IMPROVEMENTS IN DREDGING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: We, THE GOLDEN STATE AND MINERS IRON WORKS, a Manufacturing Corporation
under the laws of the State of California of which Wales Lewis Palmer is President;
and Thomas Hansford Williains, and David Bixler, composing the firm of Williams
and Bixler and Horace Bucklan Angell, Gentleman, all of the city and county of
San Francisco, and State of California, one of the United States of America, do
hereby declare the nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN DREDGING
MACHINES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for dredging and
excavating; and it consists in novel constructions of the excavating drum and
cylinder, in the driving mechanism on the suction-pipe, the elevating-ladder
and pumping-apparatus, and in the various combinations of these several parts,
all as fully hereinafter explained and claimed.
In the drawings accompanying this specification,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of our machine.
Figure 2 is a plan view.
Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the excavator and suction-pipe.
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the same.
Figure 5 is a section of the joint of the suction-pipe and ladder-trunnions.
Figure 6 is an end view of a flange of a joint-section.
Figure 7 is an end view of flange at R.
•
Figure 8 is a side view, showing section of boilers and connection with the
engine on the ladder.
Figure 9 is a plan view of the joints of the pipe.
In our device we have combined an excavating-drum rotating upon its own axis,
with an inclined supporting frame or ladder hinged at its upper end to a dredge-
boat, and having a suction-pipe of fixed length supported upon it and leading from
the excavator to a pump and discharge.
We are thus enabled to move the excavating-cutter in a vertical arc about the
trunnions of the ladder, while the side movement is obtained by swinging the
dredge-boat about suitable spuds or anchors:
A is a dredge-boat, of any suitable construction, carrying boilers and other
necessary apparatus, and having the frame or ladder B hinged to one end, so that
the opposite end of the ladder may move in a vertical arc of a circle from the
surface of the cut to the lowest point. The suction-pipe C is supported upon this
ladder, and its lower end passes through one side of a stationary cast-iron disk D,
which is fixed to the bottom or lower end of the ladder.

page_text: A short shaft E, passes through the centre of this disk and supports a hollow
drum or cylinder F, of which it serves as the axis.
A stuffing-box forms a tight joint where it passes through the disk.
This shaft is provided with thrust-boxes G G, by which it is kept in place as it
rotates, and the drum F is keyed to it.
This drum is made of boiler-iron, and has holes in its sides and bottom, with
flaring scoop-shaped buckets ƒ projecting, so that when the drum is rotated in
contact with a deposit of mud or carth they will cut it away and force it into the
interior of the drum, whero it is stirred or broken up by the teeth or spikes g
projecting inward from its sides.
The suction-pipe C passes through the lower side of the disk D and extends
nearly to the lower head of the drum F, while its side nearest the lower side of the
drum is made open, as at c.
We prefer to make this opening flaring, as at Figure 4, so that the mud which is
excavated by the scoops and brought into the cylinder will be drawn into the pipe
freely by the action of the pump.
In order to drive the cylinder F, which may be six or more feet in diameter and
length, a strong gearing H, is fixed to its upper rim, and a pinion I, driven by the
shaft J, meshes with it, so that while supported and rotating upon the central
shaft E, it is driven from the exterior of its rim, and thus has the power applied to
the greatest advantage and with the least danger of breakage.
It may however be found desirable in some cases to drive the drum by means of
a driving-pinion fixed to a central shaft which would in such a case be driven by
suitable connections with the engine, and the drum would be provided with a gear
corresponding with the pinion upon the shaft, and driven by it.
The shaft extends upward along the ladder B, and is connected with the
engine K, by which it is driven.
These engines are mounted upon the upper end of the ladder, so as to partake of
its motion as it is moved up and down, and the relative position of the engine and
driving-shaft J is thus always maintained the same.
In order to connect the engines upon the ladder with the stationary boilers upon
the boat, we employ the movable jointed pipes L, having the steam-tight rotating
joints M, which allow the pipes to extend or shorten with the movements of the
ladder and the engines upon it.
The suction-pipe C has a horizontal joint at N, and two elbows OO, connecting
with that part upon the boat, and through this with the pump P, which is driven
by power derived from the engines T.
The horizontal joint of the pipe has its axis in an exact line with the shafts or
trunnions of the ladder, and these enter sockets R, formed on the elbows O, so
that the shafts and pipe-joint, have the same axis, about which the ladder is turned
as it is raised or lowered, and whatever may be the movement of the ladder, the
pipe is always kept tight while accommodating itself to the movement, and the
rotary joints are easily kept in order.
It will be seen that the ladder is thus hinged and the pipe jointed, so that they
may swing in a vertical plane to any angle from a horizontal position to a vertical;
but the length of the ladder is such that in practice it will rarely be necessary to
drop its lower end to more than forty-five or fifty degrees to make a cut as deep as
desired. That portion of the pipe C which is upon the boat has a joint and
stuffing-box at N, so the connection is readily made with the pump, and any
settling of the ladder out of line is compensated by slight notion or turning of the
joint, so that the pipe will not be strained.
The weight of the ladder and its appurtenances is so great that it is desirable to
give it some buoyancy; and we therefore attach an air-tight hollow font S, of any
suitable dimensions, near the lower end of the ladder, so that its buoyancy may
assist in raising it, when desired, or prevent too great weight upon the excavator or
the suspending-chains. The ladder is raised or lowered by machinery upon the

page_text: deck of the boat, having chains
bails W upon the ladder.
leading over pulleys V, and connecting with
The suction-pipe C is secured to the ladder or frame, so as to pass through the
disk D and into the drum F close to the side which is lowest, so that the buckets
or scoops f, which will do the most of the excavating upon that side, will deliver
the material into the drum close to the pipe, and its daring mouth or opening
allows the suction of the pump to draw it in with sufficient water to maintain the
proper consistency without any other special construction.
The spikes y will stir the mass and break up any hard lumps, so that it may be
drawn into the suction-pipe.
The driving-shaft J and pinion I are at the opposite or upper side of the drum F,
and as the engines K are mounted upon the upper end of the ladder, it will be seen
that the shaft J is driven by the direct action of the engine-shaft pinion X upon
the gear wheel V, which is secured to the upper end of the shaft J.
We thus obtain the simplest and most direct mechanism for the purpose.
The speed of the pump and that of the excavator may be varied and regulated
independently of each other to suit the relative work to be done, because of the
independent engines upon the boat and ladder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
•
1. In a dredging or excavating machine, a hollow rotating drum having a series
of excavating openings or buckets upon its exterior, a stationary disk forming one
end of the druin, and from which it is supported and driven, and a suction-pipe
passing through this disk and extending to the opposite end of the drum, with an
opening through which the dredged material may enter the pipe.
2. In a dredging-machine, a hinged ladder swinging in a vertical arc, and having
a rotary excavating-cylinder at its lower end, and a suction-pipe extending from
said excavator along the ladder and to a suction-pump, in combination with the
driving-gear, pinion, shaft, and an engine, supported upon the upper end of the
ladder, substantially as herein described.
3. The rotary drum, having the exterior excavating-openings, by which material
is carried into the drum, in combination with the inwardly-projecting spikes,
stirrers, or cutters, and a stationary suction and discharge pipe, substantially as
berein described.
4. In a dredging-machine, a ladder hinged to a boat so as to swing in a vertical
arc, a rotary excavator supported at its lower end, a suction and conveying pipe
extending from the excavator to a pump upon the boat, with suitable connecting-
joints, in combination with an engine upon the boat and a supplemental engine
upon the ladder, whereby the pump and excavator may be driven independently
aud at different rates of speed, substantially as heroin described.
5. A dredging device consisting of a fixed disk, a driven supporting-shaft,
passing through such disk, a single hollow excavating-drum mounted upon said
shaft, and having excavating openings or buckets, and a suction-pipe passing
through the disk.