IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SECURING GRAIN CARGOES IN STEAM AND OTHER VESSELS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Thomson, of Leith, in the County of Edinburgh,
Scotland, Master Mariner, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR
APPARATUS FOR SECURING GRAIN CARGOES IN STEAM AND OTHER VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Thomson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th February 1880.
JAMES THOMSON, of Leith, in the County of Edinburgh, Scotland, Master Mariner.
" IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SECURING GRAIN CARGOES IN
STEAM AND OTHER VESSELS."
The Invention has for its object improvements in means or apparatus for securing
grain cargoes in steam and other vessels, and which for convenience of description
I will hereafter call the apparatus.
For this purpose I employ a frame-work either the size of each hold under the
decks or in short sections the entire breadth of the vessel.
These frameworks are to be constructed of sheet iron strengthened with angle
iron, and are to be operated in a somewhat similar manner to screw presses.
For a two decked vessel the apparatus under the lower deck will be worked by
rods extending from the upper deck down to the lower deck, where they operate
screws working through the frame, so that by turning the screws the apparatus can
be lifted and lowered at will.
For the apparatus under the upper deck the rods are unnecessary, and screws
only connected with the deck are employed to raise and lower the apparatus
at will.
The rods going through between the decks will be jointed at each end, or will be
otherwise removeable, so that their lower ends can be disconnected from the screws
in the lower deck and triced up to the upper deck out of the way, to permit of
any other cargo, such as bales, rails, balls, or other goods being loaded in the ship,
if necessary.
When the apparatus is not in use the screws will be removed and toggles put
in their places to keep the frames or apparatus in position; these toggles will have
caps on them to keep dirt out of the screw holes.
For the side and edges of the apparatus a canvas, leather, india rubber, or other
Dries C71

page_text: joint will be formed between it and the deck, to prevent any of the grain from
running in on the top of the apparatus.
This joint is made on the principle of a bellows joint, to allow of the apparatus
working up and down.
When a vessel fitted with my apparatus is loaded with bulk grain the
apparatus is screwed down so long as the grain yields, and thereby the cargo is
kept secure from shifting without bags, shifting boards, or other means hitherto
adopted.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Thomson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th August
1880.
"
JAMES THOMSON, of Leith, in the County of Edinburgh, Scotland, Master Mariner.
IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SECURING GRAIN CARGOES IN
STEAM AND OTHER VESSELS."
The Invention has for its object improvements in means or apparatus for securing
grain cargoes in steam and other vessels, and which for convenience of description I
will hereafter call the apparatus.
For this purpose I employ a framework either the size of each hold under the
decks or in short sections the entire breadth of the vessel.
These frameworks are to be constructed of sheet iron strengthened with angle
iron, and are to be operated in a somewhat similar manner to screw presses.
For a two decked vessel the apparatus under the lower deck will be worked by
rods extending from the upper deck down to the lower deck, where they operate
screws working through the frame, so that by turning the screws the apparatus can
be lifted and lowered at will.
For the apparatus under the upper deck the rods are unnecessary, and screws
only connected with the deck are employed to raise and lower the apparatus
at will.
The rods going through between the decks will be jointed at each end, or will be
otherwise removeable, so that their lower ends can be disconnected from the screws
in the lower deck and triced up to the upper deck out of the way, to permit of any
other cargo, such as bales, rails, coals, or other goods being loaded in the ship, if
necessary.
When the apparatus is not in use the screws will be removed and toggles put
in their places, to keep the frames or apparatus in position; these toggles will have
caps on them to keep dirt out of the screw holes.
For the side and edges of the apparatus a canvas, leather, india rubber, or other
joint will be formed between it and the deck to prevent any of the grain from
running in on the top of the apparatus.

page_text: the prop
working up and down.
When a vessel fitted with my apparatus is loaded with bulk grain the apparatus
is screwed down so long as the grain yields, and thereby the cargo is kept secure
from shifting without bags, shifting boards, or other means hitherto adopted.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a cross section, Figure 2 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 3 is a
plan of parts of a ship or other vessel with my Invention applied thereto. Figure 4
is a plan of part of one of the frameworks I employ for pressing upon the top of the
cargo, and Figures 5 to 15 are detail views of various parts employed in connection
with the said framework. Figures 2 and 3 are drawn to a smaller scale than
Figures 1 and 4, and Figures 5 to 15 are drawn to a larger scale.
a, a, represent the ribs or frames and outer skin of the vessel; b, the upper or
main deck; c, the lower or 'tween deck, and d the hatchway. According to my
Invention I employ frameworks e, e', either the size of each hold under the decks,
or in short sections the entire breadth of the vessel, or in vessels where a fore and
aft bulkhead is employed each section would extend half across the breadth of the
vessel. These frameworks e are constructed of sheet iron strengthened with angle
iron, and are operated by means of screws f, f¹, in a somewhat similar manner to
screw presses.
For a two decked vessel the apparatus under the lower deck c will be worked, as
shown in the Drawings, by rods g extending from the upper or main deck b down
to the lower deck c, where they operate the screws f¹ working through the frame e¹,
so that by turning the screws the apparatus can be lifted and lowered at will.
For the apparatus under the upper deck the rods g are unnecessary, and only
screws connected with the upper or main deck b are employed to raise and lower
the apparatus at will. The rods g going through between the decks are jointed at
each end g¹, as shown, or are otherwise removeable, so that their lower ends can be
disconnected from the screws f¹ in the lower or 'tween deck, and triced up to the
upper or main deck b out of the way, to permit of any other cargo, such as bales,
rails, coals, or other goods being loaded in the ship if necessary. When the apparatus
is not in use the screws f,f¹, will be removed and toggles may be put in their places
to keep the frameworks e, el, in position, in which case caps h, such as those repre-
sented in Figures 15, will be employed to keep dirt out of the screw holes. prefer
however to employ in lieu of the toggles above mentioned simple bolts and nuts, as
shown at i, i, Figure 1, to keep the frames e, e¹, in position when they are not
required for use.
The upper joints of the rods g come down through and below the upper deck
apparatus, so as to allow of the rods g being triced up while neither of the frame-
works e, el, is in use. For the sides and edges of the frames e, e¹, canvas, leather,
india rubber, or other joints are formed between them and the deck to prevent
any of the grain running in on the top of the apparatus; these joints are made
on the principle of a bellows joint, to allow of the frames e, e¹, working up and down
the required distance.
The screws f for the upper frames e are shown separately at Figure 5; they are
formed with squares on their upper ends, to enable them to be readily turned by
means of suitable keys l, shown at Figure 6.
The upper members g³ of the rods g (shown separately at Figures 8) and the
screws shown separately at Figure 5, are supported in bearings m, shown
separately at Figures 7 and 11, and such. parts g³ and f take their bearing against
the underside of the upper or main deck b, and when not being operated by the
key are covered up by caps h, as shown.

page_text: The nuts n through which the screws f, f', work are shown clearly at Figures 12,
13, and 14. Figure 12 is an underside view of the nut n separately; Figure 13 is
a side elevation of a nut n fixed in position on a frame e or e¹; and Figures 14 are
respectively a plan and vertical cross section of a nut n separately. The lower ends
of the upper members g³ and the upper ends of the screws f¹ are formed as shown
to enable them to be readily connected and disconnected with the rod g by means
of studs or pins g² held in position by split keys or in other suitable manner.
would here remark that the details of construction of the frameworks e, e¹, and the
parts connected therewith may be variously modified without departing from the
peculiar character of my Invention. When a vessel fitted with my Invention is
loaded with bulk grain the frameworks e, e¹, are screwed down so long as the grain
yields, and thereby the cargo is kept secure from shifting without bags, shifting
boards, or other means hitherto adopted.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode in which
I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is, the
employment of frameworks e, e¹, and their connections, operating in manner
substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Thomson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.