Improvements in Appliances for Loading Coal, Coke, and other Material into Vessels.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 16th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 21st Sept., 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Appliances for Loading Coal, Coke, and other
Material into Vessels.
We, Sir WILLIAM THOMAS LEWIS of The Mardy, Aberdare, in the County of
Glamorgan, Civil Engineer, and CHARLES LAFAYETTE HUNTER of 205 Newport Road,
Roath, Cardiff, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
In a Specification lodged by us with an application for Patent dated the 12th day
of November 1886, No. 14691 we described the forming of boxes used in conjunction
with cranes for loading coal &c. into vessels with a cone valve bottom and three lifting
chains one led up from the centre of the cone bottom and the other two attached to
the sides of the box.
We now form such boxes with a hood rising up at the back and sides and covering
over the back half of the box at a level some distance above the top of the open front
where coal or material has to be discharged into the box. Our object in doing this is
to prevent the coal or material when being filled into the box from flying over to
waste which is a very important point and in this way we render it unnecessary to
provide fixed or moveable shields at the sides of the pit into which the box is lowered
at the time when it is to be filled. In order also to prevent the cone valve from
twisting about and to ensure its coming home properly to its seat each time that it is
drawn up to the bottom of the box we form it with rods standing up from it on two
opposite sides of its centre near its outer edge, to enter hollow cylinders fixed to the
sides of the box on the inside.
Each rod we make to fit loosely to its cylinder where it enters it at the bottom and
at the top we make it of slightly enlarged diameter to fit loosely within the upper
part of the cylinder. Each rod where it is jointed to the valve we joint to it by a
universal joint so as to give a certain amount of play or freedom.
The sides of the pit into which the box is lowered when coal etc. is to be shot into
it as described in the specification above mentioned we form with sides sloping inwards

page_text: from the top to a short distance above the top of the trolly on which the box is to
rest whilst it is being filled and at this level the distance between the sides is slightly
greater than the width of the box so that as the box is lowered into the pit it is guided
without further assistance into its required position.
Dated this 25th day of November 1887.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Appliances for Loading Coal, Coke, and other
Material into Vessels.
We, Sir WILLIAM THOMAS LEWIS, of The Mardy, Aberdare, in the County of
Glamorgan, Civil Engineer, and CHARLES LAFAYETTE HUNTER, of 205 Newport
Road, Roath, Cardiff, Engineer, 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 :-
In a Specification lodged by us with an application for Patent dated the 12th day
of November 1886 No. 14691 we described the forming of boxes used in conjunction
with cranes for loading coal &c. into vessels with a cone valve bottom and three lifting
chains one led up from the centre of the cone bottom and the other two attached to
the sides of the box.
We now form such boxes with a hood rising up at the back and sides and covering
over the back half of the box at a level some distance above the top of the open front
where coal or material has to be discharged into the box. Our object in doing this is
to prevent the coal or material when being filled into the box from flying over to
waste which is a very important point and in this way we render it unnecessary to
provide fixed or moveable shields at the sides of the pit into which the box is lowered
at the time when it is to be filled. In order also to prevent the cone valve from
twisting about and to ensure its coming home properly to its seat each time that it is
drawn up to the bottom of the box we form it with rods standing up from it on two
opposite sides of its centre near its outer edge, to enter hollow cylinders fixed to the
sides of the box on the inside.
Each rod we make to fit loosely to its cylinder where it enters it at the bottom and
at the top we make it of slightly enlarged diameter to fit loosely within the upper
part of the cylinder. Each rod where it is jointed to the valve we joint to it by a
universal joint so as to give a certain amount of play or freedom.

page_text: The sides of the pit into which the box is lowered when coal etc. is to be shot into
it as described in the specification above mentioned we form with sides sloping inwards
from the top to a short distance above the top of the trolley on which the box is to
rest whilst it is being filled and at this level the distance between the sides is slightly
greater than the width of the box so that as the box is lowered into the pit it is guided
without further assistance into its required position.
Figure 1 of the drawings annexed is a vertical section-Figure 2 a plan and
Figure 3 a vertical section on the line A B Figure 2 of a box formed as above
described.
A A are the sides of the box B the cone bottom C the hood covering over the back
half of the box-D D are rods jointed at their lower extremity by a universal joint
to the cone bottom and entering hollow cylinders E fixed to the sides of the box.
The rods are formed with a knob or enlargement on their upper ends and the lower
ends of the cylinders are contracted so that the knob cannot pass out from their
lower ends and the cone bottom is thereby prevented from becoming separated from
the box.
Figure 4 is a plan view and Figure 5 a transverse section of the pit into which the
box is lowered when about to be filled.
F F are lines of rail at the bottom of the pit on which runs a trolly G which the
box rests on whilst it is being filled.
HH are the sloping sides of the upper portion of the pit which pass downwards
from the top of the pit to a short distance above the top of the trolly and which at
this level are at a distance apart slightly greater than the width of the box.
The boarding of which these inwardly projecting sides are composed is protected
by flat strips of iron secured to its face as shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. The construction of boxes for loading coal and other material into vessels with a
moveable valve bottom and with lifting chains passing both from the sides of the box
and from the valve bottom and also formed with a hood covering over the back half
of the top of the box.
2. The construction of boxes for loading coal and other material into vessels
substantially as herein before described and illustrated at Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the
drawing annexed.
3. The construction of the pit into which the box is to be lowered when about to be
filled substantially as described and illustrated at Figures 4 and 5.
Dated this 11th day of August 1666.
Witness to the signature of
Sir William Thomas Lewis,
A. P. JONES,
Accountant,
Aberdare.
Witness to the signature of
Charles Lafayette Hunter,
D. G. BUSH,
Clerk,
Bute Yard, Tyndall Street,
Cardiff.
W. THOMAS LEWIS.
CHARLES L. HUNTER.