Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Facilitating the Transit of Railway Wagons and Carriages to or from Coal Tips and other Apparatus for Loading and Unloading Ships and for Use on Railways for Shunting Purposes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 5th Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1887
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Facilitating the Transit
of Railway Wagons and Carriages to or from Coal Tips and other
Apparatus for Loading and Unloading Ships and for Use on
Railways for Shunting Purposes.
We, CHARLES SIMMONS, of John Street Foundry, Bute Street, Cardiff, in the
county of Glamorgan, mechanical and civil engineer, and BENJAMIN WILLIAMS, of
6, Stephenson Street, Cardiff aforesaid, mechanical engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows
11
The machinery or apparatus in which this invention consists is designed to facilitate
loading and unloading ships' cargoes and is intended for use in connection with tips
of the movable or fixed kinds, for use also on railways for dividing trains and
transferring wagons and carriages to different lines of rails.
It consists in the employment of a specially designed carriage whereon trucks or
wagons are received and conveyed to a position most convenient in relation to the
hatches of ships without regard to differences of distances between the hatchways.
This carriage which is preferably of rectangular form is constructed of girders of
the box or other type and is mounted on wheels designed to run on rails laid therefor
at the bottom of a shallow well excavated to a requisite depth below the ground or
ordinary rail level of sidings. Towards each of the two ends of the carriage is a
shaft or axle at each end of which is a drum the periphery of which is notched or
recessed at regular intervals.
Around the drums and taking into the notches of the same is arranged an endless
band or series of short girders or T-shaped plates hinged to one another throughout
their length. This travelling band has motion longitudinally in either direction
inside the carriage and around the drums aforesaid which latter are rotated through
pulleys actuated by hydraulic or other power transmitted by an endless chain or
band.
Upon certain of the girders or T-shaped plates of the travelling band are secured
rails arranged in pairs at distances apart to coincide with the gauge of existing
sidings or railways. Upon these rails are received the wagons or trucks from the
fixed lines or sidings. Those girders or T-shaped plates of the travelling band which
are situated between the rails may or may not be themselves provided with rails.

page_text: Extending inwards from the side girders of the carriage frame are flanges or
platforms, one such flange or platform being towards the top and the other towards
the bottom of its respective girder.
From the ends of each of the girders or T-shaped plates of the travelling band
depends a bracket carrying a roller or wheel which as the band travels around the
drums bears on rails secured to the extended flanges or platforms before mentioned
which thus sustain the weight of each girder in its passage.
Below each of those girders of the travelling band upon which rails are, as afore-
said, carried, there are two rollers or wheels at each end thereof to give rigidity to
the plates and prevent canting.
In putting the invention into practice for use in unloading a vessel, the carriage is
moved in the well or sunk siding so as to bring a pair of rails of the travelling band
of girders or T-shaped plates to meet or coincide with the rails of the sidings laid
down and upon which is the train of trucks or wagons laden with coal or other
substance to be embarked.
The pairs of rails upon the travelling band or T-shaped girders are arranged at
such distances apart as will meet the requirements of existing lines or sidings, so that
whilst one pair of rails coincides with that of one siding another pair of rails are in
gauge with that of another line or siding. Therefore, whilst one full wagon or truck
is placed on the travelling band of the machine, one is being put into the coal tip and
an empty wagon removed off the machine on to the siding for empties.
It is to be understood that the travelling band moves in a plane parallel with the
edge of the quay, the travelling rails being placed transversely on the machine so as
to form continuations of existing sidings.
A loaded wagon having been run on to the carriage, the travelling band is set in
motion and the wagon is thereby drawn towards the point required for tipping, that
is to say, for a distance sufficient to. bring the pair of rails next following to coincide
with the rails of the same siding from which a second loaded truck or wagon is run
on to the carriage. Thus a continous succession of trucks or wagons is run on to the
travelling band and conveyed to the tipping apparatus. After having been tipped,
the empty wagons are replaced on the machine and passed forward in the original
direction until the pair of rails upon which the truck wheels rest are brought to
coincide with the rails of the siding for empties before mentioned.
By using this machine for tipping purposes a travelling turntable may be placed
on one side or other of the machine as most suitable, so that the operator of the
machine can command the turntable also. One turntable only is required.
By the use of a carriage and endless band as above described, trucks or wagons
are readily brought to the tips and their contents discharged into the hatchway or
hold of a vessel without necessitating the inconvenience and delay attendant upon the
practice now frequently necessary of slewing the shutes of the tips or of moving the
vessel below the tips from time to time. Similarly, in unloading the cargo of a ship
into railway wagons. Also, wagons and carriages may be readily transferred from
one line of rails to another from any part of a train instead of by the ordinary
method of shunting.
A further advantage consequent upon the use of this invention consists in the
facility afforded for making the siding on which the trucks are brought to the
carriage, at such a distance from that on to which they are run off empty as to
conveniently admit of suitable falling gradients for each in opposite directions.
Instead of making the carriage movable on its own wheels, as aforesaid,
designed to be stationary.
may be
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Facilitating the Transit
of Railway Wagons and Carriages to or from Coal Tips and other
Apparatus for Loading and Unloading Ships and for Use on
Railways for Shunting Purposes.
We, CHARLES SIMMONS of John Street Foundry Bute Street Cardiff Civil and
Mechanical Engineer, and BENJAMIN WILLIAMS of 6 Stephenson Street Cardiff
Mechanical 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 :-
By using a continuous series of plates linked together parallel longitudinally and
travelling around drums or rollers, fixed at each end of a box framing or carriage,
having railway metals or rails fixed at uniform distances on the plates equal to
existing gauge of railways, and by giving motion to the endless band of plates
carrying rails thus convey trucks or wagons continuously to points required from
any fixed line or siding.
The machinery or apparatus in which this invention consists, is designed particularly
to facilitate the loading of ships with coal or other materials from trucks or wagons,
and it is intended for the purpose of conveying such trucks or wagons from any fixed
line of rails or sidings into or upon the lift or cradle, or in close proximity to coal
tips or any other appliances for loading or unloading ships. And it is therefore
intended to obviate or do away with the great trouble and inconvenience at present
experienced in unloading and loading ships into or from trucks, by reason of the
necessity for conveying the trucks or wagons into such positions as are convenient for
filling or tipping.
The machine designed to accomplish the objects mentioned, and whose general
features are shewn on the drawings accompanying this Specification, may be said to
consist of an endless chain or band of flanged plates or T girders marked in the
drawings A. The flanged Ṭ plates which form this endless chain, lie in close
proximity to each other, and are parallel along their sides. These T plates are
attached to one another, after the manner commonly known as "butt hinged." That
is to say that the T plates are formed with projecting lugs or eyes, which dovetail or
correspond with those of similar plates, and these lugs being pierced or holed, have a
continuous rod or bar of iron passing through such lugs or eyes throughout the
whole length of the T plates.
These plates therefore being thus hinged or jointed together form the endless
chain or band mentioned above, and it is upon and by means of this band that the
trucks or wagons are conveyed from point to point.
Upon certain of the before mentioned T plates or girders
tudinally with the T plates, rails marked B, in the drawings.
there are laid longi-
These rails are laid or

page_text: fixed apart from one another, the correct distance to correspond with the gauge
of the existing railways or sidings, in connection with which this invention is to
be used.
Following after these, there would be another pair of rails at such a distance from
the former pair as to give ample room or space for the passage of two trucks or
wagons without striking or grazing each other and so on for other pairs.
It is upon these pairs of rails marked B aforesaid, that trucks or wagons are to be
placed or run, such wagons standing in their positions side by side, are moved forward
or backward simultaneously.
This machine which may be constructed of any required width depth or length,
further consists of a framework or long box composed of iron girders, which
girders may be either rolled flanged girders, or of rivetted plates as shewn on the
drawings.
This framing or box may be either used as a fixture, or made moveable by means
of flanged wheels, marked C in the drawings.
It is intended that the level of rails marked B in the drawings shall be the same as
the rails of existing sidings, as well as those fixed upon the aforesaid lift or cradle of
coal tips. This therefore would generally necessitate the machine being sunk below
the ground level consequently the T plates or girders marked A would be at the
ground level.
Towards either end of the framework or box mentioned above, is a pair of drums
or rollers, marked D in the transverse section drawings.
These rollers are grooved or notched across the face or periphery of each at equal
intervals.
These notches are for the purpose of receiving the flanges of the T plates or
girders, which flanges being held in the notches, become the medium for transmitting
motion to the T plates and consequently to the trucks or wagons aforesaid.
These drums or rollers are carried upon strong spindles or axles, and are firmly
keyed or fixed otherwise thereon.
At one end of the spindles or axles there is to be a flanged wheel or driving
pulley, working loose upon the shaft or axle, and it is through this wheel or pulley
that rotary motion is given to the rollers or drums marked D, by throwing into gear
with the said flanged wheel, a friction clutch sliding on a key or feather in the
aforesaid shaft or axle.
The framing or box is constructed so that it has the top flanges of its sides pro-
jecting inwards as shewn on the section, and it also has an internal flange at a certain
distance below the top on each side. Upon these projecting top flanges are laid
railway metals or rails marked E in the drawings.
These rails and the lower flange are intended to act as a support or plane upon
which the series of T plates may travel when being rotated by means of the notched
rollers D.
Immediately at the ends of the T plates are fixed small flanged wheels or rollers
suspended in brackets of cast iron as shewn on the drawings and marked F.
The power and motion given to the flanged driving wheel may be by a chain rope
band or wheel gearing attached to a steam hydraulic or other engine.
The machine is placed at right angles to an existing line or siding over which coal
trucks or wagons are conveyed near to the dock side, and it may be conveniently
arranged so that two fixed lines of rails or sidings may be worked at one time. That
is to say that whilst a truck containing coal or other substance goes upon the machine
at one point an empty truck can at the same moment be passed off from the machine
on to a line of rails and so conveyed away.
It is to be understood that this machine may be constructed to carry any number
of trucks desired or convenient, and may be continuous throughout the whole quay
frontage where ships are loaded or unloaded.
It would follow therefore that the method of working this machine is by having a
pair of rails marked B in the drawings, coincident with those which form the fixed
line or siding. A full truck may be passed upon the said rails of the machine

page_text: marked B after which a forward motion is given to the endless band of T girders for
such space or distance as will bring a second pairs of the rails marked B to be coincident
with those of the aforesaid fixed siding, and so on for such a number of full trucks as
may occupy the space on the endless band which lies between the aforesaid fixed
siding and the tipping apparatus.
Therefore the first truck being carried forward to the point where its wheels are
exactly in gauge with the rails laid on the lift or cradle of the coal tip, and the
second, third or fourth full truck following, being upon their respective pairs of rails,
it is passed off from the machine into the tip and emptied of its contents when it is
returned to the same pair of rails it before occupied. The machine is then rotated
and the full truck next following is brought into position for passing into the tip and
so on for all others following. The empty trucks returning to their own rails on the
machine, are carried forward simultaneously in the original direction, to such a point
where may be constructed or existing a fixed line or siding, by which empty trucks
may be conveyed off the ground.
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
wo claim is :
1. Continuous transit of wagons from a fixed siding to any point required for
tipping by means of an endless band carrying Railway metals or rail, at right angles
to the direction of their motion.
2. Carrying forward or backward of empty wagons on an endless band carrying
Railway metals, revolving around drums.
3. An endless band, carrying Railway metals revolving around drums, which
drums are contained and rotated inside a framing or box or carriage with or without
wheels to run on the rails of a sunk siding, or such framing or box to be a fixture,
and at the ground level forming an unbroken area with the quay frontage.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1887.