Improvements in Means for Breaking Ice on Canals and Rivers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left 16th June 1893—Accented, 22nd July 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Breaking Ice on Canals and Rivers.
I, WILLIAM TAYLOR, of The Hartshill Quarry Company Limited, of Hartshill,
Atherstone in the County of Warwick, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:
:-
The invention has for its object improvements in means for breaking the ice on
canals and rivers.
For this purpose I adapt to the bows of a canal boat and if desired along the
sides of the forward part thereof two or more stamps, helves or tilt hammers
actuated by cams or cranks turned by a steam engine or other motive power, the
stamps, helves or tilt hammers will be raised and suddenly dropped on to the ice
alternately or in succession thus thoroughly smashing it into fragments.
The ice smashing or breaking boat will simultaneously with the action of the
stamps, helves or tilt hammers be propelled forward by steam or other power
actuating a stern wheel or screw propellor or by hydraulic power thus materially
assisting in breaking and bursting up the ice.
Dated Sentember 23 1892.
WM. TAYLOR,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Breaking Ice on Canals and Rivers.
I, WILLIAM TAYLOR of the Hartshill Quarry Company Limited, of Hartshill,
Atherstone in the County of Warwick, Manager, 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 :-
The invention has for its object improvements in means for breaking the ice on
canals and rivers.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1. is a sectional side view and
Figure 2. is a plan of the forepart of a canal boat fitted with my improved ice
breaking apparatus.
According to my invention I adapt to the bows of a canal boat and if desired
along the sides of the forward part thereof two or more tilt hammers.
In the accompanying drawings a represents the bows or forward part of a canal
boat and a strong frame preferably of H iron fixed on such forward part. On
this frame are fixed cushion blocks, c, for use as hereinafter stated. d. d are helves
or tilt hammers mounted on a shaft or axis d* carried by suitable bearings and
extending forward beyond the bows of the boat at such an angle and to such a
distance as to enable their striking ends d¹ to forcibly strike the ice on the surface
of a canal or river; the ends d' of such helves or tilt hammers are acted upon by a
series of cams e¹ mounted upon an axis of motion e driven in any convenient manner.
In the arrangement shown in the drawings the shaft e is driven by engines f giving
motion to a shaft g on which is fixed a pinion g¹ which gears into a toothed wheel e²
fixed on the shaft e. Other suitable arrangements may however be employed for
driving the shaft e and for operating the helves or tilt hammers so as to raise them
and then let them suddenly drop on to the ice alternately or in succession.
The tilt hammers in falling will first strike the ice after which their arms will

page_text: come to rest on the cushion blocks c which latter will prevent injury to the frame b
or to the boat. By the use of helves or tilt hammers as above described the ice
will be thoroughly smashed into fragments.
The ice smashing or breaking boat will simultaneously with the action of the
helves or tilt hammers be propelled forward by steam or other power actuating a
stern wheel or screw propellor or by hydraulic power thus materially assisting in
breaking and bursting up the ice.
It will be evident that instead of employing helves or tilt hammers as above
described, a series of stamps may be arranged to act in front of the boat in a some-
what similar manner.
Also if desired one or more stamps helves or tilt hammers may be arranged at
each side of the forward part of the boat, the frame e being in such case suitably
extended.
I would here remark that I do not confine myself to the arrangement of apparatus
herein shown and described as such may be varied without departing from the
peculiar character of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with a boat of a series of stamps, helves or tilt hammers
arranged at the forepart thereof and operated substantially as herein shown and
described and for the purpose stated.
2. The combination with a boat of a series of stamps, helves or tilt hammers
arranged to act in front of the bows and at the sides of the forward part of the
boat substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
3. The combination with a power driven boat of a series of stamps, helves or
tilt hammers arranged at the forepart thereof substantially as herein shown and
described and for the purpose stated.
זיי
101 1000
WILLIAM TAYLOR,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.