill it, and
raised to the required height the crane jib being then slewed round laterally so as
to bring the scoop over the place where the coal or other material is to be deposited,
the bottom of the scoop being then opened to discharge it, and the crane jib then
slewed back and the operation repeated.
It is of great importance that the whole of the operations should be performed

page_text: as quickly, and with as little delay, as possible, and our invention has for its objects
improved methods of construction and operation, by which the processes of collecting,
raising, slewing, and delivering the coal or other material, and of bringing back the
scoop to the proper position for repeating the operations are very rapidly, easily,
and effectually performed, and without any loss of time.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of our invention, Figure 1 being
a side view of a steam crane of the kind described, constructed according to
our invention, and Figure 2 being a plan (partly in section) shewing the improved
apparatus which we employ.
We make the jib a of an ordinary travelling and slewing crane double, that
is to say consisting of two arms arranged side by side but leaving a sufficient
space between them for the passage of the long handle or shaft of the scoop
or skip c. This handle is made preferably of wood as shewn rectangular in
section, and for a sufficient part of its length it has through it a central slot
from front to back. Attached to a suitable part of the jib a near where the
handle of the scoop passes through it we arrange at d a strong transverse pivot
to which is jointed a link e the other end of which is attached to a friction
block or brake f which can fit against the inner slotted end of the scoop handle b.
Another similar block or brake g fits against the outer slotted side of the scoop
handle b, so that if the blocks and gare drawn forcibly towards each other the
slotted handle b is held firmly between them, and cannot move up or down.
The outer brake block g is fixed to the end of a bar i (which preferably passes
freely through a hole in the inner block so as to guide it (as shewn in Figure 2)
and the inner end of the bar iis pivotted to a bracket carried by the jib a, the centre
of the joint or pivot being (when the blocks are drawn together so as to grip the
slotted handle b) as nearly as possible coincident with the centre d of the transverse
pivot on the lever h first described, which carries the linksie to which the inner brake
block is attached. In this position therefore the slotted handle carrying the
Ecoop can swing round upon the two pivots at d which carry the blocks fand g
respectively without slackening the grip of the latter or allowing the handle b and
scoop c to rise or fall. In Figure 2, the links e to which the brake block fis
attached are shewn double, the bracket which carries the lever being fitted
between them, and the other ends of the links being jointed at d to the upper ends
of two levers h fixed upon a shaft or spindle j turning in bearings carried by the
jib a of the crane.
The shaft can be turned by a longer lever / fixed upon it and worked preferably
by means of a chain or rope m attached to it and passing down to a lever n operated
by the foot of the attendant who is driving the crane. By this method of arrange-
ment the action of the brake blocks is not injuriously affected by the varying angle
of the jib.
The apparatus described works as follows:-
The scoop c having been drawn along through the coal or other material by the
hoisting chain from the end of the jib, and hoisted until the handle b is nearly
horizontal, the crane is slewed round and the bottom of the scoop c is opened and
the contents fall out into the proper place.
The crane is then slewed back and the scoop c is lowered rapidly, so that it
swings back as far as possible into the proper position to recommence the series of
operations.
The brake blocks fand g are preferably made of considerable weight, so as to aid
the swinging back of the scoop. Or separate weights may be used for the same
purpose.
It is evident that instead of the arrangement described and shewn, the outer
brake block g may be made moveable, and jointed to the lever h, whilst the inner
one is jointed at d to the bracket carried by the jib, the lever being directed up
instead of down.
It is sometimes desirable, when the empty scoop c has swung back on its pivots
at d as far as possible, as described, to hold it back temporarily until the crane

page_text: has been slewed into the proper position for scooping before it is allowed to
descend.
For this purpose we fix a bar or guide t at the lower end of the jib a and a
corresponding catch or projection u upon the scoop c, so that when the latter
has swung back as far as it will go, the driver allows it to descend until the
catch u has caught behind the upper end of the fixed guide t, where it remains held.
When it is required to release it, the driver continues the lowering and the catch u
slides down behind the guide bar t to the end of the latter, and the scoop c then
falls to the ground. Upon or adjoining the guide bar t may be arranged a stop by
which the door or bottom p of the scoop is automatically closed when it has reached
its most backward position.
The scoop
is provided with a spring catch at o by
which the door or bottom p is held closed, the catch being released by pulling a
roper for the purpose of emptying the scoop. The rope is preferably carried
over a pulleys upon the jib near the transverse pivot d which carries the brake
block bars so that it is not directly affected by the swinging of the scoop.
The mouth of the scoop may be made bell-mouthed at the bottom, or sides, or
both.
Instead of the slotted handle of the scoop passing through the jib of the crane, it
may be arranged to work by the side of the jib. We preferably make the bottom
of the scoop somewhat inclined as shewn, so that the closing of the door is ensured.
We make the front or open end of the scoop preferably inclined somewhat back at
its upper part so that its edge more readily enters and collects the coal or other
material, and we make its lower side curved or semi-circular in transverse section.
We do not confine ourselves to the precise form and details of arrangement of the
several parts of the apparatus, which may be varied more or less as may be found
desirable to suit varying circumstances, but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination of the jib a, shaft or handle b, scoop c, brake blocks fand
gripping the handle b, and turning upon centres at d which when the handle b is so
gripped, are concentric, one of the said centres being carried by the jib a and the
other centre being at the outer end of a lever or levers h upon the shaft j turning
in bearings carried by the jib a, lever l, chain or rope m, and lever n operated by
the attendant, substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated.
2. In combination with the jib a shaft or handle b and scoop c, the guide t, and
projecting catch u, arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose
described and illustrated.
3. The general arrangement of the apparatus described and illustrated.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.