Materials into and out of Vessels.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 28th May, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 27th Aug., 1888
Materials into and out of Vessels.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD KOCHS, Civil Engineer, of 45 Fitzhamon Embankment,
Cardiff, in the Principality of Glamorgan, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN LOADING AND UNLOADING VESSELS to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to, and is an improvement in so called coal tips, hydraulic
lifts and cranes in use at the docks for loading and unloading goods and materials
such as ores, ballast &c. into and out of vessels and shows a method of lowering coal
into the holds of vessels without any serious breakage and of unloading vessels without
the use of swinging cranes and also without any need of iron chains for lifting or
lowering such materials.
The invention applies to both fixed or stationary and to moveable or travelling
cranes or tips. By the first or stationary arrangement the whole framework is erected
and securely fixed on masonry, and by the latter it is placed on wheels and is made to
run on rails parallel to the dock wall. The railway truck, the contents of which is to
be loaded into the vessel is brought to the upper end of the shoot either by a gantry
or elevated railway of suitable height or is lifted by means of hydraulic power to the
necessary height or position for tipping. To prevent the coal or other materials from
being broken by a high fall, I empty the whole contents of the truck into a large hopper
orbox, which is constructed of two parts, the upper and the lower or the fixed and move-
able shoots. The upper shoot is stationary, independent of the lower and has such an
inclination, as to allow the coal or other materials to slide down and be deposited on
the lower which is being held in a horizontal or suitably higher or lower position and
by hydraulic or other power. The side plates of the lower shoot are fixed to, and the
whole is supported by a cross shaft resting with its ends in bearings on the side
framework and is held in balance when loaded by a hydraulic cylinder or brake
apparatus fixed below on the opposite end of the balance beam (or direct under) so that
the contents of the box can be emptied at pleasure. A box of suitable size and
cubical capacity equal to, or more in length than the width of the shoot and provided

page_text: with two travelling wheels, one on each side or end, which are to run on inclined rails,
is placed in front and when filled, is being drawn up (by preference) by means of two
flat steel or iron wire ropes, one on each end of the cross beam and by means of
winding drums or engines actuated by hydraulic power and by two upper rope pulleys
supported by stay beams. These stay beams, on the upper end of which rests the
shaft of the rope pulleys can be brought into a more vertical position or be lowered
according to requirement so as to be out of the way of the masts and ropes of the
vessel; a joint or link having been provided at the lower end. The upper end of the
inclined rail can be shortened or drawn in for the purpose of allowing the loaded box
and wheels to pass, and can also be pushed out to receive the ascending box and
wheels. This is done by the action of small hydraulic cylinders placed on the sides of
the inclined rails. The winding drums are provided with an adjustable arrangement
for the lengthening or shortening of the flat winding ropes. The drums are made, by
preference, to revolve each round a centre piece, which is fixed on the shaft, but can be
firmly united with it by the use of one or more strong cross bolts. A number of
holes in drum and centre piece for the clanging of the bolts in different places allow
the rope to be drawn in or let out or its length to be adjusted to a few inches. The
lifting box for loading the coal or other material can be opened at the bottom in the
usual way and by levers which may be thrown in and out. The upper or fixed part
of the main shoot or hopper is, or, if deemed expedient, both the upper and lower
shoots are provided with screen bars to screen out any small coal. This is collected
in a so called billy box fixed underneath and can be weighed in the usual way as on
colliery screens. It is then let fall into a small coal hopper or box and from thence is
emptied into a wagon below. To unload coal or other materials out of the hold of
vessels, the lowering or lifting box, after being lifted up and placed on the inclined
rails, descends to the same level platform or frame as for loading. This frame is
hinged so that the box, by lifting may be turned over towards the railway truck, which
is to receive the contents. A hydraulic cylinder fixed below lifts the back end of the
frame and box and so causes the latter to be turned over. The box is then brought
back into its first position by the action of the hydraulic cylinder, or also by the flat
ropes. The same arrangement of mechanism for loading and unloading vessels as
before described applies to moveable or travelling cranes or tips, the whole being
placed or fixed on wheels or carriages to run parallel to the dock wall.
26th August 1887.
WILLIAM EDWARD KOCHS,
Civil Engineer,
Cardiff, Glamorganshire.

page_text: Improved Apparatus for Loading and Unloading Coal or other
Materials into and out of Vessels.
WILLIAM EDWARD KOCHS, Civil Engineer, 45 Fitzhamon Embankment, Cardiff, in
the Principality 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. :—
This Invention relates to and is an improvement in, so called, coal tips, hydraulic
lifts and cranes in use at the docks for loading and unloading goods and materials,
such as ores, ballast &c. into and out of vessels and shews a method of lowering coal
into boxes and into the holds of vessels without any serious breakage and of unloading
vessels without the use of swinging round cranes. The Invention applies to both
fixed or stationary and to moveable or travelling cranes. The railway truck, the
contents of which (for instance coal) is to be loaded into the vessel is, if on the low
level line, lifted by hydraulic power sufficiently high to be tipped into the intermediate
shoot, but if on the high level, it is tipped direct into it, the shoot being then placed
in a higher position, than in the former case. The contents of the shoot is lowered
into the so called loading box which travels on a low carriage towards the place of
loading into the vessel and which runs either on a low level line or on an elevated
gantry erected alongside the dock and on the dock wall. There are by preference two
gantries running parallel to each other, the one nearest the dock being the full line
and the other the empty one or the one on which empty boxes or carriages return to
the tip. The foot or leg of the stationary crane nearest the dock being fixed between
the two lines of rails or between the gantries while the leg of a moveable crane passes
on a rail between the two; thus the full line or gantry is close to the waters edge
and outside the crane body and the other further off passing under the cranes, but
either of the lines may be used for the full or the loaded carriage traffic. The two
lines, on the low or gantry level, converge at each end into a single line of rail, and
in front of the tip, which is fixed at one extremity of the lines, there is the line single
also at the other end, which is a parting for the return of the empty carriages. An
endless rope is to haul the loaded wagon along the full line and takes the empty one
back to the tip on the other line, the work may require therefore no attendant. By a
mechanism in the hauling arrangement any loaded carriage can be stopped at any
point where required and thus an uninterrupted and rapid loading of the vessel is
effected. It will be seen that one, two or even three cranes can be provided with
loaded boxes say, one stationary in the middle and two travelling ones, one on each
side. In some cases it may even be desirous to fix the tipping shoot in the transverse
centre line of the stationary crane. It would then supply this one direct and the two
imoveable ones to the right and left hand of it. The before named tipping shoots are
constructed on the anti-breakage principle, there being an upper or fixed part and a

page_text: lower or moveable one. At the lower end of the upper shoot there is a transverse,
lifting or turning up plate fixed to a square cross shaft, the lower edge of which can
be lifted by an hydraulic cylinder which is fixed on one side of the shoot and acts on
a lever fixed to the shaft. This plate is for the purpose firstly of forming a division
between the coal in the upper and lower parts of the shoot, dividing them as near as
possible in two equal quantities, say five tons. If for instance, the coal truck contains
ten tons, five tons would be divided off for the loading box. It also prevents the
coal from rushing down to the bottom of the shoot and into the box and from being
thereby broken and crushed, the upper portion remaining behind, while the lower is
being loaded, thereby lessening the breakage. The lower or moveable shoot rests on
a balance or cross shaft and in bearings fixed on the side of the framework and is
held in balance by an hydraulic cylinder placed either at the back, below the fixed
shoot or direct under the front end of the moveable one. The latter arrangement
being very convenient for the low level tip a balance weight being fixed at the back.
The moveable shoot is lifted up to a more or less horizontal position to cause the coal
to slide gently to the bottom of it and to avoid breakage. It is then gradually
lowered. The moveable shoot has also a lifting or tipping plate in the front end for
letting the coal into the box. The same is also worked by an hydraulic cylinder
which is fixed by preference to one or both sides of the upper shoot and the chain or
connecting rod which connects the levers of this plate with the hydraulics passes as
near as possible or immediately over or under the transverse shaft of the moveable
shoot so as to keep the tipping plate firmly closed during the up and down movements.
Thus by filling the coal into the boxes the moveable shoot is gently lowered, the front
tipping plate is made to descend and five tons of coal are filled into the box below.
Both the upper and lower shoots are provided with screen bars for screening out the
small coal. This falls into a box fixed below and from thence into the railway wagon
or, by the low level tip into tubs which are lifted by a crane and emptied into the
wagon. Below the screen bars and within the box there are hinged shutters to be
lifted when the coal is not to be screened. The loading box is also constructed on
the anti breakage principle, it may be circular or rectangular in section, but the latter
is prefered. The coal is not allowed to fall in a body into the bottom of the box and
to suffer by falling and crushing but to accumulate slowly on one or a pair of falling
doors which are hinged in the top of the box and meet near the centre line. The
doors are held in a horizontal position by chains in connection with a balance weight
and water cataract cylinder fixed near the tip on framework. On filling the coal into
the box the chains are firmly held by the water in the cataract cylinder and by the
latter changing from the top into the bottom of the cylinder by the opening of a
valve the doors are made to lower and cause the coal to be deposited into the bottom
of the box without crushing, the balance weight in connection with the cataract
cylinder is sufficient to lift the two empty doors up again and for the purpose of
keeping the piston in the top of the cylinder, ready for lifting the next empty doors,
a brake wheel is arranged above to hold it firmly in that position. The speed with
which the doors descend, depends upon the amount of opening of the cataract, valves,
one valve being arranged for regular motion and the other for stoppage. The boxes
are constructed with four single or double side doors which open one or all of them
either by locking bars coming in contact with the bottom of the vessel or the coal or
by a separate hydraulic and rope at the command of the crane engine man.
bottom of the box being conical causes the coal to be fully discharged out of the box
before the doors again lay on close. The box however rises with the doors unfastened
and the attendant at the tip secures each on the return journey to the tip or before it
is loaded again-The loading boxes are lifted up and lowered into the vessel by means
of hydraulic power acting on two winding drums, a steel (by preference flat) wire rope
being fixed to each drum. There being two ropes is for the purpose of preventing the box
from turning round to keep it steady also for the sake of safety and also to reduce the size
of them for the better winding around comparatively small, say 3 feet drums and
sheaves. The ropes pass in the present case each under intermediate sheaves and over
others on a shaft on the top of a stay beam or jib. They are hooked to a cross bar of
The

page_text: the loading box and lift the latter up and into the vessel. The winding drum may be
provided with an arrangement for adjusting the length of the ropes. The drum body
revolves round a centre piece fixed to the shaft and by means of a cross pin or bolt,
which may be shifted to another hole in the centre piece the rope may be lengthened
or shortened, but to adjust the length very accuratly there are screws and links at the
end of the ropes where they hook to the box. The stay beam for loading into the
vessel is moveable in and out and can be brought into a more or less vertical position
or be lowered according to requirement to suit the centre of the vessel. The loaded
box is lifted and lowered by this beam into the vessel and works out of the way of the
rigging. By drawing the jib or stay beam sufficiently back so that the upper sheaves
come near the platforin of the drawing in sheave of the crane, it is required that it
be brought back to its former position and a hydraulic cylinder is provided in a
horizontal position fixed to the framework to push it forward.-Cranes similarly
constructed to those described in the foregoing with gantries and mode of transit apply
to the unloading of vessels, the only difference being that instead of the tip at the end
of the gantry there is a crane arrangement for loading direct into railway wagons.
By reference to the following plans fig. 1 sheet I shows the elevation of the new crane
with framework B, the leg B nearest the dock travelling between the two lines or
gantries. D is the jib or stay beam, D1 and D the winding drums, the first for the
loaded box and the second for the drawing in of the jib. Dis the intermediate sheave
and D the top one with ropes D' laying over them. A Fig. 2 sheet II is the outer
gantry nearest the dock and A' the one passing under the crane. Cis the full or
loaded box and C¹ the empty one travelling on the low carriages C & C³. Fig. 2
sheet 11 shows the plan of the two gantries and the mode of working from the tip to
the travelling cranes or place of loading into the vessel, the arrows pointing the way
of the full wagon from the tip and of the empty one back to it, the leg of the moveable
crane is marked B, and the coal tip E. Fig. 3, sheet 11 shows sections through the
high level coal tip, with truck F, lifting hydraulic F, shoot G, the upper or fixed
shoot is marked and the lower or moveable one G2. The hydraulic cylinder for
working the moveable shoot is G³ at the back below the upper shoot and Fig. 5 in
front below the moveable one. The cross shaft for the latter is II, the one for the dividing
or turningup plate of the upper shoot is I and for the lower, lifting or stopping plate of
the moveable shoot is K, the screening bars Land 1', the small coal box MI with
shutter plates M' and M². Fig. 4 shows the moveable shoot in the lifted position.
Fig. 5, sheet III shows elevation of low level coal tip where the truck is lifted by the
hydraulic lift N sufficiently high to tip into the shoot G, the loading box and carriage
running on the level ground. The lever which holds and works the lower turning up or
closing plate is marked O and the hydraulic cylinder to work it is marked P, the
lever for working the upper dividing or turning up plate is marked Q, and its
hydraulic cylinder R. The falling doors of the loading box Care marked S and S¹ the
balance weight to lift the empty doors T, the water cataract U, balance beams V (this
may also be rope or chain sheaves) brake wheel V1. Fig. 6 shows section of loading
box to hold, say five tons with chains W & W side doors X, X¹. The conical
bottom is marked Y and the cross lifting bar of box is Z. The manner in which the
work is to be performed is as follows: Before the coal is tipped out of the railway
truck on to the shoot G' the lower one is lifted by means of the hydraulic cylinders (³
or and sufficiently high that the coal slides down on it.
The turning up
plate, "I" is then lifted a little higher and is held in that position to keep the upper
coal back as in fig. 3. The shoot is then lowered with the front door plate still up
and by releasing the same the coal fills the top of the box over the falling doors.
(There may also be arranged a lifting and lowering bottom within the box instead of
the doors). Either of them are held in check by the cataract water cylinder, the
weight of coal forcing the water from over the piston through a tap or screw valves
into the bottom part of the cylinder or into a tank while the doors or the bottom
descends, and according to the amount of opening of the valve will be the lowering
speed. This can be regulated so as to deposit the coal gently on to the bottom without
a crushing fall. When the doors or bottom are down the brake is put on the wheel V1

page_text: to hold the chain rings, for hooking on the next doors, in the same position and the
balance weight and piston up for lifting them. The loaded box is then drawn along
the tram line towards the loading crane, is lifted up by the winding apparatus, the jib
lowered to the centre of the vessel and the contents of the box discharged into the
hold of the vessel. This mode of loading vessels applies not only to coal, ores,
ballast &c. but to any goods or merchandise and visa versa, the unloading of vessels is
effected by the same arrangement of machinery and lines, the only difference being
that instead of the tip there is a crane or apparatus for loading into the railway wagons.
It can also be so arranged that the goods be loaded by the jib direct into the railway
wagon beneath.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1stly. The arrangement of a double line of rails joining into a single one at each
end, laid either on the low or higher level on gantries alongside the dock wall, the
one for full or loaded carriages and the other for returning empty ones in combination
with the working of the crane and fixed coal tip, the full one being nearest the water's
edge and outside the cranes and the other passing under them the crane leg being
between the lines.
2ndly. The peculiar construction, design and mode of working the crane with the
winding drums, sheaves, in and out moving jib beam.
Brdly. My plan of working the coal tip from the high and low level railways as shewn
on sheets II and III.
4thly. The placing of the coal tip or loading and unloading machinery for materials,
goods and boxes at one end of the gantry or carriage lines and the hauling of them
towards the place of loading and the plan of direct loading into railway wagons
beneath.
5thly. The peculiar construction of the anti breakage, fixed and moveable, shoots for
coal in combination with their retaining plates, hydraulic cylinders small coal box
beneath and all the details, substantially as set forth in the foregoing specification
and by following plans, minimising thereby the breakage of coal.
6thly. The anti-breakage coal box with its rising and falling doors or rising and
lowering conical bottoms with a water cataract cylinder, balance weight, brake wheel,
chains in combination with the foregoing anti-breakage appliances, substantially as
described in specification and plans.
7thly. The side doors of the box opening to the full to relieve the coal and to form a
large cone which assists trimming of the coal in the vessel.
Sthly. The two ropes to the loading box and also to jib keeping the box from turning
round, being safer, than one rope and holding the jib steady, also plan of adjusting
length of ropes. By unloading cranes single ropes may be applied.
Dated this the 26th day of May 1888
Dated this the 26th day of May 1888.
In witness whereof I sign my name,
WILLIAM EDWARD KOCHS,
Civil Engineer,
45, Fitzhamon Embankment,
Cardiff, Glamorganshire.