Improvements in and relating to Overhead Travellers, Specially Applicable to the Loading and Discharging of Ships.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 14th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 9th Dec., 1887
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Overhead Travellers, Specially
Applicable to the Loading and Discharging of Ships.
"
1 ALFRED UPTON ALCOCK of No. 132 Russell Street Melbourne in the Colony of
Victoria, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
My invention relates to overhead Travellers specially to the loading and discharging
of ships and belongs to that class in which the traveller is supported on an overhead
wire-way or cable and which when used for the loading and discharging of ships has
its one end supported above the hold either to a mast or to any other suitable prop
while its other end is supported in any suitable manner by a frame or prop above the
roadway or wharf. The winch used for actuating the traveller and for raising and
lowering the load is constructed with two barrels to each of which is secured the end
of a rope. One of these ropes rises and passes over a pulley immediately under the
rope way and thence over the sheave of the traveller while its other end is secured to
the frame at the opposite side of such traveller and in its loop is located the hooked
sheave or block for supporting the load which this drum and rope is designed princi-
pally to lift and lower. The other rope rises from its drum and passes over a sheave
immediately over the top of the stretched rope-way thence over and around a sheave
at its further end to the traveller to which its end is secured and the purpose of this
rope and drum is principally to pull the traveller in the one direction and to hold it
stationary while the load is being lifted or lowered. It will thus be noticed that by
arranging the two-drum winch and its ropes as above described and by having a
system of gearing clutches and brake on the drums the one apparatus will lift or
lower the load and deliver it at any desired point along the line of the wire-way
without the aid of any catches or similar devices on the traveller. This invention will
be known as the "Jumbo Coal Whip."
Dated this Third day of November One thousand eight hundred and eighty six.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Overhead Travellers, Specially
Applicable to the Loading and Discharging of Ships.
I, ALFRED UPTON ALCOCK, of No. 132 Russell Street, Melbourne in the Colony of
Victoria Gentleman 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 :-
My improvements in and relating to overhead travellers are specially applicable to
the loading and discharging of ships and appertain to that class in which the traveller
or carriage is supported and travels on an overhead stretched wire way or cable and by
my improvements combined with such over head way or cable I am enabled to
construct a traveller which is readily arranged in position the one end above the ship's
hold and the other end above the shore so as to raise the coal in filled baskets from
the hold and then transport it to the shore end and tip it thereat to a shoot or other-
wise and then return with the empty basket and lower it to the hold to be again
filled while a filled one takes its place on the traveller. My improvements consist
first of the means devised for supporting such stretched cable and the ropes of the
traveller from the one set of sheave blocks, second of a novel construction of two
barrel windlass for actuating the traveller ropes in the several directions so as to lift
lower transport or tip the load which is in the basket or carrier attached to the ends
of the ropes third of modified constructions of such description of windlass and fourth
to the general arrangement of the overhead traveller for transporting coal and the like
to and from the hold of a ship and the wharf.
When my invention is used for the loading and discharging of coal ships I secure
a one-sheave block to the shore end of the cable and such block is then secured to a
suitable shore prop or staging which supports the cable at a suitable altitude above the
roadway or wharf then I support the other end of the stretched cable above the ship's
hold by passing it over the central sheave in a three sheave block and which latter is
supported by tackle from the mast or other convenient overhead part of the ship while
the end of the cable after passing over the sheave is taken down towards the deck and
secured to any suitable stanchion or other support at the ship's side. The two barrel
windlass I prefer to arrange on the deck of the ship adjacent to the hold the rope
from the outer barrel rising and passing over one of the sheaves on the overhead
three sheave block and then it stretches across over the top of the stretched cable and
passes round the sheave at its shore end to under it when it is then passed over a sheave
in the traveller or carriage and hangs down therefrom with a hook or other device at
its end to support the basket. The rope from the inner barrel rises and is led over
the other sheave of the overhead three sheave block and then stretches along under
the stretched cable and is passed over another sheave at the end of the carriage nearest
to it and it hangs down therefrom also with a hook or other device at its lower end.
The traveller or carriage consists of a light cheek frame having two upper sheaves
to support it on the stretched cable or way and two under sheaves to support
the lifting ropes as just described. An alternative form of carriage is also provided
for working with one pendant rope.

page_text: In an alternative arrangement I use only one of the ropes for the purpose of lifting
and lowering the outer end of the other rope being secured to the alternative form of
traveller and is used only for moving the carriage in the one direction and assisting
to retain it stationary. To tip the basket with this description of one pendant rope
traveller I arrange on the lifting and lowering barrel a second smaller and shorter
rope the length of which is adjusted to suit the position at which it is desired to tip
the basket.
I intend apparatus constructed according to this invention and used for the loading
and discharge of ships to be known as the "Jumbo coal whip."
Referring to the attached drawings in which similar letters will be used to identify
corresponding parts throughout the several Figures,―
Figure 1 is a front view.
Figure 2 a side view, and
Figure 3 a plan of one form of two barrel winch which I employ in carrying out
my invention with one load supporting and a tipping rope.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section shewing the arrangement of drum shaft B¹ and
Figure 5 a similar view shewing the arrangement of shaft D³.
Figure 6 is a side view.
Figure 7 a front view, and
Figure 8 a plan of a second and preferred form of two barrel winch which is used
in combination with carriage and which has two load supporting ropes depending
from it.
Figure 9 is side view, and
Figure 10 a front view of another alternative form of two barrel winch which is
designed to be operated by manual power and used in combination with the single
pendant and the tipping ropes.
Figure 11 is a general side elevation of the arrangement of the overhead
traveller at a wharf when actuated by the form of winch shewn in Figures 6, 7,
and 8 and
Figure 12 an enlarged front view of its three sheave supporting and straining
block.
Figure 13 an enlarged side view of the carriage.
Figure 14 a plan on top of the carriage while
Figure 15 shows a side view of the alternative form of carriage with the single lifting
rope and the tipping rope upon it.
Figures 1 to 5 show the first form of two barrel winch A and B being the winding
barrels or drums arranged on the shafts A and B¹ respectively which are supported in
bearings in the side cheeks or standards C bolted to the bed plate C. Barrel A is
attached to the under lifting rope A and barrel B is attached to the upper travelling
rope B². D is the driving shaft to which motion is imparted and which has at its end the
spur pinion D¹ which gears with the spur wheel D³ secured at the end of the upper longi-
tudinal shaft D3 which is arranged in eccentric sleeve bearings D* on the side cheeks C.
D is a friction pinion keyed on shaft D³ and D is a hand lever attached to the
eccentric bearings D. Friction pinion D³ gears with the similar pinions D' and D³
keyed on the lay shafts D and D10 which are both supported in bearings in the
cheeks and both have similar spur wheels D" keyed on their ends outside of such
cheek. Friction pinion D' gears with the friction wheel B³ attached to drum B
which works loosely on its shaft B' which is arranged eccentrically in its bearings B₁
the position of the shaft being regulated by the hand lever B which is secured to the
shaft. B is a brake block grooved to suit wheel B³ and secured to the bed plate C'.
Shaft Do has keyed on it the spur pinion D" which gears with the spur wheel A*
attached to the drum A. are transverse stay rods bolted at their ends to the side
cheeks C. A' is the tipping rope attached to drum A.
Figures 6. 7. and 8 shew the alternative and most approved form of two barrel
winch A and B being again the barrels A' and B' their shafts A' and B' their
respective ropes C the side cheeks and C¹ the bed plate. In this form of winch both
of the barrels are loose on their shafts which have eccentric journals at their ends to fit

page_text: their bearings in the side cheeks C shaft A¹ having the lever A5 attached to it and
shaft B' the lever B7 both levers being at the same ends of the shafts. Shaft D³ in
this form of winch has the necessary motion imparted to it and it is arranged in fixed
bearings in side cheeks C. This shaft has upon it the spur pinion E which gears with
the spur wheels E¹ and E' arranged respectively on the shafts D and D10 which are
also supported in fixed bearings in the side cheeks C the latter shafts having keyed
on them at their opposite ends the friction pinions D' and D8 the former gearing with
the friction wheel B³ attached to drum B and the latter with the friction wheel A
attached to drum A. The back drum being furnished with the brake strap F which is
actuated by the foot lever F¹.
Figures 9 and 10 shew a second alternative form of two barrel winch which is
designed to be worked by manual power the shaft A¹ of the barrel A in this form
having a spur wheel A' on it which gears with a similar spur wheel B8 on the
shaft B of the drum B. The shaft B' is arranged eccentrically in its bearings in the
cheeks C and has a lever B' attached to it as before. B' is a stop rack secured to the
bed plate C¹ to engage with the teeth of the spur wheel B8 when the drum is thrown
out of gear with drum A and thus to hold drum B stationary. C3 is a tangent wheel
keyed on shaft A¹ and gearing with the worm C arranged on the shaft ³ which is
supported in bearings at the side of cheek C. such shaft being revolved by the crank
handle or otherwise.
Figures 11 to 14 shew the general arrangement of the overhead traveller and its
carriage the winch being shewn arranged on the deck of a ship G and the shore end
of the cable H being supported from the top end of the prop or upright H' which is
firmly secured by guys H². H³ is a one sheave block forming the terminal of
cable H and around this sheave is passed the upper rope B which together with the
Cable H and under rope A2 are supported above the hold of the ship by the
sheaves G G and G³ respectively arranged at the lower end of the two sheave block
and tackle G which latter is supported from a suitable slack guy G³ hanging from
the mast or yard. The lower end of the cable H is secured to any fixed support at
the ship's side. J is the carriage supported on the cable by the sinall pulleys
having secured between its cheeks under the cable the sheaves J and J³ the former
bearing the upper rope B2 and the latter the under rope A2 each having a hook or
other device at its lower end to support the coal carrier or basket K which is shewn as
if being emptied to the truck K'.
and
Figure 15 shews the construction of carriage J which is used with either the winch
shewn in Figures 1 to 5 or that shewn in Figures 9 and 10. This carrier is furnished
with only one lower sheave J³ to support the lifting or under rope 'A' the
upper rope B being secured to its side at J as shewn. A' is the tipping rope
passing round the small sheave J which is in this form shewn centred on the same
spindle as the sheave J³. Thus in this form of carriage the one rope only is used for
the purpose of lifting and lowering.
The mode of operation is as follows. When an overhead traveller and carriage
such as shewn in Figures 11 to 13 and a winch such as shewn in Figures 6. 7. and 8
is used the latter being shown in the general elevation as being carried on the deck of
the ship and the cable and ropes being connected together as before described then
when the ship is properly berthed at the wharf the single sheave H³ which forms the
shore terminal of the cable H and carries the rope B2 is secured to the shore prop H
then the tackle of block G carrying the three rope and cable supporting sheaves is
hauled up so as to bring the cable H taut, its lower end having been previously
secured to a fastening at the ship's side. The ends of the lifting and travelling ropes
being secured to the barrels so as to wind in the same direction upon the traveller
which is then ready to perform its work. First of all the basket is hung from the
ropes A and B the former being attached to its top end by a sling or bow handle
and the latter attached to a hook at its bottom edge then the traveller is taken to
above the hold and the basket lowered into it which action is effected by the ropes
being paid off both drums simultaneously then when the filled basket is attached to
the ropes at the bottom of the hold it is wound such being accomplished by both

page_text: "
"
drums simultaneously winding the ropes upon them and when the basket is high
enough overhead the carriage is caused to travel to the shore end by the drums being
caused to wind rope B2 in and pay rope A' out until the tipping position is reached
when both ropes are lowered together to a convenient distance above the truck and
the drum of rope B' is "braked" so as to hold it stationary while the rope A' being
still lowered allows the top end of the basket Ķ to fall and so to empty its contents to
the truck K¹ or to the yard which is below it. After this the basket is righted
carried along by the traveller and again lowered to the hold when the foregoing
operation as described is repeated. The alternative forms of winches with the
carriage shewn in Figure 15 perform the same operations as those just described in a
slightly different manner insomuch as that the lifting and lowering is effected by the
outwinding or inwinding of the one rope A² the travelling being effected as hefore by
the outwinding of A* or inwinding of B2 or vice versa according to the direction of
travel while the tipping is effected by the combined action of the ropes A³ and A* the
latter tipping rope which is attached to the bottom edge of the basket completely
outwinds itself from its barrel and then is inwound in a reverse direction so as thus
to lift the bottom end of the basket upward the rope A' during such time gradually
lowering the top end of the basket down and thus through their combined action it is
upended or tipped so as to deliver its load to the receptacle or yard beneath it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
First. The combination with the stretched cable and the hauling ropes from a two-
drum winch of a three sheave block which supports the one end of such rope at the
desired altitude and draws the stretched cable taut substantially as herein described
and explained and as illustrated in Figures 11 and 12 of my drawings.
Second. The combination of the special description of two barrel winch shewn
in Figures 1 to 5 with the carrige shewn in Figure 15 and with the stretched cable
or way hauling and tipping ropes all substantially as herein described and explained.
Third. The combination of the alternative form of two barrel winch shewn in
Figures 6. 7. and 8 with the carriage shewn in Figures 13 and 14 and with the
stretched cable or way and haulage ropes all substantially as herein described and
explained.
Fourth. The combination of the manual power two barrel winch shewn in
Figures 9 and 10 with the carriage shewn in Figure 15 and with the stretched cable
or way and the haulage and tipping ropes all substantially as herein described and
explained.
Fifth. The combination with the end of a stretched way or cable of an overhead
traveller of a one sheave block which forms the connecting medium between the
cable and its prop and its sheave supporting the upper and outer rope of a two drum
winch traveller substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in
Figure 11 of my drawings.
Sixth. The combination and arrangement of either description of winches and
carriages with the stretched wire way the haulage and tipping ropes the three sheave
supporting and straining block and tackle the terminal single sheave its support and
the basket for carrying the coal substantially as herein described and explained and as
illustrated in my drawings.