Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Feb., 188"
Complete Left, 10th Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 13th Dec, 1887
I WILLIAM THOMAS Engineer of Llanidloes in the County of Montgomery do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
For loading and unloading barges and other vessels I provide a guide frame which
is moveable about a horizontal axis carried upon the quay wall alongside of which the
vessel lies.
The guide frame consists of radial arms carrying guide rails which are bent to the
form of circular arcs. The guide rails are concentric with the axis and they are tied
together in such a manner as to render the structure sufficiently strong. The guide
frame is so constructed that the lower ends of the curved guide rails are able to
enter the vessel and descend into it to the bottom where they rest, and so the guide
frame is supported. As the vessel rises or falls with the tide the guide frame follows
it. Over the quay wall a stationary railway is constructed at any suitable incline and
in such a manner that its rails meet tangentially the curved guide rails of the
moveable guide frame. A bucket or skip with wheels one on either side is provided
to run both upon the railway and on the curved rails of the guide frame-the bucket
or skip is connected by a wire rope with a winding apparatus and the guide frame
bas rollers or pulleys upon it to control this rope. There are also suitable guide
rollers to support the rope along the line of railway. The bucket or skip running
along the railway and down the curved guide rails descends into the vessel; when
there it is filled with the cargo and this being done the winding apparatus is set to
work and the bucket or skip rises, running up the curved guide rails and along the
stationary railway to its destination.

page_text: Here it can be tipped and its contents discharged. To effect this two pins projecting
from the bottom of the forward end of the bucket or skip are then made to come
below two fixed stops-this as the axle continues to be drawn forward tilts the bucket
or skip and brings the top of its forward end below two other stops and then by the
continued forward movement of the axle the bucket is entirely inverted and its
contents discharged.
In like manner cargo is put on board barges and other vessels, the loaded skip or
bucket then being lowered into the vessel along the curved guide rails, and being
withdrawn when empty.
The same apparatus can be used for raising materials when excavating and for
tipping the raised material into wagons.

page_text: I, WILLIAM THOMAS, Engineer, of Llanidloes in the County of Montgomery, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
he performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
For loading and unloading barges and other vessels I provide a guide frame which
is moveable about a horizontal axis carried upon the quay wall alongside of which the
vessel lies.
The guide frame consists of radial arms carrying guide rails which are bent to the
form of circular arcs. The guide rails are concentric with the axis and they are tied
together in such a manner as to render the structure sufficiently strong. The guide
frame is so constructed that the lower ends of the curved guide rails are able to
enter the vessel and descend into it to the bottom where they rest, and so the guide
frame is supported. As the vessel rises or falls with the tide the guide frame follows
it. Over the quay wall a stationary railway is constructed at any suitable incline
and in such a manner that its rails meet tangentially the curved guide rails of the
moveable guide frame. A bucket or skip with wheels one on either side is provided
to run both upon the railway and on the curved rails of the guide frame-the
bucket or skip is connected by a wire rope with a winding apparatus and the guide
frame has rollers or pulleys upon it to control this rope. There are also suitable
guide rollers to support the rope along the line of railway. The bucket or skip
running along the railway and down the curved guide rails descends into the vessel;
when there it is filled with the cargo and this being done the winding apparatus is set
to work and the bucket or skip rises, running up the curved guide rails and along the
stationary railway to its destination."
Here it can be tipped and its contents discharged. To effect this two pins projecting
from the bottom of the forward end of the bucket or skip are then made to come
below two fixed stops-this as the axle continues to be drawn forward tilts the bucket
or skip and brings the top of its forward end below two other stops and then by the
continued forward movement of the axle the bucket is entirely inverted and its
contents discharged.
.
In like manner cargo is put on board barges and other vessels, the loaded skip or
bucket then being lowered into the vessel along the curved guide rails, and being
withdrawn when empty.
The same apparatus can be used for raising materials when excavating and for
tipping the raised material into wagons.
Figure 1 of the drawings annexed is a vertical section and Figure 2 a plan of
apparatus constructed as above described. Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 are diagram views

page_text: illustrating the manner in which the bucket or skip is made
contents when drawn up.
tip and discharge its
AA are the curved rails of the guide frame carried by radial arms B from an
axis C-this axis is mounted in bearings fixed to the quay wall alongside of which the
Ivessel to be loaded or unloaded is to lie.
The lower ends of the curved rails which are to descend to and rest on the vessel
which is being loaded or unloaded are provided with curved guards A¹ to prevent the
wheels of the skip from running off them. D is the inclined railway the rails of
which meet the rails A tangentially-E is the bucket or skip with a wheel on either
side of it to run on the railways. The lower part of the skip below the axles of the
wheels is heavier than the upper part so that normally the skip retains a horizontal
position. F is the rope by which the skip is raised and lowered-it is attached at one
end to a bent bar G which is free to swivel upon the axles of the wheels and at its
other end passes over guide pulley H at the top of the incline and downwards to
any suitable winding apparatus.
For unloading a vessel the skip is lowered down the curved guide rails A and into
the vessel. When it has been filled with cargo it is drawn up by the rope and when
it has arrived at the point where it is to discharge its cargo it is caused to tip by the
lower part of its forward end striking against pins I fixed to the supports of the rails
of the incline whilst at the same time projections K from the skip come below these
pius. As the skip continues to be drawn along the incline it is turned into the
position shewn in Figure 4 so that the upper part of its front end comes below other
pins J and then as it is drawn further forwards it is tipped into the position shewn
in Figure 6-afterwards when it has been drawn past the pins J it resumes its
horizontal position and can be lowered down the incline without being again inverted
as it passes the pins.
Similarly the apparatus can be used for loading material into vessels and the skip
can if desired be made to tip and discharge its contents as it arrives at the lower end
of the curved rails A. Or the apparatus can be used for raising materials when
excavating and for tipping the raised material into wagons.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of a circular guide frame on a horizontal axis and carrying
curved rails other fixed rails leading tangentially therefrom and a skip or bucket
supported by a wheel on either side of to run on such rails substantially as
described.
2. The arrangement of apparatus substantially as described for causing a skip or
bucket supported on a pair of wheels to tip or turn around the axes of these wheels.
3. The combination of apparatus substantially as herein before described and illus-
trated in the drawing annexed for loading and unloading barges and other vessels or
for raising materials when excavating.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1887.