IMPROVE- MENTS IN WEIGHING COAL AT THE SCREEN, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE SAME
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Elliot, of the Hall, Houghton-le-Spring,
Fence Houses, Durham, Colliery Owner, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WEIGHING COAL AT THE SCREEN, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE
SAME."
Sealed the 20th November 1860, and dated the 26th May 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Elliot at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th May 1860.
I, GEORGE ELLIOT, of the Hall, Houghton-le-Spring, Fence Houses,
Durham, Colliery Owner, do 'hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING COAL AT THE SCREEN, AND IN APPARATUS
FOR THE SAME," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, first, in applying a weighing apparatus at the foot of
the screen used for separating large coal from the sinall, in such manner that
the large coal obtained from each tub, tram, or truck delivered at the top of
the screen and passed over the same may be weighed at the bottom of the
screen after the separation of the small from the round coal, so that the work-
men may be paid on the quantity of round screened coal thereby obtained,
instead of the ordinary system, according to which the workmen are paid for
the whole contents of the tub, tram, or truck containing both round and small
coal at the top of the screen, the large and small being weighed together.

page_text: My Invention consists, secondly, in placing a door at the bottom of the
screen, and beyond the door a weighing machine, forming a portion of such
screen, with a hopper trough or flat, into which the large coal is pushed, either
by its own gravity, or by manual labor, or machinery. When the coals have
been weighed in this machine, the hopper, trough, or flat is tilted or turned
over by means of a handle or lever, and its contents are thus run or deposited
in a waggon placed to receive them. The door keeps the contents of the
several successive tubs, trams, or trucks (in so far as the large coal is con-
cerned) separate.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Elliot in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th November 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
ELLIOT, of the Hall, Houghton-le-Spring, Fence Houses, Durham, Colliery
Owner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Elliot, Her special licence that I, the said George Elliot, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Elliot, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WEIGHING
COAL AT THE SCREEN, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE SAME," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George Elliot, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Elliot, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say :-
My Invention consists, first, in applying a weighing apparatus at the foot of
the screen used for separating large coal from the small, in such manner that
the large coal obtained from each tub, tram, or truck delivered at the top of
the screen and passed over the same may be weighed at the bottom of the
screen after the separation of the small from the round coal, so that the work-
men may be paid on the quantity of round screeened coal thereby obtained,
instead of the ordinary system, according to which the workmen are paid for
the whole contents of the tub, tram, or truck containing both round and small
coal at the top of the screen, the large and small being weighed together.
My Invention consists, secondly, in placing a door at the bottom of the
screen, and beyond the door a weighing machine, forming a portion of such
screen, with a hopper, trough, or flat, into which the large coal is pushed,
either by its own gravity, or by manual labour, or machinery. When the
coals have been weighed in this machine, the hopper, trough, or flat is tilted
or turned over by means of a handle or lever, and its contents are thus run or
deposited in a wagon placed to receive them. The door keeps the contents of
the several successive tubs, trams, or trucks (in so far as the large coal is
concerned) separate.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing shows in side elevation, and
Figure 2 in plan, an apparatus for weighing coal at the screen, made and
arranged in the manner before described.
A is the screen, the bars are shown placed in the ordinary manner; B is a
box, for the reception of the small coal and dust; C is a hopper, trough, or
flat, for receiving the screened coal to be weighed. This flat is mounted on a
weighing machine D, which is in connection with a steel yard E by means of
the rod f. The steel yard is, for the sake of convenience, placed on the plat-
form or "heapstead" above, as shown in the Drawing, in order that the weigh-
man may know the yield of large coal from each tub. The flat C is connected
to the weighing machine by means of a pivot b, and it rests upon a bracket c,
which steadies the flat while it is being filled. d is a movable door at the
front of the flat, to prevent the coal falling out while being weighed; e is a
handle at the back of the flat; F is the wagon, from which the coals are
thrown on the screen; H is the wagon to receive the small coal and dust;
and G is the wagon for the screened coal; K is a door fitted to the screen,
and in connection with a lever and crank g, by which the supply of coals
running down the screen is regulated; J is a platform for workmen employed

page_text: at the screen. The coal which is shot from the wagon F falls on the screen A,
passes the door K, and as it travels down the screen, the small and dust
become separated from the large, and falling between the wires are caught in
the trough B, and thence pass to the wagon H, while the large and round
coal escapes to the flat C, is there weighed, and is finally shot into the
wagon G, which last operation is effected by the screenman opening the
door d and raising the back of the trough by means of the handle e. During
the time occupied in weighing a tub of coals another is shot on to the screen,
and thus a constant supply is kept up.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my improve-
ments in weighing coal at the screen, and in apparatus for the same, the
employment of a weighing apparatus at the foot of the screen, in such manner
that the large coal is weighed before being shot into the wagon, the small
being previously separated from it, substantially in the manner herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Elliot, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty.