IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS OR MACHINERY CONVEYING OR ELEVATING GRAIN OR OTHER LOOSE, GRANULAR, OR PULVERULENT MATERIAL
Year: 1881

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to James Higginbottom and Orsini Stuart, both of 51, Secl
Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, for an Invention
of IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS OR MACHINERY
CONVEYING OR ELEVATING GRAIN OR OTHER LOOSE, GRANULAR,
OR PULVERULENT MATERIAL."
FOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Higginbottom and
Orsini Stuart at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
12th November 1881.
JAMES HIGGINBOTTOм and ORSINI STUART, both of 51, Sec! Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO
APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR CONVEYING OR ELEVATING GRAIN OR OTHER
LOOSE, GRANULAR, OR PULVERULENT MATERIAL."
This Invention consists in a new or improved form of elevator and apparatus
relating thereto, more especially in the matter of feeding, and it is applicable
to the unloading of ships grain cargo & to the emptying of grain hoppers in
granaries.
First. In place of the cumbrous framework or legs upon which the chain or belt
of buckets is usually fixed we heavily weight the bottom, or rising and falling
pulley head, and do without rigid legs altogether.
Second. In order to allow the belt of buckets to raise from a small depression
or from a hole of greater depth, and to enable the bottom head to sink with the
surface of the cargo while the latter is being discharged, we continue the band of
buckets from upper suspension pulleys round one or more pulleys carried on
horizontal or inclined sliding heads, whose position can be regulated so as to come
close up to the suspension pulleys, or be any required distance off.
Third. We prefer to connect the lower (weighted) pulley with the pulley or
pulleys on the sliding head or heads by chains, so as more easily to cause them to
work synchronously.

page_text: Fourth. On the belt of buckets we place side guards, so that it shall carry the
grain while it is on the upper member of the horizontal or inclined part of the
endless belt, and shall deliver onto a belt or other contrivance below which
conveys the grain to any desired part. When two sliding heads are used the
grain is caused to fall onto a belt or other conveyer or spout out of the buckets
as they turn over and become a part of the under member of the horizontal or
inclined portion of the belt or chain of buckets.
In the first instance the elevator serves in part as a conveyer; thus, by a sliding
head or heads the chain or belt of buckets is adjusted to work at very varying
heights, and deliver the grain as the bucket turns over the suspension pulley, or
else deliver at the sliding hend. The action is thus the same whatever may be the
depth from which the grain is raised. The buckets can be in two rows supported
on broad belts with blank longitudinal space not covered by the buckets left for
passage over the carrying or suspension wheels. In small belts there can be a
wheel on each side; in large belts another supporting wheel in the centre between
the two rows of buckets.
Fifth. To each end of the spindle of the rising and falling head or lower pulley
we can attach a series of archimedean screws or worms in short lengths of, say,
four to eight feet, linked together by means of universal joints or their equivalents,
and with or without boxes or cases. These working in the grain serve to draw
it to the elevator, and thus take the place of scrapers or trimmers. The various
lengths can be taken off or added on, as required, so as to extend to any part of
the ship's hold; these conveyers can also be used to feed other conveyers or
mechanism besides elevators, but their chief use will be found with the elevator.
Sixth. In some cases we_may_use_three, four,-or-more-sliding-heads-to-the-
elevator, when it is required to empty very deep hoppers in granaries.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Higginbottom and Orsini Stuart in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th May 1882.
JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM and ORSINI STUART, both of 51, Seel Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO
APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR CONVEYING OR ELEVATING GRAIN OR OTHER
LOOSE, GRANULAR, OR PULVERULENT MATERIAL."
This Invention consists in a new or improved forin of elevator and apparatus
relating thereto.
The Invention is best described by aid of the accompanying Drawings, in which
Fig. 1 shows an elevator with one sliding head D applied to elevate from the hold
of a ship; Fig. 2, a modification of same showing two sliding heads D1, D2; Fig. 3,
arrangement of elevator suspended from the yard arm or any support above the
material to be operated upon; Fig. 4, details of belt and buckets; Fig. 5, enlarged
view of buckets with side guards F.
In place of the cumbrous framework or legs upon which the chain or belt of
buckets is usually fixed, we heavily weight the bottom or rising and falling head,
and do without rigid legs altogether. This is shown in Fig. 1, in which A is the
belt or chain carrying the buckets B, and C the weighted rising and falling head.
In order to allow the belt of buckets to raise from a small depression or from a
hole of greater depth, and to enable the bottom head c to sink with the surface of
the cargo while the latter is being discharged, we continue the band of buckets
horizontally or inclined from the suspension pulleys E, E¹, E3, round one or more
pulleys on sliding heads D, D1, D2, whose position can be regulated by any of the
numerous and well known mechanical contrivances, so as to come close up to the
suspension pulleys E, E¹, Es, or be any required distance off. These sliding heads
D, D1, D2, work in guides and are made adjustable, so that the weighted head C
may remain and be worked at any point. Small guide or supporting pulleys
J, J, J, are used to sustain the belts or chains (see Fig. 2).
In some cases we may use an arrangement, as shown in Fig. 3, in which the top
head X is suspended by rising or falling chains or rope blocks from the yard arm
of the vessel or other convenient support. To prevent the weighted falling and
rising head C from canting to one side small pulleys K attached to the frame
which carries the pulley at the bottom are placed on either side of the band,
as shown.
On the travelling belt or chain of buckets we sometimes place side guards F to
prevent the material falling from the belt laterally when it is travelling in a
horizontal position, and forming the upper member (P, Fig. 1) of the horizontal
part of the endless belt. The grain is delivered onto a belt G below, which conveys
it to any desired part; when two sliding heads are used, as shown in Fig. 2, the
grain is caused to fall out of the buckets onto a belt or other conveyer or spout H
as they turn over the suspension pulley E' and become a part of the under member
of the horizontal portion of the belt. (In Fig. 1 the elevator serves in part as a
conveyer.) Thus by a sliding head or heads the chain or belt of buckets is
adjusted to work at very varying heights, and deliver the grain as the bucket turns
over the suspension pulley E', as in Fig. 2, or else deliver at the sliding head onto
a belt or spout G parallel with it and immediately below it, as in Fig. 1.
The action is thus the same whatever may be the depth from which the grain is
raised. The buckets can be supported on broad belts with blank longitudinal
strips I, Fig. 5, not covered by the buckets left for passage over the carrying or

page_text: suspension wheel E. In small belts there can be a wheel on each side; in large
belts, another supporting wheel also in the centre between two rows of buckets, as
shown in Fig. 5. The side guards F are placed on the belt between the buckets in
line with their outer edges, and may be used on elevators having a belt or a
travelling belt constructed of bands alone; or it may be a combination belt made
with chains covered with bands or canvas.
To each end of the spindle c of the rising and falling head or lower pulley C we
may attach a series of archimedean screws or worms in short lengths of, say, four to
eight feet, linked together by means of Hooker's universal joint, or its equivalent,
for the purpose of working in the grain and to serve to draw it to the elevator, and
thus take the place of scrapers or trimmers.
Having now described our Invention, and the best mode
carrying it into effect, what we claim and desire to protect
Patent is,
known to us of
under the Letters
1st. The manufacture and use of an clevator having a chain or belt with a loose
weighted bottom pulley or head capable of rising and falling, but destitute of legs
or other framework connecting the bottom pulley with the upper part.
2nd. The manufacture and use of an elevator having a chain or belt of belate
arranged with one or more horizontal or inclined adjustable sliding upper heads,
arranged so that the lower rising and falling pulley or head may bo worked at
varying altitudes.
3rd. In an elevator a belt with buckets arranged after lifting the grain vertically
for the belt to carry the grain horizontally or inclined at the top, and to deposit
the grain on to a travelling band or spout, substantially as described.
4th. In an clevator for elevating grain from ships holds and-the-like-a-belt-with-
buckets so arranged with side plates attached thereto that when the said belt with
buckets is travelling horizontally the side guards or plates may retain the grain
on the belt, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Higginbottom and Orsini Stuart,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Tenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
JAMES HIGGINBOTTOM. (L.S.)
ORSINI STUART.
(L.S.)